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Council delays vote on new rules for private event venues in rural areas; planning commission recommended changes
Summary
Council discussed a text amendment to the zoning and land-development regulations that would define commercial event venues, rural event venues and rural country clubs; the council deferred final action to July 22 to allow more study after concerns were raised about creating commercial uses in rural districts.
Kershaw County Council heard a staff-initiated text amendment Tuesday that would add three new land-use categories—commercial event venue, rural event venue and rural country club (with guest accommodations)—and change where those uses are permitted in the county’s zoning table.
What was proposed - Commercial event venue: targeted to business and general development districts for privately operated venues (weddings and similar private events) that would be subject to conditional-use review. - Rural event venue: a new category for rural districts (RD‑1, RD‑2), with a minimum lot size (staff cited a 5‑acre minimum) and conditions intended to protect neighboring property owners. - Rural country club/golf course with guest accommodations: proposed as a separate use with a larger minimum acreage (staff cited a 20‑acre minimum) and membership orientation in rural districts.
Why staff brought this forward Planning staff told the council they had received numerous inquiries—private operators seeking to open event venues, meditation retreats, rural conference centers and similar uses—and had been forced to “shoehorn” those uses into the existing code. Staff said the amendment would give clear definitions and standards instead of relying on inconsistent or informal designations.
Public and council concerns Speakers and council members raised a series of concerns: whether the new rules would create a de facto path to commercial development in rural areas, the cost and feasibility of meeting commercial building, stormwater and fire-suppression requirements on private rural parcels, effects on neighbors (noise, traffic and parking), and impacts on existing nonconforming venues. Staff said existing permitted venues would remain nonconforming, and owners could not expand without meeting new rules for expanded activity.
Planning commission recommendation and outcome - Planning Commission: recommended approval 6–0. - Council action: After discussion and several proposed amendments on the floor, the council voted to defer first reading to the July 22 meeting to allow more time for council members to consult staff, review marked-up ordinance language and meet with stakeholders.
Council focus going forward Council members asked staff to follow up with property owners who raised issues and to clarify administrative processes and code excerpts in the markups. Several councilors said they supported the concept of clear code definitions but wanted to ensure the rules would not unintentionally permit large-scale commercial development in rural residential neighborhoods.
Ending Staff will return the revised ordinance language and supporting analyses, and the council expects the item to appear again on its July 22 agenda for further consideration.
