[Construction Plans & Inspections Information Session on April 21, 2026.]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US TODAY.
MY NAME IS TABITHA HANNA, AND I SERVE AS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR CLAREDON COUNTY.
ON BEHALF OF THE BUILDING PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT, WE WELCOME YOU TO THIS INFORMATIONAL SESSION.
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE FULL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HERE IN CLAREDON COUNTY, FROM ZONING AND LAND USE TO PERMITTING INSPECTIONS, AND ULTIMATELY ATTAINING YOUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS, AVOID COMMON DELAYS AND SUCCESSFULLY MOVE YOUR PROJECTS FORWARD AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTER, UM, THIS PRESENTATION.
TO BEGIN, I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW ON HOW THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WORKS HERE IN CLATON COUNTY.
EVERY PROJECT GENERALLY FOLLOWS THE SAME LIFECYCLE.
IT STARTS WITH THE ZONING AND LAND USE REVIEW, AND THEN IT MOVES TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS, FOLLOWED BY INSPECTIONS, AND IT ENDS WITH THE ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
YOU'LL NOTICE YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THE DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM THAT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE.
AT EACH STAGE, I WILL COVER THE, UM, ZONING AND PLANNING.
OUR DEPUTY PLANNING DIRECTOR WILL COVER THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND OUR BILLING OFFICIAL WILL GO OVER THE INSPECTIONS AND REGULATIONS.
AND WE HAVE OUR FIRE MARSHAL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING FIRE, UM, PROTECTION.
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UNDERSTANDING THESE PROCESSES AND THESE PIECES, HOW THEY FIT TOGETHER IS CRITICAL BECAUSE, UM, MOST DELAYS HAPPEN WHEN ONE STEP IS OVERLOOKED OR MISUNDERSTOOD.
FIRST, WE WERE GONNA GO AHEAD ON WITH THE ZONING PROCESS AND WITH ZONING.
ZONING IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY PROJECT, AND IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR FIRST STEP BEFORE DESIGNING OR SUBMITTING ANY PLANS.
HERE IN CLAIN COUNTY, ZONING IS GOVERNED BY WHAT WE CALL OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND WE, OR EITHER, WE CALL IT THE UDC, AND THIS DOCUMENT OUTLINES WHAT CAN AND WHAT CANNOT BE DONE ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL KEY THINGS THAT YOU MUST VERIFY.
FIRST, YOUR ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH DETERMINES THE RULES THAT APPLY TO YOUR PROPERTY.
SECOND PERMITTED USES, WHICH ARE FOUND IN THE USE MATRIX, WHICH I HAVE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT SET, THAT ESTABLISHES THE EACH OF THE DIFFERENT USE AND WHETHER OR NOT IN THAT USE IS PERMITTED OR ALLOWED OR CONDITIONAL OR PER PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE OUTLINE OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS OF HOW WHATEVER THAT PARTICULAR USE, UH, AND THE ACTUAL, UM, APPROVAL FOR THAT USE.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE, UM, OUR SETBACK SECTION THAT, UM, ESTABLISHED.
WE HAVE A CHART THAT'S OUTLINED IN OUR GDC WHERE IT OUTLINES OUR SETBACK REQUIREMENTS.
AND ALSO WE HAVE, UM, OUR, UM, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE GOT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE DEFINITION OF OUR, UM, OUR ZONING MATRIX.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OUR MOST POPULAR ONE, WHICH IS OUR PERFORMANCE ZONE.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS ALWAYS ASK WHEN THEY CALL IN AND WANT IN ZONING CERTIFICATION, THEY ALWAYS ASK, WHAT IS THE PERFORMANCE ZONE? I HAVE THE MAP IF, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THAT ORANGE AREA, IF YOU CAN SEE THE MAP, THE ORANGE AREA AT THE BOTTOM WHERE IT SURROUNDS THE LAKE, THE PERFORM, THAT'S THE PERFORMANCE ZONE AREA IN THE, IN THE COUNTY AND ALSO NORTH OF, UM, OF THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE A SMALL SECTION WHERE THE PERFORMANCE ZONE DISTRICT IS OUTLINED IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
AND WHAT THE PERFORMANCE ZONE DOES, IT DESIGNATE LANDS, WHICH MAY, IN WHICH MAY INCLUDE A SINGLE USE OR A COMBINATION OF A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES THAT'S MIXED WITH COMMERCIAL AND CIVIC AND OR INDUSTRIAL USES.
SO IN A NUTSHELL, THE PERFORMANCE ZONE IS A MIXTURE, A MIXED USE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, WITH THAT MIXED USE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPE OF STANDARDS THAT'S OUTLINED IN THE PERFORMANCE ZONE.
