Cherokee County, SC Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Cherokee County, SC, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Mapped area
- FEMA Flood Insurance Study dated September 16, 2011
- Permit
- Development permit before any development activity (§ 8-105)
- Administrator
- Building official or designee (§ 8-131)
- Maximum penalty
- $500.00 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both
- Small stream setback
- No encroachment within 100 feet of bank without engineer certification
- Recreational vehicles
- Fewer than 180 consecutive days on site, or licensed and road-ready
Summary
In unincorporated Cherokee County, South Carolina, every area of special flood hazard mapped by FEMA in its Flood Insurance Study dated September 16, 2011 falls under Article V of Chapter 8. A development permit is required before any development activity begins, and no structure or land can be located, extended, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance.
This article shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of Cherokee County as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its Flood Insurance Study, dated September 16, 2011 with accompanying maps and other supporting data that are hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this article. ... A development permit shall be required in conformance with the provisions of this article prior to the commencement of any development activities. ... No structure or land shall hereafter be located, extended, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance with the terms of this article and other applicable regulations.
Full Breakdown
Article V of Chapter 8 of the Cherokee County Code, the Flood Damage Prevention article, applies to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of Cherokee County as identified by FEMA in its Flood Insurance Study dated September 16, 2011, together with the accompanying maps and supporting data adopted by reference (§ 8-104). Letters of map revision issued for those areas are adopted as well (§ 8-132).
Section 8-105 requires a development permit before any development activities begin. The building official or his or her designee is the local floodplain administrator (§ 8-131). Under § 8-133, the application goes to the administrator on forms the administrator furnishes, and it can include plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions and elevations of the area, existing or proposed structures, fill materials, storage areas and drainage facilities. When a lot is within or appears to be within the floodplain, the applicant must supply a plot plan showing the 100-year floodplain contour, prepared by or under the direct supervision of a registered land surveyor or professional engineer.
Section 8-141 sets the threshold test: development may not occur in the special flood hazard area where alternative locations exist, and before a permit issues the applicant must demonstrate that new structures cannot be located out of the SFHA and that encroachments are minimized. Within floodways, § 8-142(5) bars encroachments, including fill, unless a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis shows no increase in base flood levels or FEMA has approved a conditional letter of map revision. On small streams with no base flood data, § 8-143 bars encroachments within one hundred (100) feet of the stream bank without engineer certification, and it requires a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis for developments of at least fifty (50) lots or five (5) acres, whichever is less. Recreational vehicles in the flood area must be on site for fewer than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days, or be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or meet the permit, certification and general standards of the article.
Where this article and another regulation conflict or overlap, whichever imposes the more stringent restrictions prevails (§ 8-107).
Violations & Fines
Violating Article V is a misdemeanor under § 8-110: a fine of not more than $500.00, imprisonment of not more than 30 days, or both, with each day of violation a separate offense. The floodplain administrator can issue a written stop work order, and violating that order is a misdemeanor (§ 8-135). If an owner does not correct a violation, a hearing is held not later than ten (10) days after notice, and the corrective order gives not less than sixty (60) days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which land in unincorporated Cherokee County, SC is covered?
Do I need a permit to build or fill in a flood zone?
What does the permit application have to show?
Who hears a variance or an appeal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cherokee County
Compare Cherokee County to another location·View the South Carolina environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.