FAQs
Neighborhood FAQs
Covenants (and Restrictions) outline the requirements and limitations of what you can do with your property. The goal of covenants is to protect, preserve and enhance property values. Bylaws govern how an organization (i.e., ACA) operates.
Pedestrians should walk on the left, facing traffic. The State statutes (SC 56-5-420, SC 56-5-430, and 56-5-3160) state:
(a) Where a sidewalk is provided and its use is practicable, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway.
(b) Where a sidewalk is not available any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk only on a shoulder as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway.
(c) Where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a roadway shall walk as near as practicable to an outside edge of the roadway and, if on a two-way roadway, shall walk only on the left side of the roadway.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any pedestrian upon a roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 46-436; 1952 Code Section 46-436; 1949 (46) 466; 1965 (54) 692; 1971 (57) 296; 1977 Act No. 145 Section 4.
Unlike pedestrians who should walk on the left, facing traffic, cyclists should ride on the right, traveling with traffic.
No. The easement is for utility personnel, law enforcement, emergency, medical and fire only.
No. A property owner has no legal basis in South Carolina State law to trim a neighbor’s tree(s) that overhang your property unless permission is granted by the neighbor. Law states:
SECTION 16-11-520. Malicious injury to tree, house, outside fence, or fixture; trespass upon real property.
(a) It is unlawful for a person to willfully and maliciously cut, mutilate, deface, or otherwise injure a tree, house, outside fence, or fixture of another or commit any other trespass upon real property of another.
(b) A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a:
(1) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both, if the injury to the property or the property loss is worth ten thousand dollars or more;
(2) felony and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than five years, or both, if the injury to the property or the property loss is worth more than two thousand dollars but less than ten thousand dollars;
(3) misdemeanor triable in magistrates court or municipal court, notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22-3-540, 22-3-545, 22-3-550, and 14-25-65, if the injury to the property or the property loss is worth two thousand dollars or less. Upon conviction, the person must be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 16-382; 1952 Code Section 16-382; 1942 Code Section 1184; 1932 Code Section 1184; Cr. C. ’22 Section 74; Cr. C. ’12 Section 223; Cr. C. ’02 Section 171; G. S. 2501; R. S. 166; 1857 (12) 605; 1892 (21) 93; 1893 (21) 411; 1894 (21) 824; 1935 (39) 262; 1964 (53) 1724; 1981 Act No. 76, Section 2; 1993 Act No. 171, Section 4; 1993 Act No. 184, Section 105; 1998 Act No. 272, Section 2; 2010 Act No. 273, Section 16.B, eff June 2, 2010.
Dorchester County maintains ditches and storm drain systems that have flow issues. Sawpit Creek is under the jurisdiction of the Army Corp of Engineers.
Maintenance of ditches for aesthetics and/or trash is the responsibility of the neighborhood.
See our “Reporting Issues” page for more.
After Sawpit Creek was walked from Archdale Forest to the Dorchester/Charleston County line, a report was filed by the ACA with Dorchester County.
That report, while acknowledging the benefits of a bigger box culvert for Archdale Forest, pointed out numerous obstructions in the creek that should be cleared to allow the creek to flow better. Dorchester County has yet to respond to the report.
A civil engineer who resides in Archdale went to the public works office to speak with Kacy Byrd about the Sawpit Creek project, review the county report, and verify some information. She said it was a great meeting. And it does look good for the vast majority of Archdale residents, with the potential floodplain around the creek decreasing significantly. The ACA has some hard copy maps that we will keep for the record.
However, the update is that this project is currently on hold. The owner of the parcel off Parkshire is not approving of the plan. There is some work that needs to be done in the easement between their property and the project, and the owner is currently not signing off on it. As of today, this project is a “no go” until something gets worked out.
Archdale Civic Association FAQs
The ACA (Archdale Civic Association) is a voluntary membership organization for the Archdale community dedicated to the maintenance and beautification of public spaces, addressing community concerns, and strengthening our sense of community.
No, the ACA is not an HOA. It is a voluntary membership organization with no mandatory assessments, liens or enforcement actions.
An HOA is an organization for its subdivision or planned community that makes and enforces rules for the properties and its residents. Those who purchase property within an HOA’s jurisdiction automatically become members and are required to pay dues, known as HOA fees.
A civic association is a voluntary membership organization that may also have a fee or due, but it is optional to participate.
The ACA is responsible for maintaining public spaces, responding to community concerns and requests, and representing the community at the local and state level.
Bylaws are the governing rules by which a corporation or organization operate. The ACA bylaws define ACA authority and purpose, membership, roles and responsibilities of the ACA Board, and meeting requirements. Updating the ACA bylaws is a priority for the 2021 ACA Board.
Yes, with limited abilities. The ACA does not have any enforcement power directly against any Archdale resident. We will, however, provide a list of the agencies that might be able to address your concerns and when appropriate, report any known code violations directly to the responsible agency on behalf of all Archdale residents.
The ACA Board cannot decide to have Archdale annexed. That decision will be made by Archdale residents. The ACA has no current position on annexation because we have not been presented with the pros and cons, nor are we aware of any current action to attempt annexation.
See this Post & Courier article for more on this issue, including annexation rules.
Currently the ACA bylaws state that membership to the ACA is limited to property owners in the Archdale neighborhood. There is an interest in expanding ACA membership to any Archdale resident, despite property ownership because of the anticipated benefits of increased participation and community engagement. However, ACA bylaws must be amended and/or updated to reflect this change in membership requirements. Adressing membership requirements is a priority for the 2021 ACA Board.
Membership dues are $50 for each calendar year (Jan – Dec). The earlier you pay, the better.
Membership dues are used for mowing and landscaping contracts, electricity bills for Boulevard sign, insurance policies, legal and tax documentation fees, records management tools, and special initiatives as voted on by the ACA (for example, shrub plantings on the main boulevard).
Membership allows you the right to vote in ACA business including elections, initiatives, and spending. Membership allows access to the ACA Facebook group. Membership supports efforts to improve our community.
To become a member of the ACA, you must show you are a property owner in Archdale. Membership dues are $50 annually. These dues can be submitted to the ACA via mail, or submit them electronically here.
All interested residents can access information and resources from the OurArchdale website. All interested residents can participate in the broader “Archdale Community” Facebook group. All interested residents can subscribe to our digital mailing list. All interested residents can participate in community events, volunteer for community projects, and attend ACA meetings.
Visit the “Connect” page for more on getting involved.
The ACA promotes the safety and wellbeing of Archdale residents through the following actions:
- Regular reporting of safety hazards including damaged safety signs, blocked storm drains, road hazards, and tree hazards.
- Coordinating and implementing the Street Sign Initiative, which will lead to improved community safety with reflective, readable, and compliant signage throughout the neighborhood
- Supporting and assisting in the Neighborhood Watch program reinstatement
- Providing improved communications on county contacts and resources through our community website
- Responding to individual complaints and concerns as appropriate.