AND THE, IN THE, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION IS THE ONE THAT SETS THOSE STANDARDS.
SO ONCE ZONING HAS BEEN CONFIRMED, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE THE
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PERMITTING PROCESS.SO NOW I'LL FORWARD THE PRESENTATION OVER TO OUR DEPUTY PLANNING DIRECTOR, MS. EBONY PARKER.
THE PERMITTING PROCESS IN OUR OFFICE CAN BE DONE IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF COMING INTO OUR OFFICE AND SUBMITTING YOUR DOCUMENTS, UM, WITH OUR STAFF.
THE OTHER OPTION, WHICH IS A NEW OPTION, FAIRLY NEW OPTION, IT'S A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OLD, IS OUR ONLINE PERMITTING OPTION.
WE DO HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALREADY EXPLORED AND ARE PERMITTING, UM, DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS VIA THE ONLINE SERVICE, BOTH ASPECTS OF ONLINE OR IN PERSON.
WE DO REQUIRE THAT YOU SUBMIT ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTATION UPFRONT AT ONE TIME IN ORDER FOR THE PROCESS TO ACTUALLY BEGIN.
IF YOU SUBMIT ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTS VIA ONLINE OR IN PERSON WHEN APPLYING UPFRONT, IT DOES SPEED UP THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
TYPICALLY, IT TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR A PERMIT AT THE LONGEST TIME TO BE PERMITTED.
UM, AGAIN, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS ONLINE, IN PERSON REQUIRE ALL DOCUMENTS WHENEVER SUBMITTED.
AND NOW WE WILL GO WITH MR. ALVIN CHAMBERS.
HE IS OUR BILLING OFFICIAL AND HE WILL GO OVER WITH YOU THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS INSPECTIONS, AND ALSO THE BUILDING INSPECTION REGULATION PROCESS FOR THE COUNTY.
AND NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. ALVIN CHAMBERS.
GOOD EVENING, AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
AS, AS MS. TAB TABITHA HANNAH STATED, WE WANT TO HAVE A SMOOTH OPERATION SO THAT YOU ALL COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT AND RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY TO BEGIN WITH AS FAR AS THE PLAN REVIEWS WHEN YOU ISSUE AND SUBMIT THOSE.
ALL OF THOSE ARE, UM, WILL BE INSPECTED, REVIEWED, AND APPROVED VIA THE REGULATIONS AS STATED IN THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, THE, UH, LICENSING, LABOR AND REGULATION, AS WELL AS THE, UM, UM, FLOOD MANAGEMENT COUNCIL WHEN, UH, WE DO INSPECTIONS.
INSPECTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION IS THERE FOR A PURPOSE.
UH, PRIMARILY THE, THE, UH, ISO, THE ISO IS A RATING THAT'S GIVEN TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, WHETHER OUR DEPARTMENT COMPLIES WITH THE, UH, REGULATIONS AS FAR AS PERMITTING INSPECTIONS AND ISSUING, UH, STOP WORK ORDERS AND, AND OTHER ITEMS. IF THIS IS NOT DONE CORRECTLY, THEN THE, UH, INSURANCE RATING, THE UNDERWRITERS COULD INCREASE THE INSURANCE OF WHAT'S PAID ON OUR, UH, PRIVATE AND, AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ASK FOR CERTAIN DOCUMENTS.
WE INSPECT CERTAIN WAYS AND, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
UH, AS FAR AS THE STATE STATUTE, THE STATE LEGISLATURES ARE THE ONES THAT PROVIDE US THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THESE BUILDING, UH, SAFETY ITEMS AS WELL AS THE LOCAL CODE JURISDICTION, MEANING THE COUNCIL.
WITHOUT THEIR APPROVAL, WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO GO OUT AND ENFORCE THESE ITEMS. THESE ITEMS, AGAIN, IS IN, ARE ENFORCED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES TO, UH, DIMINISH LIVES, INJURIES AS WELL AS DEATH.
ALSO, IT ALSO PROTECTS PROPERTY VALUES.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU ALL WILL WORK WITH US, UH, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO, UH, CLARATON COUNTY DOES NOT ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RULES.
THE RULES THAT WE HAVE, THE, UH, CODE REQUIREMENTS ARE ALL STATED AND GIVEN TO US WITH AUTHORITY FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OR REGULATIONS, AS WELL AS THE SOUTH CAROLINA BUILDING OFFICIAL.
UH, NOW WE WILL HAVE, UM, ANY, UM, ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA SAY, CHIEF THOMPSON.
