Revisions to the Charleston zoning code, known as the Unified Development Code, are nearly to the approval stage, with a consultant currently going over the final version, Jim Wood, realtor and committee member, said Monday.

“It has to go through several steps yet,” he said.

A consultant is conducting a final revision to make sure there are no typos, and to make sure it says what it should say, Wood said.

Committee member Gary Kelly said the city is revising the code because its stipulations are out of date since it has not been changed in 40 years.

The Unified Development Code, which has been undergoing revisions for the past year -and-a-half, will make many changes to current zoning regulations, Kelly said.

Perhaps one of the largest changes the new code will make is the creation of the “University Influence Area,” which stretches from approximately 12th St. past Fourth St. and Roosevelt Ave. to just past Lincoln Ave., Kelly said.

However, Wood said there is not yet a map of the exact area.

He said it would be safe to assume the University Influence Area would include the businesses and homes close to campus, within walking distance.

Revisions to the code include benefits for businesses in the University Influence Area, such as reduced parking requirements because of foot traffic, Kelly said. Current requirements say a business cannot serve more people at any given time than the number of parking spaces it owns, he said.

When the code is finished, a public meeting will take place to present the code and to seek questions and comments, Wood said. This meeting could last into the night, since the code is highly controversial, he said.

“The public meeting will not be a quiet one, I’m afraid,” he said.

The following step will be presentation to the zoning board, Wood said.

Depending on the outcome of the public meeting, there may be some revision meetings before the code goes on to the zoning board, he said.

The zoning board can recommend it to pass or fail, and then the code will go the City Council for final approval, Wood said.

Kelly said another issue of concern to Eastern students will be a relaxing of current R-2 zoning, which allows only three non-blood-related roommates in a residency.

The modifications will increase that number to allow five non-blood-related roommates in a residency, Kelly said. The R-2 zoning is normally applied to residencies that are rented.

The practice of renting to more than three non-related individuals is common; however, the code change will now make the issue recognized and legal.