CHAPIN, S.C. — The Chapin Steering Committee met Thursday afternoon to discuss their current Land Use map and what the town currently allows in terms of development.
Kevin Singletary is a part of the committee and says he and his colleagues have been hard at work for about a year trying to help Chapin grow.
The community only spans about 2 square miles and has been rural for decades, but now as more people are eyeing the town, Chapin is hoping to accommodate as best it can.
"There's a lot of rural areas there, that are very important to preserve and maintain the quality of life that has been there for a long time," Singletary said. Recognizing that we may grow and annex some of those areas, we need to make sure that we have the appropriate development regulations for rural areas."
This growth is all a part of the town's comprehensive plan which is rewritten every 10 years. When the plan is updated, the zoning map and the architectural review may have to be adjusted as well, and that's what the town is on a mission to do now.
These new maps come with new rules called the 'unified development ordinance' that will decide what types of businesses and developments can go where.
"This comprehensive plan land use map serves specifically as guidelines for what new zoning districts will be, what land development regulations will be, and what's appropriate in what areas," Singletary said pointing to a map on his wall.
Controlled growth that will happen over time is something that has been emphasized since the beginning stages of the revision process for the zoning map. Singletary says this process is far from over.
Before the updated zoning map can be approved, the town plans to have a few input sessions that every resident is welcome to attend.
Singeltary says he is hoping a first draft of the zoning map will be ready to show residents by the summer.