UM, SO NOW WHAT WE WILL DO IS THAT WE WILL OPEN IT UP, UM, FOR ANYONE THAT WILL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CAN COME UP AND, UM, ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST, OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS SESSION, IS THAT, THAT WE WANT TO HEAR INFORMATION FROM
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YOU ALL, UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONCERN.UM, I'VE BEEN HEARING THE CONCERNS AND THE STAFF HAS BEEN HEARING CONCERNS.
AND WHAT WE WANNA DO IS THAT WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT AND WE WANNA ALL, ALL OF US, WE WANT TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, WE WOULD, WE, WE WERE MORE THAN WELCOME AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR ALL OF US TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS FAR AS THE CO REGULATIONS, AS FAR AS THE BUILDING PROCESS FOR PROCESS.
AND WE ALL WANT EVERYONE TO RECEIVE THEIR PERMITS AND TO BE ABLE TO BUILD AND DEVELOP IN CLARENDON COUNTY.
AND NO ONE KNOW WANTS THAT NO MORE SO THAN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS THAT I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MAY HAVE, ANY CONCERNS SO THAT WE CAN BE ON A CONSENSUS OF, UM, THIS PROCESS ON HOW WE, UM, ISSUE OUR PERMITTING.
DOES ANYONE WANNA START WITH ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR US? YEAH, I'LL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO.
I NEED TO COME UP FRONT OR, YES, SIR.
AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE OWNER OF C**K CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
OH, I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE LIABILITY OF, OF THE HOMES BEING BUILT.
IS THE, IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION HERE TAKING ANY KINDA LIABILITY IF, IF THE HOMES ARE BUILT INCORRECTLY OR ARE NOT MET TO CODE? CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION AGAIN? I'M SORRY? IS THERE A LIABILITY BASED ON THE COUNTY ITSELF FOR, FOR SOMETHING THAT'S BUILDING INCORRECTLY? YES, SIR.
THE, UH, COUNTY IS ALWAYS LIABLE.
UH, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE INSPECTIONS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF WE MISS SOMETHING OR IF IT'S NOT SAFE, THE OWNER OR THE CONTRACTOR CAN GO TO THE LABOR LICENSE AND REGULATIONS AND FILE A COMPLAINT.
THEY HAVE AN, UM, AN INVESTIGATION TEAM MM-HMM
WHICH WILL COME OUT AND INVESTIGATE THAT, UH, ISSUE.
AND ALSO PART OF THAT PROCESSING IS REVIEWING OF, UH, PERMITS AND ANY INSPECTIONS THAT WERE DONE ON THAT.
SO THAT WOULD FALL JUST AS MUCH ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS IT WOULD TO BUILD OR BUILDING THE HOUSE.
I CAN'T ANSWER FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES WHERE I CAN GO INTO AND APPLY FOR A PERMIT AND I CAN WALK OUT ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER WITH A PERMIT IN MY HAND.
AND I'VE TAKEN FOUR TO SIX WEEKS IN CLATON COUNTY TO GET A PERMIT BEFORE, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING.
UM, AND Y'ALL DO REQUIRE A LOT MORE, WHICH, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU REQUIRE, YOU REQUIRE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ZONING AND THE SITE PLANS AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANT, I'VE NEVER HAD AN INSPECTOR HERE WALK UP AND MEASURE MY SETBACKS.
I'VE NEVER LOOKED TO SEE IF THEY'RE 12 FEET OR 15 FEET FROM THE SIDES, OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT YOU TO START DOING THAT EITHER.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'RE CAUSING THE, THE COUNTY A LOT OF LIABILITY GOING THROUGH A LOT OF EXTRA STEPS WHEN I THINK YOU COULD JUST BE GOING TO A HOUSE AND SAY, OKAY, DOES THIS HOUSE NEED CODE? IS IT BUILT CODE? UM, ARE THE SPANS CORRECT? IS THE FOOTING RIGHT? IS, IS THE FOOTING DEPTH RIGHT? DOES IT HAVE THE RIGHT REBAR IN IT VERSUS, UH, KIND OF GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND? UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, TIME CONSUMING.
UH, YOU KNOW, ON MY PART, YOU KNOW, I FAILED, FAILED AN INSPECTION LAST WEEK, UM, UH, UH, TEMPORARY POWER INSPECTION, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE NUMBERS ON THE HOUSE, WHICH I RARELY DO AT THAT INSPECTION TIME.
