S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-790 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-790
SECTION 5-21-790. Use and pledge of assessments collected.
Status: in_force

All moneys derived from the collection of the assessments upon which any such paving bonds are predicated, which are collected subsequent to the passage of the ordinance authorizing the bonds, including all interest on any deferred payment of the assessments, shall be placed in a special fund to be used only for the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds. The amount of such special fund to be applied to the payment of interest shall not exceed so much of such fund as shall have been derived from the collections by way of interest on deferred payments of the assessments. The special fund shall be pledged for such purposes and such pledge shall be an obligation of the contract between the municipality and the holders of its paving bonds.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-120 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-120
SECTION 5-15-120. Vote counting.
Status: in_force

Immediately upon the closing of the polls at any municipal election, the managers shall count publicly the votes cast and make a statement of the whole number of votes cast in such election together with the number of votes cast for each candidate for mayor and councilman and transmit this information to the municipal election commission. In partisan elections the person securing the highest number of votes for mayor shall be declared elected and the councilmen shall be selected by the following methods: (a) When all councilmen are to be elected at large, the persons receiving the highest number of votes in number equal to the number to be chosen shall be declared elected. (b) When the councilmen are to be elected from each ward and are required to be residents of that ward, the person receiving the highest number of votes in that ward shall be declared elected. (c) When some councilmen are to be elected from each ward and required to be residents of that ward and the remainder of the councilmen to be elected at large, those persons receiving the highest number of votes in each ward shall be declared elected and those persons running at large who receive the highest number of votes in number equal to the number to be chosen at large shall be declared elected. (d) When all councilmen are to be elected at large, but required to reside in a particular ward, the person receiving the highest number of votes for the seat to be filled shall be declared elected. (e) When all councilmen are to be elected at large, but some are required to be residents of particular wards and other councilmen may not be so required, the person receiving the highest number of votes for the seat to be filled shall be declared elected. Newly elected officers shall not be qualified until at least forty-eight hours after the closing of the polls and in the case a contest is finally filed the incumbents shall hold over until the contest is finally determined.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-820 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 9 / Section 5-31-820
SECTION 5-31-820. Sewerage commission; composition.
Status: in_force

Any municipal corporation in this State which is about to enlarge, extend or establish a system of sewerage therein may, by its mayor and aldermen, intendant and wardens or city or town council, elect five or seven of its citizens, who shall be freeholders therein, as a sewerage commission, which shall be known and designated as the sewerage commission of such municipal corporation; provided, that not more than three persons so elected as members of said commission shall be members of the body electing such commission. The members of the sewerage commission shall continue as such for a term of two years and until their successors are elected or until the enlarging, extending or establishment of the system of sewerage is fully completed, as contemplated under the laws and ordinances providing therefor.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-230 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-230
SECTION 5-21-230. Declaration of purpose.
Status: in_force

This article is designed to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds by the several incorporated cities and towns of this State and to provide the procedure for the issuance and the method for the payment of such bonds for all corporate purposes for which the municipal corporations shall be empowered to issue bonds, except: (1) Bonds issued to refund other bonds; and (2) Bonds issued in anticipation of the collection of unpaid paving assessments due such municipalities.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-400 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-400
SECTION 5-21-400. Pledge of credit for payment and tax therefor; sinking fund.
Status: in_force

For the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds as they respectively mature and for the creation of a sinking fund to aid in the retirement and payment thereof the full faith, credit and taxing power of the municipality shall be irrevocably pledged, and there shall be levied and collected annually upon all taxable property in the municipality an ad valorem tax, without limitation as to rate or amount, sufficient for such purposes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-610 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 7 / Section 5-31-610
SECTION 5-31-610. Construction and operation of municipal utilities.
Status: in_force

Any city or town may: (1) Construct, purchase, operate and maintain waterworks and electric light works within or without, partially within and partially without, their corporate limits for the use and benefit of such city or town and the inhabitants thereof; (2) Purchase, own, operate and maintain machinery, equipment and apparatus for generating either electricity or gas for the use and benefit of such city or town and the inhabitants thereof; (3) Acquire existing waterworks by condemnation; (4) Contract for the erection of plants for waterworks, sewerage or lighting purposes, one or all, for the use of such cities and towns, and the inhabitants thereof; and (5) Sell, convey and dispose of any and all such properties, any such sale, conveyance or disposal of an electric light plant or water system, however, to be made under the provisions of Article 13 of this chapter and not under the succeeding provisions of this article.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-29-30 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 29 / Section 5-29-30
SECTION 5-29-30. Right of municipalities to establish on-street parking facilities reaffirmed.
Status: in_force

The right of any municipality to establish on-street parking facilities is reaffirmed, and such facilities may be established and operated wherever traffic conditions in such municipality require.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-220 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-220
SECTION 5-19-220. Service records.
Status: in_force

A practical and reasonably accurate service record of each and every employee shall be kept in conformity with rules to be established by the commission, and such records shall be considered by the commission in making promotions.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-230 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-230
SECTION 5-7-230. Appointment or election of municipal attorney and judge of municipal court.
Status: in_force

The city council may elect or appoint a municipal attorney and a judge or judges of the municipal court, whose duties shall be as prescribed by law. No mayor or councilman shall be so elected or appointed to serve as municipal judge during his term of office. The provisions of this section do not apply to a mayor who presides over a mayor's court in his capacity as mayor as authorized in SECTION 5-7-90.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-39-420 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 39 / Article 7 / Section 5-39-420
SECTION 5-39-420. Transfer of funds to city.
Status: in_force

Any person that may have funds to be used for the maintenance, care or keeping in repair of any tomb, burial lot, grave or graves in any such cemetery may with the consent of any such city deliver such funds to such city with a statement showing the source thereof and the designation of the tomb, burial lot, grave or graves to be maintained, cared for or kept in repair, and a receipt from such city shall operate as a discharge of liability for the amount so delivered in trust to any such city.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-300 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-300
SECTION 5-7-300. Collection of delinquent ad valorem property taxes by municipalities.
Status: in_force

(A) All municipalities of the State may provide by ordinance a procedure for the collection of delinquent real and personal property taxes, except taxes on motor vehicles. The municipal governing body may provide for a penalty not exceeding fifteen percent of the taxes levied for nonpayment of these taxes payable when the taxes become delinquent. The property taxes levied, with any penalty added for nonpayment when due and costs of execution, are a lien upon the property upon which the tax is levied until paid. The lien is paramount to all other liens except the lien for county and state taxes. Payment of a lien for state or county taxes, without payment of a lien for municipal taxes, does not extinguish a lien for municipal taxes. For those municipalities that, as of the effective date of this sentence collect their delinquent municipal taxes without an agreement as to collection with a county, such payment makes the municipal lien a first lien on the property which shall continue in full force and effect until legally discharged. (B) For the purpose of collecting delinquent real and personal property taxes, the municipal governing body may enforce payment against the property of delinquent property taxpayers to the same extent, and substantially in the same manner, as is provided by law for the collection of county property taxes and penalties, except that a municipal governing body may determine the municipality's tax year, penalty dates, and the amount of penalty to be added on the penalty dates. Executions to enforce the payment of the taxes and penalties must be issued under the seal of the municipality and directed to the person designated by the municipal governing body for that purpose. All sales under and by virtue of that execution must take place at a public place in the municipality designated by ordinance, unless otherwise provided in subsection (D) if the sale is held in conjunction with the delinquent tax sale of the county. (C) All expense of the levy, seizure, and sale must be added and collected as additional execution costs, and includes, but is not limited to, the expense of taking possession of real or personal property, advertising, storage, identifying the boundaries of the property, and mailing certified notices. (D) A municipality may contract with the county for the collection of municipal taxes or for the collection of delinquent municipal taxes upon terms and conditions mutually agreeable to both the municipality and the county. If a municipality contracts with a county for collection of municipal taxes or delinquent municipal taxes, the provisions of state law that prescribe the procedure for collection of property taxes by counties must be followed. A delinquent tax sale for the purpose of collecting municipal taxes and held in conjunction with a delinquent tax sale for the purpose of collecting county taxes may take place at the public place in the county that is designated by the county. (E) A municipality may contract by ordinance with an individual, firm, or organization to assist the municipality in collecting property or business license taxes. Effect of Amendment The 2006 amendment, in subsection (A), added the fifth and sixth sentences relating to municipal taxes and making a municipal lien a first lien.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-29-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 29 / Section 5-29-40
SECTION 5-29-40. Right of municipalities to establish, construct, maintain, and improve off-street parking facilities.
Status: in_force

Any municipality shall be permitted to make provision for the construction, establishment, maintenance and improvement of off-street parking facilities, and to finance or refinance the cost of such construction, establishment, maintenance and improvement through the issuance of bonds pursuant to the Revenue Bond Act or the Refunding Revenue Bond Act.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-235 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-235
SECTION 5-3-235. Assessed value of any single freeholder's real property not to exceed twenty-five percent of assessed value of existing municipality; exceptions.
Status: in_force

Except when the procedures for an annexation provided for in Sections 5-3-100, 5-3-110, 5-3-120, 5-3-130, 5-3-140, and 5-3-150 are followed, the assessed value of real property of any single freeholder to be annexed, as defined in Section 5-3-240, shall not at the time of a proposed annexation exceed twenty-five percent of the assessed value of real property of the existing area of a municipality.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-40
SECTION 5-3-40. Agreement upon terms of consolidation.
Status: in_force

Whenever it is proposed to extend the corporate limits of any municipality by inclusion of territory of another adjacent municipality in whole or in part, the governing bodies of the municipalities may, after public hearing, stipulate and agree upon terms of consolidation or boundary adjustment by ordinance adopted by each municipality, which shall be binding upon the enlarged municipality, and the consolidation or adjustment shall be effective on the date of adoption of the final ordinance.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-2030 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 21 / Section 5-31-2030
SECTION 5-31-2030. Powers of municipalities enumerated.
Status: in_force

Each council is empowered by ordinance duly adopted: (1) To place into effect and revise whenever it so wishes or may be required a schedule of sewer service and sewer connection charges for the use of and connection to any sewage disposal system which it may operate. Prior to the furnishing of any sewage disposal service for which the prescribed sewer service charge shall, pursuant to SECTION 5-31-2040, become a lien on the property affected and prior to any subsequent increase in any such sewer service charge, not less than ten days' written notice shall be given to each affected property owner notifying him of the nature and quantum of the sewer service charge and providing such property owner an opportunity if desired and requested, to appear and be heard in person or by counsel before the council. Following such hearing, if such be requested and held, action shall be taken by the council and notice of its decision shall be given to the property owner concerned or to his counsel, as the case may be, not less than ten days prior to the effective date of the sewer service charge. Any property owner aggrieved by the action of the council may proceed by certiorari in the court of common pleas for the county in which the property affected or any part thereof lies to have such court review the action taken by the council, at which time the court will determine the validity and reasonableness of the sewer service charge so made. Sewer service charges not intended to become liens in the case of nonpayment can be imposed and subsequently increased upon any user in the municipality without such notice and hearing. (2) To enter into contracts with any water distribution agency upon terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon by which the council shall constitute the water collection agency the agent of the council, for the purpose of collecting such sewer service charges as the council shall from time to time impose upon those who utilize its sewage disposal facilities and shall empower the water collection agency as such agent to disconnect water service upon failure of any user to pay such sewer service charges. (3) To prescribe and enforce regulations (a) requiring persons who shall be residents of the municipality to make use of any sewer system which the municipality shall from time to time operate; and (b) generally with respect to the discharge of sewage and the use of privies, septic tanks and other sewage facilities within the municipality. (4) To provide that the actual cost of the establishment and construction of any sewer lateral collection lines hereafter constructed by the municipality and any extensions thereof within the municipality, or so much of the actual cost thereof as the council in its discretion deems appropriate, shall be assessed subject to the provision of the succeeding paragraph, upon the lots and parcels of land abutting directly on such lateral lines or extensions thereof according to the extent of the respective frontage thereon, by an equal rate per foot of such frontage; but the council may, in its discretion, provide, in the instance of corner lots, for an assessment deemed to be equitable. The council may provide in such resolution that the front-foot assessments to be levied in connection with such installations may be paid in equal installments covering a period of not exceeding ten years. Such deferred payments shall be payable annually within the period that county taxes are payable and late payments shall be penalized to the same extent as in the case of county taxes. The General Assembly does not intend through this article to permit assessments against abutting property where no benefit will result to such property or where any such benefit would result only at some remote future time. Accordingly, no council shall, pursuant to this article, impose any front-foot assessment against any property unless the assessment is being used for or is devoted to commercial or residential purposes at the time of the assessment or unless, in the case of properties on which no buildings shall be situate, such properties shall have been platted or otherwise developed as a part of a subdivision devoted to residential or commercial purposes; if any such property, which pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph is exempt from front-foot assessment at the time the assessment is originally levied, is later converted to commercial or residential purposes or is later platted or otherwise developed then at such time front-foot assessments may be levied against such property. No individual parcel shall be assessed on the basis of more than two hundred fifty feet of frontage. In connection with the imposition of such front-foot assessments: (a) The ordinance providing for such front-foot assessments shall designate by a general description the improvement to be made and the street or parts thereof whereon the work is to be effected and the actual cost thereof and the amount of the cost to be assessed upon all abutting property subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph and the terms and manner of payment. Such ordinance shall not become effective until at least seven days after it shall have been published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. Such ordinance may incorporate by reference plats and engineering reports and other data on file in the council's office provided that the place of filing and reasonable hours for inspection by interested persons are specified in the ordinance. (b) Upon the completion of the construction of any such sewer laterals or any extensions thereof the council shall compute and ascertain the total cost thereof and shall thereupon make an assessment of such total cost or so much thereof as it deems appropriate. For that purpose the council shall make out an assessment roll in which must be entered the names of the persons assessed and the amount assessed against their respective properties with a brief description of the lots or parcels of land assessed. (c) Immediately after such assessment roll has been completed, the council shall forthwith cause one copy thereof to be deposited in the council's office for inspection by interested parties, and shall cause to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality a notice of completion of the assessment roll setting forth a description in general terms of the improvements and the time fixed for the meeting of the council for a hearing of objections in respect of the front-foot assessments; such meeting not to be earlier than ten days from the date of the publication of such notice. (d) As soon as practicable after the completion of the assessment roll and prior to the publication of the notice above-mentioned in subparagraph (c) the council shall mail to the owner or owners of each lot or parcel of land against which a front-foot assessment is to be levied at his or their address, if any, appearing on the records of the treasurer of the municipality, a notice stating the nature of the improvement, the total cost thereof, the amount to be assessed against the particular property and the frontage in feet upon which the front-foot assessment is based, together with the terms and conditions upon which the front-foot assessment may be paid. This notice shall also contain a brief description of the particular property involved together with a statement that the amount assessed shall constitute a lien against the property superior to all other liens except property taxes. The notice shall also state the time and place fixed for the meeting of the council above-mentioned for a hearing of objections in respect of the front-foot assessments. Any property owner who fails, not later than three days prior to the date set for such meeting, to file with the council a written objection to the front-foot assessments against his property shall be deemed to have waived all rights to object to such front-foot assessment; and the notice prescribed herein shall so state. (e) At the time and place specified for the meeting above-mentioned, or at some other time to which it may adjourn, the council shall hear the objections of all persons who have filed written notice of objection within the time prescribed above who may appear and make proof in relation thereto either in person or by their attorney. The council may thereupon make such corrections in the assessment roll as it may deem proper, confirm the same, set it aside and provide for a new assessment. Whenever the council shall confirm an assessment roll, either as originally prepared or as thereafter corrected, a copy thereof certified by the secretary of the council shall forthwith be filed in the office of the clerk of court of common pleas of each county in which any property lies, and against which any front-foot assessments have been levied; from the time of such filing the front-foot assessments impressed in the assessment roll shall constitute and be a lien on the real property against which the same are assessed superior to all other liens and encumbrances except only the lien for property taxes. (f) After the assessment roll has been confirmed a certified copy thereof shall be delivered to the treasurer of such municipality in which any front-foot assessments are levied thereby who shall prepare and keep a separate book or books in connection therewith and who shall proceed to collect the same in the manner of municipal taxes and shall remit such collections on or before April fifteenth of each year upon the direction of the council. Each year the treasurer of the municipality shall mail out notices of such front-foot assessments at the same time county tax notices are mailed. Past due front-foot assessments shall be turned over by the respective municipal treasurers to the sheriff or delinquent tax collector of the municipality who shall proceed to collect in the same manner as unpaid municipal taxes are collected. The collecting official shall likewise keep separate records in connection with such past due assessments and shall remit all sums collected forthwith upon the direction of the council. (g) Immediately upon the confirmation of an assessment the council shall mail a written notice to all persons who have filed written objections as hereinabove provided of the amount of the front-foot assessment finally confirmed against his property. If any such person is dissatisfied with the amount of the front-foot assessment so confirmed and shall within ten days after the mailing of the notice confirming the assessment to him may give written notice to the council of his intent to appeal his front-foot assessment to the court of common pleas for the county in which his property is assessed, or any part thereof, is located, and shall within five days after giving such notice to the council serve upon the council a statement of facts upon which he bases his appeal; but no such appeal shall delay or stop the construction of the improvements or affect the validity of the front-foot assessments confirmed and not appealed. The appeal shall be tried at the next term of court as other actions at law with priority over all other cases. (h) The council may correct, cancel or remit any such front-foot assessment and may remit, cancel or adjust the interest or penalties of any front-foot assessment and is empowered, when in its judgment there is any irregularity, omission, error or lack of jurisdiction in any of the proceedings relating thereto, to set aside the whole of any assessment made by it and thereupon to make a reassessment. (i) In the event the council provides that such front-foot assessments may be paid in equal annual installments, then in that event the front-foot assessment shall be deemed to be due and payable in the equal annual installments prescribed by the council and shall bear interest at the rate of four per cent per annum from the date of the confirmation of the assessment roll, payable with such annual installment. Any property owner shall have the right at any time in his option to prepay in full the front-foot assessment against his property by the payment of the balance due plus interest calculated to the date of prepayment. If any property owner shall fail or neglect to pay any installment when the same becomes due and payable, then and in that event the council may, at its option, declare all of the installments remaining unpaid at once due and payable and such property shall be sold by the sheriff in the same manner and with the same right of redemption as are prescribed by law for the sale of land for unpaid property taxes. (j) All moneys realized from front-foot assessments shall be kept in a separate and distinct fund either on deposit with the municipal treasurer or, in the discretion of the council, in a bank located within the county in which the municipality is located and used to defray the cost to the extent prescribed by the council in the ordinance providing for such front-foot assessments of the establishing and construction of the sewage lateral collection lines in connection with which the front-foot assessments were levied, or to provide debt service on bonds issued by the municipality to defray the costs of such construction; and for no other purpose. In the event a municipality issues bonds and uses only a portion of the proceeds thereof to defray all or a part of the cost of constructing sewer lateral collection lines, moneys derived from the front-foot assessments shall be used to provide debt service to the extent prescribed in the ordinances providing for the imposition of the front-foot assessments and authorizing the issuance of the bonds. (k) Moneys received by the council from front-foot assessments and deposited by it as prescribed in the foregoing paragraph may to the extent practicable be invested in the discretion of the council in obligations of the United States of America, obligations of any agency of the United States of America or obligations guaranteed by any agency of the United States of America, maturing in such fashion as to provide cash moneys for the principal and interest payments of bonds payable therefrom when due. All income derived from any such investment shall be applied to the same purpose to which the invested funds are applicable. (l) Whenever moneys derived from the front-foot assessments are deposited in a bank, the amount of such deposits in excess of the amount insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall be secured by direct obligations of the United States or by obligations of an agency of the United States or by obligations guaranteed by an agency of the United States. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the council from requiring such additional security as it may deem appropriate.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-20
SECTION 5-37-20. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) "Assessment" means a charge against the real property of an owner within an improvement district created pursuant to this chapter which may be based on assessed value, front footage, area, per parcel basis, the value of improvements to be constructed within the district, or any combination of them, as the basis is determined by the governing body of the municipality. In the event the governing body of a municipality determines that another basis for assessment is appropriate or a more equitable allocation of costs among property owners is appropriate, it may substitute such method for any of the foregoing. An assessment imposed upon real property under this chapter remains valid and enforceable in accordance with the provisions of this chapter even if there is a later subdivision and transfer of the property or a part of it. An improvement plan may provide for a change in the basis of assessment upon the subdivision and transfer of real property or upon such other event as the governing body of a municipality considers appropriate. (2) "Improvements" include open or covered malls, parkways, parks and playgrounds, recreation facilities, athletic facilities, pedestrian facilities, parking facilities, parking garages, and underground parking facilities, and facade redevelopment, the widening and dredging of existing channels, canals, and waterways used specifically for recreational or other purposes provided that the municipality, the State, or other public entity owns fee simple title or an easement for maintenance in these channels, canals, or waterways, the relocation, construction, widening, and paving of streets, roads, and bridges, including demolition of them, underground utilities, all activities authorized by Chapter 1, Title 31 (State Housing Law), a building or other facilities for public use, a public works eligible for financing pursuant to the provisions of Section 6-21-50, services or functions which a municipality in accordance with state law may by law provide, and all things incidental to the improvements, including planning, engineering, administration, managing, promotion, marketing, and acquisition of necessary easements and land, and may include facilities for lease or use by a private person, firm, or corporation. However, improvements as defined in this chapter must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing these activities. These improvements may be designated by the governing body as public works eligible for revenue bond financing pursuant to Section 6-21-50, and these improvements, taken in the aggregate, may be designated by the governing body as a "system" of related projects within the meaning of Section 6-21-40. The governing body of a municipality, after due investigation and study, may determine that improvements located outside the boundaries of an improvement district confer a benefit upon property inside an improvement district or are necessary to make improvements within the improvement district effective for the benefit of property inside the improvement district. (3) "Improvement district" means any area within the municipality designated by the governing body pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and within which an improvement plan is to be accomplished. No special improvement district may include the grounds of the State House in the City of Columbia. (4) "Improvement plan" means an overall plan by which the governing body proposes to effect improvements within an improvement district to preserve property values, prevent deterioration of urban areas, and preserve the tax base of the municipality, and includes an overall plan by which the governing body proposes to effect improvements within an improvement district in order to encourage and promote private or public development within the improvement district. (5) "Governing body" means the municipal council or other governing body in which the general governing powers of the municipality are vested. (6) "Owner" means any person twenty-one years of age, or older, or the proper legal representative for any person younger than twenty-one years of age, and any firm or corporation, who or which owns legal title to a present possessory interest in real estate equal to a life estate or greater (expressly excluding leaseholds, easements, equitable interests, inchoate rights, dower rights, and future interest) and who owns, at the date of the petition or written consent, at least an undivided one-tenth interest in a single tract and whose name appears on the county tax records as an owner of real estate, and any duly organized group whose total interest is at least equal to a one-tenth interest in a single tract. It is provided, however, that, if any firm or person has a leasehold interest requiring it or him to pay all municipal taxes, such agreement shall not be applicable to charges of the assessment of the district as only the owner has the right to petition on the assessment charge for the improvement district. Effect of Amendment The two 2010 amendments in item (2), inserted "provided that the municipality, the State, or other public entity owns fee simple title or an easement for maintenance in these channels, canals, or waterways" in the first sentence and made other nonsubstantive changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-620 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 7 / Section 5-31-620
SECTION 5-31-620. Election prerequisite to action under article.
Status: in_force

