Page 108 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Land Use

Community Character Framework for

Land Use Planning

Philosophy on this Approach

Community character accounts for the physical traits one can see in a neighborhood, on a roadway corridor, or
along a greenway trail which contribute to its “look and feel” relative to areas with much different character.
Various land uses, including parks, can occur in a range of settings within a community, from the most rural and
suburban to the most urban, provided they are designed to match the character of the area. The comprehensive
planning process will be centered on the concept of “community character” as a way to enhance the approach
Florence County takes to land use planning, farm land and rural conservation, and open space preservation. A
character-based approach emphasizes the variation in physical conditions that is experienced along a spectrum
from natural and rural landscapes at the edges of a community to its most urbanized environments, usually found
in suburban areas. Looking beyond land use alone, a character focus considers how intensively land is used – or
used only minimally in the case of some public parks or not at all in preserved natural areas.
Land use intensity involves three key elements:

A. The density and layout of residential development;
B. The scale and form of non-residential development; and,
C. The amount of building and pavement coverage relative to the extent of open space and natural vegetation or
landscaping.
How the automobile is accommodated is a key factor in distinguishing character types including how public streets
are designed, how parking is provided, and how buildings and paved areas are arranged on sites. Among the four
major character classes:

• Variable character areas have wide open spaces and a mixture of commercial and residential uses. This area
makes up the majority of the undeveloped areas of the county as well as areas that are transitioning into
more developed areas. Zoning Districts appropriate in the Variable Development District Future Land Use
Category include B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, R1, R3, R3A, RU-1, RU-1A, RU-2, and PD. However, to clarify that
certain areas of the County are prescribed for a more intense land use than others, there are two Variable
Development Districts, which include:
o Variable Development District 1: B1, B2, B3, RU-1, RU-1A, R1, R3, R3A, PD: This generally focuses on
the first 500 feet from urban corridors and and the majority of the Rural land in Florence County. For
parcels that are greater than 500 feet deep, the entirety of the parcel could be developed in the
preferred zoning district if approved by Council when rezoning. Overall, this area will include most
areas within ½ mile from Suburban or Urban categories.
o Variable Development District 2: B5, B6, RU-1 RU-1A, RU-2, and PD: This area is specified in Florence
County as specifically for industrial parks and growth as well as large lot residential development. This
is also a district option for Rural land.
• Suburban character areas have noticeably less intensive use of land than Urban areas, with open and green
spaces balancing – or, in estate sized areas, exceeding – the extent of land covered by structures and paved
surfaces. Zoning Districts appropriate in the Suburban District Future Land Use Category include R1, R2, R3,
R3A, B1, and PD.

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 107