AND I KNOW THAT WAS AN OUT OF TOWN INSPECTOR AND WE WENT OVER THAT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT JUST NEEDS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE TRYING TO TRAIN US OR, OR IF YOU'RE TRYING TO TRAIN THESE INSPECTORS, YOU KNOW, I HAD A HAD ANOTHER ISSUE WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE AN OUTLET IN A WALL, BUT, BUT THERE'S A POCKET DOOR RIGHT THERE, SO I CAN'T HAVE AN OUTLET RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF SOME TRIVIAL STUFF, BUT, UH, I GUESS IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING ON MY PART 'CAUSE IT, 'CAUSE IT COSTS ME TIME JUST LIKE TAKING WEEKS TO GET A PERMIT.
SO, YOU KNOW, OR ALL OF THESE STEPS THAT YOU'RE REQUIRING, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GET A PERMIT, ARE ALL OF THOSE STEPS NECESSARY NOW? OKAY.
WE, WE ARE GOVERNED BY STATE STATUTE, BY LOCAL STATUTE.
SO WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THOSE REGULATIONS THAT SET FORWARD IN THOSE, UM, IN THOSE,
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IN THOSE REGULATIONS, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THEM.UM, THIS IS NOT NOTHING THAT, THAT WE ARE MAKING UP.
AND, AND AS FAR AS ANY OTHER JURISDICTION, UM, I HAVE WENT AND DID RESEARCH MYSELF.
SOME JURISDICTIONS, UM, REQUIRE THE SAME INFORMATION AND MORE.
SO SOME ASK FOR GO, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT ABOVE AND BEYOND AS WELL.
SO, UM, EVERYBODY HERE, UM, HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO REMAIN COMPLIANT.
AND WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT, UM, REALLY ACTUALLY IS, UM, UPHOLDING THIS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE, UM, UM, AGENCIES THAT REGULATES US AS WELL.
SO WE ARE CHECKED AND, UM, MR. CHAMBERS HAS ALREADY STATED THAT WE GET INSPECTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INSPECTING YOU.
SO, UM, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO ALL WE CAN AND WE WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS AS MUCH AS SUFFICIENTLY AND AS ACCURATELY AS WE CAN.
AND ALSO TOO, I AM GONNA BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, WITH, AND I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT SOMEONE FOLKS HAVE BEEN SAYING, IT TAKES 2, 3, 4, 5 WEEKS FOR THEM TO GET A PERMIT, WHICH IN SOME CASES IS, IS NOT ACCURATE.
BUT HOWEVER, I WILL EXPLAIN SOME OF THE PROCESS OR SOME OF THE DELAY IN THE PERMITTING TIME.
UM, OUR DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE HAD, UM, EXTREME TURNOVER.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, ALSO DURING THAT PROCESS IS THAT WE HAD TO GO IN AND WE HAD TO CREATE AND DEVELOP A PROCESS.
INITIALLY THERE WAS NO PROCESS.
SO WE WENT IN AND WHILE WE WERE CREATING, CREATING THIS PROCESS, AND THEN WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT, WE WERE IMPLEMENTING AN ONLINE PERMITTING SYSTEM.
SO WHILE WE WERE REVAMPING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BETTER WAYS TO SERVE YOU ALL, IT TOOK US THROUGH A PROCESS.
AND I, FAR AS ME BEING THE DIRECTOR, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UM, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, A ONGOING SYSTEMATIC PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTING THEIR PERMIT, SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATIONS AND EVERYTHING ACCURATELY, THAT, UM, DELAY SHOULD NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE BECAUSE NOW WE ARE OURSELF, UM, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS.
AND MY STAFF CAN STATE THAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS, IF ALL INFORMATION IS RECEIVED AND IT IS ACCURATE, THAT, UM, IT COULD TAKE VERSUS IT COULD TAKE, IT DEPENDS ON WHATEVER TYPE OF PERMIT IT IS FOR ELECTRICAL PERMIT.
IT CAN BE UP TO 24 HOURS FOR, UM, A STORAGE BUILDING.
IF EVERYTHING IS SUBMITTED CORRECTLY, IT COULD BE UP TO 24 TO 48 HOURS FOR A HOUSING PERMIT.
IF EVERYTHING IS SUBMITTED CORRECTLY AND ACCURATELY.
IT COULD BE UP TO SEVEN, SEVEN TO 14 BUSINESS DAYS.
UM, IT DEPENDS BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON THAT'S OUR PLANS REVIEWER THAT IS REVIEWING THE PLANS.
SO WE GET IN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PLANS ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO ONE PERSON IS REVIEWING THE PLANS AND THEN WE HAVE ONE PERSON ACTUALLY PROCESSING THE PERMITS.
BUT WITH THE ONLINE PERMITTED SYSTEM, NOW THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, THEY ARE PROCESSED AS VASTLY, VASTLY AND FASTLY AND ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE.
