Construction Guide · South of Broad, SC

Building Permits & Regulations in South of Broad, SC: What to Know Before You Break Ground

Any exterior change visible from a public right-of-way in South of Broad — additions, accessory structures, even repainting — requires Board of Architectural Review approval, a materially higher bar than typical Charleston-area permitting.

BAR's Two-Stage Review Governs Nearly Everything Visible

Residential projects typically move through conceptual review followed by final review, with the board meeting roughly twice monthly and submittal deadlines set two to three weeks ahead. Additions must be "subservient" to the historic structure — smaller in scale, visually secondary, and designed so they don't obscure the original building's corners or character-defining features.

A Real Dispute Shows How Contentious Approval Can Get

Even well-resourced owners aren't guaranteed a smooth path: a proposed pool and pool house at the historic Morton Waring House on Broad Street was deferred by the BAR twice, starting in late 2021, over concerns about scale and historical accuracy before ultimately winning conditional approval. Build extra time into any schedule for board deferrals and revised submittals.

Flood Code Compliance Is Its Own Approval Track

Separate from BAR review, the city's floodplain development process requires new construction and substantial improvements to meet elevation and wind-rating standards given the neighborhood's harborside exposure. Confirm your parcel's flood zone designation and Base Flood Elevation early — it shapes foundation design decisions that then have to clear historic review on top of code compliance.

Planning a renovation or addition in South of Broad and want your BAR and flood-compliance path mapped out first? Contact Chris Eller directly.