Cherokee County, SC Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Chapter 13 of the Cherokee County Code is a land development ordinance, not a zoning ordinance, so setbacks in unincorporated Cherokee County, South Carolina follow the road a lot fronts and the kind of use, not a zoning district. Section 13-87(a) is the baseline for a primary structure. The front setback is 35 feet on lots abutting local roads, 45 feet on collector roads and 55 feet on arterial or primary roads. A corner lot keeps at least ten feet from the side road, every lot needs a ten foot side yard on each side, and the rear yard is 25 feet.

Article V of the chapter replaces those numbers for specific uses, which is why the section opens with the words unless otherwise stated in article V. Multifamily housing under § 13-122(b) and manufactured home parks under § 13-123(c) repeat the 35, 45 and 55 foot front figures, and manufactured homes inside a park must stay 25 feet from each other and from permanent structures. Commercial and office uses under § 13-124(b) move to 25 feet on local roads and 40 feet on collector, arterial or primary roads, with 15 foot corner and side setbacks and a 25 foot rear yard. Industrial uses under § 13-125(d) carry a 30 foot rear yard. Townhomes and patio homes under § 13-126 use 25 feet in front, 20 feet in the rear and either 0 feet or 10 feet on the side. Communication towers under § 13-127(2) must be set back from all property lines a distance equal to the height of the tower.

Two related rules matter when planning a lot. Section 13-52 bars creating any lot smaller than one-half acre unless the chapter says otherwise. Section 13-159(a) has the designated ordinance administrator determine setbacks and buffers for undersized lots of record that predate the chapter. Site plans must show setback lines under § 13-156(5)i. Accessory structures follow a separate rear setback in § 13-87(b).

An owner who disagrees with a setback decision under § 13-87 appeals to the Cherokee County Board of Appeals on the county form within thirty (30) days of notice. The board holds a public hearing advertised at least fifteen (15) days ahead (§ 13-163).