A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DRIVEWAY
A paved or unpaved area used for ingress or egress of vehicles, allows access from a street to a building, lot, structure, or facility, and that provides access to no more than two parcels of land. Access to multiple buildings or parcels within group developments (refer to Division 2 of Article 10)[1] is excluded from the two-parcel restriction.
EASEMENT
A right-of-way granted, but not dedicated, for limited use of private land for a public or quasi-public purpose and within which the owner of the property shall not erect any permanent structures including fences and gates which restrict access. Access easements providing vehicular access to no more than two parcels of land, or access easements to multiple parcel group developments, shall be classified as driveways for the purpose of this chapter. Access easements providing vehicular access to more than two parcels of land shall be classified as streets.
LOT
A parcel of land considered as a unit. The terms lot, property, plot, parcel, or tract, whenever used in this chapter, are interchangeable.
LOT OF RECORD
A lot that is recorded by plat or deed with the Lexington County Register of Deeds.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
A strip of land acquired by reservation, dedication, forced dedication, prescription, or condemnation and intended to be occupied by a road, crosswalk, railroad, electric transmission lines, oil or gas pipeline, water line, sanitary storm sewer, and other similar uses.
STREET
Any publicly or privately maintained thoroughfare (street, road, drive, avenue, circle, way, lane, boulevard, etc.) or space which has been dedicated, deeded, designed, or used for vehicular traffic that provides access to more than two parcels of land. Multiple parcel group developments are excluded from the two-parcel restriction. Streets constructed after the effective date of this chapter shall be constructed to all applicable engineering specifications. The terms street and road shall be used interchangeably in this section.
STREET, ARTERIAL
A major highway designed to carry through traffic at higher vehicular speeds and volumes of traffic.
STREET, IMPROVED
Street constructed to Lexington County standards.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original.
B. 
Definition of Subdivision, S.C. Code § 6-29-110. According to S.C. Code § 6-29-1110, the term subdivision means all divisions of a tract or parcel of land into two or more lots, building sites or other divisions for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale, lease, or building development, and includes all division of land involving a new street or change in existing streets, and includes re-subdivision which would involve the further division or relocation of lot lines of any lot or lots within a subdivision previously made and approved or recorded according to law; or, the alteration of any street or the establishment of any new streets within any subdivision previously made and approved or recorded according to law, and includes combinations of lots of record.
C. 
Exemptions (under S.C. Code § 6-29-110). The following are exempt from the definition of a subdivision and, as such, are not governed by the regulations for subdivisions of this chapter; however, exempt subdivisions are subject to applicable zoning district regulations. These exceptions are included within this definition only to require that the Planning Official be informed and have a record of the exempt subdivisions:
(1) 
The combination or recombination of portions of previously platted lots where the total number of lots is not increased and the resultant lots are equal to the standards of this chapter and other applicable regulations.
(2) 
The division of land into parcels of five acres or more where no new street is involved (refer to the definition of street). Plats of these exceptions must be received as information by the Planning Official, which shall indicate that fact on the plats.
(3) 
The combination or recombination of entire lots of record where no new street or change in existing streets (refer to the definition of street) is involved.
Lots include existing lots of record and lots created by the subdivision of a tract or parcel of land. The word lot includes the words parcel, plot, property, and tract. As of the effective date of this chapter, the following regulations apply to the creation of all new lots of record including lots exempt for the definition of subdivision.
A. 
Accessibility. No lot, including lots exempted from the definition of subdivisions, may be created without vehicular and pedestrian access. All new lots must have direct access to a publicly dedicated street or an approved private street as provided for in this chapter. All publicly dedicated and approved private streets must be constructed to applicable engineering standards.
B. 
Design. The lot size, width, depth, shape, grade, and orientation shall be in proper relation to street and block design, to existing and proposed topographical conditions, and for the type of development and use contemplated.
C. 
Dimensions and street frontage. All lots shall meet the minimum area and dimensional requirements of the zoning district in which they are to be located. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a minimum street frontage of 50 feet shall be required for all lots created after the effective date of this chapter. The frontage of the lot shall be determined by the frontage that abuts a public or approved private street. Side lot lines shall be aligned at approximately right angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines.
