Available Starting March 26, 2024
On March 25, 2024, County Council adopted an Ordinance that created a new process for Third-Party Review for development submittals that are subject to Coordinated Departmental Review among the Departments of Planning and Zoning, Engineering/Stormwater, and Berkeley County Water and Sanitation. This new process is intended to help boost efficiency and better respond to the increasing demands for development review services. Applicants who desire to submit plans through this process must request “Third-Party Review” in the Development Review Application.
Third-Party Review Submittal Types:
- Single Site Development (Site) Plans (PLSP)
- Preliminary/Infrastructure Construction Plans (PLPR)
- Final Plats (PLFP)
Expectations for Third-Party Review:
Once a submittal is received for Third-Party Review, the Third-Party Review consultant shall have three (3) business days to develop a proposal that contains review turnaround and cost expectations.
Once an authorization to proceed is issued to the Third-Party Review (TPR) consultant, the plans, including subsequent resubmittals seeking to address comments, are required to be reviewed in the same process as the initial submittal and by the same consulting firm.
Third-Party Review consultants and County Project Manager(s) review timelines shall be based upon project acreage as detailed in the table below; provided, however, that, if due to extenuating circumstances, site characteristics, and/or complexities, the Third-Party Review consultant may request additional time to conduct the review in the initial proposal for the applicant’s consideration. The applicant can then determine whether to proceed with third-party review.
| Project Acreage | |||||
| Less than or equal to 9.99 Acres | 10 – 199.99 Acres | 200+ Acres | |||
| Third-Party Consultant | County Project Manager | Third-Party Consultant | County Project Manager | Third-Party Consultant | County Project Manager |
| 15 business days | 5 business days | 20 business days | 10 business days | 30 Business Days | 15 Business Days |
If, following review of the third resubmittal, comments have not been substantially satisfied, the County Project Manager(s), together with the Third-Party Reviewer, reserve the right to require a meeting with the Applicant/Engineer of Record to discuss the review comments and potential remedies at the sole expense of the Applicant.
| THIRD-PARTY PLANS REVIEW SERVICES FEES Fees Shall Be Assessed each time a submittal is received for review, including the initial and all subsequent resubmittals/revisions. |
| The costs of the third-party reviewers’ services + the standard review fees per Department engaged in Coordinated Departmental Review. These fees are assessed per each iteration of plans submitted for review. |