Before such construction, purchase, sale, conveyance or disposal of any such property, or any part thereof, shall be made under the provisions of this article, the city or town council of the municipality shall submit the question of such construction, purchase, sale, conveyance or disposal of the qualified registered electors of the city or town at an election to be ordered for that purpose by the city or town council and to be conducted in accordance with the laws governing municipal elections.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-280 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-280
SECTION 5-3-280. Reduction of corporate limits.
Status: in_force

Whenever a petition is presented to a city or town council signed by a majority of the resident freeholders of the municipality asking for a reduction of the corporate limits of the city or town, the council shall order an election after not less than ten days' public advertisement. This advertisement shall describe the territory that is proposed to be cut off. If a majority of the qualified electors vote at the election in favor of the release of the territory, the council must issue an ordinance declaring the territory no longer a portion of the municipality and must notify the Secretary of State of the new boundaries of the municipality.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-9-30 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 9 / Section 5-9-30
SECTION 5-9-30. Responsibilities and powers of mayor.
Status: in_force

The mayor shall be the chief administrative officer of the municipality. He shall be responsible to the council for the administration of all city affairs placed in his charge by or under Chapters 1 through 17. He shall have the following powers and duties: (1) to appoint and, when he deems it necessary for the good of the municipality, suspend or remove all municipal employees and appointive administrative officers provided for by or under Chapters 1 through 17, except as otherwise provided by law, or personnel rules adopted pursuant to Chapters 1 through 17. He may authorize any administrative officer who is subject to his direction and supervision to exercise these powers with respect to subordinates in that officer's department, office or agency; (2) to direct and supervise the administration of all departments, offices and agencies of the municipality except as otherwise provided by Chapters 1 through 17; (3) to preside at meetings of the council and vote as other councilmen; (4) to act to insure that all laws, provisions of Chapters 1 through 17 and ordinances of the council, subject to enforcement by him or by officers subject to his direction and supervision, are faithfully executed; (5) to prepare and submit the annual budget and capital program to the council; (6) to submit to the council and make available to the public a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the municipality as of the end of each fiscal year; and (7) to make such other reports as the council may require concerning the operations of municipal departments, offices and agencies subject to his direction and supervision.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-13-90 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 13 / Section 5-13-90
SECTION 5-13-90. Responsibilities of manager.
Status: in_force

The manager shall be the chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch of the municipal government. He shall be responsible to the municipal council for the proper administration of all affairs of the municipality and to that end, subject to the provisions of this chapter, he shall: (1) Appoint and, when necessary for the good of the municipality, remove any appointive officer or employee of the municipality and fix the salaries of such officers and employees, except as otherwise provided in this chapter or prohibited by law and except as he may authorize the head of a department or office to appoint and remove subordinates in such department or office; (2) Prepare the budget annually, submit it to the municipal council and be responsible for its administration after adoption; (3) Prepare and submit to the municipal council at the end of each fiscal year a complete annual report on the finances and administrative activities of the municipality for the preceding year and make such other financial reports from time to time as may be required by the council or by Chapters 1 through 17; (4) Keep the municipal council advised of the financial condition and future needs of the municipality and make such recommendations as may seem to him desirable; and (5) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law or required of him by the municipal council, not inconsistent with the provisions of Chapters 1 through 17.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-155 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-155
SECTION 5-3-155. Rules for annexation of certain properties by municipalities.
Status: in_force

An area in this State located more than twelve miles from the Atlantic Ocean, which is a peninsula being predominately industrial in character, separating a freshwater reservoir from a body of brackish water subject to tidal influences, and created by the construction of a manmade canal and manmade dam, may be annexed by a municipality only under the provisions of Section 5-3-150.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1310 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 13 / Section 5-31-1310
SECTION 5-31-1310. Election to consider sale of light or water plants.
Status: in_force

Should the city or town council of any city or town in this State which owns its electric light plant and water system, either or both, at any time receive an offer for such electric light plant or water system, the council may order a special election in such city or town for the purpose of determining whether or not such offer shall be accepted.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-380 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-380
SECTION 5-21-380. Interest rate.
Status: in_force

The bonds shall bear interest at the rate or rates to be named by the municipal council.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-670 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-670
SECTION 5-21-670. Denominations of bonds.
Status: in_force

Bonds issued under this article shall be of such denominations as may be fixed by the municipal council.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-400 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-400
SECTION 5-25-400. Approval required of proposed alterations.
Status: in_force

No building shall be altered, repaired or moved until it has been examined and approved by the inspector as being in a good and safe condition to be altered as proposed, and the alteration, repair or change so made shall conform to the provisions of this chapter.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-305 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-305
SECTION 5-3-305. Contiguous property defined.
Status: in_force

For purposes of this chapter, "contiguous" means property which is adjacent to a municipality and shares a continuous border. Contiguity is not established by a road, waterway, right-of-way, easement, railroad track, marshland, or utility line which connects one property to another; however, if the connecting road, waterway, easement, railroad track, marshland, or utility line intervenes between two properties, which but for the intervening connector would be adjacent and share a continuous border, the intervening connector does not destroy contiguity.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-930 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-930
SECTION 5-25-930. Buildings outside of fire limits of incombustible material.
Status: in_force

Outside the fire limits, when any building is to be erected of brick, stone, hollow block or concrete that could under this chapter be constructed of wood, the inspector or other designated official shall allow reasonable modifications of this chapter relating to brick buildings, in consideration of the use of incombustible material instead of wood. Such modifications, however, shall not permit variations from the requirements of SECTIONS 5-25-650, 5-25-830, 5-25-840, 5-25-880, and 5-25-890.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-430 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-430
SECTION 5-21-430. Sale of bonds.
Status: in_force

Bonds issued hereunder shall be sold at public sale, after advertisement of the sale in a newspaper having general circulation in the State or in a financial publication published in the city of New York or, in the discretion of the municipal council, in both such publications. Such advertisement shall appear not less than ten days prior to the occasion set for such sale. The bonds may be disposed of at private sale if there are no bids received or if all bids are rejected. The provisions of this section shall not prevent a sale at private sale to the United States or any agency thereof.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-313 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-313
SECTION 5-3-313. Auditor and treasurer to conform to plan.
Status: in_force

The auditor and treasurer of the county or counties in which the annexed area is located shall take such action as is appropriate to conform with the plan finally established pursuant to the terms of Sections 5-3-300 through 5-3-315, including releasing or adjusting any levy of district taxes within any annexed area. The annexing municipality and the district shall execute and deliver such documents, including any deeds or bills of sale, appropriate to the implementation of such a plan.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-110 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-110
SECTION 5-3-110. Annexation of right-of-way area of street lying beyond but abutting on corporate limits.
Status: in_force

Whenever the whole or any part of any street, roadway, or highway has been accepted for and is under permanent public maintenance by a city, a county, or the Department of Transportation, that portion of any right-of-way area not exceeding the width thereof lying beyond but abutting on the corporate limits of the city may be annexed to and incorporated within the city by adoption of an ordinance so declaring, without necessity for election of any sort, upon prior consent in writing of any public agency other than the city engaged in maintenance of the right-of-way area to be annexed. Consent on behalf of the Department of Transportation may be given by the director. Consent on behalf of any county may be given by its county commissioners, county board of directors, or other local county agency or governing body having jurisdiction over county roads.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-130 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-130
SECTION 5-37-130. Conduct of hearings; filed assessment constitutes superior lien.
Status: in_force

The governing body shall hear the objections as provided herein of all persons who have filed written notice of objection within the time prescribed and who may appear and make proof in relation thereto either in person or by their attorney. The governing body, at the sessions held to make final decisions on objections, may thereupon make such corrections in the assessment roll as it may deem proper and confirm the same or set it aside and provide for a new assessment. Whenever the governing body shall confirm an assessment, either as originally prepared or as thereafter corrected, a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the municipality shall be filed in the office of the clerk of court of the county in which the municipality is situate, and from the time of such filing the assessment impressed in the assessment roll shall constitute and be a lien on the real property against which it is assessed superior to all other liens and encumbrances, except the lien for property taxes, and shall be annually assessed and collected with the property taxes thereon.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-410 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-410
SECTION 5-25-410. Effect of failure of owner to correct defects in new building.
Status: in_force

If the owner or builder erecting any new building, upon notice from the inspector, shall fail or refuse to comply with the terms of the notice by correcting the defects pointed out in such notice so as to make such building comply with the law as regards new buildings, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not exceeding fifty dollars. Every twenty days during which any defect in the building is wilfully allowed to remain, after notice from the inspector, shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1780 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 17 / Section 5-31-1780
SECTION 5-31-1780. Certificates of indebtedness against assessments.
Status: in_force

The town council of any municipality as provided in this article may issue certificates of indebtedness showing the amounts of money due to such municipality by property owners as deferred payments or installments upon such assessments and may sell any such certificates of indebtedness or borrow money by pledging any of them as collateral security for the payment of such debt or debts, and, in the event of either a sale or collateral pledge of such certificates, or any of them, may pledge the faith and credit of such municipality for the payment thereof and guarantee the payment thereof for and in the name of such city or town. In any such case it shall not be necessary for a separate certificate of indebtedness to be issued showing the amount due from each property owner, but such certificates may be issued in denominations of one hundred dollars, or any multiple thereof. Nor shall it be necessary for the maturities of such certificates of indebtedness to correspond exactly to the maturities of such deferred payments or installments of the assessments and such certificates may be issued having fixed dates of maturities, but, in the event of payment of the assessments before the maturity of the certificates, the amount of such assessments so paid shall be placed in a sinking fund and held solely for the payment of the certificates of indebtedness issued against them.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-1160 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 9 / Section 5-25-1160
SECTION 5-25-1160. Removal of damaged frame buildings.
Status: in_force

An existing frame building within the fire limits which may hereafter be damaged by fire, decay or otherwise to an amount greater than one half of its value on February 20 1917, exclusive of the foundation, shall not be repaired or rebuilt but shall be removed.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-350 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-350
SECTION 5-25-350. Reports of noncompliance.
Status: in_force

The inspector shall report to the State Fire Marshal every person neglecting to secure such permit and certificate and shall also bring the matter before the mayor or recorder of the municipal court for his attention and action.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-420 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-420
SECTION 5-25-420. Penalty if owner of unsafe and dangerous building fails to remedy defects.
Status: in_force

If the owner of any building which has been condemned as unsafe and dangerous by any local inspector, after being notified by the inspector in writing of the unsafe and dangerous character of such building, shall permit it to stand or continue in that condition, he shall forfeit and pay a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than twenty-five dollars for each day such building continues in such condition after such notice.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-13-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 13 / Section 5-13-20
SECTION 5-13-20. Structure of council-manager form of government; election of members of council and mayor.
Status: in_force

