Clearly document the land disturbance permit application requirements and approval process;

Require the design and construction of safe and durable streets, right-of-way's, and parking lots;

Require the design, construction and maintenance of stormwater drainage systems that maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, a site's pre-development drainage characteristics in terms of flow rates, runoff volume, velocities, and pollutant load/concentrations;

Require complete and accurate designs and construction documents to ensure that grading and property issues are addressed;

Require land disturbance projects to contain the necessary measures to control erosion and sediment during construction;

Require land disturbance projects to contain the necessary measures to reduce stormwater pollution and protect water quality through good design features, maintenance requirements, and encouragement of the latest stormwater treatment technologies (engineered devices) and approaches (e.g., low-impact development, or LID);

Provide minimum standards for methods to improve water quality, prevent illicit discharges, and minimize stormwater runoff impacts due to increased flow volumes, velocities peak discharge rates, and pollutant loads from developed areas;

Prevent the alteration, diversion, or disturbance of watercourses that lie within a special flood hazard area without the prior approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through submittals of letters of map revision (LOMRs), no-rise vertifications, or other appropriate documentation. Development in the floodplain shall be discouraged until all other possible alternatives have been exhausted and a reasonable and necessary use exists to develop in the floodplain. The PW/SWD shall be notified of any and all plans to develop areas within a floodplain;

Protect wetlands. All wetlands within a new development shall be delineated and verified by the USACE and protected to the maximum extent possible or mitigated through other projects/mitigation banks. No disturbance of wetlands shall be allowed unless proper approval has been received from the USACE and Lexington County has been notified of such approval. Disturbance includes, but is not limited to, draining, grading, filling, discharging untreated and uncontrolled stormwater runoff, and removal of vegetation. (LDM 1:1)

Rights-of-way.

Flood and drainage requirements.

Roads.

Lots.

Naming of subdivisions.

Improvements.

Variances.

The combination or recombination of portions of previously platted lots where the total number of lots is not increased and the resultant lots are equal to the standards of this chapter and other applicable regulations.

The division of land into parcels of five acres or more where no new street is involved (refer to the definition of street). Plats of these exceptions must be received as information by the Planning Official, which shall indicate that fact on the plats.

The combination or recombination of entire lots of record where no new street or change in existing streets (refer to the definition of street) is involved.

To permit full use of a lot of record (existing lot) created and existing prior to the adoption of this chapter that does not meet the minimum fifty-foot street frontage requirements.

To allow access to a division of land by gift conveyed by deed from one member to another member of the same immediate family i.e. (husband, wife, mother, father, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters). Land so divided may not be further transferred by sale or gift to any party other than a member of the same immediate family for a period of 18 months from the date the plat is approved for recording and shall be so notated on the plat. The Planning Official may waive the eighteen-month waiting period if the property owner can establish legitimate and compelling cause. The eighteen-month waiting period shall also be waived in the event of a judicial foreclosure.

The other lot of record (lot providing access) meets all zoning requirements specified for the respective zone in which it is located, both before and after the subdivision, to create the access easement or flag lot.

The "flag" section of an existing flag lot, or an existing lot accessed by the access easement, shall meet or exceed the requirements, other than the minimum street frontage specified for the respective zone. The area of the access driveway of the flag lot or access easement shall not be included in computing minimum lot area requirements. Title to the access driveway must be conveyed by general warranty deed in the same manner as the title to the "flag" portion of the lot; or in the case of an easement, recorded with the deeds to the accessed lot and the lot providing access.

Driveway and access easement standards shall comply with the provisions of the Lexington County Planning Commission Access Policy.

Flag lots created under this section may not be further subdivided.

Exempt subdivision (exempted from the definition of subdivision).

Minor subdivisions.

Major subdivision.

Group development.

Mixed-use planned development (MPD).

The Planning Official shall review, and stamp for recording, plats for subdivisions meeting the exemption requirement and plats of re-surveys of previously recorded lots.

The Planning Official shall review and stamp for recording, plats for minor subdivision of two lots.

The Planning Commission shall review and approve minor subdivisions of more than two lots, major subdivisions, group developments, and planned development district (MPD) applications.

Town Council shall give final approval of MPD projects in its role in the Zoning Map amendment (rezoning) process.

A minor subdivision is a subdivision that involves the creation of five or fewer lots on an existing street meeting the requirements of this chapter.

