Hello REALTORS®,
It has been a busy summer and early fall for your government affairs team. The primary elections were followed by the usual summer break for most local governments. Now, most of them are back to the business of governing. These are some of the issues we are watching and working on for Realtors.
Anderson County
Anderson County Council may have been the busiest over the last several weeks.
- Piedmont Area Plan: county council adopted a joint area plan with Greenville County for the Piedmont Area.
- Reduce size of summary plats: county council is considering reducing the maximum size of a summary plat from 7 lots to 4 lots. The ordinance is awaiting final reading.
- Show all utilities on plat applications: county council is considering requiring applications for subdivisions to prove that local utilities can serve the proposed subdivision. The ordinance is awaiting final reading.
- Steep slope ordinance: county council is considering an ordinance to reduce density in subdivision built on steep slopes. The ordinance has received one reading.
County council has two more ordinances in the works including changing the way staff handles subdivision applications and increasing stormwater reinspection fees.
Pendleton
The Town of Pendleton has spent the last year studying its zoning and development ordinances. They have published several proposed ordinances, none of which have been considered by town council:
- Short-term rentals
- Residential on street parking
- Commercial parking
- Fair housing
- Occupancy restrictions for housing
Pickens County
Pickens County Council has had two large ordinances on their agenda:
- A proposed $4,100 impact fee
- Further updates to their development ordinances which includes new zoning standards for apartments, townhomes, and RVs
Clemson
Clemson City Council is considering several new ordinances, but the two we are most interested in are:
- An ordinance to require developers to bond the build out of commercial spaces in mixed use developments
- An ordinance to clarify property owner rights when an nonconformity exists on their property. Recently, city council became aware of a townhome community that couldn’t get insurance because the development doesn’t conform to recently adopted ordinances.
Oconee County
Oconee County’s planning commission has taken up several ordinances this summer, but the only one that has been forwarded to county council is an ordinance to clarify that irregularly shaped lots are not required to comply with the setback requirements of the flag lot ordinance. County council gave it first reading in September.
Seneca
Seneca City Council is considering an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units in the city’s neighborhoods. City council recently discussed it in a work session.
Elections
Early voting starts in three weeks, and the general election is set for November 5. Your Western Upstate Association of REALTORS® will publish a voter guide later this month to help you make your voting decisions.
Support RPAC
Elections are an important way that your association represents you and helps make a strong market for real estate. Elections are also an important way that you participate in your government. Your association’s objective is to help elect candidates who share the Realtor position that a vibrant and healthy real estate market is vital to a vibrant and healthy economy. Of course, you must balance your personal and business interests when you vote.
More than 90% of Realtors in the Western Upstate are registered to vote, which is amazing. But just 27.5% supported RPAC in 2023.
You can help your industry by supporting RPAC. It’s easy. Your association includes a voluntary contribution to RPAC on your annual dues invoice. Pay it, and you are an RPAC supporter. If you haven’t supported RPAC this year, I encourage you to do so by clicking here.
Michael Dey, Director of Government Affairs