Mount Pleasant, SC Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 156.786
- Applies to
- Multi-tenant retail/office & merchandise uses
- Ratio
- 1 space per 3 tenants (multi-tenant)
- Minimum size
- 10 ft wide x 20 ft long
- Street/sidewalk projection
- Not allowed while loading
- Counts toward parking minimum?
- No, excluded (§ 156.740)
Summary
Buildings in the Town of Mount Pleasant that receive or distribute merchandise, and every multi-tenant retail or office building, must provide off-street loading space under Town Code § 156.786. Multi-tenant buildings need one loading space per three tenant spaces, each at least ten feet wide and 20 feet long, and vehicles being loaded may never project into a street or sidewalk.
(A) At least one off-street loading space shall be constructed at the time of the initial construction or alteration or conversion of any building or structure subject to this part. For multi-tenant buildings, at least one off-street loading space shall be constructed for every three tenant spaces. (B) Vehicles being loaded or unloaded in connection with normal operations shall not project into a street or sidewalk. (C) Each loading space shall be at least ten feet in width and 20 feet in length.
Full Breakdown
785. Division (A) requires at least one off-street loading space at the time of initial construction, alteration, or conversion, with multi-tenant buildings needing one loading space for every three tenant spaces. Division (B) bars vehicles being loaded or unloaded during normal operations from projecting into a street or sidewalk, addressing double-parked delivery trucks. Division (C) sets a minimum size of ten feet in width and 20 feet in length for each loading space. 740, so a business cannot use its loading area to satisfy its separate parking-space quota.
The Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Department's Zoning Administrator reviews loading-space compliance at site-plan approval; the standard was adopted in the town's 1-14-2025 zoning rewrite.
Violations & Fines
Failing to provide a required loading space, undersizing one, or allowing a delivery vehicle to project into a street or sidewalk while loading is a Chapter 156 zoning violation enforced under §§ 156.1576-156.1577: a misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, each day a separate offense. The Zoning Administrator gives written notice with a minimum 15-business-day cure period and may order discontinuance of the noncompliant use before pursuing court action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every business in Mount Pleasant need a loading dock?
How many loading spaces does a multi-tenant building need?
Can a delivery truck block the sidewalk while unloading?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
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Loading Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle loading zones.