Environmental Rules in Greenville County, SC (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Greenville County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Greenville County requires a Stormwater Management and Sediment Control Plan or land disturbance permit before any land-disturbing activity begins in the unincorporated county, enforced under NPDES Permit No. SC230001 issued to the county's Stormwater System. Building a single-family home or accessory structure that disturbs less than 5,000 square feet is exempt; disturbing more triggers permitting and a stop-work order if skipped.
Stormwater Permit Rules in Greenville County, SC
Some RestrictionsGreenville County Code § 8-57(a), (b)(1)
No person shall: (1) Develop any land; (2) Engage in any industry or enterprise; (3) Construct, operate or maintain any landfill, hazardous waste treatment, disposal or recovery facility, or any other industrial or related facility; or (4) Dispose of any hazardous or toxic substance or other pollutant without having provided for compliance with this article and with any program, plan, permit, o...
Erosion Control
Clearing, stripping, excavating or grading land anywhere in unincorporated Greenville County requires a land disturbance permit first. The county's stormwater ordinance sets numeric sediment-control standards, including an 80% removal rate for suspended solids on active construction sites.
Erosion and Sediment Control Permits in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County Code §§ 8-70, 8-71
Except as provided in § 8-57 of this article, a person may not perform clearing, stripping, excavating, or grading of land or create borrow pits, spoil areas, material processing plants or related facilities without first obtaining a land disturbance permit from the County. ... Development shall be fitted to the topography and soils so as to create the least erosion potential. Natural vegetatio...
Flood Zones
Any development in a special flood hazard area of unincorporated Greenville County needs a development permit before work starts. The rule covers the whole floodplain mapped in the county's May 4, 2021 Flood Insurance Study, and applies to grading, filling and structural work alike.
Floodplain Development Permits in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County Code §§ 8-24, 8-25, 8-26
This article shall apply to all parcels of land that lie either wholly or partially within areas of special flood hazard, and certain parcels of land immediately adjacent to areas of special flood hazard, as specifically identified in this article, that are within the jurisdiction of the unincorporated areas of Greenville County, South Carolina. ... A development permit shall be required in acc...
Flood Elevation Requirements
New and substantially improved homes in a Greenville County flood zone must have their lowest floor, plus all mechanical and electrical equipment, at least 4 feet above the base flood elevation. Basements are banned outright in mapped flood hazard areas.
Base Flood Elevation Freeboard Rule in Greenville County
Some RestrictionsGreenville County Code §§ 8-28, 8-33(a)
Freeboard. A factor of safety usually expressed in feet above a flood level for purposes of floodplain management. Freeboard tends to compensate for the many unknown factors that could contribute to flood heights greater than the height calculated for a selected size flood and floodway conditions, such as wave action, bridge openings, and the hydrological effect of urbanization of the watershed...
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