For purposes of this Ordinance, the following zoning districts are hereby established:

Collectively, these Districts are intended to advance the purposes of this Ordinance, as stated in the Preamble. Individually, each district is designed and intended to accomplish the following more specific objectives.

RS Single-Family Residential District.

The purpose of this District is to foster, sustain, and protect areas in which the principal use of land is for single-family dwellings and support uses.

RG General Residential District.

The RG District is intended to promote and accommodate housing development that meets the diverse economic and social needs of a diverse population. To this end, this District is designed and intended to allow for the development of a variety of housing styles, types and densities on small lots or in project settings, including single-family, duplexes, triplexes, air-space condominiums, rental apartments, patio homes, townhouses, manufactured homes (Residentially designed) etc., and to do so in a protected, compatible residential environment. The District is intended for application in areas accessible by major streets, and in proximity to commercial uses, employment opportunities and community facilities.

RO Residential-Office District.

This District is intended to accommodate office, institutional, and residential uses in areas whose character is changing, or where such a mix of uses is appropriate. It is designed principally for use in transitioning from residential use to commercial use, and along major streets dominated by older houses in transition.

CN Neighborhood Commercial District.

The intent of this District is to meet the commercial and service needs generated by nearby residential areas. Goods and services normally available in this District are of the "convenience variety." The size of this District should relate to surrounding residential markets and the location should be at or near major intersections, in proximity to and/or on the periphery of residential areas, existing or proposed.

CG General Commercial District.

The intent of this District is to provide for and promote the development and maintenance of commercial and business uses strategically located to serve the traveling public, the resident population and the larger region of which the county is a part. Toward this end, a wide range of business, and commercial uses are permitted in this District.

BI Business and Industrial District.

The intent of this District is to accommodate and protect on individual lots or in business park settings industrial and related wholesaling, distribution, warehousing, processing, office and administrative uses in an environment suited to such uses and operations, while promoting land use compatibility with the aid of performance standards. This District also is intended to protect for future development vacant sites and tracts with industrial potential.

FA Forest Agricultural District.

The intent of this classification is to conserve, sustain, and protect agricultural areas.

The retention of open lands, woodlands, and farmlands, which make up a large part of this area, are essential to clean air, water, wildlife, many natural cycles, and a balanced environment, among other things. Even more essential from an economic perspective are the agricultural lands and farming operations in this area. Also provided by this District is a rural environment preferred by many people over subdivisions and higher density urban or community settings.

RC Rural Community District.

The intent of this District is to sustain existing rural-community values and environments, and to facilitate future development which will strengthen the economies of these areas, making them less dependent on outside services and resources, while ensuring land use compatibility.

PUD Planned Use District.

The intent of the Planned Use District is to encourage flexibility in the development of land in order to promote its most appropriate use; and to do so in a manner that will enhance public health, safety, morals, and general welfare.

Within the PUD District, regulations adapted to unified planning and development are intended to accomplish the purpose of zoning and other applicable regulations to an equivalent or higher degree than where such regulations are designed to control unscheduled development on individual lots or tracts, promote economical and efficient land use, provide an improved level of amenities, foster a harmonious variety of uses, encourage creative design, and produce a better environment.

In view of the substantial public advantage of "planned development," it is the intent of these regulations to promote and encourage or require development in this form where appropriate in character, timing, and location, particularly for large undeveloped tracts.

FH Flood Hazard District.

It is the intent of this District to protect human life and health, minimize property damage, encourage appropriate construction practices, and minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions by requiring that uses vulnerable to floods, including facilities which serve such uses, be protected against flood damage at the time of initial construction.

Additionally, this District is intended to help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of flood-prone areas and to ensure that potential home buyers are notified that property is in a flood area. The provisions of this District are intended to minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone, and sewer lines, street and bridges located in the floodplain, and prolonged business interruptions; and to minimize expenditures of public money for costly flood control projects and rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding.

AC Airport Compatibility District.

The objectives of this classification are: (1) to protect the interests of the Orangeburg Airport and the USAF's North Field; (2) to protect and promote the general health, safety, economy, and welfare of the airport's environs; (3) to prevent the impairment and promote the utility and safety of the airports; (4) to promote land use compatibility between the airports and surrounding development; and (5) protect the character and stability and enhance the environment of areas impacted by airport operations.

The boundaries of the Use Districts established by this Ordinance are shown on official zoning maps, which maps shall be maintained by the Zoning Administrator. The official zoning maps and all amendments, certifications, citations, and other matters entered on the official zoning maps are hereby made a part of this Ordinance and have the same legal effect as if fully set out herein.

Flood hazard boundary maps for Orangeburg County have been prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are on file in the office of the Zoning Administrator. These maps and other supporting data, and any revisions thereto, are adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this Ordinance and have the same legal effect as if fully set out herein.

Amendments to the official zoning maps shall be adopted by Ordinance as provided for herein. Promptly after the adoption of an amendment, the Zoning Administrator shall alter or cause to be altered the official zoning maps to indicate the amendment, and shall enter the date of adoption and the effective date of the Ordinance amending the map.

Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of a district shown on the official zoning maps, the following rules shall apply:

Boundaries indicated as approximately, following the centerlines of streets, highways, railroad tracks, alleys, or public utility easements shall be construed to follow such centerlines.

Boundaries indicated as approximately, following platted lot or tract lines shall be construed as following such lines, whether public or private.

Boundaries indicated as approximately, following political boundaries shall be construed as following such boundaries.

Boundaries indicated as approximately, following the centerlines of natural barriers such as streams, shall be construed to follow such centerlines.

Boundaries indicated as parallel to, or extensions of features indicated in Sections 1 through 4 above, shall be determined by the Zoning Administrator.

Where uncertainties continue to exist after the application of the above rules, an appeal may be taken to the Board of Zoning Appeals.