S.C. Brownfields / Voluntary Cleanup Program — §44-56-710 et seq. (SC)

Tracked preemption from the South Carolina overlay bundle.

Overview

Effective
1995-06-12
Sunset
Authority
state
Scope
state:SC

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

AND
  • parcel.is_brownfield_site == True
  • city.has_adopted_brownfields_certificate == True

Preempted fields

2 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
review_typerequirescdes_brownfields_vcc_certificate§44-56-710 et seq.: Voluntary Cleanup Contract (VCC) with SCDES (formerly SCDHEC) confers liability protection and certificate of completion. Land-use restrictions (LURs) under the VCC run with the land.
base_districts[*].land_use_restriction_runs_with_landaddvcc_land_use_restrictionsEngineering controls (caps, vapor barriers) and institutional controls (deed notices, use restrictions) imposed under the VCC supersede inconsistent local zoning that would otherwise authorize a use prohibited by the LUR.

Citation

Authority source
S.C. Code Ann. §§44-56-710 through 44-56-840 (Brownfields / Voluntary Cleanup Program); S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 61-101; coordination with federal CERCLA Brownfields Revitalization Act 2002 (42 U.S.C. §9628)
§ §§44-56-710 — 44-56-840
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t44c056.php

Research notes

VCC is voluntary, but once issued the recorded land-use restrictions supersede inconsistent local zoning. SCDES administers (formerly SCDHEC pre-July 2024). Federal EPA Brownfields grants flow through SC's program. Common applications: former industrial sites in Charleston peninsula, Columbia Innovista, Greenville West End, Spartanburg downtown, Anderson, and Rock Hill — all of which use VCC-paired TIF redevelopment for liability-managed urban infill.