South Carolina Code 6-31-10. Short title; legislative findings and intent; authorization for development agreements; provisions are supplemental to those extant
(B)(1) The General Assembly finds: The lack of certainty in the approval of development can result in a waste of economic and land resources, can discourage sound capital improvement planning and financing, can cause the cost of housing and development to escalate, and can discourage commitment to comprehensive planning.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 6-31-10
- Developer: means a person, including a governmental agency or redevelopment authority created pursuant to the provisions of the Military Facilities Redevelopment Law, who intends to undertake any development and who has a legal or equitable interest in the property to be developed. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
- Development: means the planning for or carrying out of a building activity or mining operation, the making of a material change in the use or appearance of any structure or property, or the dividing of land into three or more parcels. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Laws: means all ordinances, resolutions, regulations, comprehensive plans, land development regulations, policies and rules adopted by a local government affecting the development of property and includes laws governing permitted uses of the property, governing density, and governing design, improvement, and construction standards and specifications, except as provided in § 6-31-140 (A). See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
- Local government: means any county, municipality, special district, or governmental entity of the State, county, municipality, or region established pursuant to law which exercises regulatory authority over, and grants development permits for land development or which provides public facilities. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
- Property: means all real property subject to land use regulation by a local government and includes the earth, water, and air, above, below, or on the surface, and includes any improvements or structures customarily regarded as a part of real property. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
- Public facilities: means major capital improvements, including, but not limited to, transportation, sanitary sewer, solid waste, drainage, potable water, educational, parks and recreational, and health systems and facilities. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
(2) Assurance to a developer that upon receipt of its development permits it may proceed in accordance with existing laws and policies, subject to the conditions of a development agreement, strengthens the public planning process, encourages sound capital improvement planning and financing, assists in assuring there are adequate capital facilities for the development, encourages private participation in comprehensive planning, reduces the economic costs of development, allows for the orderly planning of public facilities and services, and allows for the equitable allocation of the cost of public services.
(3) Because the development approval process involves the expenditure of considerable sums of money, predictability encourages the maximum efficient utilization of resources at the least economic cost to the public.
(4) Public benefits derived from development agreements may include, but are not limited to, affordable housing, design standards, and on and off-site infrastructure and other improvements. These public benefits may be negotiated in return for the vesting of development rights for a specific period.
(5) Land planning and development involve review and action by multiple governmental agencies. The use of development agreements may facilitate the cooperation and coordination of the requirements and needs of the various governmental agencies having jurisdiction over land development.
(6) Development agreements will encourage the vesting of property rights by protecting such rights from the effect of subsequently enacted local legislation or from the effects of changing policies and procedures of local government agencies which may conflict with any term or provision of the development agreement or in any way hinder, restrict, or prevent the development of the project. Development agreements will provide a reasonable certainty as to the lawful requirements that must be met in protecting vested property rights, while maintaining the authority and duty of government to enforce laws and regulations which promote the public safety, health, and general welfare of the citizens of our State.
(C) It is the intent of the General Assembly to encourage a stronger commitment to comprehensive and capital facilities planning, ensure the provision of adequate public facilities for development, encourage the efficient use of resources, and reduce the economic cost of development.
(D) This intent is effected by authorizing the appropriate local governments and agencies to enter into development agreements with developers, subject to the procedures and requirements of this chapter.
(E) This chapter must be regarded as supplemental and additional to the powers conferred upon local governments and other government agencies by other laws and must not be regarded as in derogation of any powers existing on the effective date of this chapter.