York County, SC Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

York County's authority to regulate land disturbance comes from the South Carolina Stormwater Management and Sediment Reduction Act, S.C. Code §§ 48-14-10 et seq., which the county adopted locally as Chapter 152 of the York County Code (Ord. 2819, passed 6-17-19). The core rule sits at § 48-14-30: no person may engage in a land disturbing activity without first submitting a stormwater management and sediment control plan to York County and obtaining a permit to proceed. The person responsible must certify on the plan that the work will follow it, and every approved project must have at least one individual designated as responsible personnel on site.

Not every project needs a plan. Section 48-14-40 exempts construction or improvement of a single-family residence or its accessory buildings when separately built and not part of multiple construction in a subdivision development, along with forestry operations, routine utility maintenance, and land disturbing activities already regulated under the Mining Act. York County's own Chapter 152 layers additional criteria onto that exemption, including a one-acre disturbance threshold, so a homeowner should still confirm status with the County Stormwater Administrator before starting work.

Inspectors have the right of entry to check for unpermitted grading under § 48-14-95, and if they find work proceeding without an approved plan, they post a stop work order at the site and require the responsible party to submit and receive approval for a plan before resuming. The county can also withhold further building or grading permits from anyone with outstanding violations until those violations are corrected.