(a) Under the council-manager form of government there shall be a municipal council composed of a mayor and four, six or eight councilmen. (b) The members of council and the mayor shall be elected in accordance with Chapter 15.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-490 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-490
SECTION 5-21-490. Bond holder's right to require levying of taxes and to enforce covenants.
Status: in_force

If the municipal council shall fail to levy the taxes required to be levied or to perform the covenants undertaken in the issuance of the bonds, any holder of any of the bonds or coupons may require the levy of taxes and enforce the performance of the covenants by mandamus in any of the courts of this State.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-62 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-62
SECTION 5-15-62. Determination of election results under nonpartisan election and runoff election method.
Status: in_force

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, results in nonpartisan municipal elections in municipalities using the election and runoff election method shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast. A majority within the meaning of this section shall be determined as follows: (1) When more than one person is seeking election to a single office, the majority shall be ascertained by dividing the total votes cast for all candidates by two. Any excess of the sum so ascertained shall be a majority and the candidate who obtains a majority shall be declared elected. (2) When more persons are seeking election to two or more offices (constituting a group) than there are offices to be filled, the majority shall be ascertained by dividing the total vote cast for all candidates by the number of officers to be filled and by dividing the result by two. Any excess of the sum so ascertained shall be a majority and the candidates who obtain a majority shall be declared elected. If more candidates obtain a majority than there are offices to be filled, those having the highest vote (equal to the number of offices to be filled) shall be declared elected. (b) If no candidate for a single office receives a majority of the votes cast in the first election or if an insufficient number of candidates receives a majority of the votes cast for a group of offices, a runoff election shall be held as herein provided: (1) If no candidate for a single office receives a majority of the votes cast in the first election, a second election shall be conducted two weeks later between the two candidates receiving the largest number of votes in the first election who do not withdraw. The candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast in the runoff election shall be declared elected. (2) If candidates for two or more offices (constituting a group) are to be selected and aspirants for some or all of the positions within the group do not receive a majority of the votes cast in the first election, a second election shall be conducted two weeks later between one more than the number of candidates necessary to fill the vacant offices. The candidates receiving the highest number of the votes cast in the second election equal in number to the number to be elected shall be declared elected.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-29-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 29 / Section 5-29-10
SECTION 5-29-10. Short title.
Status: in_force

This chapter, and all statutes incorporated herein by reference, may collectively be cited as the "Off-Street Parking Facilities Act."
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-300 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-300
SECTION 5-19-300. Article is cumulative.
Status: in_force

It is not intended by this article to repeal any existing laws as they may affect municipalities of this State, but to extend and enlarge the powers of such municipalities as may fall within the population limitations of this article, and as may elect to create such civil service commission by appropriate ordinance.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-620 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-620
SECTION 5-25-620. Height of frame buildings.
Status: in_force

No frame building erected or altered after February 20 1917 shall exceed two stories or thirty feet in height, except that private dwellings may be three stories or forty feet high.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-17-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 17 / Section 5-17-20
SECTION 5-17-20. Electors' petition requesting repeal of ordinance authorizing evidences of debt requiring pledge of full faith and credit of municipality.
Status: repealed

Within sixty days after the enactment by the council of any ordinance authorizing the issuance of bonds, notes or other evidence of debt the repayment of which requires a pledge of the full faith and credit of the municipality, a petition signed by the qualified electors of the municipality equal in number to at least fifteen percent of the registered voters at the last preceding regular municipal election may be filed with the municipal clerk requesting that any such ordinance be repealed; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to bond issues approved by referendum or to notes issued in anticipation of taxes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-35 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-35
SECTION 5-7-35. Mailing, to division superintendent or local agent of railroad, copies of certain municipal ordinances.
Status: in_force

No ordinance of a municipality which affects the operation of any railroad, as defined by SECTION 58-17-10, is effective until a certified copy of the ordinance has been sent to the division superintendent or local agent of the railroad company affected, by certified mail, return receipt requested. If a municipality annexes an area in which a railroad company operates, any existing ordinance which affects the company is not effective until the division superintendent or local agent of the company has been sent a certified copy, by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the ordinance declaring the area annexed.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-160 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-160
SECTION 5-37-160. Effectiveness of petition or consent and of acts taken under other laws.
Status: in_force

Any written petition or consent signed by a property owner prior to July 18, 1974, requesting or consenting to an assessment in an improvement district shall be effective and binding upon said property and property owner and all acts of any municipality taken under any other law shall be effective and binding upon all property owners in an improvement district.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-450 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-450
SECTION 5-25-450. Reports of inspections.
Status: in_force

The inspector shall report before the fifteenth day of February of each year the number and dates of his general and quarterly inspections during the year ending the preceding thirty-first day of December upon blanks furnished by the State Fire Marshal and shall furnish such other information and make such other reports as shall be called for by the Marshal.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-130 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 3 / Section 5-21-130
SECTION 5-21-130. Unlawful for proceeds of tax specially levied to be applied for other purposes.
Status: in_force

Whenever a municipal corporation shall levy and collect a tax for any specific purpose, it shall be unlawful for the officers or agents of such municipal corporation to apply any of the proceeds of such tax levy to any other purpose than that for which it was collected, until such purpose shall have been discharged, fulfilled or abandoned. Any municipal officer or agent violating the provisions of this section shall be fined in a sum of not less than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not less than six months, or both, in the discretion of the judge.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-890 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 9 / Section 5-31-890
SECTION 5-31-890. Contracts as to systems of sewage disposal.
Status: in_force

All municipalities in this State owning, controlling, leasing or planning to construct a system of sewage disposal with or without outfalls, rights of way, easements and appurtenances thereto, may, through proper officials, commissioners of public works, sewer commissions or any of them or like bodies, enter into contracts and agreements with persons or political subdivisions outside the corporate limits of such municipalities, whether contiguous thereto or not, for the construction, maintenance, operation, improvement, leasing, controlling or furnishing the use, benefits and facilities thereof upon such terms and at such rates and charges as may be fixed by the contract or agreement between the parties when, in the judgment of the proper officials, commissioners of public works, sewer commissions, or any of them or like bodies, as the case may be, it is for the best interest of the city, town or municipality so to do. But no such contract or agreement shall be for a period exceeding thirty years from the effective date thereof. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as abrogating, limiting or qualifying any contracts or agreements of the nature set forth herein which may have heretofore been entered into and under which the parties thereto are operating.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1110 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 11 / Section 5-31-1110
SECTION 5-31-1110. Interfering with or opening fire hydrants.
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person not connected with the commissioners of public works of any municipality of this State, the fire department of any such municipality or the body charged with the duties of commissioners of public works in municipalities which have no such commissioners to interfere with or open for any purpose whatever any of the fire hydrants on the mains of the waterworks of such municipalities, except in case of fire, without first having obtained a proper permit so to do from the authorized representatives of such commissioners, fire department or other such body.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-33-60 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 33 / Section 5-33-60
SECTION 5-33-60. Notice of election on issue of sale.
Status: in_force

In the event such election be ordered four weeks' notice thereof shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in such city once in each week for four weeks preceding the date of such election. Such notice shall contain in substance the terms of the offer for such property.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-100 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-100
SECTION 5-1-100. Forfeiture, surrender or cancellation of certificate.
Status: in_force

(A) When following its incorporation a municipality's population has decreased to less than fifty inhabitants, the certificate of the municipality must be automatically forfeited and void. If a majority of the registered electors of a municipality files a petition requesting the municipal certificate be surrendered with the municipal council, the council shall order an election to determine the question, at which election all qualified electors of the municipality must be permitted to vote, and if two-thirds of those voting vote in favor of surrendering the certificate, the council shall certify the result to the Secretary of State, who shall cancel the certificate issued to the municipality. (B) If the Secretary of State determines that any previously incorporated municipality is neither performing municipal services nor collecting taxes or other revenues and has not held an election during the past four years, he shall cancel the certificate of the municipality. Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment made nonsubstantive language changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-100 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-100
SECTION 5-37-100. Ordinance creating improvement district.
Status: in_force

No sooner than ten days nor more than one hundred twenty days following the conclusion of the public hearing provided in Section 5-37-50, the governing body, by ordinance, may provide for the creation of the improvement district as originally proposed or with the changes and modifications in it as the governing body may determine, and provide for the financing by assessment, bonds, or other revenues as provided in this chapter. However, except in the case of an improvement district in which the sole improvements are the widening and dredging of canals and waterways that are connected to canals as described in Section 48-39-130(D)(10), owner-occupied residential property that is taxed pursuant to Section 12-43-220(c), must not be included within an improvement district unless the owner gives the governing body written permission to include the property within the improvement district. The ordinance may not become effective until at least seven days after it has been published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. The ordinance may incorporate by reference plats and engineering reports and other data on file in the offices of the municipality. The place of filing and reasonable hours for inspection must be made available to all interested persons. Effect of Amendment The two 2010 amendment made the same changes and rewrote this section. The 2012 amendment inserted "and waterways that are connected to canals as described in Section 48-39-130(D)(10)" and made other, nonsubstantive, changes throughout the section.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-820 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-820
SECTION 5-25-820. Inspections of new electrical wiring; alterations.
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person controlling such wiring to allow any electrical current for lighting or other purposes to be turned on in any building without first having had an inspection of the wiring made and a certificate of such inspection issued by the inspector. Such inspection shall be made by the city electrician, who shall certify it to the inspector in writing, who may, thereupon, issue the certificate. No alterations shall be made in the wiring of any building unless a certificate shall be obtained from the inspector approving them.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-910 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 9 / Section 5-31-910
SECTION 5-31-910. Contracts with public agency to provide municipalities with primary, secondary or tertiary sewage treatment or to dispose of solid waste; definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in SECTIONS 5-31-910 to 5-31-940, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (a) "council" shall mean the governing body of any incorporated municipality. (b) "municipality" shall mean any incorporated municipality under the laws of the State of South Carolina. (c) "public agency" shall mean any County, Authority, Special Purpose District, or other political subdivision of the State of South Carolina empowered within its service area either to dispose of solid waste or to provide primary, secondary or tertiary sewage treatment.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-900 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-900
SECTION 5-25-900. Firestopping construction on floor levels.
Status: in_force

At each floor level, in all buildings erected after February 20 1917 all stud walls, partitions, furrings and spaces between joists, where they rest on division walls or partitions, shall be firestopped with incombustible material in a manner to cut off completely communication by fire through concealed spaces. Such firestopping shall extend the full depth of the joists and at least four inches above each floor level. Stair carriages shall be firestopped at least once in the middle portion of each run.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-24 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-24
SECTION 5-1-24. Application for incorporation; contents; review.
Status: in_force

(A) After June 30, 2005, citizens of an area seeking municipal incorporation shall file an application for incorporation with the Secretary of State's office containing: (1) a petition setting out the corporate limits proposed for the municipality and the number of inhabitants residing within the proposed corporate limits, and signed by fifteen percent of the qualified electors who reside within the proposed municipality; and (2) documentation concerning the minimum service standard incorporation requirements as provided in Section 5-1-30. (B) Upon receipt of a filing for a proposed municipal incorporation, the Secretary of State shall transfer a copy of the filing to the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation for review.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-610 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-610
SECTION 5-21-610. Short title.
Status: in_force

This article shall be cited as the "Paving Bond Act."
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-10
SECTION 5-1-10. Certified municipalities and established townships declared perpetual bodies politic and corporate.
Status: in_force

(A) A municipality having a certificate of incorporation issued by the Secretary of State and a township established by act of the General Assembly are declared to be perpetual bodies, politic and corporate, entitled to exercise all the powers and privileges provided for municipal corporations in this State, and subject to all the limitations and liabilities provided for municipal corporations in this State. (B) The incorporation or corporate capacity of a municipality or township established by act of the General Assembly must not be attacked in any court in this State except as provided by statute. Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment designated subsections (A) and (B); in subsection (A), added "provided for municipal corporations in this State" following "privileges"; and made nonsubstantive language changes throughout.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-160 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 3 / Section 5-27-160
SECTION 5-27-160. Approval of subdivisions in cities of 35,000 or more.
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful to sell and convey lots or parcels of real estate subdivided into lots and streets, situated within five miles of a city having a population of thirty-five thousand or more, unless and until a map or plat has been approved by the city engineer of the city constituting the county seat in the county in which such lot or parcel is located and until such map, with the approval of such city engineer, has been duly recorded in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas or of the register of deeds for such county in which it is located. If the city engineer shall disapprove the plans submitted to him or if his rulings shall be unsatisfactory to those persons submitting such plans an appeal may be had to the city council or other governing body of the city.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-22 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-22
SECTION 5-1-22. Public policy for incorporation of publicly-owned property established.
Status: in_force

The General Assembly finds and declares the following to be the public policy of the State of South Carolina: (1) publicly-owned property may be incorporated or annexed by a municipality as provided by the state's statutory law; however, publicly-owned property is for the benefit of all citizens of the State and is not the exclusive territory of any one municipality; and (2) incorporation or annexation of publicly-owned property does not confer or convey to a municipality control over the publicly-owned property that in any way: (a) interferes with the superior authority of the federal, state, or county government; or (b) prevents an area seeking to be incorporated from using the publicly- owned property to establish contiguity as provided in Section 5-1-30(A)(4).
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-760 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-760
SECTION 5-25-760. Ranges and stoves.
Status: in_force

No kitchen range or stove in any building shall be placed less than three feet from any woodwork or wooden lath and plaster partition, unless the woodwork or partition is properly protected by metal shields, in which case the distance shall be not less than eighteen inches. Metal shields shall be loosely attached, thus preserving an air space behind them. Hotel and restaurant ranges shall be provided with a metal hood, placed at least nine inches below any wooden lath and plaster or wooden ceiling, and have an individual pipe outlet connected with a good thick flue. The pipe shall be protected by at least one inch of asbestos covering or its equivalent.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-160 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-160
SECTION 5-7-160. Powers of municipality vested in council; quorum.
Status: in_force

All powers of the municipality are vested in the council, except as otherwise provided by law, and the council shall provide for the exercise thereof and for the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the municipality by law. A majority of the total membership of the council shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting council business.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 1 / Section 5-31-10
SECTION 5-31-10. Laying water pipes under streams or highways.
Status: in_force

Any municipal corporation of this State having power to construct and operate a plant for water supply or any person contemplating the laying of pipes for supplying water to a municipal corporation or to a community of citizens may lay water pipes for the purpose of carrying water on or under the bed of any nontidal navigable stream of this State and, with the approval of the county authorities in any county, on or under any highway of such county. Such pipes shall be so laid as not to interfere with the free use of such highway or the navigation of such streams by boats to the same extent that they would be navigable if such pipes were not laid. Every such municipality or person, having laid such pipes, shall keep them in repair.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-180 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-180
SECTION 5-37-180. Mall developments; streets near courthouses.
Status: in_force

No street which is located in front of the county courthouse and adjacent thereto shall be included in the mall development without prior written approval of the governing body having jurisdiction over such public property. Likewise, no street which shall in effect block the entrance to the courthouse square shall be included in the mall complex without prior written approval of same governing body.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-60 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 1 / Section 5-21-60
SECTION 5-21-60. Prorating of municipal business license taxes on business establishments annexed into municipalities.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when any business establishment is annexed into the corporate limits of a municipality which has a business license tax, the tax for the business concerned for the year in which the annexation became effective shall be prorated so that the amount payable shall be one-twelfth of the annual tax multiplied by the number of full months of the tax year the business was located within the corporate limits. The provisions of this section shall apply to the year 1976 and each year thereafter.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-29-50 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 29 / Section 5-29-50
SECTION 5-29-50. Authority of municipalities under Revenue Bond Act and Refunding Revenue Bond Act.
Status: in_force

Any municipality shall be fully empowered to avail itself of all powers granted by either or both of the Revenue Bond Act or the Refunding Revenue Bond Act. In exercising the powers conferred by such acts, the municipality may make all pledges and covenants authorized by any provision thereof, and may confer upon the holders of bonds issued pursuant to either of such acts all rights and liens authorized thereby. But in making any pledge pursuant to the Revenue Bond Act or the Refunding Revenue Bond Act, the municipality shall reserve the right to make appropriate changes in the location of any parking meters or other part of any on-street parking facilities, made necessary by street widening or street closing, and shall also reserve the right to substitute and make changes in the location of parking meters or other part of any on-street parking facilities, to provide essential and necessary traffic regulation and control. It shall also reserve the right to discontinue the use of on-street parking facilities wherever traffic requirements make such action necessary.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-280 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-280
SECTION 5-19-280. Reports.
Status: in_force

Every such commission shall make a full semiannual report to the city council of its actions for the preceding six months, including the rules and regulations promulgated and in force, and it may include in such report any recommendations affecting the police and fire departments. Copies of such semiannual report shall be kept in the files of the commission as a part of its permanent records. The city council may at any time call upon the commission for a report on any special matter, and the commission shall provide a full and complete report in keeping with such request.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-50 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-50
SECTION 5-1-50. Issuance of commission by Secretary of State authorizing incorporation election; questions to be voted on; initial governing body.
Status: in_force