A minor subdivision shall not include the extension of an existing minor or major subdivision or development under the same ownership or control which would in effect create more than five contiguous lots.

The Planning Official shall review and approve plats of two lot minor subdivisions prior to the recording of the plat with Lexington County Register of Deeds. The purpose of this review is to assure that existing and proposed land parcels and structure are in compliance with all applicable zoning district regulations and regulations for the subdivision of land and the creation of lots of this chapter. Plats must display the correct Lexington County Tax Map Survey (TMS) number and shall be drawn to the Minimum Standards for the Practice of Land Surveying in South Carolina. Section 49-450 of the Minimum Standards Manual, states that plats must contain pertinent data and appropriate information. In addition to the information the Register of Deeds will require for recording a plat, plats submitted for approval shall contain enough pertinent data and appropriate information to make a determination of consistency with all applicable zoning and land development regulations. Plat approval is contingent upon this determination. The Planning Official shall create written guidelines that will assist and aide the applicant in submitting a plat with the pertinent information and data needed to make a determination of approval.

Within 10 working days of submission of the plat, the Planning Official shall determine that the proposed two lot minor subdivision conforms to applicable zoning district regulations of this chapter and shall approve, approve with changes, or reject the plat. If rejected, changes, additional analysis, or other information necessary to make an approval determination shall be identified and transmitted to applicant.

Approved plats shall be given to the applicant for transmission to the Lexington County Register of Deeds for Recording.

General information.

Site information.

Planned improvements.

The applicant shall submit to the Planning Official 10 copies of the minor subdivision plan drawn per the requirements stipulated in this section.

The Planning Official shall review the minor subdivision plan for completeness per the minor subdivision plan submittal requirements of this section. A minor subdivision plan and associated materials deemed complete by the Planning Official will be dispersed for concurrent review by the Town and County.

When all comments are addressed or reviews waived, the minor subdivision plan and any civil plans and construction drawings per the County's engineering and land development standards and regulations will be placed on the agenda for the next regular Commission meeting scheduled at least 20 days after the minor subdivision plan is filed and distribute copies of the minor subdivision plan to the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission shall consider compliance of the proposed minor subdivision with the applicable subdivision regulations and design standards and required improvements and zoning regulations per this chapter, the impact on public facilities, and compliance with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan.

The Planning Commission shall approve, approve conditionally, or disapprove the minor subdivision plan. If the minor subdivision plan is disapproved or approved conditionally, the reasons for such action shall be conveyed to the applicant. The reasons for disapproval shall refer specifically to those parts of the Comprehensive Plan, ordinance, or regulation with which the minor subdivision plan does not conform. If granting a conditional approval, the Planning Commission may require the applicant to resubmit the minor subdivision plan with all recommended changes before approving said minor subdivision plan. The Planning Commission may direct the Planning Official to review the resubmitted minor subdivision plan and to make a determination of approval, or it may require that the resubmitted minor subdivision plan be brought before the Planning Commission for review at the next regular Planning Commission meeting scheduled at least 10 days after the resubmitted minor subdivision plan is filed.

When Lexington County has approved the final plat, it shall be transmitted to the Planning Official for final review and approval for recording.

General information.

Site information.

Planned improvements.

Land development standards. Plans shall address and demonstrate the project will comply with all applicable land development standards of this chapter:

Phased development. If the applicant intends future phases of development, location of future phases shall be shown on the major subdivision plan. The applicant is encouraged to submit a Major Subdivision Plan of the entire track ultimately to be developed, although the present plans may only call for development of part of the property.

The applicant shall submit to the Planning Official 10 copies of the major subdivision plan drawn per the requirements stipulated in this section. The applicant shall also submit an unexecuted draft of the Lexington County Subdivision Agreement and a completed bond estimate template with all relevant unit quantity takeoffs, as necessary, for review and comment.

The Planning Official shall review the major subdivision plan and agreement for completeness per the major subdivision plan submittal requirements of this section. A major subdivision plan and associated materials deemed complete by the Planning Official will be dispersed for concurrent review by the Town and County.

When all comments are addressed or reviews waived, the major subdivision plan and associated materials will be placed on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting scheduled at least 20 days after the major subdivision plan is filed, and copies of the major subdivision plan will be distributed to the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission shall consider compliance of the proposed major subdivision with the applicable land development regulations and design standards and required improvements and zoning regulations per this chapter, the impact on public facilities, and compliance with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan.

