York County, SC Animal Ordinances: Bird Protection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- York County Code § 155.786(D)
- Bird-safe glazing minimum
- 50% of glazed surfaces
- Applies to
- Non-residential and mixed-use buildings
- Exemption
- Buildings within the RC District
- Prohibited
- Mirror-finish reflective glass (§ 155.786(C))
- Base glazing floor
- 30% ground floor, 25% upper stories
Summary
New non-residential and mixed-use buildings in unincorporated York County must use bird-safe glass. County Code Section 155.786(D) requires at least 50% of a building's glazed surfaces to be composed of bird-safe glazing, such as fritted or UV-coated glass visible to birds, or screens and louvers.
(D) Bird safe glazing. A minimum of 50% of all glazed surfaces shall be composed of “bird safe” glazing materials. Examples of permitted methods of compliance include:
(1) Fritted or etched glass with dot patterns, vertical lines (one-quarter-inch lines with four-inch spacing), horizontal lines (one-eighth-inch lines with two-inch spacing), or other designs that make the glazed area visible to birds;
(2) The use of UV coated glass designed to be visible to birds;
(3) The use of screens, louvers, or other visible barriers; or
(4) Another industry-accepted bird safe glazing treatment, as approved by the Zoning Administrator.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
York County's Building Design Standards for non-residential and mixed-use construction, adopted in Part 2 of the Zoning Code, treat bird strikes on glass as a design problem to solve at the wall level. 786 applies to all buildings covered by the part regardless of size or location, except that buildings inside the RC District are exempt. The section first sets a minimum glazed-area floor: primary building walls need at least 30% glazing measured between three and ten feet above grade, and upper-story walls on multi-story buildings need at least 25% glazing per story.
Subsection (D) then layers a bird-safety rule on top of that glazing: at least 50% of all glazed surfaces on the building must be composed of "bird safe" glazing materials. The code lists specific compliance paths rather than leaving the standard vague: fritted or etched glass with dot patterns or with vertical lines a quarter-inch wide spaced four inches apart, or horizontal lines an eighth-inch wide spaced two inches apart; UV-coated glass designed to be visible to birds; screens, louvers, or other visible barriers; or another industry-accepted bird-safe treatment approved by the Zoning Administrator. 786(C).
Violations & Fines
Building fewer than 50% bird-safe glazed surfaces, using prohibited mirror-finish reflective glass, or using non-blue tinted glass violates Section 155.786. Zoning Code violations are misdemeanors under Section 155.9999, punishable by a fine of up to $500 per day for each day the noncompliant building wall remains unaddressed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every building in York County need bird-safe glass?
What counts as bird-safe glazing under York County's code?
How much of a building's glass has to be bird-safe in York County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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