Forest Acres OKs new rules for city development for first time in decades
New zoning rules in Forest Acres that outline the city’s future growth and which put limits on certain developments and businesses in different corridors of the city are now final.
City officials say the new unified development ordinance sets the stage for the next 40 years of growth for the 11,000 person city that shares its borders with the city of Columbia and Fort Jackson.
“We’re not a city that can grow our boundaries by annexing new commercial property because we’re fairly landlocked,” Forest Acres City Administrator Shaun Greenwood said. “And so most of our commercial growth comes from redevelopment of existing lots.”
To help shape that redevelopment, the city created different zones along Forest Drive and Beltline Boulevard, each with its own expectations for what future construction might look like. Together, these zones make up what the city calls the Centers and Corridors districts. Important to note is that the new zoning corridors don’t automatically change the zoning in an area, but it sets a standard for if the zoning is changed in the future.
Setting the stage for 40 years of growth
The general idea: allow more intense commercial uses where they already make sense, and scale them back where commercial areas meet neighborhood streets.
“One of the things I tell the council all the time is anything built today you’re going to be looking at for the next 40 years,” he said. “So you want to make sure whatever you’re building meets the character of your community and the future vision you have for your community.”
Some Forest Acres residents voiced concerns over the new rules at a public hearing earlier this year, worrying that the rules signal a future where commercial development runs unchecked in neighborhood areas, but no residents spoke at the Dec. 9 Forest Acres City Council meeting where the rules were approved.
Forest Acres City Council Tuesday gave final approval to the rules in a 4-1 vote. Councilman Stephen Oliver voted against the new rules, saying he didn’t want to cut out certain property from the new zoning code after the city spent taxpayer money on the effort.
“Ultimately, the Unified Development Code is an attempt to plan for the next 30-50 years in a way that protects our residential areas while also guiding appropriate growth,” Forest Acres Mayor Thomas Andrews wrote in a social media post explaining the rationale for the new rules.
The new zoning rules also lay out specific limitations on businesses like smoke and vape shops, payday lenders, and drive-thru fast food restaurants, among others, depending where they are located and how the properties are already zoned.
Other limitations include rules for Airbnbs, plan for “Main Street” corridor
The zoning ordinance also sets the stage for regulating Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, which will now have to register with the city and operators will need to have a business license, similar to rules in Columbia.
Forest Acres City Council Tuesday also sent a resolution to the city’s planning commission that would ban smoke shops and businesses that sell alcohol in the Covenant Crossing area by Trenholm Park, where Covenant and Bethel Church roads connect.
City leaders have talked about creating a Main Street district in that area, but exactly what that could look like is still being worked out, Greenwood added.
Greenwood acknowledged the zoning ordinance is complex, but said the intent is straightforward: protect the community’s character while making redevelopment predictable for both residents and business owners.
“It is very nuanced,” he said. “But this is about encouraging smart growth, preserving what makes Forest Acres what it is, and making sure properties are used in ways that benefit the community long-term.”