Once Planning Commission or Planning Official, as applicable, approval of the major subdivision plan is granted, the Planning Official executes the Lexington County Subdivision Agreement with the developer and shall transmit the approved major subdivision plan to Lexington County for processing, which may include civil (engineering) plans and construction drawings per the County Engineering and land development standards and regulations.

When the Lexington County has approved the final plat, it shall be transmitted to the Planning Official for final review and approval for recording.

Subject to the approval of a major subdivision final plat, the developer/owner shall deposit with the Town a performance financial guarantee in the minimum amount of 25% of the total cost of improvements, as calculated using the bond estimate template and approved by the Town and County and in accordance with § 300-107, to cover any expenses associated with correcting and repairing any defects which may surface during the Lexington County warranty period. The "Lexington County warranty period" is the two-year period after final plat approval for recording and covers the design and performance of new streets and storm drainage systems to the satisfaction of the County Public Works Stormwater Division. The Lexington County Public Works Department shall review and approve documentation of the total cost of improvements made under county requirements. In the event defects do surface and the developer does not correct said defects, the Town, in coordination with the county, may take action to do so using the deposited funds. In the absence of any defects or where the cost of any needed repairs is less than the amount deposited, the balance shall be returned to the developer/owner at the conclusion of the warranty period. At the conclusion of the warranty period, the county may accept said dedicated streets and other improvements into the county maintenance system. The performance financial guarantee shall be one of the following and approved by the Town Attorney:

General site plan information.

Landscaping. A landscape plan per Part 7 of this chapter, including all required buffers, screening, landscaping, open space, and tree protection provisions of this chapter. The landscape plan shall:

Parking. The site plan must include an off-street parking facilities plan designed in accordance with the off-street parking regulations of this chapter. The plan must include:

Signage. The applicant is not required to submit sign permit applications at the time of Group Development application submittal. The developer may, however, opt to include the signage plan per the signage regulations of this chapter. Final certification (certificate of occupancy) shall not be granted until any required sign permits have been applied for and approved per the provisions of this chapter.

Plans shall address and demonstrate the project will comply with all applicable land development design standards of this chapter to include:

The Planning Official shall review the group development site plan for completeness per the submittal requirements of this section. A group development site plan and associated materials deemed complete by the Planning Official will be dispersed for concurrent review by the Town and County.

When all comments are addressed or reviews waived, the group development site plan and any civil plans and construction drawings per the County's engineering and land development standards and regulations will be placed on the agenda for the next regular Commission meeting scheduled at least 20 days after the group development site plan is filed and distribute copies of the group development site plan to the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission shall consider the prevention of traffic hazards and the provisions of off-street parking and required utilities. In addition, the Commission will consider compliance of the proposed group development with the applicable zoning and design standards and required improvements per this chapter and with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan.

The Planning Commission shall approve, approve conditionally, or disapprove the group development site plan. If the site plan is disapproved or approved conditionally, the reasons for such action shall be conveyed to the applicant. The reasons for disapproval shall refer specifically to those parts of the Comprehensive Plan, ordinance, or regulation with which the plan does not conform. On conditional approval, the Planning Commission may require the applicant to resubmit the site plan with all recommended changes before approving said plan. The Planning Commission may direct the Planning Official to review the resubmitted site plan and to make a determination that the conditions have been met and grant approval, or it may require that the resubmitted plan be brought before the Planning Commission for review at the next regular Planning Commission meeting scheduled at least 10 days after the resubmitted site plan is filed.

The Planning Commission shall approve, approve conditionally, or disapprove the group development site plan. If the site plan is disapproved or approved conditionally, the reasons for such action shall be conveyed to the applicant. The reasons for disapproval shall refer specifically to those parts of the Comprehensive Plan, ordinance, or regulation with which the plan does not conform. On conditional approval, the Planning Commission may require the applicant to resubmit the site plan with all recommended changes before approving said plan. The Planning Commission may direct the Planning Official to review the resubmitted site plan and to make a determination that the conditions have been met and grant approval, or it may require that the resubmitted plan be brought before the Planning Commission for review at the next regular Planning Commission meeting scheduled at least 10 days after the resubmitted site plan is filed.

Once Planning Commission or Planning Official, as applicable, approval of the group development plan is granted, the Planning Official shall transmit the approved group development plan to Lexington County for processing.

