Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Awendaw, South Carolina

Town of Awendaw’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Awendaw town limits.

  • The town adopted the listed construction codes as amended under Charleston County Ordinances Nos. 394, 395, and 496.

  “The following international codes for the regulation of construction, as modified and adopted by reference”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Awendaw town limits.

  • Uses and development remain subject to the zoning code.

  “This chapter pertains to and describes the various zoning categories for the town as shown on the accompanying map.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Awendaw town limits subject to Chapter 153 zoning.

  • The published permitted-use table identifies C, AG, R, OR, TC, and GC districts.

  “Zoning Districts:C - Conservation AG - Agricultural General R - Residential OR - Office/Residential TC - Town Center GC - General Commercial”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing units in Conservation, Agricultural General, Residential, and Office/Residential zoning districts inside Awendaw town limits.

  • The table makes manufactured housing units permitted by right in C, AG, and R; a special exception is required in OR; the use is not listed in TC or GC.
  • All general-district uses remain subject to special provisions, exceptions, and conditions.

  “Manufactured housing unit | A | A | A | S | | | § 153.106”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units in Awendaw zoning districts.

  • A special exception is required in Conservation, Town Center, and where table symbol S applies.
  • Use-with-conditions approval applies in Agricultural General, Residential, and Office/Residential.
  • The table directs review under § 153.081.

  “Accessory dwelling unit | S | C | C | C | S | | § 153.081”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Awendaw town limits.

  • Chapter 153 includes subdivision regulations and plat review procedures.

  “Unless expressly exempted, no subdivision shall be made, platted or recorded for any purpose”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Floodplain development inside Awendaw town limits.

  • Charleston County Ordinance No. 2124 is adopted by reference as part of Awendaw's code.
  • The cited ordinance was adopted October 6, 2020; Awendaw's adopting ordinance passed May 6, 2021.

  “County Ordinance No. 2124, adopted October 6, 2020, entitled “Flood Damage Prevention and Protection” is hereby adopted by reference”

• Permit processPartial

  Subdivision applications inside Awendaw town limits.

  • The code publishes subdivision plat procedures and an overview of review and approval process, but the operative process provisions were not opened.

  “There is one required step in the minor subdivision process: final plat review and approval.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Awendaw or Charleston County directly.

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Awendaw town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Awendaw town limits.
• Inspections — Construction inside Awendaw town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Awendaw town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Awendaw town limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Awendaw means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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