Greenville County, SC Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Greenville County Code §§ 8-51 to 8-117
- Exemption threshold
- Under 5,000 sq ft, single-family homes
- Simplified plan required
- 5,000 sq ft to 1 acre disturbed
- Civil penalty
- Up to $7,500 per violation, per day
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor in magistrate's court
- Enforcing agency
- Land Development Division / county Director
- NPDES permit
- Permit No. SC230001
Summary
Greenville County requires a Stormwater Management and Sediment Control Plan or land disturbance permit before any land-disturbing activity begins in the unincorporated county, enforced under NPDES Permit No. SC230001 issued to the county's Stormwater System. Building a single-family home or accessory structure that disturbs less than 5,000 square feet is exempt; disturbing more triggers permitting and a stop-work order if skipped.
No person shall: (1) Develop any land; (2) Engage in any industry or enterprise; (3) Construct, operate or maintain any landfill, hazardous waste treatment, disposal or recovery facility, or any other industrial or related facility; or (4) Dispose of any hazardous or toxic substance or other pollutant without having provided for compliance with this article and with any program, plan, permit, or regulation of the Greenville County Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) adopted in accordance with this article. ... The following development activities are exempt from the provisions of this article: (1) Construction or improvement of single-family residences or their accessory buildings which are separately built and not part of a larger common plan of development or sale and which are anticipated to disturb an area of less than 5,000 square feet.
Full Breakdown
Article III of Greenville County Code Chapter 8, the "Stormwater Management Ordinance of Greenville County, South Carolina" (§ 8-51), governs land-disturbing activity across the unincorporated county. It implements the county's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. SC230001, issued under the federal Clean Water Act, and the South Carolina Stormwater Management and Sediment Reduction Act (§ 8-52, § 8-53(c)). Section 8-57(a) bars anyone from developing land, operating an industrial facility, or disposing of pollutants without complying with the county's Stormwater Management Program (SWMP). Construction of a single-family residence or accessory building that is not part of a larger common development and disturbs less than 5,000 square feet is exempt (§ 8-57(b)(1)), as are qualifying agricultural and forestry operations.
Projects disturbing between 5,000 square feet and one acre must file a simplified Stormwater Management and Sediment Control Plan (SMSCP) with the county's Land Development Division describing topography, soils, adjoining structures, and a construction schedule; projects at or above one acre need a full Comprehensive SWPPP reviewed under the state General Construction Permit. Enforcement runs through the Director and county Enforcement Officer. A written Notice of Violation must issue within 15 days of discovery (§ 8-111(a)), followed by a fact-finding meeting, a proposed consent decree, or an administrative order if the violator refuses to cooperate.
Violators face a magistrate's-court misdemeanor charge, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense (§ 8-112), plus a civil penalty of up to $7,500 per violation that funds stormwater education and enforcement (§ 8-117); penalty assessments can be appealed to magistrate court. If a violation goes uncorrected, the county may enter the property, perform the remediation itself, and bill the cost as a lien collected like property taxes (§ 8-114).
Violations & Fines
Building or grading without a required Stormwater Management and Sediment Control Plan or land disturbance permit triggers an automatic stop-work order plus a working-without-a-permit fee (§ 8-115). The county can also charge a misdemeanor in magistrate's court, with each day counted as a separate offense (§ 8-112), and assess a civil penalty of up to $7,500 per violation (§ 8-117). Uncorrected violations let the county fix the site and lien the property for costs (§ 8-114).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a stormwater permit to build a house on my Greenville County lot?
What happens if I grade land in unincorporated Greenville County without a permit?
How much land disturbance triggers a full stormwater plan instead of the simplified version?
Can I appeal a stormwater civil penalty in Greenville County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenville County
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