(A)(1) After receipt of a recommendation from the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation, the Secretary of State shall determine whether the requirements of Section 5-1-30 have been met. If the Secretary of State determines that the requirements of Section 5-1-30 have been met, he shall issue to three or more persons residing in the area of the proposed municipality, a commission empowering them to: (a) hold an election not less than twenty days nor more than ninety days after the issuance of the commission; and (b) appoint three managers of election who shall conduct the election. (2) Notice of the election must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the community or by posting in three public places within the area sought to be incorporated which contains detailed information concerning the election. The notice must be published or posted not less than five nor more than fifteen days before the date of the election. (B)(1) At such election, all registered electors living in the area sought to be incorporated must be allowed to vote on the following questions: (a) incorporation; (b) name of the municipality; (c) the form of government; (d) method of election as prescribed in Section 5-15-20; (e) whether the election is partisan or nonpartisan; and (f) the terms of the mayor and council members. (2) When any of the above questions proposed in an election contain more than two options, the option receiving the highest number of votes will prevail. (3) If a community votes in favor of incorporation pursuant to this section and selects a form of government in an election, notwithstanding the results of the selections made by the voters as to questions (d), (e), and (f) in item (1) of this subsection, the initial governing body of the incorporated municipality consists of four council members and a mayor, all elected at large in a nonpartisan election for terms of two years. (C) The managers of election shall conduct the election, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, according to the general law governing the conduct of special elections mutatis mutandi. Editor's Note It would appear that the word "or" should appear in the second sentence of the first paragraph of this section between the words "community by." Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment designated the subsections; rewrote subsection (A)(1) to provide for the recommendation of the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation and determination by the Secretary of State as to whether the requirements of SECTION 5-1-30 have been met; and made nonsubstantive language changes throughout.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-35-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 35 / Section 5-35-40
SECTION 5-35-40. Condemnation by city in cases of disagreement as to filling up lowlands.
Status: in_force

In the event that any lot owner objects to the cost of filling his lot, such owner may require the municipality to purchase such lot at a price agreed upon between the municipality and the owner, and, in case of failure to agree upon the price, the municipality shall proceed to condemn such lot. And upon paying to the owner the price that may be fixed therefor, as herein provided, the title thereof shall vest in the municipality, which shall proceed to fill such lot and may sell it to reimburse itself for all expenses and charges.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-33-50 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 33 / Section 5-33-50
SECTION 5-33-50. Security required of proposed purchaser.
Status: in_force

Prior to the ordering of such election the city council or board controlling the plant may take from the proposed purchaser such security as it may deem sufficient for the performance of the offer of purchase in the event of its acceptance.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-520 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 7 / Section 5-27-520
SECTION 5-27-520. Municipalities empowered to construct or authorize parking facilities which project over sidewalks.
Status: in_force

A municipality may construct or authorize the construction of motor vehicle parking facilities which encroach upon or project over a public sidewalk in the shopping districts of such municipality. Any such encroachment or projection shall be, in the opinion of the municipality's governing body, of a sufficient height above the sidewalk so as not to impede or interfere with normal pedestrian or vehicular movement. No such parking facility shall be allowed to encroach upon or project over any street within the State highway system or which has been constructed or improved with Federal aid funds, but this provision shall not apply to any such parking facility constructed or in the process of construction on May 23, 1961. The encroachment or projection of any such parking facility shall be removable and shall be removed, without compensation, upon reasonable notice given by the governing body of the municipality that the area subject to encroachment or projection is needed for street-widening purposes or that the encroachment or projection interferes with normal pedestrian or vehicular movement.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-660 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 7 / Section 5-31-660
SECTION 5-31-660. Action if election result is favorable.
Status: in_force

If a majority of the electors voting in such election shall vote for the construction or purchase of such property in question, the city or town council shall so declare by ordinance and shall acquire the property. And if a majority of the electors voting in any such election shall vote for the sale of the property in question, the city or town council shall sell, convey and transfer the same as so authorized.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-13-100 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 13 / Section 5-13-100
SECTION 5-13-100. Council authorized to create, change and abolish offices, departments or agencies.
Status: in_force

Municipal council may, by ordinance, create, change and abolish offices, departments or agencies of municipal government upon the recommendation of the manager or may, in accordance with such recommendations, assign additional functions and duties to such offices. The head of each department shall be designated director thereof and shall have supervision and control over his department subject, however, to the direction of the manager.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-40
SECTION 5-15-40. Terms of office of mayor and councilmen.
Status: in_force

The mayor and councilmen of each municipality shall be elected for terms of two or four years. Unless otherwise provided by ordinance, four-year terms shall be set so that not more than one-half of the council and mayor shall be elected in the same general election; provided, that in the first election after incorporation of a new municipality or adoption of a form of government pursuant to SECTION 5-5-10, one-half of the councilmen may be elected for terms of two years and one-half of the councilmen and mayor may be elected for terms of four years if necessary to establish staggered terms. Two-year terms shall not be staggered.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-20
SECTION 5-7-20. Form and effect of corporate name of municipality.
Status: in_force

The corporate name of every city or town incorporated under this title shall be 'the city of "__________"' or 'the town of "__________"', and in such corporate name the municipality shall have all powers granted to municipalities by the Constitution and the general law of this State as fully and completely as though they were specifically enumerated herein.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-710 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-710
SECTION 5-25-710. Correction of dangerous chimneys, flues or heating apparatus.
Status: in_force

If any chimney, flue or heating apparatus on any premises shall, in the opinion of the inspector, endanger the premises, the inspector shall at once notify in writing the owner or agent of such premises. If such owner or agent fails for a period of five days after the service of such notice upon him to make such chimney, flue or heating apparatus safe, he shall be liable to a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than fifty dollars for each day that the condition remains uncorrected.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-100 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-100
SECTION 5-3-100. Alternate method when entire area owned by annexing municipality or county.
Status: in_force

If the territory proposed to be annexed belongs entirely to the municipality seeking its annexation and is adjacent thereto, the territory may be annexed by resolution of the governing body of the municipality. When the territory proposed to be annexed to the municipality belongs entirely to the county in which the municipality is located and is adjacent thereto, it may be annexed by resolution of the governing body of the municipality and the governing body of the county. Upon the adoption of the resolutions required by this section and the passage of an ordinance to that effect by the municipality, the annexation is complete.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 1 / Section 5-19-40
SECTION 5-19-40. Selection and removal of employees.
Status: in_force

Council may choose employees in the civil service departments of the government, which shall always include the police department and the fire department and, in cities of more than ten thousand and less than twenty thousand inhabitants and of more than fifty thousand and less than one hundred thousand inhabitants, the department of health, only from persons so certified by the civil service commissioners. No appointee to a civil service position shall be removed from office by council except by and with the approval of a majority of the civil service commissioners upon charges duly presented as to which the employee shall have the opportunity to make his defense, except that the chief of police and the chief of the fire department or any superintendent or foreman in charge of municipal work may temporarily suspend or discharge any subordinate then under his direction for neglect of duty or disobedience of his orders, but shall within twenty-four hours thereafter report such suspension or discharge and the reason therefor to the member of council who is the superintendent of such department. Such member of council shall thereupon affirm or revoke such discharge or suspension which shall be final unless such employee shall, within five days of such ruling, appeal therefrom to council, which shall, with the civil service commissioners, fully hear and determine the matter and shall not finally discharge the employee without the concurrence of two thirds of the civil service commissioners.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-110 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-110
SECTION 5-37-110. Assessment roll; preparation and distribution; publication of notice; hearing of objections.
Status: in_force

In the event all or any part of improvements and facilities within the district are to be financed by assessments on property therein, the governing body shall prepare an assessment roll in which there shall be entered the names of the persons whose properties are to be assessed and the amount assessed against their respective properties with a brief description of the lots or parcels of land assessed. Immediately after such assessment roll has been completed the governing body shall cause one copy thereof to be deposited in the offices of the municipality for inspection by interested parties, and shall cause to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality a notice of completion of the assessment roll setting forth a description in general terms of the improvements and providing at least ten days' notice of the time fixed for hearing of objections in respect to such assessments. The time for hearing such objections shall be at least thirty days, and hearings may be conducted by one or more members of the governing body of the municipality, but the final decision on each such objection shall be made by vote of the whole governing body at a public session thereof.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-9-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 9 / Section 5-9-40
SECTION 5-9-40. Establishment of municipal departments, offices and agencies by council; employment of administrator to assist mayor; offices and agencies under direction of mayor administered by officer appointed by mayor; annual budget.
Status: in_force

The council may establish municipal departments, offices, and agencies in addition to those created by Chapters 1 through 17 and may prescribe the functions of all departments, offices and agencies, except that no function assigned by law to a particular department, office or agency may be discontinued or assigned to any other agency. The mayor and council may employ an administrator to assist the mayor in his office. All departments, offices and agencies under the direction and supervision of the mayor shall be administered by an officer appointed by and subject to the direction and supervision of the mayor. The council shall adopt an annual budget for the operation of the municipality and capital improvements.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-780 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-780
SECTION 5-25-780. Protection of woodwork near boilers, furnaces and similar appliances.
Status: in_force

Any woodwork, wooden lath and plaster partition or ceiling within four feet of the sides or back or six feet from the front of any heating boiler, furnace, bakery oven, coffee roaster, fire-heated candy kettle, laundry stove or other similar appliance shall be covered with metal to a height of at least four feet above the floor. This covering shall extend the full length of the boiler, furnace or heating appliance and to at least five feet in front of it. Metal shields shall be loosely attached, thus preserving an air space behind them. In no case shall such combustible construction be permitted within two feet of the sides or back of the heating appliance or five feet in front of it. No furnace, boiler, range or other heating appliance shall be placed against a wall furred with wood. Heating boilers shall be encased on sides and top by an incombustible protective covering not less than one and one-half inches thick.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-35-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 35 / Section 5-35-20
SECTION 5-35-20. Filling up lowlands owned by private persons.
Status: in_force

Whenever such extension, improvement or protection shall make necessary the filling up of lowlands, owned by private persons, to a level established by the city and such filling up is proposed to be accomplished by excavation from the bed of a stream bordering the water front so to be extended, improved or protected under a general plan established by the city, such lowlands may be filled up by the city at the expense of such private owners and the costs thereof shall be a lien upon the lands so filled up. The cost to each private owner shall be determined by the proportion which the cubic contents of the filling in each lot or parcel of land, separately owned, shall bear to the cubic contents of the whole area filled. If the municipality and the owner cannot agree as to the cost of the filling aforesaid to be borne by such private owner, then it shall be determined by a proceeding in the nature of an action against such property, to be instituted by the municipality in the court of common pleas for the county in which such municipality is situated, to recover the amount claimed to be due and the reasonable costs to be paid by such lot owner shall be determined by the jury as in the case of similar actions.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-2520 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 25 / Section 5-31-2520
SECTION 5-31-2520. Termination procedures; contents.
Status: in_force

(A) Each municipality furnishing electricity or natural gas to its citizens must establish written procedures for termination of service due to nonpayment for a special needs account customer at any time and for all residential customers during weather conditions marked by extremely cold or hot temperatures. Each municipality must submit its procedures to the Office of Regulatory Staff by November 1, 2006. Any subsequent revisions must be submitted semiannually by March first or September first. (B) The procedures for termination must include the following: (1) notification procedures so that the customer is made aware of an impending termination and the time within which he must make arrangements for payment prior to termination; (2) arrangements for a payment arrangement plan to enable a residential customer, who has a satisfactory payment history as determined by the municipality, to pay by installments where the customer is unable to pay the full amount due for electric service; (3) a procedure to advise customers who are unable to pay the full amount due or who are not approved for a payment arrangement plan that they may contact local social service agencies to determine the availability of public or private assistance with the payment of electric bills; (4) a schedule of termination that takes into account the availability of the acceptance of payment and the reconnection of service; and (5) the standards for determining weather conditions marked by extremely cold or hot temperatures.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-220 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-220
SECTION 5-21-220. Definitions.
Status: in_force

As used in this article: (1) The word "municipality" shall mean an incorporated city or town, irrespective of its population; (2) The term "municipal council" shall mean the governing body of any incorporated city or town; (3) The term "corporate purpose" shall denote any public purpose, necessary or convenient to the welfare of the municipality and shall include the funding of existing indebtedness, evidenced otherwise than by bonds of the municipality; and (4) The word "commissioners" shall mean the commissioners of public works or the board of public works or other body established by law and given the power of operating any waterworks system, electric light system, sewage system or other municipal utility.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-90 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-90
SECTION 5-3-90. Filing notice with Secretary of State, Department of Transportation, and Department of Public Safety.
Status: in_force

Any municipality increasing its territory shall file a notice with the Secretary of State, Department of Transportation, and the Department of Public Safety describing its new boundaries. The notice shall include a written description of the boundary, along with a map or plat which clearly defines the new territory added.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-420 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 5 / Section 5-31-420
SECTION 5-31-420. Condemnation upon refusal to sell land desired.
Status: in_force

In case the owner of a any land situate within the corporate limits and desired by a municipal corporation for any of the purposes referred to in SECTION 5-31-410 or (b) any land desired by the corporation for enlarging, extending, or establishing a sewerage system or a water system within or without the corporate limits shall refuse to sell it, the municipal corporation may condemn the land in the manner provided in the Eminent Domain Procedure Act (Chapter 2 of Title 28).
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-320 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-320
SECTION 5-25-320. Inspections and certificate of compliance.
Status: in_force

As the construction of any building progresses the inspector shall make as many inspections as may be necessary to satisfy him that the building is being constructed according to the provisions of this chapter. As soon as the building is completed the owner shall notify the inspector, who shall proceed at once to inspect the building and determine whether or not the flues and the building are properly constructed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the building meets the requirements of the provisions of this chapter, the inspector shall then issue to the owner of the building a certificate which shall state that he has complied with the requirements of this chapter as to that particular building, giving a description and the locality and street number, if numbered.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-260 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-260
SECTION 5-21-260. Notice of filing of petition.
Status: in_force

Upon the filing of such a petition the municipal council shall give notice that it has been filed and will be open for public inspection on all secular days during the week following the publication of the notice and that action will be taken on the petition on some occasion specified in such notice, not sooner than ten days following the occasion when the notice shall be published. Such notice shall be published in some newspaper having general circulation in the municipality.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-5-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 5 / Section 5-5-10
SECTION 5-5-10. Forms of municipal government; selection of form of government made by ordinance of municipal council.
Status: in_force

The forms of municipal government in this State shall be as follows: (a) the mayor-council form provided for in Chapter 9; (b) the council form provided for in Chapter 11; (c) the council-manager form provided for in Chapter 13. All municipalities shall adopt one of these forms in the manner prescribed in this chapter. The selection shall be made by ordinance of the municipal council after at least one public meeting. The form selected shall be the form most nearly corresponding to the form in effect in the particular municipality on March 1, 1974, as determined by the municipal governing body; provided, however, that those municipalities which adopted a new form of government through a referendum after March 1, 1974, and prior to June 1, 1975, shall adopt the form selected by the referendum. If a municipality failed to adopt one of the above forms of government within fifteen months of December 31, 1977, it shall be considered to have forfeited its articles of incorporation, until such time as the municipality adopts one of these forms of government and certifies the adoption to the office of the Secretary of State. Upon certification by the governing body of the municipality of the adoption of one of the forms of government to the office of the Secretary of State, the articles of incorporation for the municipality shall be reinstated. All actions taken by the governing body municipality during the period of forfeiture shall be deemed to have been ratified by the governing body of the municipality upon reinstatement of the articles of incorporation. The reinstating municipality must not be contiguous to any existing municipality.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-150 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 3 / Section 5-27-150
SECTION 5-27-150. Opening, closing or otherwise altering streets in cities over 5,000.
Status: in_force

The city council of any city containing more than five thousand inhabitants may open new streets, close, widen, or alter streets in the city when, in its judgment, it may be necessary for the improvement of the city. It shall first pay damages, should any be claimed, to any landowner through whose premises the streets may run, according to the Eminent Domain Procedure Act (Chapter 2 of Title 28).
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1550 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 15 / Section 5-31-1550
SECTION 5-31-1550. Entry of assessments when extensions are beyond city limits.
Status: in_force

When such water and sewer system is extended to property beyond the city limits the assessments shall be entered in an assessment book in the office of the clerk of the court for the county in which such city is located which shall be furnished by the city.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 1 / Section 5-19-20
SECTION 5-19-20. Examinations and certification of results.
Status: in_force

