Substantial Improvement / the 50 percent rule in Mount Pleasant — FIVE-year cumulative

Town of Mount Pleasant Code Chapter 152 (Flood Damage Prevention), s.152.04, as amended effective 01/29/2021, defines SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT verbatim as: 'Any combination of repairs, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement to a structure taking place during a period of five years, the cumulative cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the fair market value of the structure, either before the "start of construction" of the improvement, or if the structure has been damaged or is being restored, before the damage occurred. This term includes structures that have incurred "repetitive loss" or "substantial damage", regardless of the actual work performed. Where more than one improvement is made over a five-year period, the percentage value. of the most recent improvement shall be added to the percentage value of all other improvements made within five years of the current improvement. If the cumulative percentage during the five-year period equals or exceeds a total of 50%, then it shall be classified as a SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT.' SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE is 'damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed 50% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred' — and the Town states the repair cost 'must be calculated for fully repairing the building to its before-damage condition, even if the owner elects to do less.' Administered by: Town of Mount Pleasant Building Inspection Division, 843-884-5184. Checked 2026-09-04.