The following zoning districts are hereby established in the City of Chester. The minimum size of any zoning district shall be two (2) acres.

(Ord. No. 23, § 2-603.1, 5-12-1997)

The zoning districts established in this ordinance are for the purposes of guiding development in accordance with existing and future needs and promoting the public health, safety, morals, convenience, order, appearance, prosperity, and general welfare, and all of the purposes set forth in S.C. Code 1976, § 6-29-710. The following statements of intent shall be used in interpretation and application of the district regulations.

R-10, R-8 One Family Residential Districts. These districts are intended as single family residential areas with detached units and low to medium population densities. Use regulations for these districts are substantially the same. Lot size requirements vary.

R-6 One and Two Family Residential District. This district is intended for one and two family detached units and low to medium population density. Certain uses to serve governmental, recreational and religious needs are permitted. The regulations are designed to encourage a stable and healthy environment for one and two family dwellings and to discourage encroachment by commercial, industrial, or other uses adversely affecting the residential character of the district.

GR General Residential District. This district is intended for medium to high density residential purposes, including multi-family and group dwellings as well as dwellings permitted in R-6 districts. Mobile home parks are permitted as special exceptions upon approval of the Board of Zoning Appeals. Certain uses to serve governmental, recreational and religious needs are permitted. The regulations are designed to encourage a stable and healthy environment for residential purposes and to discourage encroachment by commercial, industrial, or other uses adversely affecting the residential character of the district.

MF Multi-family Residential District. This district is intended for medium to high density multi-family dwellings consisting of more than two units per lot, such as apartments, group dwellings and condominiums. Clustered single family dwellings are permitted as conditional uses.

NC Neighborhood Commercial District. This district is intended for commercial and service uses oriented primarily to serving the needs of persons who live or work in nearby areas. R-8 residential uses are permitted. Commercial uses permitted are intended to be relatively small in size and service area.

NCH Neighborhood Commercial Historic District. This district is intended to provide protection to historic and architecturally significant structures and to guide development in areas which have neighborhood commercial characteristics and uses combined with, in the vicinity of, or conducted in such historic or architecturally significant structures. Uses in this district are subject to review and approval by the Historic Zoning Commission pursuant to regulations in this ordinance.

CC Core Commercial District. This district is intended to accommodate a variety of general commercial and nonresidential uses characterized primarily by retail, wholesale, office and service establishments in the central business area. Residential uses are permitted on upper levels of commercial structures. Group dwellings and tourist homes are permitted.

HC Highway Commercial District. This district is intended to allow a wide variety of retail, wholesale and service uses on major traffic arteries. Shopping centers are permitted. Residential uses are limited. Uses are oriented to afford access to the traveling public.

LI Limited Industrial District. This district is intended to permit light industrial and commercial uses which do not create nuisances by noise or emissions beyond the premises.

BI Basic Industrial District. This district is established for a wide variety of industrial uses involving research, manufacturing, processing, assembly, storage, landfill, mining, and all uses permitted in the LI District.

PD Planned Development District. This district designates an area for which an approved development plan constitutes the district regulations. It is intended to utilize the factors of efficiency, economy, flexibility, creative site design, improved appearance, compatibility of mixed uses, maximum benefits from open space, safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian access for a development characterized by a unified site design for mixed uses. A planned development district may be predominately residential or predominately commercial.

-H Historic Overlay. This overlay designation is appended to a basic district classification (for example., R-10-H) by zoning amendment for imposition of regulations intended to protect and preserve historic sites and structures, and architecturally significant structures. Applications for alteration, relocation, demolition or construction of structures in the district must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation Commission of Chester after the Codes Administrator determines that all other zoning regulations applicable to the use are met.

(Ord. No. 23, § 2-603.2, 5-12-1997; Ord. No. 2009-12, § 1, 1-11-2010)

The boundaries of the zoning districts established by this ordinance shall be as shown on the City of Chester Zoning Map.

(Ord. No. 23, § 2-603.3, 5-12-1997)

The official copy of the City of Chester Zoning Map shall be maintained in the office of the Codes Administrator. A duplicate official Zoning Map shall be kept in the office of the Municipal Clerk. All zoning district boundaries shall be clearly shown on the Zoning Map, and amendments shall be recorded immediately after adoption. The official copies of the Zoning Map shall be dated and attested by the Municipal Clerk and shall be available for public inspection. The official Zoning Map and any amendments adopted by City Council shall constitute the final authority for determination of zoning district boundaries. It shall be unlawful for any person to make unauthorized changes to the Zoning Map.

(Ord. No. 23, § 2-603.4, 5-12-1997)

The Codes Administrator shall interpret the Zoning Map and determine the location of zoning district boundaries using the following rules of interpretation:

1.

District boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of streets, alleys, railroads, or bodies of water shall be construed to follow those center lines.

2.

District boundaries indicated as approximately following platted lot lines or tax map lot lines shall be construed as following those lot lines.

3.

District boundaries indicated as approximately following City Limits shall be construed as following City Limits.

4.

District boundaries indicated as approximately parallel to or extensions of features indicated in Subsections above shall be so construed for the distances indicated on the Zoning Map. Distances not specifically indicated shall be determined by the scale of the map.

(Ord. No. 23, § 2-603.5, 5-12-1997)

No structure or accessory use may be placed, structurally altered, or have a change in use where the structure or use is or would be included within two or more zoning districts unless such structure or use conforms to the requirements of all applicable district regulations.

(Ord. No. 23, § 2-603.6, 5-12-1997)