The civil service commissioners shall, twice a year or oftener if they deem it necessary, under such rules and regulations as they may prescribe, hold examinations for the purpose of determining the qualifications of applicants for positions on the police force, in the fire department, in the health department in cities of more than ten thousand and less than twenty thousand inhabitants and of more than fifty thousand and less than one hundred thousand inhabitants or in any other special line of service in the city government which may be placed by the city council under civil service regulations. The examination for each line of service shall be practical, fairly testing the fitness of the persons examined to discharge efficiently the duties of the particular line of employment. The commissioners shall, as soon as practicable after each such examination, certify to the council the persons who have satisfactorily passed such examination, stating the order of excellence. But the commissioners shall not certify the name of, and may deny the examination to, any person as to whose honesty and integrity or general moral character they have not reasonably satisfied themselves by affirmative investigation.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-26 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-26
SECTION 5-1-26. Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation created; membership; terms; chairman; committee staff.
Status: in_force

(A) The Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation is created to review the petition and documentation submitted by an area seeking municipal incorporation and to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State whether the area meets the minimum service standard incorporation requirements as provided in Section 5-1-30. (B) The committee consists of seven members: (1) two Senators appointed by the President of the Senate; (2) two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (3) one person appointed by the Governor; (4) one city manager or elected city official appointed by the President of the Senate from a list of three persons recommended by the Municipal Association of South Carolina; and (5) one county council member or county manager or administrator appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from a list of three persons recommended by the South Carolina Association of Counties. (C) The members are appointed to serve terms of two years, initially beginning on July 1, 2005, and until their successors are appointed and qualify. A vacancy must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired term. (D) The committee shall elect a chairman from its membership for a one-year term. The position of chairman rotates among the members. (E) The committee meets at times and places as it may determine. (F) Staff for the committee must be provided by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives. Editor's Note 2005 Act No. 77, SECTION 3, provides as follows: "The provisions of this act take effect July 1, 2005; however, the appointment of the members of the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation may be made upon signature by the Governor." Effect of Amendment 2019 Act No. 1, SECTION 29.A, in (B)(1), substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate". 2019 Act No. 1, SECTION 29.B, in (B)(4), substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate". 2019 Act No. 1, SECTION 30, in (F), substituted "President of the Senate" for "President Pro Tempore of the Senate".
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-830 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 9 / Section 5-31-830
SECTION 5-31-830. Sewerage commission; oaths of members; officers; vacancies and removal from office.
Status: in_force

The members of the sewerage commission, before entering upon their duties, shall take the same oaths required of members of the body electing them. They shall organize by electing one of the members as chairman thereof and a secretary, who may be the same person as the clerk of the city or town council. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the commission shall be filled by election as provided in SECTION 5-31-820 and any member thereof may be removed for cause by any such city or town council.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-460 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-460
SECTION 5-25-460. Misconduct of inspector.
Status: in_force

If the inspector shall (a) fail to perform the duties required of him by law, (b) give a certificate of inspection without first making the inspection required by law or (c) improperly give a certificate of inspection, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not exceeding fifty dollars or may be discharged from office.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-30 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-30
SECTION 5-1-30. Prerequisites to issuance of corporate certificate to proposed municipality.
Status: in_force

(A) Before issuing a corporate certificate to a proposed municipality, the Secretary of State shall determine based on the filing submitted and the recommendation of the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation whether the proposed municipality meets the following requirements: (1) the area seeking to be incorporated has a population density of at least three hundred persons a square mile according to the latest official United States Census, except as provided in subsections (B) through (E); (2) no part of the area is within five miles of the boundary of an active incorporated municipality, except as provided in subsections (B) through (E); (3) the area seeking to be incorporated has filed a service feasibility study that has been reviewed by the Joint Legislative Committee on Municipal Incorporation and approved by the Secretary of State; (4) the area proposed to be incorporated is contiguous as defined and as described in this item. "Contiguous" means adjacent properties that share a continuous border. If a publicly-owned property intervenes between two areas proposed to be incorporated together, which but for the intervening publicly-owned property would be adjacent and share a continuous border, the intervening publicly-owned property does not destroy contiguity; (5) the area seeking to be incorporated has filed a proposal for providing either directly or indirectly a substantially similar level of law enforcement services to the area's existing law enforcement coverage prior to seeking incorporation; and (6) the area seeking to be incorporated has filed a proposal demonstrating that at least three of the following services, either directly or by contract, will be provided to the incorporated area no later than the first day of the third fiscal year following the effective date of incorporation: (a) fire protection at a minimum service level required in regulations promulgated by the South Carolina Fire Marshal; (b) solid waste collection and disposal; (c) water supply, water distribution, or both; (d) wastewater collection and treatment; (e) storm water collection and disposal; (f) enforcement of building, housing, plumbing, and electrical codes; (g) planning and zoning; (h) recreational facilities and programs; or (i) street lighting. (B)(1) When an area seeking incorporation has petitioned pursuant to Chapter 17 the nearest incorporated municipality to be annexed to the municipality, and has been refused annexation by the municipality for six months, or when the population of the area seeking incorporation exceeds seven thousand persons, then the provision of the five-mile limitation of this section does not apply to the area. (2) For purposes of item (1) of this subsection, a refusal to annex the area by the municipality includes a statement from the municipality that the area does not meet the statutory requirements for annexation. (C) The five-mile limit does not apply when the boundaries of the area seeking incorporation are within five miles of the boundaries of two different incorporated municipalities in two separate counties other than the county within which the area seeking incorporation lies, and when the boundaries of the proposed municipality are more than five miles from the boundaries of the nearest incorporated municipality that lies within the same county within which the proposed municipality lies, and when the land area of the territory seeking incorporation exceeds one-fourth of the land area of the nearest incorporated municipality. (D) The population requirements do not apply to areas bordering on and being within two miles of the Atlantic Ocean and to all sea islands bounded on at least one side by the Atlantic Ocean, both of which have a minimum of one hundred fifty dwelling units and at least an average of one dwelling unit for each three acres of land within the area and for which petitions for incorporation contain the signatures of at least fifteen percent of the qualified electors of the respective areas seeking incorporation. (E) The five-mile limit does not apply to counties with a population according to the latest official United States Census of less than fifty-one thousand. Editor's Note 2006 Act No. 239, SECTION 2, provides as follows: "By passing this act, the General Assembly intends and declares that any regulations passed by the State Law Enforcement Division to comply with the requirements of Act 77 of 2005 do not for any past, present, or future time represent or establish any minimum level of law enforcement service requirements for existing municipalities or towns or areas seeking to incorporate as municipalities or towns." Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment rewrote this section. The 2006 amendment rewrote subsection (A)(5) to require a proposal for a substantially similar level of law enforcement.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-940 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-940
SECTION 5-25-940. Construction not provided for in this chapter.
Status: in_force

The construction of any or all buildings not provided for in this chapter shall be in accord with the construction required by some recognized authority approved by the State Fire Marshal.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-2040 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 21 / Section 5-31-2040
SECTION 5-31-2040. Lien on real estate for sewer service charges; collection of past-due charges.
Status: in_force

If the notice or notices prescribed by paragraph (1) of SECTION 5-31-2030 shall have been given and any hearing requested pursuant thereto shall have been held, all sewer service charges imposed by the council following that procedure under authority of this article and not paid when due and payable shall be and constitute a lien upon the real estate to which the sewage service concerned relates so long as the sewer service charges remain unpaid. In addition to such other rights and remedies as may be available to the council in law or in equity for the collection of the sewer service charges, the lien may be enforced by the council in the same manner and fashion as the lien of property taxes on real estate. The lien herein provided shall be superior to all other liens except liens for unpaid property taxes. The method provided in this article for the enforcement of the collection of past due sewer service charges shall not be the exclusive method of enforcing such collections and the council is fully empowered to enforce the collection of any such sewer service charges in any other lawful manner in all or any part of the municipality, including particularly by way of a contract with a water distribution agency as authorized under paragraph (2) of SECTION 5-31-2030.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-1110 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 9 / Section 5-25-1110
SECTION 5-25-1110. Municipalities shall pass fire limit ordinances.
Status: in_force

The city council or governing body of every incorporated city or town shall pass an ordinance establishing and defining fire limits, which shall include the principle business portion of the city or town.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-940 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 9 / Section 5-31-940
SECTION 5-31-940. Contracts with public agency to provide municipalities with primary, secondary or tertiary sewage treatment or to dispose of solid waste; powers and authorizations cumulative.
Status: in_force

The powers and authorizations herein are in addition to all other powers and authorizations now or hereafter vested in municipalities and none of the provisions of SECTIONS 5-31-910 to 5-31-940 is intended to be construed as a limitation upon or in derogation of any such other powers and authorizations.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-270 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-270
SECTION 5-7-270. Form and procedures for introducing and passing ordinances.
Status: in_force

Every proposed ordinance shall be introduced in writing and in the form required for final adoption. Each municipality shall by ordinance establish its own rules and procedures as to adoption of ordinances. No ordinance shall have the force of law until it shall have been read two times on two separate days with at least six days between each reading.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-9-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 9 / Section 5-9-10
SECTION 5-9-10. Applicability of Chapter 7.
Status: in_force

Except as specifically provided for in this chapter, the structure, organization, powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of municipal government under the mayor-council form shall be as prescribed in Chapter 7.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-690 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-690
SECTION 5-25-690. Hanging flues.
Status: in_force

Hanging flues i e., for the reception of stovepipes built otherwise than from the ground) shall be allowed only when built according to the following specifications. The flue shall be built four inches thick, of the best hard brick, laid on flat side, never on edge, extending at least three feet above the roof and always above the comb of the roof and lined on the inside with cast-iron or fire-clay flue lining from the bottom of the flue to the extreme height of the flue, the ends of all such lining pipes being made to fit close together and the lining pipe being built in as the flue is carried up. If the flue starts at the ceiling and receives the stovepipe vertically, it shall be hung on iron stirrups, bent to come flush with the bottom of ceiling joints. All flues shall have a proper and sufficient support at their base and in no case shall they be supported even partially by contact in passing through partitions, ceilings or roofs. Flues not lined as above shall be built from the ground eight inches thick, of the best hard brick, with the joints struck smooth on the inside. The flues of every building shall be properly cleaned and all rubbish removed and the flues left smooth on the inside upon the completion of the building.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-930 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 9 / Section 5-31-930
SECTION 5-31-930. Contracts with public agency to provide municipalities with primary, secondary or tertiary sewage treatment or to dispose of solid waste; ordinance.
Status: in_force

No municipality shall enter into a contract under the authorization of SECTIONS 5-31-910 to 5-31-940 except pursuant to an Ordinance which shall have been duly enacted by its council after compliance with the following: (a) Subsequent to the introduction of such Ordinance and prior to its second reading, a public hearing shall be held on the question of the passage of such Ordinance at which all interested persons may appear and be heard. Such hearing shall be held after notice thereof has been published in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality not less than seven (7) days prior to the date of the hearing. (b) The Ordinance shall not be given final reading sooner than seven (7) days following the holding of the public hearing prescribed herein.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-40 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 1 / Section 5-21-40
SECTION 5-21-40. Officers required to account to municipality for interest collected on deposits.
Status: in_force

A municipal officer depositing funds at interest in a bank or other depository shall account to the municipality for all interest collected on the deposits. A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than three years.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-860 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-860
SECTION 5-25-860. Interior light or vent shafts; dumbwaiter shafts.
Status: in_force

In every building erected or altered after February 20 1917, except frame buildings, all walls or partitions forming interior light or vent shafts shall be built in accordance with the requirements for stair and elevator shafts in new buildings as specified in SECTION 5-25-830. The walls of the dumbwaiter shafts, except those in dwellings which extend only one story above the basement or cellar, shall be of fire-resistive construction and shall be not less than three inches thick, if constructed of brick, hollow or solid blocks, or of steel studding and metal lath with three-quarter inch of portland cement plaster on each side or a two-inch solid metal lath and portland cement plaster wall may be permitted, if securely anchored at each floor. The material and method of construction shall be as specified for stair and elevator shafts in existing buildings in SECTION 5-25-830. In frame buildings, outside the fire limits, the enclosure partitions of all such shafts may be constructed as provided in SECTION 5-25-830 for stair and elevator shafts in buildings existing on February 20 1917. Where a dumb-waiter shaft does not extend through the roof, the top of the shaft shall be of fire-resistive construction of the same thickness as the walls of the shaft. All openings in dumb-waiter shafts shall be protected by fire doors mounted in incombustible frames securely anchored to the walls. The walls of all light and vent shafts erected after February 20 1917 shall extend not less than three feet above the roof level, except that when a shaft is covered by an incombustible ventilating skylight, the walls need not extend more than two feet above the roof. Masonry walls shall be properly coped. When metal louvres are used for ventilating purposes, the louvres or slats shall be riveted to the metal frame.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-120 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 3 / Section 5-25-120
SECTION 5-25-120. Inspectors of buildings.
Status: in_force

The chief of a fire department shall also be the local inspector of buildings for the city or town for which he is appointed and shall perform the duties required herein and make all reports required by the State law, by city or town ordinances or by the State Fire Marshal. He shall make all inspections and perform such duties as may be required by the State Fire Marshal. But any city or town may appoint and reasonably remunerate a local inspector of buildings, in which case the chief of the fire department shall be relieved of the duties herein imposed.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-170 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-170
SECTION 5-37-170. Approval required for inclusion of streets in State highway system in mall developments.
Status: in_force

No street in the state highway system shall be included in a mall development without prior written approval of the Department of Transportation.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1540 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 15 / Section 5-31-1540
SECTION 5-31-1540. Entry of assessments.
Status: in_force

Such assessments shall be entered in a book kept by the city or town clerk, to be entitled "water and sewer assessment liens," stating the names of the owners, the location of the property, the amount of the assessment and the time or times of payment.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-1320 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 11 / Section 5-25-1320
SECTION 5-25-1320. Battery-operated detectors permitted in certain existing dwellings.
Status: in_force

A battery-operated detector meeting the requirements of NFPA 74, 1989 Edition, is permitted in an existing dwelling that has not undergone remodeling exceeding fifty percent of its assessed value. Detectors must be installed according to manufacturer's instructions.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-90 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-90
SECTION 5-1-90. Certificate of incorporation effective upon election of municipal officers.
Status: in_force

The certificate of incorporation must be issued to the commissioners who immediately shall provide for the election of municipal officers pursuant to Chapter 15 and in accordance with the certificate as to form of government. Until the municipal officers are elected and qualify, the certificate of incorporation does not become effective and the powers of the municipality must be exercised only by the municipal council when the municipal council is created by election. Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment made nonsubstantive changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-630 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 7 / Section 5-31-630
SECTION 5-31-630. Election prerequisite to condemnation of waterworks.
Status: in_force

Proceedings to condemn existing waterworks shall not be instituted until after an election ordered by the city or town council upon thirty days' notice shall have determined, by a majority of the qualified electors of the city or town, the policy of the city or town in favor of municipal ownership of waterworks.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-20 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 1 / Section 5-25-20
SECTION 5-25-20. Fire departments in cities and towns of one hundred inhabitants; fire limits and construction therein.
Status: in_force

Any city or town council of a city or town of not less than one hundred inhabitants may equip and control a fire department for the protection of such city or town in such way as it deems necessary and by ordinance establish fire limits in such city or town and prescribe and designate the kind and character of material to be used in erecting and repairing buildings or structures within and upon that portion of such city or town included within such fire limits. All buildings or structures erected within such fire limits contrary to the ordinance of such city or town may be abated and removed by such council as a public nuisance.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-2340 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 23 / Section 5-31-2340
SECTION 5-31-2340. Requirements on political subdivision prior to expenditure of funds.
Status: in_force

Before the expenditure of funds in accordance with this article, the political subdivision first shall find by resolution or ordinance that the conditions set forth in Section 5-31-2330 are satisfied. The political subdivision also shall set forth in its resolution or ordinance a general description of the properties upon which the assessments were imposed and a general description of the use to which the funds shall be applied; however, the funds shall be applied only to maintenance, repair, or replacement of those sewer collection lines in connection with which the assessments were imposed.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-1310 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 11 / Section 5-25-1310
SECTION 5-25-1310. Smoke detectors required for one-family and two-family dwellings, including manufactured housing.
Status: in_force

(A) One-family and two-family dwellings, including manufactured housing, must be equipped with approved and properly functioning smoke detectors installed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 72E, 1990 Edition, and with NFPA Standard 74, 1989 Edition; provided, however, that the various requirements of this article apply only to dwellings and housing which are rental dwellings and housing. (B) A newly constructed dwelling or a dwelling remodeled in excess of fifty percent of its assessed value after December 31, 1994, must be equipped with electrically powered smoke detectors. Electrical power to the smoke detectors must be a dependable, commercial electrical source. Detectors must be installed according to manufacturer's instructions.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-70 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-70
SECTION 5-1-70. Certification of results by commissioners; issuance of certificate of incorporation by Secretary of State.
Status: in_force

