Page 117 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Land Use

Urban Character located off Alligator Road (City of Florence)

Urban (Commercial areas)

Urban is for properties in commercial retail, office and service uses, primarily along portions of major roadway
corridors within the community for high visibility and accessibility, but also in other locations to accommodate
smaller-scale and neighborhood-focused businesses.
▪ Urban commercial areas have significant portions of development sites devoted to vehicular access drives,
circulation routes, surface parking, and loading/delivery areas, making pavement the most prominent visual
feature.
▪ Buildings are typically set back toward the rear of sites to accommodate expansive parking areas in front,
closest to passing traffic, resulting in less emphasis on architectural design in many cases.
▪ Development in such areas aims to maximize signage (number, size) to capitalize on site visibility to passing
traffic.
▪ Such sites are often not conducive for access or on-site circulation by pedestrians or cyclists.
▪ All of these characteristics are often captured by the term “strip development” along major roadways. Such
development can include a range of uses on high-profile “pad” sites along the roadway frontage. Also
common are “big box” stores, other chain retail and franchise restaurants, and automobile services (e.g.,
gas stations, service/repair, car washes, etc.).

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 116