SO THE, THE TIMEFRAME OF, OF LAPSING OR YOU NOT, YOU KNOW, TAKING TIME FOR YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR PERMIT, THAT SHOULD NO LONGER BE EFFECTIVE.
AND I'M, AND I, AND I DO THINK THAT WHEN YOU WAS SUBMITTED, WE WEREN'T GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, WE SHOULD HAVE, THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED YOU ALL THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS CHANGE, BUT NOW THAT THE CHANGE HAS BEEN PROCESSED, UM, THAT DELAY IN PREVENTION SHOULD NOT NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE.
WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S NO DOUBT EVERYBODY'S BEEN VERY CORDIAL FOR THE MOST PART.
AND, AND ICE AND COOPERATIVE AND, AND, UH, AND MR. CHAMBERS IS, HAS, HAS BEEN, BEEN GOOD TO DEAL WITH TOO.
UM, BUT I GUESS I THINK Y'ALL ARE GOING, AND, AND THIS IS JUST MY OPINION AS A BUILDER, I THINK Y'ALL ARE GOING KIND OF ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH, WITH PLANNED REVIEWS AS FAR AS RESIDENTIAL.
I KNOW IF IT'S A COMMERCIAL PROJECT AND YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, IRRIGATED WATER LINES, ALL THAT STUFF IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE BUILDINGS, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROJECT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I BUILD A HOUSE, IF I SUBMIT A SET OF PLANS THAT ARE 80 BY 30 AND I BUILD IT 75 BY 20, YOU, YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT COMING OUT THERE MEASURING IT.
AND I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN DO THAT ON EVERY JOB.
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YOU KNOW, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.BUT IF YOU'RE, BUT IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE LIABLE, WHICH ID YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS READ THAT IT FELL BACK ON THE BUILDER, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
IF SOMETHING'S WRONG, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THE BUILDER.
SO, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE POINT I'M MAKING.
IF YOU GO THERE, YOU SHOULD BE INSPECTING IS THIS, IS THIS BUILDING TO CODE Y YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING CUT OUT PLAN OR BE ALTOGETHER, BUT I THINK YOU CAN NICKEL AND DIME YOURSELF TRYING TO, Y YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THIS CLOSET'S THE SIZE OR, OR THIS HOUSE IS EXACTLY TO THE INCH.
YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S, IT, IT'S JUST GONNA GET ON AND ON AND ON.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LIKE, WHERE WILL IT STOP? OR IT IS JUST GOING TO DELAY THE PROCESS MORE AND MORE IN MY MIND.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA, I, I THINK IT'S GONNA EVENTUALLY GET TO THAT, THE, THE WAY IT'S GOING.
AND I THINK IT WILL CAUSE YOU MORE LIABILITY, THE, YOU KNOW, IN THAT ASPECT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE YOU, YOU HEAR ME OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. C**K, WHICH IS ALSO ON, UH, OFFICIAL FOR OUR BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS? OKAY.
YOU CAN COME ON UP AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M, UM, A DESIGNER AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING OVER SOME OF THESE, UH, CRITERIA YOU'VE GOT FOR YOUR, YOUR PLAN SUBMITTALS AND ALL.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT I'M, I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT CON YOU KNOW, UM, A LITTLE BIT CONFU IN THE DARK ABOUT, I GUESS.
UM, YOU'VE GOT, UH, A COUPLE THINGS WITH THE, UM, THE, THE ENERGY USE.
UM, LET'S SEE HOW YOU GOT IT LISTED HERE.
NOW, IS THIS THE ASHRAY FORMS THAT YOU WANT FILLED OUT OR WHAT FOR THE ENERGY USAGE? THE, THE ENERGY USES IS, UM, THE RE UH, REPORT OF THE, UH, BLOWER DOOR DUCT TEST.
AND, UH, THAT THAT'S DONE BY A PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE, UH, CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANTS BEING ISSUED.
TRYING TO SEE WHERE IT IS NOW.
UM, ENERGY COMPLIANCE FORMS, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ENERGY COMPLIANCE FORMS. IS THIS THE THAT'S WHAT, YES, THAT'S THE, UM, THE ENERGY BLOWER DOOR TEST.
AND SOME RESIDENTIAL COMPANIES MIGHT IN THE BEGINNING GO AHEAD AND ISSUE AN A, A, UM, RES CHECK COMPLIANCE FORMS. SO IT'S NOT, THE ELECTRICAL LOAD AND CALCULATIONS, I MEAN, IS USUALLY IN THOSE REPORTS.
THE CALCULATION IS STATED IN THEM.
