A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 6-1-200 SO AS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN LOCAL PLANNING AND PERMITTING ENTITIES SHALL REVIEW AND RENDER DECISIONS ON APPLICATIONS FOR BUILDING PERMITS, CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY, ZONING VARIANCES AND APPEALS, OR OTHEr LICENSES WITHIN FORTY-FIVE CALENDAR DAYS AFTER SUBMISSION OR THE APPLICATION MUST BE DEEMED APPROVED, AND TO PROVIDE REMEDIES, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 1, Title 6 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 6-1-200. (A) Local planning commissions, local planning departments, zoning boards, architectural review boards, and local building permitting entities shall review an application for a building permit, certificate of occupancy, zoning variance or appeal, or license and render a decision on the application within forty-five calendar days after the application is filed or the application must be deemed approved and no further vote or other action on the application by the body to which the application was made is required and may not be binding, and the permit, certificate, variance, appeal, or license requested in the application must be granted. If the permit is not so granted, the applicant may seek relief by way or mandamus in circuit court.

    (B) For purposes of this section:

       (1) "Architectural review board" means a board appointed by a local government pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, Chapter 29, of this title.

       (2) "Local building permitting entity" means the entity of a county or municipality responsible for issuing building permits as provided in Chapter 9 of this title.

       (3) "Local planning commission" means a municipal planning commission, county planning commission, joint city-county planning commission, or consolidated government planning commission created pursuant to Article 1, Chapter 29 of this title.

 

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

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