We require applications for plan review to be submitted through our online permitting portal. Our Online Services webpage explains how to do that.

We strive to turn comments back around to you via email within 10 business days, unless listed differently below for a specific type of application. However, please note:

• Many projects require multiple submittals prior to approval, and permit processing may take another 2 business days after plans are approved. 
• If any aspects of the plan need to be reviewed by a City board (the Board of Historic Review, Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission, etc.), you should expect that process to take several additional weeks. We will explain these additional processes to you through our plan review comments if they are applicable. 

Fee Schedule (PDF)

Annexation is when your property becomes a part of Rock Hill’s city limits, and is no longer in an unincorporated area of York County.

• Benefits to Residents (PDF)
• Benefits to Business Owners (PDF)

City Council decides whether to annex property, and what zoning district to assign upon annexation. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing about the proposed zoning district and will make a recommendation to City Council about it.

• Upcoming Public Hearings

Annexation application (PDF)

Telly Shinas, Zoning Manager, 803-329-8763

What is a Rezoning? 

Every parcel of property in York County is assigned a zoning district. The assigned zoning district will determine which land uses may take place on the property. Changing the property's assigned zoning district is called a rezoning.

They occur in two ways:

1. As part of the annexation process-- City Council will assigns a City zoning district to replace the zoning district that had been assigned by York County. 
2. On property that is already in the City of Rock Hill. 

As part of the rezoning process, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing about the requested change and will make a recommendation to City Council about it.

• Upcoming Public Hearings

Application 

Rezoning Application (PDF)

Master Planned Rezoning Checklist (PDF)-- A special type of rezoning is the creation of a development using a Master Planned zoning district.  These districts are designed to encourage innovative land planning and site design using negotiated development and design standards. As part of this more detailed planning, the rezoning process requires information beyond that required for other rezoning requests.

Applicant's Guide to Rezoning (PDF)

Contact

Telly Shinas, Zoning Manager, 803-329-8763

What is the Zoning Board of Appeals?

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is a board of citizens appointed by City Council that makes decisions about specific types of zoning requests. Making one or more requests to the ZBA is a common step for many projects.

• Upcoming Public Hearings

Applications 

• Special exceptions (PDF)
• Variances (PDF)
• Separation reduction (PDF)
• Re-establish a nonconforming use in residential zoning district (PDF)

The Zoning Ordinance also authorizes staff to allow Administrative Adjustments (PDF) on a few standards of a very minor nature.

Contact

Amy Britz, Zoning and Address Coordinator, 803-329-5586

If you want to develop land or redevelop land, the first step is to submit a sketch plan for our review. 

We will help you look at big-picture issues such as: 

• Would the property need to be annexed into the City of Rock Hill?
• Would the property need to be rezoned to allow the proposed land use?
• Does the proposed land use have any special requirements?
• Would the Zoning Board of Appeals or Board of Historic Review need to consider any requests?
• Does the site have water and sewer infrastructure accessible to it? If so, will the City agree to serve it? Willingness and Capability to Serve Letter Application (PDF) 
• Does the site have any major constraints, such as steep topography or buffers from adjacent properties?
• Would a Traffic Impact Analysis be required?

Sketch Plan Checklist (PDF)

Contact

 Amy Britz, Zoning and Address Coordinator, 803-329-5586

What is a Traffic Impact Analysis? 

A Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is a study completed by a traffic engineer or planner that makes recommendations about the types of improvements that need to be made to the current road network to support a proposed development project. 

TIAs are required for large projects and projects in areas with localized traffic concerns. 

Checklist

Traffic Impact Analysis Instructions (PDF)

Contact 

Chris Herrmann, Transportation Planner, 803-326-2460

What is a Site Plan? 

Site plans are drawings that show how you plan to use land - including where buildings and parking lots would be located, where access would be provided to the street, and so forth. They are usually drawn by civil engineers and are reviewed prior to the development of civil construction plans for the project.

• Staff reviews minor site plans (generally less than 20 residential units or less than 20,000 square feet.
• The Planning Commission reviews major site plans that exceed those thresholds. Staff will coordinate with you about getting onto an upcoming agenda when you are ready.

Checklist

Site Plan Checklist (PDF)

Contact

Amy Britz, Zoning and Addressing Coordinator, 803-329-5586

What is a Subdivision or Recombination Plat? 

A subdivision plat divides land into smaller pieces or lots, while a recombination plat combines smaller pieces of land into larger tracts. Both are usually drawn by civil engineers or registered land surveyors. 

• City staff review subdivision plats for smaller projects, which are called minor subdivisions, as well as recombination plats.
• The Planning Commission reviews subdivision plans for larger projects, which are called preliminary plats or major subdivisions. 

Checklists

• Minor Subdivision or Recombination Plat Checklist (PDF)
• Preliminary Plat Checklist (PDF)

Contact

Amy Britz, Zoning and Addressing Coordinator, 803-329-5586

A stormwater and erosion control permit is required when work being performed causes stormwater flows to change, such as the paving of streets, parking lots, or buildings.

Most stormwater discharges are considered point sources and require coverage by NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit through S.C Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The primary method to control stormwater discharges is through the use of best management practices (BMPs). 

