2013 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 12 - Taxation
CHAPTER 67 - SOUTH CAROLINA ABANDONED BUILDINGS REVITALIZATION ACT
SECTION 12-67-120. Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:

(1) "Abandoned building" means a building or structure, which clearly may be delineated from other buildings or structures, at least sixty-six percent of the space in which has been closed continuously to business or otherwise nonoperational for income producing purposes for a period of at least five years immediately preceding the date on which the taxpayer files a "Notice of Intent to Rehabilitate". For purposes of this item, a building or structure that otherwise qualifies as an "abandoned building" may be subdivided into separate units or parcels, which units or parcels may be owned by the same taxpayer or different taxpayers, and each unit or parcel is deemed to be an abandoned building site for purposes of determining whether each subdivided parcel is considered to be abandoned. For purposes of this item, an abandoned building is not a building or structure with an immediate preceding use as a single-family residence. For purposes of this item, use of any portion of a building or structure listed on the National Register for Historic Places when used solely for storage or warehouse purposes is considered nonoperational for income producing purposes; provided, however, that the credit provided under Section 12-67-140(B) is further limited by disqualifying for credit purposes the portion of the building or structure that was operational and used as a storage or warehouse for income producing purposes. This limitation is calculated based on the actual percentage of the space which has been closed continuously to business or otherwise nonoperational for income producing purposes for a period of at least five years immediately preceding the date on which the taxpayer files a "Notice of Intent to Rehabilitate" divided by one hundred percent.

(2) "Building site" means the abandoned building together with the parcel of land upon which it is located and other improvements located on the parcel. However, the area of the building site is limited to the land upon which the abandoned building is located and the land immediately surrounding such building used for parking and other similar purposes directly related to the building's income producing use.

(3) "Local taxing entities" means a county, municipality, school district, special purpose district, and other entity or district with the power to levy ad valorem property taxes against the building site.

(4) "Local taxing entity ratio" means that percentage computed by dividing the millage rate of each local taxing entity by the total millage rate for the building site.

(5) "Placed in service" means the date upon which the building site is completed and ready for its intended use. If the building site is completed and ready for use in phases or portions, each phase or portion is considered to be placed in service when it is completed and ready for its intended use.

(6) "Rehabilitation expenses" means the expenses or capital expenditures incurred in the rehabilitation, demolition, renovation, or redevelopment of the building site, including without limitations, the renovation or redevelopment of existing buildings, environmental remediation, site improvements, and the construction of new buildings and other improvements on the building site, but excluding the cost of acquiring the building site or the cost of personal property located at the building site. For expenses associated with a building site to qualify for the tax credit, the abandoned buildings on the building site must be either renovated or redeveloped. Rehabilitation expenses associated with a building site that increases the amount of square footage on the building site in excess of two hundred percent of the amount of square footage of the buildings that existed on the building site as of the filing of the Notice of Intent to Rehabilitate shall not be considered a rehabilitation expense for purposes of calculating the amount of the credit. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, demolition expenses shall not be considered a rehabilitation expense for purposes of calculating the amount of the credit if the building being demolished is on the National Register for Historic Places.

(7) "Notice of Intent to Rehabilitate" means a letter submitted by the taxpayer to the department or the municipality or county as specified in this chapter, indicating the taxpayer's intent to rehabilitate the building site, the location of the building site, the amount of acreage involved in the building site, the amount of square footage of existing buildings involved in the building site, and the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with rehabilitation of the building site. The notice also must set forth information as to which buildings the taxpayer intends to renovate and whether new construction is to be involved.

HISTORY: 2013 Act No. 57, Section 1.A, eff June 11, 2013.