South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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Bill 4482


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND CHAPTER 29, TITLE 6, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLANNING, BY ADDING ARTICLE 11 SO AS TO ENACT THE "FEDERAL DEFENSE FACILITIES UTILIZATION INTEGRITY PROTECTION ACT" WHICH PROVIDES PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES WHEREBY LOCAL PLANNING ENTITIES AND OFFICIALS MUST CONSIDER CERTAIN MATTERS AND TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS IN REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS CONTIGUOUS TO FEDERAL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS LOCATED IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 29, Title 6 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 39 of 2003, is amended by adding:

"Article 11

Federal Defense Facilities Protection

Section 6-29-1510.    This article may be cited as the 'Federal Defense Facilities Utilization Integrity Protection Act'.

Section 6-29-1520.    The General Assembly finds:

(1)    As South Carolina continues to grow, there is significant potential for uncoordinated development in areas contiguous to federal military installations that can undermine the integrity and utility of land and airspace currently used for mission readiness and training.

(2)    Despite consistent cooperation on the part of local government planners and developers, this potential remains for unplanned development in areas that could undermine federal military utility of lands and airspace in South Carolina.

(3)    It is, therefore, desirous and in the best interests of the people of South Carolina to enact processes that will ensure that development in areas near federal military installations is conducted in a coordinated manner that takes into account and provides a voice for federal military interests in planning and zoning decisions by local governments.

Section 6-29-1530.    (A)    In any local government which has established a planning department or other agency, such as a board of zoning appeals, charged with the duty of establishing, reviewing, or enforcing comprehensive land use plans or zoning ordinances, such planning department or other agency, with respect to each proposed land use or zoning decision involving land that is adjacent to or within three thousand feet of any federal military base or military installation, or within the three thousand foot Clear Zone and Accident Potential Zones Numbers I and II as prescribed in 32 C.F.R. Section 256, defining Air Installation Compatible Use Zones of a federal military airfield, shall:

(1)    at least thirty days prior to any hearing conducted pursuant to Section 6-29-530 or 6-29-800, request from the commander of the federal military base, military installation, or military airfield a written recommendation with supporting facts with regard to the matters specified in subsection (C) relating to the use of the property which is the subject of review; and

(2)    upon receipt of the written recommendation specified in subsection (A)(1) become a part of the public record, and in addition to any other duties with which the planning department or agency is charged by the local government, investigate and make recommendations or findings with respect to each of the matters enumerated in subsection (C).

(B)    If the base commander does not submit a recommendation pursuant to subsection (A)(1) by the date of the public hearing, there is a presumption that the proposed zoning decision does not have any adverse effect relative to the matters specified in subsection (C) of this section.

(C)    The matters the planning department or agency shall address in its investigation, recommendations, and findings must be:

(1)    whether the land use plan or zoning proposal will permit a use that is suitable in view of the fact that the property under review is adjacent to or is located within three thousand feet of a federal military base, military installation, or military airfield or within Air Installation Compatible Use Zones;

(2)    whether the land use plan or zoning proposal will adversely affect the existing use or usability of nearby property within three thousand feet of a federal military base, military installation, or military airfield or within Air Installation Compatible Use Zones;

(3)    whether the property to be affected by the land use plan or zoning proposal has a reasonable economic use as currently zoned;

(4)    whether the land use plan or zoning proposal results in a use which causes or may cause a safety concern with respect to excessive or burdensome use of existing streets, transportation facilities, utilities, or schools where adjacent or nearby property is used as a federal military base, military installation, or military airfield;

(5)    if the local government has an adopted land use plan, whether the zoning proposal is in conformity with the policy and intent of the land use plan given the proximity of a federal military base, military installation, or military airfield; and

(6)    whether there are other existing or changing conditions affecting the use of the nearby property as a federal military base, military installation, or military airfield which give supporting grounds for either approval or disapproval of the proposed land use plan or zoning proposal.

(D)    Where practicable, local governments shall incorporate identified boundaries, easements, and restrictions for federal military installations into official maps as part of their responsibilities delineated in Section 6-29-340."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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