(A)

Intent. The rural estate district is intended to:

(1)

Protect and encourage family agricultural, silvicultural, and equestrian endeavors and promote the wise use of prime agricultural land, forested areas and pastoral land;

(2)

Protect and encourage the integrity of existing rural communities and rural land uses through the protection of prime agricultural and forest lands;

(3)

Protect valuable natural, historical, and cultural resources through public acquisition, land donations, land banks, environmental easements and other means;

(4)

Maintain open space and scenic areas contiguous to development areas through public acquisition, land donations, land banks, environmental easements and other means;

(5)

Provide land use protection specifically for the propagation of farm animals on family farming operations to include pastures, barns, barn yards, corrals, pens, feed and fertilizer storage facilities, and the like, that can meet the requirements set forth in this subchapter; and

(6)

Provide land use protection specifically for equestrian uses such as horse farms to include pastures, stables, paddocks, arenas, trails, foul weather sheds and associate facilities that can meet the requirements set forth in this subchapter.

(B)

Permitted principal uses and structures. The following are permitted uses and structures:

(1)

All family farm type enterprises including tree farms, either in conjunction with or separate from dwellings;

(2)

Public buildings and utilities, excluding correctional facilities and public buildings with outside storage of equipment, pipe, gravel and similar materials;

(3)

Orphanages, children's homes, nursing homes and similar nonprofit institutions;

(4)

Hospitals, rest homes and retirement homes for the aged;

(5)

Churches, synagogues and related uses;

(6)

Non-profit civic, fraternal, cultural and social organizations, clubs, lodges and facilities;

(7)

Educational facilities including day nurseries and day care centers;

(8)

Dwellings, one-family, one per lot;

(9)

Dwellings, two-family, one per lot;

(10)

Mobile or manufactured homes, one per lot;

(11)

Cemeteries when associated with a church within the Blythewood community;

(12)

Wholesale commercial greenhouses and nurseries;

(13)

Farms for the raising and keeping of farm animals as described in subsection (E) below; and

(14)

Bed and breakfast as defined in section 155.375.

(C)

Special definitions.

(1)

The definitions presented below are intended to supplement the definitions in the Town of Blythewood Zoning Chapter, and are not to be considered as over-riding.

(2)

For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

Arena. An enclosed area used to display farm animals.

Barn. A large building for the storage of farm products and feed and used for the housing of farm animals.

Barnyard. A fenced area adjoining a barn.

Commercial farm. A farm that generates over $50,000.00 in farm products sales annually or on which less than 50 percent of the labor is provided by the family members owning the farm.

Corral. A fenced area for enclosing farm animals.

Exercise yard. A fenced area for the exercising of horses.

Family farm. A farm that generates less than $50,000.00 in farm products sales annually or on which over 50 percent of the labor is provided by the family members owning the farm.

Farm. A parcel of land that could generate over $1,000.00 in farm products sales annually.

Feed storage. An enclosed building for the storage of animal feed.

Fertilizer storage. An enclosed building for the storage of fertilizer.

Foul weather shed. A shed for animals to congregate under during foul weather, usually found in pastures.

Paddock. An enclosed area where horses are saddled, paraded and exercised.

Pasture. A plot of land used for grazing of animals.

Pen. A small enclosure for animals.

Stable. A building intended for the accommodation of one or more horses, mules, burros or ponies.

Stable, commercial. A stable that is for the purpose of boarding, training and lesson programs and for trail riding activities.

Stable, pleasure. A stable used to shelter horses, mules, burros or ponies which are kept or ridden for the sole purpose of recreation or pleasure by the property owner.

Stadium lighting. Lighting using multiple fixtures installed on each pole used to light outdoor activities at night normally associated with athletic fields, schools, commercial and public outdoor play areas and the like.

Trail. A path used to ride horses.

(D)

Permitted accessory uses and structures. The following are permitted accessory uses and structures:

(1)

Home occupations subject to the restrictions of section 155.090 et seq.;

(2)

Other structures and uses which are customarily accessory and clearly incidental and subordinate to permitted uses and structures; and

(3)

Apartments, housing, or bed and breakfast operations for the use of employees, family members and guests on agricultural properties to include migrant worker barracks.

(E)

Farm animal and equine uses.

(1)

Farm animal and equine uses are designed to support family cattle, horse and other farm animal operations. The planning commission must approve any animal husbandry operation within the town limits. Due to potential traffic problems, the planning commission must approve any plan for construction of an auction house or equine center to include parking, traffic, buffer yards and placement of buildings and paddocks in reference to adjacent properties.

