The Town of Chapin, South Carolina is located within the Columbia metropolitan area of South Carolina and is known by many as the Capital of Lake Murray. The population within the town limits is 1,600 people; however, the broader Chapin community encompasses a much larger area of nearly 30,000 people. The Town and its surrounding area are growing at a fast rate with new residential and commercial development underway. In order to maximize the Town’s growth opportunities, the Town selected Benchmark Planning to prepare the update to its 10-year Comprehensive Plan.
The Comprehensive Plan, adopted in December 2021, focused on developing strategies to foster a sense of community, quality of life, and small town values, while incorporating smart growth strategies that expand opportunities for the Town and greater area surrounding Chapin. The goals emphasize planning with the greater Chapin Community, facilitating well-planned growth, improving transportation connections, creating a central gathering place, expanding housing choice, preserving the natural and cultural heritage, and growing the local economy. The Town is currently implementing many of the Plan’s strategies including the rewrite of the Town’s Unified Development Ordinance.
