7 rules for unincorporated Horry County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Horry County, the Zoning Ordinance caps fences and walls at eight feet in residential and most zoning districts. A twelve-foot limit applies only in the listed agricultural, commercial, and industrial districts.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.A
...in the AC, HC, LI, AM2, RE4, MA1, MA2, MA3, MI and HI Districts shall be twelve (12) feet. In all other zoning districts, fences or walls shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height.
The Horry County Zoning Ordinance requires a building permit for any fence taller than seven feet. Shorter residential fences generally do not need a fence permit, but must still meet setback, height and sight-line rules.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.B.1
Apply for a building permit when fence is greater than seven (7) feet.
Horry County sets no general side or rear property-line offset for fences, so a fence may sit on the shared line. But privacy fences in a front or corner side yard must be set back ten feet from lines abutting a road right-of-way or shared drive.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.B.4.a
Privacy fences or walls in front and/or corner side yards shall meet ten-foot setbacks from front and corner side property lines that abut the road right-of-way or shared private drive.
Horry County's Zoning Ordinance treats walls alongside fences, so the eight-foot general height ceiling in Section 412 applies to freestanding walls. Structural retaining walls are additionally governed by the adopted building code, which requires a permit above a set retained height.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.A
In all other zoning districts, fences or walls shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height.
Every fence in unincorporated Horry County must permit emergency access to the enclosed area, keep vehicular sight lines clear at intersections and driveways, and honor the ten-foot front privacy-fence setback. Height is capped at eight feet in residential districts.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.B.5
All fences or walls shall be designed to permit emergency access to the enclosed area, whether by use of gate or a breakaway section.
Horry County's Zoning Ordinance regulates front-yard fences by opacity rather than banning specific materials. Low-opacity fences (split rail, uncluttered chain link, picket under 50 percent opacity) placed in front or corner side yards are exempt from the ten-foot setback.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.B.4.c
Non-privacy type fences such as split rail, uncluttered chain link and picket fences with less than fifty (50) percent opacity placed in front and/or corner side yards are exempt from setback requirements.
Horry County allows a wide range of fence materials. The Zoning Ordinance singles out split rail, uncluttered chain link and picket fences under 50 percent opacity for a front-yard setback exemption, while solid privacy fences trigger the ten-foot front setback.
Horry County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 412.B.4.c
Non-privacy type fences such as split rail, uncluttered chain link and picket fences with less than fifty (50) percent opacity placed in front and/or corner side yards are exempt from setback requirements.
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