YOU'VE GOT, UM, NOW IN THIS AND THE, THE BLOWER TEST, YOU REQUIRE THAT ON RESIDENTIAL YES.
PROJECTS NOW TOO? YES, THAT'S REQUIRED.
IS THAT NEW LLR CAME OUT WITH, UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT, UM, THOSE ARE REQUIRED FOR THE ENERGY.
UM, UH, AGAIN, MOST OF THAT IS DONE BY A PRIVATE COMPANY IN REFERENCE TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE ENERGY THAT MAY BE THERE OR LOST.
YOU'RE NOW REQUIRED ON THE FLOOR TEST? IT'S, YES, SIR.
OH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT, ROGER.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY COMMENTS? AND ALSO IF YOU HAVE ANY FIRE QUESTIONS, UM, THE FIRE MARSHAL, 'CAUSE HE'S GOTTA LEAVE IN A FEW MINUTES, UM, IF YOU ALL DOES ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL
YEAH, SO IF Y'ALL NEED MY NUMBER, YOU CAN GET IT FROM ALVIN OR, OR TABITHA, EITHER ONE OR, UH, JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE, CLATON COUNTY FIRE RESCUE AND ALL MY INFORMATION'S ON THERE, EMAIL, PHONE NUMBER, ALL THAT SO YOU CAN REACH OUT TO, SO, ALRIGHT.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
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STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.UM, MY NAME'S CECIL HODGE AND I GOT, UM, UH, A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU GOT MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN, UM, IT WAS A FEW YEARS AGO BECAUSE THERE WASN'T NOTHING ESTABLISHED.
WELL, I'VE BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE AND FOUR, I'D SAY FOUR YEARS AGO, FIVE YEARS AGO, THEY WERE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN YOU ARE NOW.
THEY WERE FASTER ON GIVING PERMITS.
THEY, THEY BUILDING INSPECTORS WAS MORE EFFICIENT.
AND, AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM NOW IS THE COST.
Y'ALL PUT ON THE COST OF A HOUSE.
WE USED TO BE ABLE TO DRAW OUR OWN PLANS AND NOW Y'ALL WON'T LET US DO THAT UNLESS YOU'VE CHANGED RECENTLY.
AND I'VE HEARD OTHER CONTRACTORS SAY EVEN A LITTLE SHED ON THE SIDE OF A STORAGE BUILDING, YOU REQUIRED A $1,200 SET OF PLANS UNLESS YOU'VE CHANGED THE, THE BUILD AT.
AND, BUT MY OPINION, AND PROBABLY A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER BUILDINGS AROUND HERE, YOU, YOU'RE GOING BACKWARDS INSTEAD OF FORWARDS BECAUSE YOU, YOU PUTTING COST ONTO THE, UM, TO THE HOMEOWNER.
UM, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS THAT, UM, I'M GONNA BACK IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT, AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT SAID LOCAL BUILDING CODES ARE HURTING BUILDING AND PEOPLE, I I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT.
UM, MELISSA, I HAVE TO SEE IT IN WRITING BECAUSE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING WHAT THEY TOLD US TO IMPLEMENT
UM, BUT, UM, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, UM, $1,200 FOR A STORAGE BUILDING, YOU SAID A STORAGE BUILDING, WELL THAT'S A FRIEND OF MINE, TOBY, THAT IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS AGO IF THEY WANTED TO BUILD A, A SHED ON THE SIDE OF A STORAGE BUILDING AND HIT, THEY HAD TO GO GET A FULL, A FULL SET OF PLANS ON THAT, WHICH THE MATERIAL PROBABLY WOULDN'T COST $12.
BUT ANYWAY, I DIDN'T, IT WASN'T ME.
BUT, BUT CAN YOU DRAW YOUR OWN PLANS? NOW I'M GONNA DEFER THAT TO THE BILLING OFFICIAL.
UH, AGAIN, WE FOLLOW, AND PARTICULARLY I, WELL JUST ASK A YES OR NO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO FOLLOW.
SO, UM, IN, IN THE, UH, PARTICULARLY THE IRC SECTION THREE, IT STATES THAT IT HAS A, A CRITERIA FOR SUBMITTING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
AND PART OF THAT CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS IS THE BUILDING DESIGN CRITERIA.
AND IN THAT CRITERIA IT REQUIRES THAT THE, UH, ON THE PLANS IT STATES THE WIND SPEED, THE SEISMIC, AND TECHNICALLY PER CODE, BECAUSE WE'RE IN A HIGH WIND ZONE AND WE ARE IN A HIGH OR SEISMIC D ZONE, ENGINEERING PLANS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED.