(2)

Specifically, uses in this district shall adhere to the following guidelines:

(a)

Setbacks shall be as established in section 155.302(A) through (H);

(b)

Type A bufferyards shall be required along the property line to shield residences from parking areas, stockyards, poultry houses, barns, restrooms, concession stands, truck unloading area and other similar uses;

(c)

All portions of the property must be designed and maintained to allow drainage to flow off active use areas so as to prevent ponding and propagation of insects or pollution of adjacent streams. SCDHEC permitting requirements will always prevail;

(d)

The lot must be maintained in a sanitary condition through the use of lime and pesticides;

(e)

Signs announcing any show or other special event may be installed on subject property 30 days prior to the event and must be removed one week after the event. Maximum of one sign per road frontage and maximum height of five feet and a maximum size of 32 square feet;

(f)

Directional signs are permitted with the application of a sign permit. No advertising information shall be allowed on a directional sign. Signs can be placed 30 days prior to an event and must be removed one week after the event;

(g)

Fences may be located on the property line on a farm as defined herein when agreed to by adjoining landowners and documentation to that effect is filed at town hall with the Zoning Administrator prior to construction of the fence;

(h)

Barns and stables must be at least 50 feet from the rear or side property line, and at least 300 feet from the nearest adjacent primary residence, and at least 50 feet from any swimming pool;

(i)

No concentrated feeding operations are allowed within the district unless specifically approved by the planning commission;

(j)

If an exercise yard, barn or stable is to be constructed adjacent to a vacant lot, than all references to setbacks shall be measured from the perimeter of the front half of the buildable area of the adjacent lot;

(k)

Manure piles shall be located at least 200 feet from any dwelling, pool, patio, water body and the like, of any adjacent lot and at least 100 feet from the property line and meet all SCDHEC requirements;

(l)

No permanent stadium seating is allowed unless specifically approved by planning commission prior to facility construction. Temporary seating for special events must have a permit from the town and be removed within 30 days of any special event;

(m)

Vendors for special events must purchase a business license one week prior to the special event. All vendors must present proof of SCDHEC approval; and

(n)

Farm equipment may be parked on the property to include transportation equipment when directly utilized as a part of the farming operation on the farm within the town limits.

(Ord. No. 5.202, 11-24-1981)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 155.999.

After public notice and hearing, and subject to appropriate conditions and safeguards, the board of adjustment may permit as special exceptions the following, provided however, that all uses in existence at the time of passage of this chapter which meet the criteria for special exceptions below are automatically deemed approved as special exceptions.

(A)

Indoor and outdoor amusement facilities for purposes of public recreation, including parks and playgrounds, provided that the board of zoning appeals shall find that the characteristics of these uses and the site design thereof will be compatible with nearby uses and further provided that motor vehicle raceways, go-cart tracks motorcycle tracks, and all cross country vehicular traffic shall be specifically excluded. (See subsection (D) below.) Stadium lighting for educational and recreational facilities will be strictly limited, with all lighting to be approved by the board of appeals on a project by project basis. Lighting approved by the board of appeals must be turned off at 10:00 p.m.

(B)

Group housing developments containing between two and six dwelling units inclusive, at a rate of density of at least one acre per dwelling unit.

(C)

Communication towers, provided once the tower is no longer in use, it shall be removed within 90 days and meet the requirements of section 155.355 et seq.

(D)

Motor vehicle raceways, go-cart tracks, motorcycle tracks and cross county vehicular paths must be a part of a PDD as defined in section 155.270 of this chapter and will be allowed only after following all of the procedures outlined in sections 155.271 and 155.272 as prescribed.

(Ord. No. 5.202, 11-24-1981)

(A)

Minimum yard requirements.

(1)

The depth of front and rear yards and the width of side yards shall be as follows for all permitted and permissible structures, except as specifically addressed in section 155.300(E).

(2)

When a nonresidential structure adjoins a residential unit or development, the side yard and rear yard should be increased by an additional 20 feet to provide for an undisturbed buffer zone.

(B)

Minimum lot area.

(1)

The minimum lot area for all residential uses is not more than one dwelling unit per four acre of buildable land.

(2)

Other uses and structures permitted outright are permissible with special exceptions: one acre of buildable land except as needed to meet other requirements herein or state health requirement if either no public water or sewer is available.

(3)

Individual homes within a platted subdivision with accessory facilities for the keeping of farm animals for the resident family will have a minimum of five acres.

(4)

Equestrian subdivisions where all lots are designed to accommodate horse facilities will be evaluated as a PDD, however, under no circumstances will the PDD be approved with less than two acres per parcel.

(5)

Farm animals, included horses are allowed on lots of five acres or greater.

(C)

Maximum height of structures. No portion of any building shall exceed 35 feet in height. Structures associated with farming operations (i.e., arenas, barns, silos, windmills and the like) are excluded from the height requirements.

(D)

Minimum off-street parking and loading requirements.

(1)

Off-street parking and loading requirements as set forth in section 155.410 et seq. must be met.

(2)

A plan for special event parking will be submitted to the town for approval prior to the approval of any signage or seating permits being issued.

(E)

Minimum lot width. The minimum lot width of any lot is 120 feet.

(F)

Signs. Signs are permitted in a rural district only in accordance with the following provisions.

(1)

Freestanding signs.

(a)

Maximum of 32 square feet of sign per area per side;

(b)

Lighting will be allowed as defined in section 155.425 et seq.;

(c)

Landscaped buffer of ten feet around a sign; and

(d)

Maximum height of six feet.

(2)

Wall signs.

(a)

Wall signs will be allowed so that liability signs, barn rules, and associated special activity instructions can be displayed.

(b)

The maximum allowable signage will occupy no more than 20 square feet per building.

(G)

Drives. Any access drives to all structures must be of sufficient width to permit access by emergency vehicles.

(H)

Health approvals. Any facility must satisfy all state and federal non point source pollution requirements.

(Ord. No. 5.202, 11-24-1981; Ord. No. 5.291, 9-26-2005)

Cross reference— Penalty, see § 155.999.