(A) Except as otherwise provided in § 6-31-130 and subject to the provisions of § 6-31-140, if a newly-incorporated municipality or newly-annexed area comprises territory that was formerly unincorporated, any development agreement entered into by a local government before the effective date of the incorporation or annexation remains valid for the duration of the agreement, or eight years from the effective date of the incorporation or annexation, whichever is earlier. The parties to the development agreement and the municipality may agree that the development agreement remains valid for more than eight years; provided, that the longer period may not exceed fifteen years from the effective date of the incorporation or annexation. The parties to the development agreement and the municipality have the same rights and obligations with respect to each other regarding matters addressed in the development agreement as if the property had remained in the unincorporated territory of the county.

(B) After incorporation or annexation the municipality may modify or suspend the provisions of the development agreement if the municipality determines that the failure of the municipality to do so would place the residents of the territory subject to the development agreement, or the residents of the municipality, or both, in a condition dangerous to their health or safety, or both.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 6-31-110

  • Developer: means a person, including a governmental agency or redevelopment authority created pursuant to the provisions of the Military Facilities Redevelopment Law, who intends to undertake any development and who has a legal or equitable interest in the property to be developed. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
  • Development: means the planning for or carrying out of a building activity or mining operation, the making of a material change in the use or appearance of any structure or property, or the dividing of land into three or more parcels. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
  • Local government: means any county, municipality, special district, or governmental entity of the State, county, municipality, or region established pursuant to law which exercises regulatory authority over, and grants development permits for land development or which provides public facilities. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20
  • Property: means all real property subject to land use regulation by a local government and includes the earth, water, and air, above, below, or on the surface, and includes any improvements or structures customarily regarded as a part of real property. See South Carolina Code 6-31-20

(C) This section applies to any development agreement which meets all of the following:

(1) the application for the development agreement is submitted to the local government operating within the unincorporated territory before the date that the first signature was affixed to the petition for incorporation or annexation or the adoption of an annexation resolution pursuant to Chapter 1 or 3 of Title 5; and

(2) the local government operating within the unincorporated territory enters into the development agreement with the developer before the date of the election on the question of incorporation or annexation, or, in the case of an annexation without an election before the date that the municipality orders the annexation.