THEREFORE, UH, ALSO STATED IN THE RSC IS THAT PLANS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED WITH CLARITY AND MOST OF YOUR HANDWRITING OR, OR SUBMITTED OTHERWISE OR NOT WITH CLARITY AND THEREFORE TIME IS CONSUMED CONTACTING THE OWNER AND OR, OR THE CONTRACTOR AND STATING VERIFICATION WHETHER IT'S THE DIMENSIONS, THE INDIVIDUAL ROOM SIZE AS WELL AS UH, THE FOUNDATION ROOF OR FLOOR DESIGN.
SO ALL OF THOSE ARE IN THE, UH, SECTION THREE OF THE IRC STATING HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SUBMITTED AND WHEN DID THIS COME IN EFFECT THAT'S BEEN SINCE THE CODE HAS BEEN IN EFFECT AND I'VE BEEN ENFORCING THE CODE SINCE IT'S BEEN, UH, 2009 IRC WELL I DIFFER WITH YOU ON THAT BECAUSE WE, WE USED TO DRAW ON PLANS RIGHT HERE, WHAT, FOUR YEARS AGO? MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND, AND THE ONLY THING WE HAVING TO GO TO A ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER TO DO THAT, YOU ADDING A THOUSAND TO $8,000 FOR A SET OF PLANS WHERE IF A HOMEOWNER DRAWS UP HIS OWN PLANS, HE COULD TAKE THAT MONEY AND BUY THE APPLIANCES FOR THE HOUSE.
THAT ALL I TRY TO DO IS GET COST DOWN AND THAT'S WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE DOING TOO, GET COST DOWN.
BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH BUILDING TODAY IS THE COST.
OKAY, SIR, I, AND I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT THE SOUTH CAROLINA LABOR AND LICENSING BUILDING COUNCIL MM-HMM
AND, AND AND ADVISE THEM ON THE COMMENTS THAT YOU JUST MADE HERE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING DIFFERENT, PLEASE COME BACK AND ADVISE US.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING OUR, THAT'S WHAT WE PAID FOR.
WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT? WELL, I, I'VE STATED TO YOU, UM, WHERE WE'RE REGULATING AND, AND WHAT
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PROCEDURES THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING.NOW THE OTHER ITEM THAT, UH, TO HELP CURTAIL THIS COST AND TO HELP CURTAIL THE TI TIME IS THAT THERE'S NOW A NEW, UH, ASSOCIATION OF CIVIL ENGINEERING TOOL THAT'S ONLINE.
AND IF YOU PLACE THE ADDRESS IN IT WILL GIVE YOU THE WIND ZONE, THE SEISMIC, AND A LOT OF OTHER LOADS THAT'S REQUIRED ON THE PLANS.
AND INSTEAD OF HAVING THOSE DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED ON THE PLANS, I'VE BEEN DOWNLOADING THAT AND, AND AND ACCEPTING THAT.
UM, SO, UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, AS FAR AS THE WIND SPEED, SO, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE I CAN DRAW MY OWN PLANS IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, BUT IF IT'S IN A HIGH WIND ZONE, TECHNICALLY IF IT'S IN A HIGH WIND ZONE, YOU JUST SAID I COULD GO ONLINE AND GET THAT.
BUT AGAIN, UH, AS FAR AS SUBMITTING PLANS WITH CLARITY AND IT'S ON A SHEET THAT'S LARGE ENOUGH, UH, AGAIN, I'VE RECEIVED PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED ON ITEMS LIKE THIS BIG MM.
AND AND THEN THERE'S A, UH, COMMENT STATING, WELL WE'VE ALWAYS SUBMITTED THEM LIKE THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, I'VE NEVER SEEN NONE SUBMITTING THAT'S, REGULATIONS HAVE CHANGED.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ANTICIPATING A NEW CODE CHANGE FOR 2024.
WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT RIGHT NOW.
THOSE, AGAIN, THOSE REGULATIONS AND THE AUTHORITY FOR US TO ENFORCE THOSE CODES COME FROM THE STATE RE OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OF HOW WE DO THINGS, I SUGGEST THAT YOU CONTACT YOUR STATE REG, UH, LEGISLATURE REPRESENTATIVE AND OR THE LICENSED LABORING DEPARTMENT IN COLUMBIA.
UM, LIKE AGRICULTURAL SHEDS, CAN YOU DRAW YOUR OWN PLANS ON THAT? I, I, I WOULD ACCEPT THAT THAT'S SO LIKE, UH, UM, DIFFERENT THAN UH, A STRUCTURE THAT'S BEING OCCUPIED.
UH, BUT AGAIN, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR MAIN THING IS SAFETY.