Residential dimension requirements. Residential density, building setbacks, and building heights shall be determined by the scale of the project in relation to its surroundings and its impact on existing and proposed support facilities such as transportation, water and sewer systems, recreational facilities, etc.

Overall site design. Overall site design shall be harmonious in terms of landscaping, enclosure of principal and accessory uses, size of structures, street patterns, and compatibility of uses.

Parking and loading. Unless alternate standards are specified in an approved development plan, off-street parking and loading spaces for the various uses proposed for the MPD shall comply with the standards for off-street parking and interior landscaping of this chapter.

Buffer areas. Buffer areas shall be required for peripheral uses and shall be provided in accordance with the requirements for adjacent uses prescribed in this chapter, unless alternate standards are specified in an approved development plan. There are no specific buffer area requirements for internal use, but buffers should mitigate impacts of intensity of uses and/or to serve as transitions between uses.

Streets and street improvements. Private streets may be permitted in the MPD, provided such streets meet the design and construction standards for public streets of the Lexington County Design Manual and other applicable land development regulations. The applicant must provide an acceptable private streets maintenance plan to the Planning Commission for review and approval. The Planning Commission may consider alternate private street design standards in consideration of site-specific factors including the following:

Landscaping and common open space. Landscaping and open space requirements for each MPD shall comply with the provisions of this chapter, unless alternate standards are specified in an approved development plan.

Signage. Signage shall be in harmony, in scale with, and reflective of the proposed development. Unless alternate standards are specified in an approved development plan, signage shall comply with the standard signage regulations of this chapter.

A site plan showing the proposed development of the area (zone) shall be a prerequisite to approval of an MPD rezoning. The site plan shall adhere to the minimum area and development standards requirements of this section and shall address or show the following:

The Planning Commission may establish additional requirements for site plan approval, and in special cases, may waive a particular requirement if, in the opinion of the Commission, the inclusion of that requirement is not essential to a proper assessment of the project.

If the request for an MPD rezoning is approved through an ordinance amendment of the Official Zoning Map by Town Council, site development plans and the final plat approval process may proceed. Improvement guarantees may be granted for substantially completed projects per improvement guarantee provisions as may be established by the Town.

After the final plat for the MPD has been recorded, building and sign permits shall be issued in accordance with the approved plan as a whole, or in phases or portions thereof, per an approved phased development plan as defined in this chapter. Said permits shall be issued in the same manner as for building and sign permits generally.

Minor changes in an approved MPD site plan may be accommodated and approved by the Planning Official upon a finding that such changes are:

Major changes to an approved MPD shall constitute an amendment to this chapter and must be made through the procedures provided for in this chapter for text and map amendments. The following constitutes major changes:

A vested right is the right to undertake and complete the development of an MPD under the terms and conditions provided in this section. A vested right is established for two years upon the approval of an MPD plan, including a phased development plan as provided herein.

A vested right may be extended at the end of the vesting period for an additional 12 months, or 36 months for a phased development plan, upon request by the applicant and a determination by the Town Council that there is just cause for extension and that the public interest is not adversely affected. A validly issued building permit does not expire or is not revoked upon expiration of a vested right, except for public safety reasons.

Revocation. A vested right is subject to revocation by the Town Council upon determination, after notice and public hearing, that there was a material misrepresentation by the landowner or substantial noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the original or amended approval.

Application of other regulations.

Vested rights to run with property. A vested right pursuant to this section is not a personal right, but attaches to and runs with the applicable real property. The landowner and all successors to the landowner who secure a vested right pursuant to this section may rely upon and exercise the vested right for its duration. The vested right is subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws adopted to protect public health, safety, and welfare, including but not limited to: building, fire, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical codes; street design, stormwater management, buffers, and other development standards; and certain nonconforming structure and use regulations that do not provide for the grandfathering of the vested right.

