The goal of the Berkeley County Planning and Zoning Department is to provide professional and technical advice to elected officials, appointed boards & commissions and citizens to assist in understanding the County’s planning and zoning ordinances, standards and policies.
Mission Statement
DEPARTMENT HOURS: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Customer Service Walk-In Hours:
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
OTHERWISE BY APPOINTMENT
Customers may engage staff with inquiries during Customer Service Walk-In Hours. Otherwise customers may contact Administrative Support Staff at 843.719.4095, , or use the contact form available here to schedule an appointment with staff outside of walk-in hours.
Applications, plans & final plat, and other submittals are accepted for review or, upon approval, available for pick up via Drop Box or at the Front Counter ANYTIME
Any applicable fees may be paid online at the link available here, using instructions provided by Department staff once an application/submittal is processed, or by cash or check.
Applicants seeking preliminary information and feedback on a sketch plan for subdivision, multi-family, commercial, industrial, or institutional development are encouraged to sign up for Joint Plan Review.
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Department Functions
- Subdivision Of Property Requests
- Review of building permits for Zoning Compliance
- Zoning Verification/Confirmation Letters
Requests shall be submitted using the form linked here and will be fulfilled via email upon receipt of payment. Payment may be received online by following the prompts provided by the Department. Please be advised that any additional information requested may require a FOIA Request per the Freedom of Information Act, Section 30-4-10, et seq., Code of Laws of South Carolina (1976, as amended).
- Requests for Waivers from the Planning Commission
- Zoning Use Approval Forms for 911 Addressing
- Administer the Zoning and Development Standards Ordinance and the Land Development and Subdivision Regulations. To obtain information about a property, please refer to the Official Zoning Map, which is available as a layer in the Berkeley County GIS Web Map. You may also refer to the Zoning District Cheat Sheet for a brief description of each Zoning District. Setback and Dimensional Standards Guide.
Requests for Variance, Special Exception, and Appeals
Application forms can be obtained through the Planning and Zoning Department or downloaded from this site and must accompany a $150.00 non-refundable fee.
Requests are evaluated by the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), a quasi-judicial board. The application and associated fee are due by 5:00 PM at least 4 weeks prior to the scheduled meeting, typically the date of the previous month’s meeting*.
The BZA meets the third Tuesday of every month* and possesses final decision-making authority on requests. All requests are advertised via a newspaper of general circulation, posted with a red Public Hearing sign, and published in the respective meeting agenda.
PDF applications may be emailed to Planning and Zoning Administrative Support at . Payment may be received online by following the prompts provided by the Department.
*Unless otherwise stated.
Rezoning Requests
Application forms for rezoning requests can be obtained from the Planning and Zoning Department or downloaded from this site and must accompany a $250.00 non-refundable fee (excepting requests to establish or amend a Planned Development District).
Each request is presented to the Planning Commission for recommendation to County Council. The Planning Commission meets the fourth Tuesday of the month*. A completed rezoning application and associated fee are due by 5:00 PM at least 4 weeks prior to the scheduled meeting, typically the date of the previous month’s meeting*.
The process for rezoning takes approximately 120 days, unless deferred. County Council has final decision-making authority on requests for rezoning. All requests are published via the County website in the respective meeting agenda and posted with a yellow public meeting sign prior to the scheduled Planning Commission meeting.
PDF applications may be emailed to Planning and Zoning Administrative Support at . Payment may be received online by following the prompts provided by the Department.
*Unless otherwise stated.
When submitting a request for rezoning, please note the Policy for the Deferral of Requests During the Public Process and Resubmittal Of Previously-Defeated Requests
Public Meeting Calendar for Rezoning
and Text Amendment Requests
Latest News
Berkeley County to Launch Digital Plans Review Process April 5
MONCKS CORNER, S.C.- (Thursday, April 1, 2021)- Berkeley County will launch a digital plans review process on Monday, April 5 called “E-Review”. This electronic submittal process will help maximize efficiency across the board…
County Begins Comprehensive Plan Update
MONCKS CORNER, S.C.- (Friday, October 23, 2020) —Berkeley County is kicking off its 10-year Comprehensive Plan update, called “One Berkeley”, with five in-person meetings throughout Berkeley County and three virtual meetings in November.…
Berkeley County Offices Closing at 2 p.m.
MONCKS CORNER, S.C.- (August 3, 2020) — All Berkeley County Offices will close at 2 p.m. Monday, August 3 due to Tropical Storm Isaias. This closure includes the Berkeley County Courthouse, Libraries, Animal…
New Planning & Zoning Department Information
MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Friday, June 12, 2020) — The Berkeley County Planning and Zoning Department will be implementing new measures regarding staff’s availability to the public, effective Monday, June 29, 2020. Please…
Berkeley County Returns to OPCON 3 Monday, May 18
MONCKS CORNER, S.C.- (Monday, May 18, 2020) – Berkeley County is scheduled to return to OPCON Level 3, or normal operating conditions, at noon today. The County continues to work with local, state…