SO AGAIN, YOU MENTIONED AGRICULTURAL, IF YOU'RE GONNA ADD ELECTRICAL, THEN WE, WE MIGHT REQUIRE SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT OTHER THAN I UNDERSTAND THAT, I UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY A COAL SHED TO PUT YOUR EQUIPMENT IN.
BUT LIKE, LIKE, UM, I WAS SAYING WE USED TO USED TO DRAW YOUR PLANS UP AND WE HAD BUILDING INSPECTORS THAT HAD ENOUGH COMMON SENSE AND ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A SET OF PLANS TO INSPECT NOTHING.
THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE INSPECTING.
AND THE TAXPAYERS OF THE COUNTY PAY A LOT OF MONEY.
AND IF WE NEED TO GET BUILDING INSPECTORS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE COMMON SENSE AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO INSPECT AND EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE PLANS, THEY OUGHT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
AND IF WE NEED THAT, LET'S GET IT BECAUSE WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY IN THIS COUNTY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, BEN JORDAN, A BJ CUSTOM HOMES.
MY QUESTION IS, I THINK WE'RE IN THE SITUATION NOW THAT WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION COMPANY IN.
WHAT ARE OUR PLANS FOR THAT? AND IS THAT TO STAY IN FORCE OR ARE WE PLANNING ON PUTTING BACK AN INSPECTOR IN THE COUNTY? WELL, RECENTLY WE HAD A, UM, POSITION OPEN FOR A BUILDING INSPECTOR AND IT HAS BEEN FILLED AS OF LAST WEEK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE MR. CLEVE MORRIS, WHO HAS NOW JOINED US.
SO WITH THE THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR, WE WILL HAVE THEM ON AS A, AS NEEDED BASIS.
BUT THE REASON WHY WE HAD TO GET A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN INSPECTOR, SO WE HAD TO CONTINUE WITH THE FLOW OF HAVING INSPECTIONS COMING FOR THE COUNTY.
SO THE ONLY TIME THAT NOW THAT WE WILL USE THAT THIRD PARTY, UM, INSPECTOR, IS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND, UM, ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THEM HELPING WITH COMMERCIAL, LARGE COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY CONCERNS? OKAY, WELL THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
UM, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO IS GOING FORWARD IS THAT WE, WE ALL HAVE YOUR EMAIL INFORMATION.
SO WHAT WE GONNA DO IS THAT WE GOING TO SUBMIT ANY CHANGES OR ANY UPDATES THAT IS GOING ON FOR, SO AS WITH THE CODE, ALSO WITH LAW AND ALSO WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, WE WILL BE SENDING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOUR EMAILS JUST TO KEEP YOU ALL UPDATED AND ABREAST
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OF WHAT'S GOING ON.AND ALSO TOO, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
AND AGAIN, MY NAME IS TABITHA HANNA AND MY CONTACT NUMBER IS AREA CODE 8 0 3, UM, 8 2 5 9,000.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
AND, UM, I, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH ANYONE.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE CODE.
HOWEVER, UM, I, I'M THE PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR AND BOTH OF THEM COINCIDE WITH, UM, WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE WE ALSO WORK WITH THE, I ALSO, UM, MANAGE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS ONE FUNCTION FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS ANOTHER FUNCTION.
SO, UM, WE DO ALL THE BEST WE CAN TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF CLARENDON COUNTY, UM, THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE.
AND, AND, AND THEN ALSO TO, AGAIN, WE ARE GOVERNED AS WELL ON HOW WE OPERATE.
SO, UM, AND AGAIN, UM, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE STARTED OUT WITH NOTHING.
WE, WE HAVE HAD, UH, 30 YEARS OF, OF, OF PER, OF ONE PERSON THAT HAD 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND WE IMPLEMENTED WHAT SHE HAS BUILT.
SO WE HAVE TAKEN IT AND WE, UM, MODERNIZING IT, SO TO SPEAK.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT THAT PROCESS APPEARED TO BE, UM, A LITTLE LONGER THAN EXPECTED, BUT WE'RE WORKING TO MODERNIZE THIS DEPARTMENT.
AND, AND AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND IF YOU ALL HAVE, AGAIN, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, FEEL FREE TO GIVE US A CALL AND I WILL END THIS SESSION.
AND THIS ACTUALLY WILL NOT BE THE LAST SESSION.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SESSIONS GOING FORWARD TO RECEIVE UPDATED INFORMATION FROM YOU ALL AND YOU ALL RECEIVE INFORMATION TO US.
AND AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE SAME REPORT AND BE ON THE CONSENSUS SO THAT CLARENDON COUNTY CAN CONTINUE TO DEVELOP.