• Stormwater Plans Application Packet (PDF)
• Stormwater Management and Erosion Control Design Manual (PDF)
• Flood Hazard Zone Information - see Information for Property Owners section
• Flood Study Checklist (PDF)

Contacts

Allyssa Calderhead, Infrastructure Coordinator, 803-329-5515
Clay Daniels, Stormwater Inspector, 803-326-2431

Additional Resources

• South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Flood Mitigation Program
• South Carolina Watershed Atlas
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• FEMA Map Service Center
• United States Army Corps of Engineers
• National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Survey for South Carolina
• United States Geological Survey (USGS) Topographical Maps
  • Rock Hill West - 1949 (PDF)
  • Rock Hill East - 1968 (PDF)
  • Rock Hill West - 1984 (PDF)
  • Rock Hill East - 2011 (PDF)
  • Rock Hill West - 2011 (PDF)

Stormwater Complaints

• Complaints related to new construction: Please report to Planning & Development Department's Infrastructure Division at 803-329-5515.
• Other complaints (such as drainage problem in your yard): Please report to the Stormwater Division of the Public Works Department at 803-329-5614 or stormwater@cityofrockhill.com. 

What is a civil plan? 

Civil plans show detailed information about site grading and utilities (water, sewer, stormwater, and electric).

Application 

Civil engineering plans application (PDF)

Related

• Landscape and Lighting Plan Application (PDF)
  • For Landscape Materials List, see Appendix 8-A of Zoning Ordinance (PDF)
• Lease Site Lights from City (PDF)
• Pretreatment Program: Industrial User Survey (PDF)

Contact

Allyssa Calderhead, Infrastructure Coordinator, 803-329-5515

What is an As-Built Plan?

As-built plans show how water, sewer, stormwater, road and related infrastructure was actually constructed in the field.

• As-Builts Checklist (PDF)

Associated Documents

• Contractor Final Lien Waiver (PDF)

What is a Final Plat?

After the initial work is completed on the project, a final plat will need to be submitted and approved before any lots can be sold or building permits can be issued for the project. The final plat establishes the boundaries of new lots.

• Final Plat Checklist (PDF)

Associated Documents

Performance and Warranty Bonds

• Performance and Warranty Bonds Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Performance Bond Agreement (PDF)
• Warranty Bond Agreement (PDF)

Other

• Affidavit for Donor & Contractor of Newly Constructed Roads (PDF)
• Stormwater Management Device Permanent Maintenance Agreement (PDF)

Contact

Allyssa Calderhead, Infrastructure Coordinator, 803-329-5515

See these pages when you are ready to submit building plans:

• Residential Building Permits
• Commercial Building Permits

To connect City water and/or sewer to a home or property inside the City limits, a water line and/or sewer line must be accessible, meaning that it is located along the street in front or beside your property. 

• To connect to water and/or sewer lines for residential uses (new construction, dry wells, septic system failures, etc.), contact Allyssa Calderhead, Infrastructure Coordinator, at 803-329-5515.
• Non-residential uses go through the civil plan review process above.

Additional Resources

• If you are moving into a home or apartment and would like to transfer service or create a new utility account, contact the Customer Service division.
• If you have a problem with your utility service, please contact Utilities at 803-329-5500 or visit the Utilities page.

Sometimes property owners would like to have the City's water and/or sewer service on properties that are located outside the City limits. The City's Utility Service Policy (PDF)guides the processes for these types of requests. Please note that the City is under no obligation to provide water and sewer service outside the City limits. 

Application

Utility Service Request Application (PDF)

Water/Sewer Service Agreement Requirements

• Non-profits, use Inc. Agreement

• Religious institutions, use Trustee(s) Agreement

• Et. Al, use Individual Owner or Two-owner Agreement

Contact

Alex Boyce, Planner II, 803-326-2432

Design buildings, lighting, landscaping, and other elements of a project with crime prevention in mind. 

Crime Prevention Checklist (PDF)

Easement Acquisitions

Easement Acquisition Checklist & Instructions (PDF)

Easement Abandonments

As part of the development process

Many times in the development process, existing utility easements or alleys will run through the subject property that will not be used after the site is developed or redeveloped. When that is the case, the easements or alleys must be abandoned. To start that process, complete this application. 

Easement Abandonment Application (PDF)

Not part of an active development plan

The above application also may be used outside the development process for alley closure requests when the property owners surrounding the alley believe that it is no longer needed. The City will ensure that the alley is not needed for utilities, trash truck pick-up, fire access, or anything else.

If it is not, and only one property owner owns all the land touching the alley, usually the City Attorney will be able to take an alley closure request forward for City Council to consider.

However, if multiple property owners own the land touching the alley, usually a request must go to the court for consideration. When that is the case, hiring an attorney is a good idea to make sure that the legal processes are followed correctly.  

• Encroachment Permit Application (PDF)

If road is owned by South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT):

1. Submit application through SCDOT Encroachment Permit Application Portal.
2. After obtaining initial approval from the SCDOT, upload a copy of the approved permit into the City's plan review and permitting software. If City Utilities are involved, we will sign the permit and email the signed copy back to you. 
3. Upload the copy that we signed into the SCDOT Portal. 
4. The SCDOT will then issue the final official encroachment permit to you. 
5. Upload a copy of the final approved encroachment permit into the City's plan review and permitting software.

If the road is owned by York County:

1. Submit York County's Application for Encroachment Permit to that jurisdiction.
2. Email copy of approved permit to Allyssa Calderhead, Infrastructure Coordinator.

Street Ownership Map

What is a Land Survey? 

Many of the above plans require land surveys. A land survey of land shows its boundaries as well as the location of existing structures on it. They are drawn by registered surveyors.

You can use the York County Deed Search webpage to see if your property already has a survey. 

If you need to have a new survey made, after it is complete, you should have it recorded with the York County Register of Deeds Office for permanent record-keeping.

Requirements

To be approved and recorded, surveys must provide spatial references to the horizontal coordinate system of NAD 1983 StatePlane South Carolina FIPS 3900 (Intl Feet). 

They also must contain certain elements, such as:

• ownership blocks with signatures
• raised seals from the surveyor
• parcel numbers
• assigned zoning districts
• existing buildings
• existing property lines