Definitions.

Charleston, S.C., Zoning Ordinance § 54-299.33

in effect

Sec. 54-299.33. - Definitions. For the purpose of this Part, the following terms mean: a. Car share program: A membership based shared vehicle program in which member drivers are able to reserve and drive a vehicle they do not own. b. Coastal SC Low Impact Development Guide: Ellis, K., C. Berg, D. Caraco, S. Drescher, G. Hoffmann, B. Keppler, M. LaRocco, and A. Turner. 2014. Low Impact Development in Coastal South Carolina: A Planning and Design Guide. ACE Basin and North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserves, 462 pp. c. Fair market rent: An amount calculated and published annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, or its successor, for the Charleston-North Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area (eighty (80%) percent of area median income (AMI)), as adjusted by the City of Charleston Department of Housing and Community Development. In the absence of such information, the rents charged by the owner shall not exceed thirty (30%) percent of the annual household income. d. Household income: All sources of financial support, both cash and in kind, of adult occupants of the housing unit, to include wages, salaries, tips, commissions, all forms of self-employment income, interest, dividends, net rental income, income from estates or trusts, Social Security benefits, railroad retirement benefits, Supplemental Security income, Aid to Families with Dependent Children or other public assistance welfare programs, other sources of income regularly received, including Veterans' (VA) payments, unemployment compensation and alimony, awards, prizes, government or institutional or eleemosynary loans, grants or subsidies and contributions made by the members' families for medical, personal or educational needs. e. Initial maximum allowable sales price: An amount equal to three (3) times one hundred twenty (120%) percent of the area median family income (AMI), as determined annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as adjusted by the City of Charleston Department of Housing and Community Development, or their successors, plus any subsidy available to the buyer. f. Owner occupied workforce housing unit: A dwelling unit where at least one occupant is an owner, and where all occupants have, in the aggregate, household income less than or equal to one hundred twenty (120%) percent of the area median income (AMI) for owner occupied units. Area median income (AMI) shall be determined annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as adjusted by the City of Charleston Department of Housing and Community Development, or their successors. g. Qualified household: Households where occupants have, in the aggregate, a household income less than or equal to one hundred twenty (120%) percent of the area median income (AMI) for owner occupied units, or a household income less than or equal to eighty (80%) percent of the area median income (AMI) for rental units. Area median income (AMI) shall be determined annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as adjusted by the City of Charleston Department of Housing and Community Development, or their successors. h. Rental workforce housing unit: A dwelling unit, where occupants have, in the aggregate, having a household income less than or equal to eighty (80%) percent of the area median family income (AMI) for rental units. Area median income (AMI) shall be determined annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as adjusted by the City of Charleston Department of Housing and Community Development, or their successors. i. Vegetated green roof: A living roof or eco-roof with a living layer of vegetation grown on a rooftop in a specially engineered growing media on top of a synthetic waterproof membrane. (Ord. No. 2015-142, § 1, 10-13-2015)

Source: City of Charleston, South Carolina, Code of Ordinances and Zoning Ordinance (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/sc/charleston/codes/zoning?nodeId=ART2LAUSRE_PT17UPPEDI_S54-299.33DEFetched: 11/7/2026