Cherokee County, SC Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Cherokee County Code § 13-83 sits in Chapter 13, Land Development Regulations, the county's subdivision and development standards. Erosion control in unincorporated Cherokee County, South Carolina is therefore tied to plan approval for subdivisions and land development projects, not to a separate county grading permit.

Subsection (b) says the section's requirements are deemed met for any project that has an approved stormwater management and sediment control plan from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control under Title 48, Chapter 14 of the S.C. Code and Regulations section 72-305. The wording splits projects into two groups. If the project needs a DHEC stormwater management permit, handing the county a copy of that permit qualifies as compliance. If it needs only a stormwater management plan submitted to DHEC, a copy of that plan qualifies.

The same expectation appears at the site plan stage. Section 13-156(5)k lists drainage features and conceptual stormwater management systems among the items a land development site plan must show, and says that attaching the DHEC permit or the stormwater management and sedimentation control plan filed with DHEC fulfills the requirement. Section 13-158 adds that approval by the designated ordinance administrator implies compliance with the chapter only and does not relieve an owner or developer of any federal or state agency requirement.

Erosion also appears in the road standards. Under section 13-82(3)d, the developer is responsible for maintaining slopes and all areas along newly developed roads until the county adopts the rights-of-way, and slope maintenance includes seeding in order to prevent soil erosion. Road swales must be stabilized against erosion by grassing for year-round growth. The one-year warranty in section 13-82(5) covers defects in grassing and erosion control, alongside pavement, storm drainage, curbs and sidewalks.

Appeals of decisions under these sections go to the Cherokee County Citizens Planning Commission, filed within thirty (30) days of notice under section 13-163.