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

Greenwood County Code Chapter 5, the Stormwater Management and Sediment Control Ordinance (Sec. 6-5-1 et seq.), governs erosion and sediment control for land-disturbing activity in the unincorporated county. Sec. 6-5-5 exempts several categories from the chapter's control-plan and grading-permit requirements: agricultural and silvicultural land management, single-family residence construction or land improvement on an individual lot where no new street is involved, permitted mining operations, federal and state managed lands, work within highway rights-of-way, buried utility lines, emergency repairs, and any land-disturbing activity of one acre or less.

Critically, the single-family exemption does not extend to subdivisions: Sec. 6-5-5(2) specifically states that the initial development of a residential subdivision, including roads, water, sewer, and lot grading before building permits are issued, must still comply with the chapter. For any non-exempt project, Sec. 6-5-4 applies the chapter to all unincorporated land in the county, and the Greenwood Soil and Water Conservation District board, together with the county's director of public works, act as the approving authority. Sec. 6-5-22 authorizes the enforcement authority to inspect active sites, issue an immediate stop work order if no plan has been submitted, and require corrective plan revisions when installed measures are not controlling erosion, sedimentation, or stormwater runoff effectively.

Sec. 6-5-25 further requires the owner of any disturbed area over one acre that is still causing offsite erosion or sedimentation damage to add ground cover or other protective measures within 30 days of written notice, even if the original disturbance predates the ordinance.