The use of conservation residential subdivision and group development design seeks to optimize land use in the undeveloped portions of the Town of Pine Ridge while maintaining a balance between the preservation of agriculturally, environmentally, and ecologically significant areas and allowing for reasonable and sustainable growth. New development shall avoid disturbance of areas or elements identified as "significant." The Town of Pine Ridge Comprehensive Plan natural resources goal is to "Encourage development that preserves the natural resources in the Town." With the objective that "The Town should take steps to encourage that future development respects the natural resources in the Town. Activities such as building in flood hazard areas, filling wetlands and clear-cutting parcels should be prohibited." In keeping with these Comprehensive Plan goals and objectives, the purpose of conservation design shall be to:

To achieve these objectives, clustering is allowed on the developable portion of the land. Clustering is a subdivision and group development design method that concentrates development in specific areas on the proposed site. The purpose of clustering is to allow increased density on a portion of the parcel, while preserving the rest as permanent open space. The overall density of the entire development property remains comparable to a traditional development within the zoning district. The concept of clustering provides for flexibility in subdivision and group development design that fits the natural characteristics of the land and permits more useable open space, the preservation of prime agricultural land, and land containing one or more sensitive areas.

The Town of Pine Ridge encourages the use of conservation subdivision and group development design where residential subdivisions, commercial subdivisions, and group developments are proposed on a parcel where 25% or more of the parcel has been identified by the appropriate oversight agency as agriculturally, environmentally, or ecologically significant.

Those areas deemed to be of agricultural, environmental, or ecological significance, as defined below, shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be referred to as "significant." The specific characteristics of these areas are defined as follows:

Agriculturally significant land. Prime farmland soils as defined and delineated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and soils classified as "Soils of Statewide Importance" by the State Food and Agriculture Council comprised of the USDA state agency heads of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency, and Rural Development.

Erodible lands. Areas of incline, whether natural or man-made, lacking sufficient vegetation to prevent instability, erosion, or downstream siltation. The key indicator for erodible lands is a slope of 5% or greater. Areas with a 5% slope or greater are subject to review by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The NRCS or a South Carolina registered professional engineer will make the final determination regarding the area's erodibility.

Environmentally significant areas. Any tract of land that contains one or more of the following sensitive areas as defined by the SC Department of Natural Resources:

Flood hazard areas. Areas at high-risk of inundation by water as a result of a flood. Known areas of flood hazard are indicated on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the Town of Pine Ridge.

Scenic natural areas. Any area which contains a unique feature of the rural landscape including, but not limited to, large rock formations, hill crests, scenic rivers, mature tree stands, and/or any other feature deemed to be significant by the SC Department of Natural Resources or as demonstrated to the Pine Ridge Planning Commission and Town Council in the MPD application.

Stream corridors. The primary channel of a river or stream and any portions of the floodplain adjoining the channel that is reasonably required to carry and discharge its water.

Outstanding natural resource waters. Waters of high water quality as designated by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) which are protected from any discharges.

Wetlands. An area saturated by surface water or ground water such that it supports the growth and existence of vegetation suited to such areas. The key indicator for wetlands is the presence of hydric soils. Hydric soils are soils susceptible to saturation by water, as defined by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Areas containing hydric soils will be subject to review by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The United States Army Corps of Engineers will make the final determination regarding the existence of a wetland.

Old-growth forests. An area containing contiguous wooded parcels of significant size, containing a rich diversity of native flora species in association typical of pre-European settlement ecosystems; areas with rare, threatened, endangered, or special species; or with ancient individual specimens, when in combination with understory species typical of pre-European settlement ecosystems. A forester with the SC Forestry Commission can assist in a determination of a stand qualifying as an old-growth forest.

A qualified conservation design MPD shall consist of a parcel in which a minimum of 60% of the parcel is designated as permanent open space. The portion of the parcel designated as permanent open space shall not be further subdivided and must be protected by a conservation easement held by the homeowners' association, local conservation commission, or land trust which is recorded with the Lexington County Register of Deeds.

The developer/applicant shall supply 10 copies of a completed application to the Planning Official which includes a draft of a conservation easement for the portion of the property that will remain as permanent open space or agricultural land, and a fully dimensioned site plan, drawn to scale, which shall demonstrate, delineate, and label all of the following:

Upon receipt of the application, the review process for the conservation subdivisions and group developments shall be the same as outlined in the procedures for MPD submittal and approval of this chapter. Included with the final plat, the developer shall submit an agreement regarding the liability for and maintenance of the open space. In addition, the developer must include a conservation easement/open space covenant protecting the open space from any further development.

The homeowners' association, local conservation commission, or land trust shall administer the permanent open space, and is responsible for upkeep, insurance, and any other responsibilities associated with ownership and/or administration of the land. The terms and conditions of the conservation easement shall be approved by the Planning Commission.

