SECTION VI: Instructions for Completing This Application
Information is for expl
anation purposes only and by no means meant to be a substitution for the official City of Charleston Zoning Code.
For Mixe
d Use Workforce Housing Zoning Districts (MU-1/WH or MU-2/WH)
Application and supporting documentation are due at time of building permit application, except where otherwise noted. Fees are to be
paid in full prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for any part of the project.
Supporting Documentation:
1. Include a signed letter from the design professional or similar who sealed the final plans, indicating the following:
a. total number of residential units in development;
b. gross square footage of development (follow the definition in item D below);
i. include a basic floor plan (8.5”x11”) for each unique story highlighti
ng the areas counted in the calculation;
c. if applicant is pursuing groc
ery stores and/or pharmacies as means to reduce GSF, indicate the GSF of each separately;
i. a copy of any applicable executed le
ase(s) must be submitted- either with this application or prior to C/O;
2. If providing some workforce housing units on-site, incl
ude a signed letter from the applicant describing all the units:
a. Indicate how many units are to be designated workforce units vs. market rate units;
b. Indicate size in terms of square footage and number of bedrooms each workforce unit and market unit will be to
demonstrate the workforce units are comparable in size to market rate units;
c. Include a map identifying the location of workforce units within the building(s) that illustrates the workforce units are
intermixed and spread out amongst the market rate units (and within multiple buildings, if multiple buildings exist).
Definitions:
A) Total Number of Residential Units in Development: this number includes all residential units in the project.
B) Percent of Workforce Units Required: 20 percent of the number of all residential units rounded up to the next whole number (or 15
percent if the property was zoned MU/WH as of January 10, 2017, or if an application for such zoning was pending as of January
10, 2017 and later approved by City Council).
C) Fee per Gross Square Foot of Development: $5.10 (or $3.40 if the property was zoned MU/WH as of January 10, 2017, or if an
application for such zoning was pending as of January 10, 2017 and later approved by City Council).
D) Gross Square Footage of Development: includes all residential, retail, commercial or other use, inclusive of all heated and
unheated space, of the entire development, but excluding parking garages and square footage to be used initially as a grocery
store or pharmacy. Failure to maintain the grocery or pharmacy use during a period of 25 years from the issuance of a Certificate
of Occupancy will result in a recalculation and payment of the fee as a condition of continued occupancy of the development.
For the purposes of this calculation for buildings, GSF means the total floor area within the building envelope included within the
outside faces of its exterior walls (not including architectural details, i.e. cornices). GSF includes the thickness of exterior walls,
interstitial spaces, hallways, stairs, elevator shafts, porches, mezzanines, mechanical areas, rooftop uses, etc. Vertical circulation
such as elevator shafts and stairs are counted on each floor they pertain to. Stairs and/or elevator shafts not exclusively devoted
to the parking garage shall be included in the GSF calculation and can only be excluded if they would not exist but for the
garage. Since GSF is calculated for the entire development, not solely building(s), uses not part of a building are to be counted;
for example, pool decks, courtyards and patios are to be included in the total GSF calculation whether part of a building or not.
E) Number of Workforce Units to be Provided On-Site: owners can choose to supply some of the required workforce units on-site, and
pay a fee for the remainder. If owner hopes to pay a fee for all the workforce units, indicate zero in this field.
F) Total Number of Workforce Units Required: multiply the Percent of Workforce Units Required by the Total Number of Residential
Units in Development, divide by 100, and round up to the nearest whole number.
G) Number of Workforce Units Not Being Provided On-Site: the sum of Number of Workforce Units to be Provided On-Site and Number
of Workforce Units Not Being Provided On-Site needs to equal the Total Number of Workforce Units Required.
H) Fee per Unit: the Gross Square Footage of Development multiplied by $5.10 (or $3.40 if the Property was zoned MU/WH as of
January 10, 2017, or if an application for such zoning was pending as of January 10, 2017 and later approved by City Council) and
divided by the Total Number of Workforce Units Required for the development.
I) Total Fee in Lieu: the Fee per Unit multiplied by the Number of Workforce Units Not Being Provided On-Site.
SECTION VII: Where to Send the Completed Application
Return the completed application and supporting documentation to the City of Charleston’s Department of Planning, Preservation &
Sustainability using one of the below methods:
Mail to: 2 George Street, Suite 3100, Attn: Philip Overcash, Charleston, SC 29401
Fax to: (843) 724-3772, Attn: Philip Overcash
Email to: overcashp@charleston-sc.gov
Staff will review your application and supporting documents alongside your project plans and will request a revised application and
supporting documents as needed. Once staff approves the Total Fee in Lieu amount, you will receive confirmation of this amount and
instructions on how to make the payment. If you need help completing this application, please call Philip at (843) 724-3788.
