Page 109 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Land Use

• Urban character areas exhibit the greatest pedestrian orientation, through a more compact scale and
“architectural enclosure” of streets by buildings situated close to front property lines and sidewalks. Within
the Urban class, auto urban character areas are a particular planning challenge as they are designed mainly
to accommodate automobile circulation and parking. This is the main type of Urban development in Florence
County. The extent of land cover by buildings and paved surfaces is similar to Urban areas, but often without
a pedestrian orientation as in traditional downtowns. This is especially true where development is spread
across landscape more horizontally relative to more compact “development nodes” and “activity
centers” that enable multi-purpose trips and walking or biking between destinations. Zoning Districts within
Florence County appropriate in the Urban District Future Land Use Category include B1, B2, B3, R3A, R4, R5,
R5A, and PD.
• Much like Urban character areas, Downtown character areas are categorized by development very close to
or within the proximity of a municipal downtown. As Florence County does Land Use planning for several
municipalities therein, including the Downtown Development District Future Land Use Category is necessary
with the allowed zonings of B4 and PD.
Purpose of Character Planning

It is this combination of land use and the characteristics and context of the use that determines the real
compatibility and quality of development, as well as the ongoing integrity of open space areas intended for
minimal or no development. Aesthetic enhancements such as architectural design, landscaping and screening,
signage standards, and site amenities also contribute to development appearance, but these factors can and
should vary with the area character (e.g., landscaping shifting more to the public realm versus on private sites in
a downtown area given minimal building setbacks and yard areas).
The community character approach can be applied to the typical series of land use types, and regardless of
whether a site is in private ownership or owned and developed by a government agency for public purposes.
Examples include:

• A single-family home situated on a relatively large lot, with many mature trees and substantial separation
from neighboring homes (Variable character) versus a single-family bungalow on a small, narrow lot with
rear‑alley access and much less yard space (Suburban character).
• Storefront shops and small cafes in a walkable, neighborhood commercial setting (Downtown character)
versus “big box” stores and associated pad-site restaurants and retailers in a large-scale shopping center
with extensive surface parking and minimal landscaping (Urban character).
• A master-planned business park in a campus-like setting (Variable character) versus an office building on a
site dominated by surface parking (Urban character) or a more vertical building in a downtown setting with
ground-level retail uses (Downtown character).
• A public library, community center or neighborhood park that is designed to be compatible with the
surrounding residential area (whether Suburban or Variable in character) versus a public works maintenance
and storage site or a wastewater treatment plant that can be as impactful on nearby properties as a private
industrial use.
Maintaining and enhancing desired character is a central aim – and challenge – of implementing community plans
amid constant change. A character approach allows the formulation of standards within the County's
development regulations to:
• Achieve the desired character in newly developing areas;

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 108