It shall be the general policy of the Town of Pine Ridge that all improvements required by this chapter be completed prior to approval for recording of a final plat of a subdivision or development, or the effect of which creates lots of record that may be sold or transferred along with site improvements. However, recognizing that completion of all required improvements prior to obtaining final plat approval may not in some cases be feasible, practical, or financially possible, per S.C. Code § 6-29-1180 Surety Bonds for Completion of Site Improvements, this section provides a mechanism by which final approval may be granted, contingent upon certain required improvements being completed as and when specified by the Pine Ridge Town Council and upon the applicant providing financial guarantees for the completion of such other required improvements.

Development projects or the approved development phase must be substantially complete prior to final approval through the improvement guarantee process. In general, the development must be completed except for final road surfacing, minor grading, and minor stormwater management controls. Substantially complete includes, but is not limited to, the following site improvements:

The Town shall have the right to refuse any of the optional financial guarantees and require construction and installation of all improvements by the developer or any person, entity, corporation, LLC, or association in partnership with the developer where:

The bond amount cost estimate shall be prepared by the engineer of record, signed and sealed.

Statement of conditions prepared by the developer or his/her representative.

Letter of credit or cash bond drafted with a minimum three-year expiration period.

Bonded plat prepared by a SC registered professional engineer, sealed and signed.

The estimate shall be approved by the Town Council or Planning Commission, whichever is the final authority, with assistance from Lexington County in determining if the estimate is sufficient and reasonable. The Town shall add 25% to the determined estimated cost.

The statement of conditions shall be received by the Town and forwarded to Town Attorney for review. The approval of Planning Official is required prior to acceptance of the Bond.

Bonds will be entered into the Town tracking system and reviewed annually for construction progress. Projects built in phases will be completed and a formal request submitted to the county for acceptance into their system for maintenance.

Bonds are tracked for the benefit of the Town. The developer shall not rely upon reminders from the Town of Pine Ridge to manage the terms of the surety instrument; however, the Town will take an active role in the process and establish a relationship with the bank or insurance company. The Town will require the bank or insurance company to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) as it relates to the agreement between the developer and the Town.

The property must contain a minimum of 25 acres of highland as defined as land above the 100-year floodplain as delineated on the official FEMA flood maps of Lexington County.

Development time. The following table specifies the maximum term of a development agreement by the size of the project:

The maximum term of a development agreement may be extended by a subsequent agreement.

The Planning Commission shall hold a public hearing. A notice of intent to consider the development agreement shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation at least 15 days prior to the hearing. The notice shall include:

The subject property shall also be posted with a notice of public hearing at least 15 days prior to the public hearing.

At the conclusion of the Planning Commission Public hearing. The Planning Commission Chairperson shall announce the Town Council's public hearing and the date, time, and place that the Town Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed development agreement. The Town Council public hearing shall be held at least 15 days after the Planning Commission public hearing.

Accept the development agreement as drafted;

Accept the development agreement with amendments; or

Deny the development agreement.

The Town Council shall hold a public hearing. A notice of intent to consider the development agreement shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation at least 15 days prior to the hearing. The notice shall include:

The subject property shall also be posted with a notice of public hearing at least 15 days prior to the public hearing.

Be prepared in accordance with the Standards of Practice Manual for Surveying in South Carolina, as adopted by the South Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors, Division of Professional and Occupational Licensing, South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing;

Comply with all applicable federal, state, county, and municipal laws, regulations, and technical standards in effect at the time of recording;

Accurately and completely depict field conditions as they exist at the time of recording.

Approval of a plat by the Planning Official shall automatically expire and become null and void if the plat is not recorded with the Lexington County Register of Deeds within one year from the date of such approval.

A one-time extension of no more than six months may be granted by the Planning Official, provided that a written request is submitted prior to the expiration date and good cause is shown.

To preserve any natural features on the site;

To minimize negative impacts and alteration of natural features;

To avoid areas of environmental sensitivity;

To avoid adversely affecting ground water and aquifer recharge;

To reduce cut and fill;

To avoid unnecessary impervious cover;

To prevent flooding;

To provide adequate access to lots and sites;

To promote healthy activities by providing safe and accessible pedestrian and bicycle access; and

To mitigate adverse effects of noise, odor, traffic, drainage, and utilities.

Development site characteristics.

