Anderson County, SC Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

The county's floodplain management article (County Code §§ 24-579 through 24-666) applies to every area of special flood hazard in unincorporated Anderson County as identified in FEMA's flood insurance study dated December 21, 2017, adopted by reference under § 24-582. Before any grading, filling, building, mining, dredging or other development begins in a mapped special flood hazard area, the applicant must obtain a development permit under § 24-583, and no structure or land may be located, extended, converted or structurally altered without full compliance under § 24-584.

The local administrator, per § 24-585, treats the article's requirements as minimums construed in the government's favor, and where this article and another ordinance, easement, covenant or deed restriction conflict, whichever imposes the more stringent restriction controls. The stated findings behind the article (§ 24-580) cite periodic inundation causing loss of life, disruption of commerce and impairment of the tax base, and its purpose (§ 24-581) is to protect human life and health, minimize property damage, and ensure prospective home buyers are notified their property lies in a flood area.

The article expressly disclaims county liability for damages from larger, rarer floods or from reliance on an administrative decision made under it (§ 24-587), and it does not exempt agricultural structures from its permit and construction standards. A structure built under a valid permit issued before the article's passage is grandfathered only if construction started within 60 days of that permit.