The commissioners shall certify the result of the election under oath to the Secretary of State, and if the result is in favor of incorporation, the Secretary of State shall issue a certificate of incorporation to the municipality and the municipality has all the privileges, powers, and immunities and are subject to the limitations provided by law. Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment made nonsubstantive changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-680 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 7 / Section 5-31-680
SECTION 5-31-680. Sale, lease or other disposition of municipally owned natural gas system.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, any city or town may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any municipally owned natural gas system upon the favorable vote of a majority of the qualified electors of the municipality voting in a general or special election held after notice thereof, explaining in general terms the proposed transaction, has been given in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town once a week for two successive weeks, the first of which shall appear not more than thirty days prior to the election date. Such election shall be held in accordance with the laws governing municipal elections and no petition as prescribed by SECTION 5-31-640 shall be required in connection therewith.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1930 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 19 / Section 5-31-1930
SECTION 5-31-1930. Special provision for cities of 50,000 to 60,000, 1950 census.
Status: in_force

The limitations imposed by SECTION 5-31-1910 shall not apply to cities having a population of over fifty thousand and not more than sixty thousand as shown by United States Government census of 1950. Such cities may contract as set forth in said section with persons or other cities or towns, public service commissions or other political subdivisions without the corporate limits of the city, whether contiguous to the corporate limits or not, and may contract for a period not exceeding twenty-five years.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-370 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-370
SECTION 5-21-370. Place of payment.
Status: in_force

Such bonds shall be made payable at such place or places, within or without the State, as the municipal council shall provide.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-39-260 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 39 / Article 5 / Section 5-39-260
SECTION 5-39-260. Investments.
Status: in_force

The members of any such commission shall invest or handle such funds in the manner provided by law for investments or handling of funds by executors, administrators, guardians and trustees, and the income shall be collected annually and expended in such manner as, in the judgment of the commission, will meet the purpose for which such fund was delivered.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-120 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 3 / Section 5-21-120
SECTION 5-21-120. Cities and towns authorized to collect taxes in installments.
Status: in_force

The cities and towns of this State may collect the taxes of such cities or towns in such installments as the municipal authorities thereof may by ordinance prescribe.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 1 / Section 5-27-10
SECTION 5-27-10. Purchase of land for purpose of establishing or improving streets, alleys, roads, courts or lanes.
Status: in_force

Whenever the mayor and aldermen of any city or the intendant and wardens of any town in this State shall think it expedient to widen, open, lay out, extend or establish any street, alley, road, court or lane, they may purchase the lot, lots or parts of lots of land necessary for such street, alley, road, court or lane, and the fee simple of such land shall be vested in such city or town for the use of the public from the day of delivery of the deed of sale.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1580 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 15 / Section 5-31-1580
SECTION 5-31-1580. Entry of satisfaction of assessments.
Status: in_force

It shall by ordinance be made the duty of the city or town clerk to make entry of satisfaction on such water and sewer assessment liens book as soon as full payment is made, and the lien shall be thereby extinguished.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-11-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 11 / Section 5-11-10
SECTION 5-11-10. Applicability of Chapter 7.
Status: in_force

Except as specifically provided for in this chapter, the structure, organization, powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of municipal government under the council form shall be as prescribed in Chapter 7.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-340 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-340
SECTION 5-21-340. Maturity of bonds.
Status: in_force

Bonds issued hereunder shall mature in such annual series or instalments, equal or unequal in amount, as the municipal council shall provide, except that: (1) The first maturing bonds shall mature within five years from the date as of which they are issued; (2) Not less than two per cent of the aggregate of the issue shall mature in any year; and (3) No bonds shall mature later than forty years from the date as of which they are issued.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-770 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-770
SECTION 5-21-770. Use of bonds in payment of taxes.
Status: in_force

The municipal council may provide in the proceedings taken in connection with the issuance of bonds that the bonds or the coupons, either or both, shall be receivable for taxes due to the municipality during the year in which they respectively mature.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-850 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-850
SECTION 5-25-850. Skylights covering stairway, elevator or dumbwaiter shaft.
Status: in_force

Where a stairway, elevator or dumbwaiter shaft extends through the roof and is covered with a skylight, the skylight shall be constructed with incombustible frame and sash, glazed with ordinary thin glass, and shall be protected by a galvanized steel wire screen with a mesh not exceeding one inch and the wire not smaller than No. 12 gauge. The screen shall have metal supports and shall be placed not less than six inches above the skylight. Instead of a skylight, a window may be placed in the side of the shaft above the roof which is furthest removed from a property line. The window shall have incombustible frame and sash and be glazed with thin glass.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-440 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 5 / Section 5-31-440
SECTION 5-31-440. Condemnation of land for waterworks and to protect watersheds.
Status: in_force

Any municipal corporation in this State desiring to establish waterworks or to enlarge or extend such works, whether it owns or operates the plant or not, may condemn lands, water rights, and water privileges or any other property, including existing waterworks or pipelines, or any part of them, necessary for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, extending, or operating a waterworks plant for supplying water to the municipal corporation and to its citizens. Proper compensation must be first made to the owners. The condemnation must be made in the manner provided in the Eminent Domain Procedure Act (Chapter 2 of Title 28). No municipality shall condemn any waterworks during the life of any franchise, nor when by contract there is any other method of valuation for the purpose of acquisition by the municipality upon the expiration of the franchise, except that the condemnation actions may be had during the last year of the term of the franchise to take effect by the transfer of title and possession immediately upon the expiration of such franchise. A municipal corporation may also enter upon and condemn lands and tenements for the purpose of protecting the watersheds from contamination, nuisances, or any condition which may be a menace to the public health, upon proper compensation being first made to the owner.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-33-30 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 33 / Section 5-33-30
SECTION 5-33-30. Selling price of ice.
Status: in_force

The price at which the product of any such ice plant as may be established hereunder shall be sold may be fixed from time to time by the municipal authorities of any such city or town and shall be sufficient to reimburse such city or town for the expenses and cost of manufacture thereof, together with any interest for which such city or town may be liable upon any bonds issued for the purpose of acquiring such ice plant.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-320 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-320
SECTION 5-21-320. Declaration of result of election; effect when filed.
Status: in_force

Upon the receipt of the returns of the election the municipal council shall by resolution declare the results thereof. It may then provide for the filing of a certified copy of such resolution declaring the results of the election in the office of the clerk of court for the county wherein the municipality is located. In such event the results of the election, as declared by resolution of the municipality so certified and filed, shall not be open to question except by a suit or other proceeding instituted within thirty days from the date of the filing thereof.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-210 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 3 / Section 5-31-210
SECTION 5-31-210. Election and terms of commissioners of public works in municipalities.
Status: in_force

At any election for bonds held to meet the costs of acquiring property of the character referred to in SECTION 5-31-610 the elector shall vote for three citizens of the city or town whose terms of office shall be respectively two, four and six years and until the general election for municipal officers next following the expiration of the short term, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The classification above designated as to the term shall be ascertained by the commissioners after election by lot. At each general election for municipal officers following the expiration of the term of the commissioner holding the short term and at every such election every two years thereafter, one such commissioner shall be elected for a term of six years and until his successor is elected and qualified. The officers so elected and their successors in office shall be known as the commissioners of public works of such municipality and by that name may sue and be sued in any of the courts of this State. In addition to the three members of the board of commissioners of public works of a municipality authorized above, the governing body of a municipality with a population of fifty thousand persons or less according to the 1980 official United States Census may provide by ordinance for the election of two additional commissioners. The new commissioners must be elected at a special election or at any general election following the enactment of the ordinance in the same manner that the other commissioners are elected. The new member receiving the highest number of votes in that election shall serve for a term of six years and the new member receiving the next highest number of votes in that election shall serve for a term of four years. Their successors must be elected in the election for municipal officers every four or six years thereafter for terms of office of six years. The members elected shall serve until their successors are elected and qualify. Vacancies in these two new positions must be filled in the same manner as other vacancies on the board of commissioners of public works are filled. The provisions of this paragraph for two additional commissioners apply only to boards of commissioners of public works founded after 1920.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-640 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-640
SECTION 5-21-640. Issuance of paving bonds authorized after levy by municipality of assessments against real property for permanent improvements to streets and sidewalks; amount of bonds.
Status: in_force

When any municipality shall have levied assessments against real property for the purpose of paying for any permanent improvement to streets and sidewalks of any type mentioned in SECTION 5-21-620, the municipal council may by ordinance direct that bonds of the municipality, to be known as paving bonds, be issued in anticipation of the collection of such assessments. The amount of the bonds to be issued may equal but shall not exceed the amount of the unmatured assessments remaining uncollected at the time of the adoption of the ordinance authorizing their issuance. A single issue of paving bonds may be authorized and issued in anticipation of the collection of two or more separate assessments.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-1370 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 11 / Section 5-25-1370
SECTION 5-25-1370. Penalties for violations of article.
Status: in_force

A person who violates this article on first offense has fifteen days to install a smoke detector or to repair or replace the detector. On second offense, a person who violates this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-50 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-50
SECTION 5-7-50. Municipalities' acquisition of land, easement or right-of-way by condemnation.
Status: in_force

Any municipality desiring to become the owner of any land or to acquire any easement or right-of-way therein for any authorized corporate or public purpose shall have the right to condemn such land or right-of-way or easement, subject to the general law of this State, within and without the corporate limits in the county in which it is situated and in any adjoining county or counties. This authority shall not apply to any property devoted to public use; provided, however, the property of corporations not for profit organized under the provisions of Chapter 35 of Title 33, shall not be subject to condemnation unless the municipality in which their service area is located intends to make comparable water service available in such service area and such condemnation is for that purpose. After any such condemnation, the municipality shall assume all obligations of the corporation related to the property and the facilities thereon which were condemned. Provided, however, that any incorporated municipality, or any housing or redevelopment authority now existing or hereafter established to function, may undertake and carry out slum clearance and redevelopment work in areas which are predominately slum or blighted, the preparation of such areas for reuse, and the sale or other disposition of such areas to private enterprise or to public bodies for public uses and to that end the General Assembly delegates to any incorporated municipality, or such authorities, the right to exercise the power of eminent domain as to any property essential to the plan of slum clearance and redevelopment. Any incorporated municipality, political subdivision or authority may acquire air rights or subsurface rights, both as hereinafter defined, by any means permitted by law for acquisition of real estate, including eminent domain, and may dispose of air rights and subsurface rights regardless of who or for what purpose acquired for private or public use by lease, mortgage, sale or otherwise. Air rights shall mean estates, rights and interests in the space above the surface of the ground or the surface of streets, roads, or rights-of-ways including access, support and other appurtenant rights required for the utilization thereof. Subsurface rights shall mean estates, rights and interests in the space below the surface of the ground or the surface of streets, roads, or rights-of-way including access, support and other appurtenant rights required for the utilization thereof.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-155 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-155
SECTION 5-7-155. Police jurisdiction over certain streets and highways along which municipal boundaries run.
Status: in_force

If any portion of a street or highway is within the boundary of a municipality, the right of way of the street or highway not within the municipal boundary but touching the boundary is nevertheless considered to be within the boundary of that municipality for purposes of its police jurisdiction. A street or highway which serves as the boundary between municipalities is under the police jurisdiction of both municipalities regardless of the municipality in which the street or highway is located.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-910 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-910
SECTION 5-25-910. Construction of areaways.
Status: in_force

All areaways shall be guarded with suitable railings or be protected by incombustible covers or gratings. If gratings be used, they shall have a wire screen of not more than one-half-inch mesh securely attached to the underside.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-150 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-150
SECTION 5-7-150. Coastal municipalities' criminal jurisdiction over piers and other structures and waters of the ocean.
Status: in_force

Every coastal municipality has criminal jurisdiction over piers and other structures and the waters of the ocean, a sound, or an inlet within one mile of those portions of the strand within the corporate limits. The corporate limits of the municipality are extended in a straight line from the strand into the ocean, inlet, or sound from the point where the corporate limits of the municipality reach the high-water mark of the strand. If an extension overlaps with the criminal jurisdiction of another political subdivision, the jurisdiction of each political subdivision extends to the equidistant point from the high-water mark of each strand.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-260 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-260
SECTION 5-7-260. Acts of municipal council which are required to be done by ordinance.
Status: in_force

In addition to other acts required by law to be done by ordinance, those acts of the municipal council shall be by ordinances which: (1) Adopt or amend an administrative code or establish, alter or abolish any municipal department, office or agency; (2) Provide for a fine or other penalty or establish a rule or regulation in which a fine or other penalty is imposed for violations; (3) Adopt budgets, levy taxes, except as otherwise provided with respect to the property tax levied by adoption of a budget, pursuant to public notice; (4) Grant, renew or extend franchises; (5) Authorize the borrowing of money; (6) Sell or lease or contract to sell or lease any lands of the municipality; and (7) Amend or repeal any ordinance described in items (1) through (6) above. In matters other than those referred to in this section council may act either by ordinance or resolution.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-250 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-250
SECTION 5-7-250. Council meetings; rules and procedures for meetings; freedom of information; emergency ordinances.
Status: in_force

(a) The council, after public notice shall meet regularly at least once in every month at such times and places as the council may prescribe by rule. Special meetings may be held on the call of the mayor or of a majority of the members. (b) The council shall determine its own rules and order of business and shall provide for keeping minutes of its proceedings which shall be a public record. (c) Procedures for meetings of a municipal governing body shall not conflict with the provisions of the general laws of the state with regard to freedom of information. (d) To meet public emergencies affecting life, health, safety or the property of the people, council may adopt emergency ordinances; but such ordinances shall not levy taxes, grant, renew or extend a franchise or impose or change a service rate. Every emergency ordinance shall be enacted by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of council present. An emergency ordinance is effective immediately upon its enactment without regard to any reading, public hearing, publication requirements, or public notice requirements. Emergency ordinances shall expire automatically as of the sixty-first day following the date of enactment.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-150 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-150
SECTION 5-15-150. Oath of office for mayor and councilmen.
Status: in_force

The mayor and councilmen, before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take the oath prescribed by the Constitution and also the following oath, to wit: "As mayor (councilman) of the municipality of __________ I will equally, fairly, and impartially, to the best of my ability and skill, exercise the trust reposed in me, and I will use my best endeavors to preserve the peace and carry into effect according to law the purposes for which I have been elected. So help me God."
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-910 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 9 / Section 5-27-910
SECTION 5-27-910. Issuance to certain organizations of permits to solicit funds from motorists.
Status: in_force

Any rescue squad, volunteer fire department, or charitable or eleemosynary organization in this State may solicit funds from motorists on highways and streets located within a municipality with a permit issued by the governing body of the municipality or within the unincorporated areas of a county with a permit issued by the governing body of the county. The governing body may grant or deny a permit. Permits may be issued for more than one day but no organization may be issued more than two permits in any one calendar year. Permits may impose limits upon solicitation as the governing body of the municipality or county determines are necessary to protect the health and safety of motorists, pedestrians, and those soliciting for an organization and to ensure that solicitation does not unreasonably impede the flow of traffic. The governing body issuing the permit shall have responsibility for supervising the solicitation and enforcing the terms of the permit; provided, that the municipality or county is immune from liability as provided in the Tort Claims Act for any loss or injury occurring as a result of these solicitations.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-180 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 3 / Section 5-25-180
SECTION 5-25-180. Fee for inquiry; from whom derived.
Status: in_force

An inspector of buildings shall be entitled to a fee of three dollars for making any such inquiry, such fee to be taxed against the person owning the property burned, if the fire was caused by faulty construction or negligence of the owner; but in case the inspector shall conclude that the fire was due to lack of proper care on the part of the occupant of the house in which the fire occurred, the fee shall be paid by the occupant, except that, upon affidavit made that the occupant is in indigent circumstance and is unable to pay the fee, it shall be paid by the municipality within the limits of which the fire occurred or, if it shall have been without the limits of the municipality, the fee shall be paid by the State Fire Marshal out of funds available for this purpose. And when the fire originated from accidental causes the fee shall be paid by the State Fire Marshal out of funds available for this purpose.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1560 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 15 / Section 5-31-1560
SECTION 5-31-1560. Lien of assessments.
Status: in_force

The assessments so laid shall constitute a lien upon the property so assessed which shall be superior to all other liens except the liens for county, State and city taxes and payment thereof may be enforced as the payment of city or town taxes is enforced. Such lien shall continue from the date of entry on the "water and sewer assessment liens" book until the expiration of five years from the date when final payment is due and payable, unless sooner paid.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-190 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-190
SECTION 5-19-190. Notice of examinations.
Status: in_force

Notice of the time and place of the holding of every examination shall be given by the commission by posting such notice in a conspicuous place at the city hall in such municipality for at least two weeks preceding such examination and by publication in a newspaper published in the city affected, at least one week preceding such examination.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-240 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-240
SECTION 5-3-240. "Freeholder" defined for purposes of pertinent provisions.
Status: in_force

For the purposes of Sections 5-3-150, 5-3-280, and 5-3-300, a "freeholder" is defined as any person eighteen years of age, or older, and any firm or corporation, who or which owns legal title to a present possessory interest in real estate equal to a life estate or greater (expressly excluding leaseholds, easements, equitable interests, inchoate rights, dower rights, and future interests) and who owns, at the date of the petition or of the referendum, at least an undivided one-tenth interest in a single tract and whose name appears on the county tax records as an owner of real estate.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-90 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-90
SECTION 5-7-90. Trial of persons charged with violations of ordinances of municipality or laws of State.
Status: in_force