Site analysis components and design objectives.

Identify the project footprint.

Identify all protected areas.

Identify all trophy trees located within:

Taxed on the basis of its present value as forestland under S.C. Code § 12-43-220(d);

Managed in accordance with a forest management plan that is prepared or approved by a South Carolina Registered Forester (see definition of Forestry Management Plan below);

Certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council, the American Forest Foundations Tree Farm System, or any other nationally recognized forest certification system;

Subject to a legally binding conservation easement under which the owner limits the right to develop or subdivide the land; or

Managed and harvested in accordance with the Best Management Practices established by the State Commission of Forestry pursuant to S.C. Code § 48-36-30.

One year after the completion of a forestry activity if the activity results in the removal of all, or substantially all, the trees that were protected under the Town of Pine Ridge tree protection regulations governing development from the tract of land for which the permit or approval is sought.

Five years after the completion of a timber harvest if the forestry activity (timber harvest) results in the removal of all, or substantially all, the trees that were protected under the Town of Pine Ridge regulations governing development from the tract of land for which the permit or approval is sought, and the harvest was a willful violation of Town regulations.

Culs-de-sac and dead-end streets lengthen distances for travelers, discourage pedestrian travel, and make transit service more difficult to operate and use, while placing an added financial burden in providing emergency, safety, and maintenance services. Culs-de-sac and dead-end streets result in poor connectivity that often restricts the viability of bicycle and pedestrian transportation.

Planning commission review and approval required. As of the effective date of this chapter, culs-de-sac and dead-end streets shall require Planning Commission approval on a case-by-case basis utilizing the following considerations:

Dead-end streets may be approved as temporary until connection with an intersecting street is constructed. Temporary dead-end streets must have a turn-around at the terminus.

Residential.

Commercial and industrial. Blocks intended for commercial or industrial development may vary from the standards of design detailed above in favor of dimensions more suitable to their prospective use, provided such blocks permit adequate traffic circulation.

Where major residential subdivisions are proposed to be located adjacent to arterial streets, such subdivisions shall be denied direct access to the arterial street and shall be separated from such streets by double frontage lots accessing onto reverse frontage roads.

Residential lots on reverse frontage roads. Residential reverse frontage lots shall have a minimum rear yard of 50 feet next to the arterial street, measured from the shortest distance of the proposed back building line to the street right-of-way. They shall also, within such rear yard and immediately adjacent to the right-of-way, have a nonaccess planting screen easement of at least 20 feet in depth planted to the perimeter yard landscaping requirements of this chapter. Alternately, the required buffer area may be held in common open space.

A driveway is a paved or unpaved area used for ingress or egress of vehicles, and allowing access from a street to a building, lot, structure, or facility that provides access to no more than two parcels of land. Any driveway providing access to more than two parcels of land shall be classified as a street (road) and subject to all applicable design and construction standards. However, access within multiple parcel group developments is excluded from the two-parcel restriction.

Driveway standards for allowable flag lot drives and access easements shall be governed by the Lexington County Planning Commission Access Policy standards.

One-way drives shall have a minimum width of 12 feet.

Two-way drives shall have a minimum width of 18 feet.

Generally, one point of access to a given property will be allowed if it is situated in a safe location and in accordance with other provisions of this chapter and state and county access regulations. Additional access points, however, may be allowed if driveway spacing requirements can be met.

Driveways shall be limited to the number needed to provide adequate and reasonable access to a property. Factors such as alignment with opposing driveways and minimum spacing requirements will have a bearing on the number of driveways approved. A property with more than one frontage may have the frontages considered separately.

All driveway approaches shall be allocated and spaced per SCDOT minimum spacing requirements per the SCDOT Access and Roadside Management Standards.

Exceptions.

Land developments shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer system if public service is available within the following distances from the following number of lots or group development units:

If a public system is not in place or cannot be reasonably extended, the developer must assure there will be in place individual subsurface disposal systems where appropriate, given site density, soil, slope, and other conditions, and subject to applicable SCDHEC regulations.

The system must obtain a Permit to Construct and an Approval to Place in Operation from SCDHEC.

The project owners, a homeowners' association, or other responsible party shall enforce covenants and restrictions as to the maximum number of lots, maximum number of bedrooms per dwelling unit, maintenance and inspection agreements, and other conditions of approval of the community on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems imposed by SCDHEC.