Plans and Ordinances
Unified Development Ordinance
Adopted on January 15, 2018, the Unified Development Ordinance combines the Zoning Ordinance, subdivision development, and floodplain regulations into one document. It includes zoning regulations for all land uses in the City limits, as well as regulations for the City's Planning Commission, Design Review Board, and Board of Zoning Appeals.
Comprehensive Plan
The City of Florence Comprehensive Plan is a policy document that plans for and guides future development and redevelopment. South Carolina state law mandates that a comprehensive plan be updated every ten years to determine what has been accomplished and whether the City is heading in the intended direction, or if changes need to be made. Attached is the Comprehensive Plan as adopted by City Council on February 14, 2011.
In 2020, the Planning Department began working on the update to the 2010 Comprehensive Plan. Through the course of the year, the process includes outlining a plan with realistic goals and strategies using extensive citizen input on topics such as housing and neighborhood revitalization, community character and appearance, urban growth, economic development, transportation modes, and downtown renewal. At the beginning of 2020, the plan was to hold numerous focus group sessions, community workshops, and neighborhood meetings to define what Florence residents value and need in order to enhance their quality of life. Unfortunately, the situation with Covid-19 interfered with those in-person meetings. The Planning Department is holding a number of virtual meetings with interested residents, and the hope is to hold in-person meetings in early 2021 in order to have the new plan ready to go by fall, 2021.
Design Guidelines
The City of Florence includes historic neighborhoods whose preservation and restoration are critical to the maintenance of a unique sense of place. There are seven distinct overlay districts which have additional criteria for development in order to ensure that their unique characteristics are preserved. Those criteria are specified in the Design Guidelines for Downtown Florence, SC. Proposed changes to properties within the overlay districts are required to be reviewed by Planning staff and the Design Review Board, when necessary.