South Carolina General Assembly
114th Session, 2001-2002

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Bill 809


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      809
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 Senate
Introduced Date:                  20020108
Primary Sponsor:                  Grooms
All Sponsors:                     Grooms, Ravenel, Richardson, Branton, 
                                  Rankin, Courson, Elliott
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\nbd\11035ac02.doc
Residing Body:                    House
Current Committee:                Agriculture, Natural Resources and 
                                  Environmental Affairs Com 20 HANR
Date of Last Amendment:           20020305
Subject:                          Beach renourishment efforts; housing 
                                  construction prohibited on sand dunes and 
                                  active beaches


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
House   20020306  Introduced, read first time,           20 HANR
                  referred to Committee
------  20020306  Scrivener's error corrected
Senate  20020305  Amended, read third time, 
                  sent to House
------  20020207  Scrivener's error corrected
Senate  20020206  Amended, read second time, 
                  notice of general amendments
Senate  20020205  Committee report: Favorable with       01 SANR
                  amendment
Senate  20020108  Introduced, read first time,           01 SANR
                  referred to Committee
Senate  20011212  Prefiled, referred to Committee        01 SANR


              Versions of This Bill
Revised on February 5, 2002 - Word format
Revised on February 6, 2002 - Word format
Revised on February 7, 2002 - Word format
Revised on March 5, 2002 - Word format
Revised on March 6, 2002 - Word format

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

March 5, 2002

    S. 809

Introduced by Senators Grooms, Ravenel, Richardson, Branton, Rankin, Courson and Elliott

S. Printed 3/5/02--S.    [SEC 3/6/02 3:23 PM]

Read the first time January 8, 2002.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 48-39-290, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON CONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTION SEAWARD OF THE COASTAL BASELINE, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE RECONSTRUCTION, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING GROINS, TO AUTHORIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW GROINS ON BEACHES THAT HAVE A HIGH EROSION RATE THREATENING EXISTING DEVELOPMENT OR PUBLIC PARKS AND ONLY IN FURTHERANCE OF AN ON-GOING BEACH RENOURISHMENT EFFORT, AND TO CLARIFY THAT OF SPECIAL PERMITS AUTHORIZED FOR CONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF STRUCTURES SEAWARD OF THE BASELINE, NO HABITABLE STRUCTURE MAY BE CONSTRUCTED OR RECONSTRUCTED ON A PRIMARY OCEANFRONT SAND DUNE OR ON THE ACTIVE BEACH AND IF, DUE TO EROSION, A PERMITTED HABITABLE STRUCTURE BECOMES SITUATED ON THE ACTIVE BEACH, THE OWNER AGREES TO REMOVE IT IF ORDERED TO DO SO BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL.

    Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 48-39-290(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:

    "(A)    A permit must be obtained from the department for items (2) through (8). No new construction or reconstruction is allowed seaward of the baseline except:

        (1)    wooden walkways no larger in width than six feet;

        (2)    small wooden decks no larger than one hundred forty-four square feet;

        (3)    fishing piers which are open to the public. Those fishing piers with their associated structures including, but not limited to, baitshops, restrooms, restaurants, and arcades which existed September 21, 1989, may be rebuilt if they are constructed to the same dimensions and utilized for the same purposes and remain open to the public. In addition, those fishing piers with their associated structures which existed on September 21, 1989, that were privately owned, privately maintained, and not open to the public on this date also may be rebuilt and used for the same purposes if they are constructed to the same dimensions;

        (4)    golf courses;

        (5)    normal landscaping;

        (6)    structures specifically permitted by special permit as provided in subsection (D);

        (7)    pools may be reconstructed if they are landward of an existing, functional erosion control structure or device. ; A permit must be obtained from the department for items (2) through (7).

        (8)    existing groins may be reconstructed, repaired, and maintained. New groins may only be allowed on beaches that have high erosion rates with erosion threatening existing development or public parks. In addition to these requirements, new groins may be constructed and existing groins may be reconstructed only in furtherance of an on-going beach renourishment effort which meets the criteria set forth in regulations promulgated by the department and in accordance with the following:

                (a)    The applicant shall institute a monitoring program for the life of the project to measure beach profiles along the groin area and adjacent and downdrift beach areas sufficient to determine erosion/accretion rates. For the first five years of the project, the monitoring program must include, but is not necessarily limited to:

                    (i)     establishment of new monuments;

                    (ii)    determination of the annual volume and transport of sand; and

                    (iii)    annual aerial photographs.

    Subsequent monitoring requirements must be based on results from the first five-year report.

                (b)    Groins may only be permitted after thorough analysis demonstrates that the groin will not cause a detrimental effect on adjacent or downdrift areas. The applicant shall provide a financially binding commitment, such as a performance bond or letter of credit that is reasonably estimated to cover the cost of reconstructing or removing the groin and/or restoring the affected beach through renourishment pursuant to subsection (c).

                (c)    If the monitoring program established pursuant to subsection (a) shows an increased erosion rate along adjacent or downdrift beaches that is attributable to a groin, the department must require either that the groin be reconfigured so that the erosion rate on the affected beach does not exceed the pre-construction rate, that the groin be removed, and/or that the beach adversely affected by the groin be restored through renourishment.

                (d)    Adjacent and downdrift communities and municipalities must be notified by the department of all applications for a groin project.

                (e)    Nothing in the section shall be construed to create a private cause of action, but nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a cause of action under recognized common law or other statutory theories. The sole remedies, pursuant to this section, are:

                        (i)        the reconstruction or removal of a groin; and/or

                        (ii)    restoration of the adversely affected beach and adjacent real estate through renourishment pursuant to subsection (c).

    An adjacent or downdrift property owner that claims a groin has caused or is causing an adverse impact shall notify the department of such impact. The department shall render an initial determination within sixty (60) days of such notification. Final agency action shall be rendered within twelve months of notification. An aggrieved party may appeal the decision pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act.

    A permit must be obtained from the department for items (2) through (8)."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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