9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Richland County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
In developed areas of unincorporated Richland County, grass or weeds over 12 inches tall are "unsafe and noxious vegetation" and can be declared a nuisance. The property owner must cut or remove them or face county abatement and a lien.
Richland County Code § 18-4(b)(1)
Vegetation is deemed unsafe and noxious if it exceeds any of the following standards: i. Grass or weeds in excess of twelve (12) inches in height or trailing vines exceeding ten (10) feet in length;
Richland County has no ordinance regulating how a homeowner prunes or trims trees on their own single-family lot. Tree standards in the county's Land Development Code apply to new commercial and subdivision development, not routine yard maintenance. Cities like Columbia may add rules.
A homeowner can remove trees on their own single-family lot without a county permit. On land being developed, Richland County's LDC protects "grand trees" and larger trees in protected zones; removing them requires approval and replacement planting.
Richland County LDC § 26-176(k)
No grand tree shall be removed unless it is determined that there is no alternative due to unavoidable grading or because of required configuration of essential utilities or buildings.
Richland County Code Sec. 18-4 treats overgrown grass, weeds, dead brush and noxious plants in developed areas as "unsafe and noxious vegetation." The sheriff can declare it a nuisance and require the owner to clear it or face abatement and a lien.
Richland County Code § 18-4(b)(1)
Dead or desiccated growth that poses a fire or other safety hazard and is located within ten (10) feet of a property line; ... Dead or desiccated growth that harbors infestations of insects, vermin, or rodents;
Richland County itself imposes no permanent lawn-watering ordinance. Outdoor water use is governed by your water utility and by South Carolina's Drought Response Act, which lets SCDNR and regional committees call voluntary or mandatory limits during declared droughts.
Rainwater harvesting is legal in South Carolina and Richland County has no ordinance banning or permitting residential rain barrels or cisterns. The county actually encourages capturing runoff, since stormwater reduction is a stated goal of its landscaping and stormwater programs.
Richland County does not require homeowners to plant native species, but its Land Development Code favors them: on development sites, trees and plants in parking-lot islands that treat stormwater "must consist of native trees and plants." Homeowner yards are exempt from these standards.
Richland County LDC § 26-176(g)
Trees and plants that are planted in parking lot islands that function as stormwater quality treatment BMPs must consist of native trees and plants.
Richland County has no ordinance specifically permitting or prohibiting artificial turf on residential lots. Single-family yards are exempt from the county's landscaping standards, so synthetic lawns are generally allowed, subject only to stormwater and drainage rules on development sites.
Richland County has no ordinance banning residential backyard composting. Reasonable home compost piles are allowed, but a pile that becomes a nuisance, harbors vermin, or produces odors could be cited under the county's nuisance and noxious-vegetation provisions.
1 cities in Richland County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Richland County Ordinance Hub →