The municipal judge or judges of a municipality shall speedily try all persons arrested and incarcerated with violations of the ordinances of the municipality or the laws of the State within their jurisdiction in a summary manner without a jury unless jury trial is demanded by the accused. Trial must be held within ten days after the arrest or at a time scheduled by the court, in which event the trial is deferred. The municipal judge shall have the same power as a magistrate to compel the attendance of witnesses and require them to give evidence upon the trial before them of any person for the violation of ordinances of the municipality or the laws of this State subject to Section 5-7-30. Effect of Amendment The 2012 amendment deleted "mayor or" twice before "municipal judge", substituted "arrested and incarcerated" for "charged", substituted "ten days" for "seven days", and made other nonsubstantive changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-270 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-270
SECTION 5-19-270. Acts for which officer or employee may be punished upon finding of guilt; punishment.
Status: in_force

In the event any officer or employee be found guilty of (a) violating any ordinance of his city or law of the State or any rule or order of the commission or city council pertaining to his work or conduct or the conduct of the department of which he is an officer or employee, (b) insubordination to the commission or his superior officer, (c) disrespectful conduct toward the mayor of the city or any of its councilmen, (d) conduct unbecoming an employee of the city or his department, (e) conduct which might bring discredit upon or disrepute to the city or his department, (f) inefficiency or (g) oppressive use of his authority, the commission may dismiss or discharge him from service, demote him in rank, fine him not exceeding thirty days' pay or withdraw his vacation privileges.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-730 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-730
SECTION 5-25-730. Steam pipes.
Status: in_force

No steam pipes shall be placed within two inches of any timber or woodwork unless the timber or woodwork is protected by a metal shield and then the distance shall not be less than one inch. All steam pipes passing through floors and ceilings or laths and plastered partitions shall be protected by a metal tube one inch larger in diameter than the pipe, and the space shall be filled in with mineral wool, asbestos or other incombustible material.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-140 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-140
SECTION 5-15-140. Contesting election results; appeal from decision of municipal election commission.
Status: in_force

Within ten days after notice of the decision of the municipal election commission, any party aggrieved thereby may appeal from such decision to the court of common pleas. Notice of appeal shall be served on the opposing parties or their attorneys and filed in the office of the clerk of court within ten days. The notice of appeal shall act as a stay of further proceedings pending the appeal.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-90 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-90
SECTION 5-15-90. Municipal elections conducted by municipal election commission; composition of commission and terms of members; training and certification program.
Status: in_force

(A) All municipal elections held under the provisions of this chapter must be conducted by a municipal election commission composed of three electors who must be residents of the municipality and who must be appointed by the municipal governing body. The terms of the members are six years except of those first appointed one shall serve a term of four years and one a term of two years. (B)(1) Each municipal election commissioner and each staff person designated by the commission, shall complete, within eighteen months after a commissioner's initial appointment or his reappointment after a break in service, or within eighteen months after a staff person's initial employment or reemployment following a break in service, a training and certification program conducted by the State Election Commission. When a commissioner or staff person has successfully completed the training and certification program, the State Election Commission shall issue the commissioner or staff person a certification, whether or not the commissioner or staff person applies for the certification. (2)(a) The provisions of this section do not exempt a member or staff person from completing the training and certification program required in item (1). (b) A member appointed or reappointed after a break in service before the effective date of this section or a staff person employed or reemployed after a break in service before the effective date of this section shall successfully complete a training and certification program by the latter of: (i) eighteen months after the member's appointment or reappointment after a break in service or the staff person's employment or reemployment after a break in service; or (ii) ninety days after the effective date of this section. (c) On and after the effective date of this section, a member appointed or reappointed after a break in service or a staff person employed or reemployed after a break in service shall complete the training and certification program required in item (1) within eighteen months after the member's appointment or reappointment after a break in service or staff person's employment or reemployment after a break in service. (3) If a member does not fulfill the training and certification program as provided in this section, the municipal governing body, upon notification, shall remove that member from the board unless the municipal governing body grants the member an extension to complete the training and certification program based upon exceptional circumstances. (4) Following completion of the training and certification program required in item (1), each commission member, and staff person designated by the commission, shall take at least one training course each year. Effect of Amendment The 2010 amendment added the subsection designators and added all the text following subsection (A), and made other nonsubstantive changes in subsection (A).
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-285 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-285
SECTION 5-3-285. Removal of territory from within corporate limits of municipality.
Status: in_force

Territory proposed to be removed from within the corporate limits of a municipality which is owned entirely by that municipality may be removed from within the corporate limits by ordinance of the governing body of the municipality. Territory proposed to be removed from within the corporate limits of a municipality which is owned entirely by a county or jointly by a county and a municipality may be removed from within the corporate limits by ordinance of the governing body of the municipality upon receipt of a resolution from the county governing body requesting the removal.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1740 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 17 / Section 5-31-1740
SECTION 5-31-1740. Lien of assessments.
Status: in_force

The assessments so laid shall constitute a lien upon the property so assessed which shall be superior to all other liens except the liens for county and State taxes, and payment may be enforced as the payment of city or town taxes is enforced. Such lien shall continue from the date of entry on the "water and sewer assessment liens" book until the expiration of five years from the date when final payment is due and payable, unless sooner paid.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-150 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-150
SECTION 5-3-150. Alternate methods where petition signed by all or seventy-five percent of landowners.
Status: in_force

(1) Any area or property which is contiguous to a municipality may be annexed to the municipality by filing with the municipal governing body a petition signed by seventy-five percent or more of the freeholders, as defined in Section 5-3-240, owning at least seventy-five percent of the assessed valuation of the real property in the area requesting annexation. Upon the agreement of the governing body to accept the petition and annex the area, and the enactment of an ordinance declaring the area annexed to the municipality, the annexation is complete. No member of the governing body who owns property or stock in a corporation owning property in the area proposed to be annexed is eligible to vote on the ordinance. This method of annexation is in addition to any other methods authorized by law; however, this property may not be annexed unless the following has been complied with: (1) the petition must be dated before the first signature is affixed to it and all necessary signatures must be obtained within six months from the date of the petition; (2) the petition and all signatures to it are open for public inspection at any time on demand of any resident of the municipality or area affected by the proposed annexation or by anyone owning property in the area to be annexed; (3) the petition must state the act or code section pursuant to which the proposed annexation is to be accomplished; (4) the petition must contain a description of the area to be annexed and there must be attached to the petition a plat of the area to be annexed; (5) the municipality or any resident of it and any person residing in the area to be annexed or owning real property of it may institute and maintain a suit in the court of common pleas, and in that suit the person may challenge and have adjudicated any issue raised in connection with the proposed or completed annexation; (6) not less than thirty days before acting on an annexation petition, the annexing municipality must give notice of a public hearing by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the community, by posting the notice of the public hearing on the municipal bulletin board, and by written notification to the taxpayer of record of all properties within the area proposed to be annexed, to the chief administrative officer of the county, to all public service or special purpose districts, and all fire departments, whether volunteer or full time. This public hearing must include a map of the proposed annexation area, a complete legal description of the proposed annexation area, a statement as to what public services are to be assumed or provided by the municipality, and the taxes and fees required for these services. The notice must include a projected timetable for the provision or assumption of these services. (2) The conditions relating to petitions set forth in this section apply only to the alternate method of annexation as defined in subsection (1) of this section. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, any area or property which is contiguous to a municipality may be annexed to the municipality by filing with the municipal governing body a petition signed by all persons owning real estate in the area requesting annexation. Upon the agreement of the governing body to accept the petition and annex the area, and the enactment of an ordinance declaring the area annexed to the municipality, the annexation is complete. No member of the governing body who owns property or stock in a corporation owning property in the area proposed to be annexed is eligible to vote on the ordinance. This method of annexation is in addition to any other methods authorized by law. (4) For purposes of this section any real property owned by a governmental entity and leased to any other entity pursuant to a fee in lieu of taxes transaction under Section 4-29-67 or 4-29-69 is considered to have an assessed valuation equal to the original cost of the real property as determined under Section 4-29-67(D). For purposes of this section, the lessee of real property pursuant to a fee in lieu of taxes transaction under Section 4-29-67 or 4-29-69 is the freeholder with respect to the property. (5) For purposes of this section, any real property included within a multicounty park under Section 4-1-170 is considered to have the same assessed valuation that it would have if the multicounty park did not exist. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any real property which is or has been included within a multicounty park under Section 4-1-170 and title to which is held by the State of South Carolina, only may be annexed with prior written consent of the State of South Carolina, and when title to real property in the park is held by a political subdivision of the State, the property may be annexed only with prior written consent of the governing body of the political subdivision holding title.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-39-250 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 39 / Article 5 / Section 5-39-250
SECTION 5-39-250. Transfer of funds to commission.
Status: in_force

Any commission, committee, person, city or town now having funds in its hands for the upkeep and care of graves in such cemeteries may deliver such funds to such commission contemporaneously with a statement showing the sources and the designation of graves to be cared for and amounts therefor. A receipt from the commission shall operate as a discharge of liability for the amount so delivered.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-650 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-650
SECTION 5-25-650. Structures around chimneys, flues and fireplaces.
Status: in_force

No wooden beams or joists shall be placed within two inches of the outside face of a chimney or flue, whether it be for smoke, air or any other purpose. No woodwork shall be within four inches of the back wall of any fireplace. All spaces between the chimney and the wooden beams shall be solidly filled with mortar, mineral wool or other incombustible material. The header beam, carrying the tail beams of a floor and supporting the timber arch in front of a fireplace, shall be not less than twenty inches from the chimney breast. No wooden furring or studding shall be placed against any chimney but the plastering shall be directly on the masonry or on metal lathing. Woodwork fastened to plaster which is against the masonry of a chimney shall have a layer of asbestos board at least one-eighth inch thick placed between the woodwork and the plaster.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-145 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-145
SECTION 5-15-145. Transfer of authority to conduct municipal elections to county elections commission.
Status: in_force

(A) Municipalities are authorized to transfer authority for conducting municipal elections to the county elections commission. County elections commissions are authorized to conduct municipal elections. (B) As a condition of the transfer of authority to conduct elections pursuant to this section, the governing bodies of the municipality and the county must agree to the terms of the transfer and enact ordinances embodying the terms of that agreement. The municipal ordinance must state what authority is being transferred and the county ordinance must accept the authority being transferred. (C) When the total responsibility for the conduct of a municipal election is transferred to a county election commission, pursuant to the provisions of this section, the municipal election commission is abolished. (D) If the municipality, by ordinance transfers a portion of the responsibilities for the conduct of a municipal election to a county election commission, the municipality shall not abolish the municipal election commission. (E) A municipality which by ordinance transfers authority for conducting municipal elections to the county election commission under this section may by ordinance set the filing dates for municipal offices, and the date by which candidates must be certified to the appropriate authority to be placed on the ballot, to run concurrently with the filing dates set by law for countywide and less than countywide offices or other filing dates as may be mutually agreed upon between the municipality and the county election commission.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-60 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-60
SECTION 5-15-60. Municipality to adopt method of nominating candidates for and determining results of nonpartisan elections.
Status: in_force

Each municipality in this State shall adopt by ordinance one of the following alternative methods of nominating candidates for and determining the results of its nonpartisan elections: (1) The nonpartisan plurality method prescribed in SECTION 5-15-61; (2) The nonpartisan election and runoff election method prescribed in SECTION 5-15-62; (3) The nonpartisan primary election and general election method prescribed in SECTION 5-15-63. If nonpartisan elections are not provided for, nomination of candidates for municipal offices may be by party primary, party convention or by petition in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the applicable provisions of the state election laws and the rules of municipal political party organizations not in conflict therewith.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-390 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-390
SECTION 5-21-390. Execution of bonds.
Status: in_force

Such bonds and the coupons annexed thereto shall be executed in the manner provided for by the municipal council.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-210 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-210
SECTION 5-19-210. Probation period.
Status: in_force

A six months' period shall elapse from the date of employment of new and additional officers and men under the terms and conditions of the ordinance establishing the commission during which six months' probation period the commission may discharge such officers or employees without cause and without a hearing, at its discretion. But after such six months' probation period, no officer or employee may be discharged except as provided for in SECTIONS 5-19-240, 5-19-260, and 5-19-270.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1170 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 11 / Section 5-31-1170
SECTION 5-31-1170. Violations.
Status: in_force

Any person violating any provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding sixty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-2010 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 21 / Section 5-31-2010
SECTION 5-31-2010. Declaration of legislative findings and intent.
Status: in_force

The General Assembly takes note of the fact that incorporated cities and towns (municipalities) throughout the State have in many instances experienced considerable growth with the result that sewage collection and treatment facilities must be extended and enlarged in order to serve all of the persons residing within the corporate limits. Such extensions and enlargements are customarily paid from ad valorem taxes levied throughout the municipality and from sewer service charges. However, it appears that in some instances the cost of constructing all or a portion of such facilities can be more equitably distributed by assessing all or a portion of the cost of constructing sewer laterals against the properties facing thereon. The General Assembly concludes that in order to facilitate the construction and operation of sewer systems by municipalities, all municipalities should be granted all of the powers set forth in this article. In view of the foregoing, the General Assembly has determined to confirm in the governing body of each municipality the power: (1) To place into effect, revise, enforce, and collect a schedule of charges for its sewage collection service and (2) to adopt and enforce regulations requiring all properties to which sewer service is available to connect to the municipality's sewage collection facilities as now existing or hereafter improved; and to give the governing body of each municipality in addition to those powers already vested in them, the power: (a) To contract with any public or private agency operating a water system for the collection of such sewer charges; (b) to make regulations generally with respect to the discharge of sewage and the use of privies, septic tanks and any other type of sewage facilities; (c) to impose front-foot assessments against properties abutting the sewage collection laterals; and (d) to make unpaid sewer service charges a lien against the property served. It is the legislative intent of this article that it shall be deemed complementary and supplementary to existing laws relating to any municipalities and to add to the powers, functions and duties committed to the several governing bodies thereof in order that all municipalities may fulfill their function of preserving the public health, and provide for all those who own, use or occupy dwellings, commercial buildings or other structures therein. In enacting this article, the General Assembly exercises its general police powers having found that such exercise was necessary for the maintenance and preservation of the health of the inhabitants of the State. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to be in derogation of the powers of the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-15-80 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 15 / Section 5-15-80
SECTION 5-15-80. Results of political party primaries; protests and contests.
Status: in_force

The results of any political party primary shall be declared by the party conducting the election. Protests and contests shall be filed in writing with the municipal party chairman within two days after the day of the declaration of the results of the election and the municipal party executive committee shall determine such protests within five days after the filing thereof. From the decision of the municipal party committee an appeal may be made to the Board of State Canvassers of Municipal Primaries as provided in SECTION 7-17-580. Notice and grounds of appeal must be filed in writing with the chairman of the Board of State Canvassers of Municipal Primaries within five days following the date on which the decision of the municipal committee is declared. Any appeal thereafter shall be to the court of common pleas of the county in which the municipality is situate. Notice and grounds of appeal shall be served on the opposing parties or their attorneys within ten days following the decision of the Board of State Canvassers of Municipal Primaries.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-215 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 3 / Section 5-31-215
SECTION 5-31-215. Ex officio commissioners of public works in certain cities.
Status: in_force

In a city with a population of more than thirty thousand persons and fewer than fifty thousand persons, according to the most recent official United States Census, in addition to the commissioners of public works to be elected as provided in Section 5-31-210, the mayor and the chairman of the committee on water supply, if there be such a committee, shall be ex officio commissioners of public works, if requested by a resolution approved by seventy-five percent or more of the commissioners of public works and authorized by an ordinance approved by seventy-five percent or more of the members of the municipal council of the municipality. The board of commissioners of public works in any such city shall fill any vacancy occurring in the commission by appointment for the unexpired term, appointment to be made by the remaining commissioners, except in the case of an ex officio member of the commission.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-660 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-660
SECTION 5-21-660. Redemption privilege.
Status: in_force

Any bond issued may be issued with a provision providing for its redemption prior to its stated maturity at par and accrued interest plus such redemption premium as may be prescribed by the municipal council, but no bond shall be redeemable before maturity unless it contains a statement to that effect. In the proceedings authorizing the issuance of such bonds provision shall be made specifying the manner of call and the notice thereof that must be given.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-70 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-70
SECTION 5-37-70. Payment of costs of improvements.
Status: in_force

The governing body may provide by the resolution for the payment of the cost of the improvements and facilities to be constructed within the improvement district by assessments on the property therein as defined in Section 5-37-20, or by the issuance of special district bonds, or by general obligation bonds of the municipality, or from general municipal revenues from any source not restricted from such use by law, or from any combination of such financing sources as may be provided in the improvement plan.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-330 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 5 / Section 5-27-330
SECTION 5-27-330. Use of funds.
Status: in_force

