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

Appendix A, Development Standards Ordinance Section 3.4 creates the county's flood hazard district under authority the state legislature delegated in S.C. Code of Laws Title 4, Chapters 9 (Article 1), 25, and 27. Section 3.4.1(D) defines the district's reach: it applies to all areas of special flood hazard within the unincorporated areas of the county identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in its flood insurance study, dated March 25, 2025, together with the accompanying FEMA maps, which the ordinance adopts by reference. Subsection (E) establishes a development permit requirement that applies before any development activity begins in those mapped areas, and subsection (F) bars locating, extending, converting, or structurally altering any structure or land without full compliance.

Subsection (C) states the ordinance's purpose: protecting human life and health, maintaining water quality, minimizing property damage, and ensuring buyers are notified a property sits in a flood area, while restricting or prohibiting floodplain uses that are dangerous due to water, erosion, or pollution hazards or that would raise flood heights or velocities elsewhere. Subsection (J) appoints building inspection and code enforcement department personnel, along with planning department staff, as the code enforcement officers empowered to issue written notices or uniform ordinance summonses for violations.

Section 3.4.2 supplies definitions covering accessory structures, additions, and agricultural structures, none of which are exempt from Section 3.4's permit and compliance requirements even though they serve farm uses.