GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. — Georgetown County leaders will start to take their swing at more green space and very low-density development on golf courses.
In late 2024, Georgetown County leaders approved the land use element and future land maps included in their updated comprehensive plan.
Their comprehensive plan was approved but had a lot of debate from residents due to not updating their zoning laws along with their future land maps and comprehensive plan.
MORE: Georgetown revised natural resource guide faces backlash for procedural errors
State law says zoning ordinances must match those of designated uses of land: South Carolina Association of Counties
According to the Executive Director of Keep it Green Advocacy Cindy Person, county leaders never updated their zoning ordinances and have now made development on golf courses, possible.
As far as residents are concerned, the county has opened the door for residential development which never should have happened, and now the county is looking to bring the new zoning district that complies with the CON-AG designation which is better than the R-10, but it is not the best case scenario for us,” said Person.
CON-AG is “conservation agriculture,” zoning status. It allows low-density development under its zoning, which means if this is the use designated for golf courses, this would be allowed.
It also includes golf courses in the comprehensive plan of the county.
Since the zoning must align with the use of the land, the county has to go from these golf courses zoned as R-10 or 10,000 square foot residential, to what they call the new low-density Neighborhood Amenity District.
Person said this is not needed at all.
We should already have a zoning district here at Litchfield Country Club, and Founders golf course that allows no residential development and the county has the power to do that. The county could redesignate these golf courses to some category that does not allow residential development, and could bring zoning into compliance with that which is what residents are asking them to do,” said Person.
Person said since 1997, golf courses have been designated as private recreational, which allows no residential development and should continue to.
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The county said they are doing their best to keep it green with this low-density district.
“The land use element of the comprehensive plan supports ensuring that any redevelopment of these sites maintains an overall low density and preserves the existing greenspace,” Georgetown county officials said.
The questions remain on how green it will be kept, especially by the course owners.
“It’s all pretty questionable, I guess would be a good word, so who knows what they may be thinking,” said Person.
Person said the “Introduction” to the 1997 Georgetown County comprehensive plan spells out the county’s responsibility to bring the zoning into accordance with the comprehensive plan.
“In order for local ordinances regulating land use to be valid, they must be adopted in accordance with a locally adopted plan … the actual governing laws and ordinances must change to reflect the goals and action items within the Plan. Once the Plan is adopted, the planning staff will immediately commence work on changes to the Zoning Ordinance.”
Person said The 1994 Enabling Act made it mandatory for counties to update their zoning laws to guide their comprehensive plan.
A discussion will be held at the county’s planning commission meeting on Thursday, March 20 at 5:30 p.m.
The comprehensive plan of Georgetown County did make these golf courses “CON-AG,” which would allow for low-density development.
For further coverage on what the county’s comprehensive plan entails, click the links below:
1. Georgetown Co. officials talk future land use maps & land element
2. Georgetown revised natural resource guide faces backlash for procedural errors
3. Georgetown Co. Council approves land use plan amid wetland concerns