The amounts of money raised by such assessments, together with the amounts added thereto by the city or town authorities from the city or town treasury, shall constitute and be kept as a separate fund, to be used only for the purpose for which it was raised and appropriated.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-260 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-260
SECTION 5-3-260. Annexation of church property.
Status: in_force

Any area owned entirely by an established church or religious group which is contiguous to a municipality may be annexed to the municipality upon the petition of the governing body of the church or religious group being submitted to the governing body of a municipality. Upon agreement of the governing body of the municipality to accept the petition, and the passage of an ordinance to that effect, the annexation is complete.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-1140 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 9 / Section 5-25-1140
SECTION 5-25-1140. Construction of certain buildings in fire limits.
Status: in_force

No building shall hereafter be built for a public garage, coffee roaster, bakery, dry cleaning establishment or steam laundry within the fire limits, unless it be of slow-burning construction with exterior walls and roof of incombustible material.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-350 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 5 / Section 5-27-350
SECTION 5-27-350. Entry of satisfaction upon payment.
Status: in_force

The city or town clerk shall be required by ordinance of the city or town to make entry of satisfaction on such "assessment liens" book as soon as full payment is made, and the lien shall be thereby extinguished.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-13-80 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 13 / Section 5-13-80
SECTION 5-13-80. Designation by manager of administrative officer to act in manager's absence or disability; effect of manager's failure to designate officer.
Status: in_force

By letter filed with the municipal clerk the manager shall designate a qualified municipal administrative officer to exercise the powers and perform the duties of manager during his temporary absence or disability. In the event of the failure of the manager to make such designation the municipal council may by resolution appoint an officer of the municipality to perform the duties of the manager until he shall return or his disability shall cease. During such absence or disability, the council may revoke such designation at any time and appoint another officer of the municipality to serve until the manager shall return or his disability shall cease.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-130 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 3 / Section 5-25-130
SECTION 5-25-130. Deputy building inspector.
Status: in_force

All duties imposed by this chapter upon the building inspector may be performed by a deputy, duly appointed and approved by the city council or other governing body of the town.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-13-50 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 13 / Section 5-13-50
SECTION 5-13-50. Employment and qualifications of manager.
Status: in_force

The council shall employ a manager and fix his compensation. The manager shall be employed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications. He need not be a resident of the municipality or state at the time of his employment and may reside outside the municipality while in office only with the approval of the council. No councilman or mayor shall be employed as manager of the municipality from which he was elected during the term for which he shall have been elected.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-50 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 1 / Section 5-21-50
SECTION 5-21-50. Towns over 200 required to publish financial statements.
Status: in_force

All towns in this State of more than two hundred population shall keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements and shall publish quarterly statements of such accounts in some newspaper in the county in which such town is situated or shall post such quarterly statements at some conspicuous place or places in the town.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-670 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-670
SECTION 5-25-670. Additional regulations as to chimneys.
Status: in_force

No chimney shall be started or built upon a beam, wood or floor, the brickwork in all cases to start from the ground with proper foundation. In no case shall a chimney be corbeled out more than three inches from the wall and in all cases corbeling shall consist of at least five courses of brick, the corbeling to start at least three feet below the bottom of the flue.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-430 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 5 / Section 5-25-430
SECTION 5-25-430. Removal of notice is a misdemeanor.
Status: in_force

If any person shall remove any notice which has been affixed to any building by the inspector of any city or town stating the dangerous character of the building, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not less than ten nor more than fifty dollars for each offense.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-115 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-115
SECTION 5-3-115. Annexation of property within a multicounty park.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any real property which is or has been included within a multicounty park under Section 4-1-170 and title to which is held by the State of South Carolina, may be annexed only upon approval by the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. Code Commissioner's Note At the direction of the Code Commissioner, references in this section to the offices of the former State Budget and Control Board, Office of the Governor, or other agencies, were changed to reflect the transfer of them to the Department of Administration or other entities, pursuant to the directive of the South Carolina Restructuring Act, 2014 Act No. 121, SECTION 5(D)(1), effective July 1, 2015.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1590 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 15 / Section 5-31-1590
SECTION 5-31-1590. Deposit and use of receipts.
Status: in_force

The amounts of money raised by such assessments shall constitute and be kept as a separate fund, to be used for the purpose for which it was raised.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-130 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-130
SECTION 5-3-130. Alternate method when entire area proposed to be annexed owned by school district.
Status: in_force

If the area proposed to be annexed belongs entirely to a school district, it may be annexed upon the petition of the board of trustees of the school district to the city or town council. Upon agreement of the city or town council to accept the petition and the passage of an ordinance to that effect, the annexation is complete.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-27-170 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 27 / Article 3 / Section 5-27-170
SECTION 5-27-170. Change of street names near cities of 50,000 or more.
Status: in_force

In any county and beyond the borders of any incorporated city or town and within a radius of five miles of any city having a population of fifty thousand or more, the city engineer of such city and the county engineer of such county may change the name of any street or road. Any such change of name when made shall be certified to the office of the clerk of court of common pleas and general sessions or of the register of deeds for such county, there to be recorded. In any county having no county engineer the executive officer of the county department or agency having jurisdiction of the construction and maintenance of county roads and highways shall act in his stead. But the city engineer of a city that had a population of more than sixty thousand and less than seventy thousand according to the 1940 United States census shall not have the right to change the names of streets that lie outside the county in which the city hall of such city is located.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-1-80 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-1-80
SECTION 5-1-80. Incorporation fees.
Status: in_force

Before delivery of a certificate of incorporation, the Secretary of State shall require the production of a receipt from the State Treasurer for the payment of the following incorporation fees for municipalities with a population: (1) of one thousand or less, one hundred dollars; (2) between one thousand and five thousand, three hundred dollars; (3) over five thousand, six hundred dollars. Effect of Amendment The 2005 amendment made nonsubstantive language and format changes.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-460 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 5 / Section 5-21-460
SECTION 5-21-460. Bonds are legal investments for fiduciaries and sinking funds commissions.
Status: in_force

It shall be lawful for all executors, administrators, guardians, committees and other fiduciaries and all sinking fund commissions to invest any moneys in their hands in bonds issued under this article.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-890 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-890
SECTION 5-25-890. Stairways; exit doors.
Status: in_force

Except in dwellings, no required stairway shall be less than forty-four inches wide and the total width of exit doorways leading therefrom shall at least be equal to the total width of the stairways which they serve. The total width of stairway, interior and exterior, provided for the occupancy of each floor and those above, shall be not less than forty-four inches for the first fifty persons and twelve inches for each additional fifty persons to be accommodated thereby. The stair treads shall be not less than nine and one-half inches wide and the risers not more than seven and three-fourths inches high. Windows in any such required stairway are prohibited. Every hospital and theater over one story high shall have at least two stairways constructed entirely of incombustible material, located remote from each other and continuous from grade line to the topmost story or outside iron fire escapes of approved design. All exit doors in hospitals, theaters and other places of public assemblage shall open outwards.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-13-30 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 13 / Section 5-13-30
SECTION 5-13-30. Powers and duties of municipal council.
Status: in_force

All legislative powers of the municipality and the determination of all matters of policy shall be vested in the municipal council, each member, including the mayor, to have one vote. Without limitation of the foregoing, the council shall: (1) Employ a manager; (2) Establish other administrative departments and assign and distribute the work thereof upon recommendation of and with the approval of the manager; (3) Adopt the budget of the municipality; (4) Authorize the issuance of bonds by bond ordinance, subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be prescribed by law; (5) Have the power to inquire into the conduct of any office, department or agency of the municipality, make investigations as to municipal affairs and give the public information concerning them; (6) Adopt plats; (7) Adopt and modify the official map of the municipality; (8) Provide for an independent annual audit of the books and business affairs of the municipality and for a general survey of municipal business; (9) Provide for the general health and welfare of the municipality in accordance with the statute law of the State with reference to the general police powers granted to municipalities; (10) Enact ordinances of any nature and kind, not prohibited by the law or Constitution of the State or of the United States; and (11) With the advice of the manager, appoint all committees, boards and commissions relating to the affairs of the municipal government, except as otherwise provided by law.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-100 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-100
SECTION 5-7-100. Investigations of departments of municipal government by governing body; compelling attendance of witnesses; subpoenas; contempt.
Status: in_force

The governing body of the municipalities or its agents may investigate any department of the municipal government and any office thereof and such governing body shall have the same power which a magistrate has to compel the attendance of witnesses and to require them to give evidence under oath in the same manner as is customary in the courts of this State. In case of contumacy of any person or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, any circuit court of this State or circuit judge thereof within the jurisdiction of which the municipality is located, upon application by the governing body of the municipality or its designated agent, may issue to such person an order requiring him to appear before the governing body of the municipality to produce evidence if so ordered or to give testimony on the matter under investigation. Any failure to obey an order of the court may be punished as a contempt thereof. Subpoenas shall be issued in the name of the municipality and shall be signed by a majority of the governing body. Subpoenas shall be issued to such persons as the governing body may designate.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-810 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 7 / Section 5-25-810
SECTION 5-25-810. Electric wiring.
Status: in_force

The electrical wiring of houses or buildings for lighting or other purposes shall conform to the regulations prescribed by the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-1770 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 17 / Section 5-31-1770
SECTION 5-31-1770. Deposit and use of receipts.
Status: in_force

The amounts of money raised by such assessments shall constitute and be kept as a separate fund, to be used for the purpose for which the money was raised.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-25-190 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 25 / Article 3 / Section 5-25-190
SECTION 5-25-190. Procedure and penalty in cases of criminal carelessness.
Status: in_force

If the officer shall consider that the fire be due to criminal carelessness, the person responsible for it shall be indicted before a magistrate for a misdemeanor and, upon conviction of the same, may be fined in a sum not exceeding fifty dollars or imprisoned for not more than ten days.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-120 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-120
SECTION 5-19-120. Qualifications of commissioners; oath; removal.
Status: in_force

The members of any such commission shall be of good moral character and not less than thirty years of age and shall possess the qualifications and requirements in force with respect to other officers of the city and shall take a similar oath of office. They shall be and remain residents of the municipality during their term of office and shall be subject to removal from office only for cause and after written charges have been preferred and sustained by a two-thirds vote of the city council.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-21-680 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 21 / Article 7 / Section 5-21-680
SECTION 5-21-680. Coupons, registrations and negotiability.
Status: in_force

Any such bonds shall be issued as coupon bonds, payable to bearer, with the privilege to the holder of having them registered on the books of the treasurer of the municipality and the principal thus made payable to the registered holder (unless the last registered transfer shall have been to bearer) upon such conditions as the municipal council may prescribe. Unless registered such bonds shall have all the qualities of negotiable instruments under the law merchant and the Uniform Commercial Code.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-10 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-10
SECTION 5-37-10. Short title; authority of municipalities.
Status: in_force

This chapter may be referred to as the "Municipal Improvement Act of 1999", and any municipal corporation of this State is hereby authorized to exercise the powers and provisions hereof.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-31-270 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 31 / Article 3 / Section 5-31-270
SECTION 5-31-270. Monthly financial report.
Status: in_force

Each board of commissioners of public works shall make a full statement to the city or town council at the end of each month of its receipts and disbursements of all kinds during the preceding month.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-60 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-60
SECTION 5-37-60. Publication of resolution.
Status: in_force

A resolution providing for an improvement district, when adopted, shall be published once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the incorporated municipality and the final publication shall be at least ten days prior to the date of the scheduled public hearing. At the public hearing and at any adjournment thereof, all interested persons may be heard either in person or by attorney.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-3-312 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 3 / Section 5-3-312
SECTION 5-3-312. Plan to balance equities and interest.
Status: in_force

The plan formulated under Sections 5-3-300 through 5-3-315 shall seek to balance the equities and interests of the residents and taxpayers of the annexed area and of the area of the district not annexed. The plan may be formulated with regard to any factors bearing on such balance of equities and interests in accordance with the following: (1) The plan may provide for certain service contracts to be entered into between the municipality and the district. The municipality has the right, in its sole discretion, to determine whether the municipality will provide service to the area annexed directly or by contract with the district. At the option of the district, the plan may provide for service contracts by which the municipality will provide service to residents of unannexed areas of the district. (2) In any case in which less than the total service area of the district will be annexed by the municipality, the plan shall: (a) protect the district's ability to serve the residents of the district's unannexed area economically and efficiently and protect the district's ability to continue to expand or otherwise make service available throughout its unannexed area; (b) protect the ability of the municipality to serve residents of the annexed area of the district economically and efficiently; (c) protect the rights of the district's bondholders. (3) To carry out the requirements of subitem (a) of item (2) above, the plan shall require the municipality to assume contractually the obligation to pay debt service on an amount of the district's bonded indebtedness or other obligations including lease purchase obligations adequate to offset the district's loss of net service revenue or tax revenue from the area annexed, in accordance with the following: (a) specifically included within this amount must be revenues, if any, projected under the provisions of any governmentally approved plan promulgated pursuant to federal pollution control legislation; (b) as the district retires bonded indebtedness existing at the time of annexation, the municipality's payment obligation under this provision must be reduced by the proportion which the principal amount of the indebtedness retired bears to the total principal amount of bonded indebtedness of the district at the time of annexation; (c) as used herein, net service revenue means revenue from fees, charges, and all other sources, attributable to service provided in the area annexed, less the actual cost of operating and maintaining the system or facilities needed to serve that area; however, debt service or other payments required to finance capital assets may not be considered to be part of such operating and maintenance expenses. Tax revenue means taxes collected from property owners within the annexed area. (4) Under any plan whereby the district must disconnect or reintegrate its facilities, the municipality shall bear the reasonable cost of such disconnection or reintegration. In the event that the plan contemplates that the district will continue to provide service by contract within the incorporated limits of the municipality, the municipality shall agree to provide the district with all permits or authority necessary to use municipal streets, alleys, ways, and other public spaces for the provision of such service. (5) In no event may any provision be incorporated in any plan which will impair the rights of bondholders, or which will impair the statutory liens created by Section 6-21-330 or Title 7 of the United States Code, Section 1926(b), or which will accelerate the requirement to repay bonds, or which would violate the conditions of any grant. (6) In no event may any plan require that the residents in the annexed area be taxed or assessed by both the municipality and the district for the provision of the same service, except as provided by the laws of this State. (7) Absent consent of the district, neither annexation nor any plan hereunder entitles the municipality to any cash, securities, or other liquid assets of any kind of the district. (8) Subject to the provisions of Article VIII, Section 15 of the Constitution of this State, the service provided or made available through any district may not be curtailed or limited by inclusion of the area served by the district within the boundaries of any municipal corporation or other public body, or by the granting of any private franchise for similar service within such area in a manner which would impair any of the district revenue bonds.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-7-190 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 7 / Section 5-7-190
SECTION 5-7-190. Mayor pro tempore elected from council membership.
Status: in_force

Immediately after any general election for the municipal council, the council shall elect from its membership a mayor pro tempore for a term of not more than two years. The mayor pro tempore shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor. If a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor, the mayor pro tempore shall serve as mayor until a successor is elected.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-19-130 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 19 / Article 3 / Section 5-19-130
SECTION 5-19-130. Compensation.
Status: in_force

The commissioners shall be paid such compensation for their services as may be fixed by the city council, and the chairman and secretary of the commission may be paid additional compensation in the discretion of council for their services.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-39-130 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 39 / Article 3 / Section 5-39-130
SECTION 5-39-130. Duties and powers.
Status: in_force

Such cemetery commission shall meet and from its number elect a chairman and secretary and shall meet thereafter as often as may be reasonably necessary. It shall receive from the custodian of such city or town any and all funds then in the hands of the officials of such city or town which may be allotted, bequeathed, devised, donated, given or otherwise acquired for cemetery purposes and shall continue to receive, accept and administer all such funds and property and shall hold, manage and invest them by loaning or depositing such funds or property under and in accordance with the statute law of this State pertaining to trust funds or fiduciaries, with full power and authority to acquire real estate by purchase and with full power and authority to sell and convey real estate upon the approval of the city or town council. It shall have charge of the upkeep and maintenance of the cemetery under the control of such city or town and shall fully discharge the duties pertaining to such cemetery from time to time.
S.C. Code Ann. § 5-37-35 — SC Code / Title 5 / Chapter 37 / Section 5-37-35
SECTION 5-37-35. Assessments for fund improvements not to be imposed on property not located in improvement district; exception for bonds issued pursuant to Section 5-37-30.
Status: in_force

(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5-37-30, assessments, revenues, or debt service on bonds which may be used under this chapter to fund municipal improvements must not impose or be derived from, in whole or in part, a tax or assessment on property not located in the improvement district. Bonds issued pursuant to Section 5-37-30, however, may be made payable from assessments imposed on property located in the improvement district, and may be additionally secured, in whole or in part, by the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the municipality, if the governing body of the municipality certifies on the date of issuance of the bonds that the assessments as imposed are sufficient as to both amount and duration to pay all debt service on these bonds as they become due. (B) The provisions of this section do not apply to projects or undertakings designated by a municipal governing body as a "system" pursuant to Section 6-21-40. Effect of Amendment The two 2010 amendments made the same changes rewriting this section.