D. 
Double frontage. Residential subdivisions, where proposed for areas adjacent to arterial streets and roads, shall be denied direct access to and separated from such streets and roads by double or reverse frontage lots. Residential reverse frontage lots shall have a minimum rear yard of 50 feet next to the arterial street, measured from the shortest distance of the proposed back building line to the street right-of-way. They shall also, within such rear yard and immediately adjacent to the right-of-way, have a nonaccess The Lexington County Warranty period is the two-year period after final plat approval and covers the design and performance of new streets and storm drainage systems to the satisfaction of the County Public Works Stormwater Division planting screen easement of at least 20 feet in depth planted to the perimeter yard landscaping requirements of this chapter. Alternately, the required buffer area may be held in common open space.
A. 
A flag lot is a lot with a dedicated access to a public road provided to the bulk of the lot by means of a narrow corridor. Except as provided herein, flag lots and lots accessed by access easements are not allowed for new lots created after the effective date of this chapter and flag lot subdivisions shall not be allowed. The Planning Commission may allow the creation of a flag lot or access easement under the following conditions:
(1) 
To permit full use of a lot of record (existing lot) created and existing prior to the adoption of this chapter that does not meet the minimum fifty-foot street frontage requirements.
(2) 
To allow access to a division of land by gift conveyed by deed from one member to another member of the same immediate family i.e. (husband, wife, mother, father, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters). Land so divided may not be further transferred by sale or gift to any party other than a member of the same immediate family for a period of 18 months from the date the plat is approved for recording and shall be so notated on the plat. The Planning Official may waive the eighteen-month waiting period if the property owner can establish legitimate and compelling cause. The eighteen-month waiting period shall also be waived in the event of a judicial foreclosure.
B. 
When meeting the above, as determined by the Planning Commission, flag lots may be created and access easements may be permitted in accordance with the following development standards:
(1) 
The other lot of record (lot providing access) meets all zoning requirements specified for the respective zone in which it is located, both before and after the subdivision, to create the access easement or flag lot.
(2) 
The "flag" section of an existing flag lot, or an existing lot accessed by the access easement, shall meet or exceed the requirements, other than the minimum street frontage specified for the respective zone. The area of the access driveway of the flag lot or access easement shall not be included in computing minimum lot area requirements. Title to the access driveway must be conveyed by general warranty deed in the same manner as the title to the "flag" portion of the lot; or in the case of an easement, recorded with the deeds to the accessed lot and the lot providing access.
(3) 
Driveway and access easement standards shall comply with the provisions of the Lexington County Planning Commission Access Policy.
(4) 
Flag lots created under this section may not be further subdivided.
The fifty-foot minimum street frontage requirement may be waived on lots abutting an approved cul-de-sac or on lots abutting sharp curbs with a radius of less than 90°. However, the required street frontage on such lots shall not be less than county or state encroachment permit requirements to install driveways.
A. 
Subdivision of existing lots, parcels, and tracts of record (recorded with the Register of Deeds) fronting on an unimproved (dirt) county-maintained road that does not meet Lexington County standards shall require the road to be paved to County standards.
B. 
Note that if said subdivision requires a road (street) to be created to provide access, this subdivision shall be classified as a major subdivision with all required standards as prescribed by this chapter.
Per the Lexington County Subdivision Ordinance, this provision applies to those roads that existed prior to January 10, 1979; are not in the county, state, or federal road maintenance system; and that access two or more parcels of land under different ownership. This type of private road shall not suffice as approved access for further subdivision of land without approval by the Lexington County Planning Commission. Approval shall also be required by the Pine Ridge Planning Commission for such roads within the Town Limits. Per this chapter, any private right-of-way, access easement, driveway, path, or any other access that is used for vehicular traffic and provides access to more than two lots is considered a road or street and must be constructed to applicable Lexington County standards before further subdivision of lots are allowed.