100 local rules on file · Pop. 1,301 · Richland County
Showing ordinances that apply to Gadsden, SC
Gadsden is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 1,301 in Richland County, South Carolina. Because Gadsden is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Richland County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Richland County may have different rules.
Unincorporated Richland County bans any noise that is plainly audible 50 feet from its source and disturbs neighbors, enforced day or night. There are no fixed clock-based quiet hours, but power equipment is only exempt between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Richland County's noise ordinance sets no separate construction curfew, but domestic power equipment such as saws and grinders is only exempt from the noise rule when operated after 6:00 a.m. and no later than 10:00 p.m. Outside that window it can violate Section 18-3.
Richland County prohibits allowing an animal to bark, whine or howl in an excessive, continuous or untimely way that seriously annoys or interferes with neighbors' use of their property. This is enforced under the separate nuisance-animal ordinance, Section 5-8.
Richland County has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Leaf blowers count as domestic power equipment, so they are exempt from the noise rule only when used between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Outside those hours they can violate Section 18-3.
Amplified music that is plainly audible 50 feet from its source and disturbs others is unlawful under Richland County's noise ordinance. There are no fixed hours; the plainly-audible standard applies day and night in the unincorporated county.
Richland County makes it unlawful to play a vehicle radio or sound system so loud it is plainly audible 50 feet from the vehicle or inside someone's home. Detecting the rhythmic bass alone is enough to prove a violation under Section 18-3.
No. Richland County's noise ordinance does not set numeric decibel limits. It uses a plainly-audible-at-50-feet standard instead, so officers do not need a sound meter to enforce it. Some cities within the county may use decibel-based rules.
Outdoor music from parties, bands or speakers is unlawful in unincorporated Richland County if it is plainly audible 50 feet from the source and disturbs others. Permitted events are excepted. There are no fixed hours, so the standard applies day and night.
Richland County has no separate industrial-noise or decibel-by-zone ordinance. Commercial and industrial noise in the unincorporated county is judged under the same Section 18-3 plainly-audible-at-50-feet nuisance standard as any other noise, with land-use limits set through zoning.
Richland County does not regulate aircraft noise; airspace and flight operations are controlled by the FAA under federal law. Local noise complaints near Columbia Metropolitan Airport or Fort Jackson go to the airport authority or the military, not the county noise ordinance.
Yes. Since April 2024, short-term rentals in unincorporated Richland County must obtain a Richland County business license and register the property before renting. STRs are only allowed in certain zoning districts under the Land Development Code effective March 2024.
Owners must register each unincorporated Richland County short-term rental through the county's eTRAKiT web portal, providing owner contact information and property details, in addition to holding a county business license. Allow up to about 10 business days for processing.
Short-term rental guests pay South Carolina's 7% state accommodations tax (SC Code 12-36-920) plus Richland County's 3% local accommodations tax, remitted monthly. Operators also pay a county business-license fee based on gross receipts.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 caps overnight occupancy at two persons per bedroom (as defined in the International Building Code), excluding minor children, plus two additional people per dwelling unit.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 requires two designated parking spaces per short-term rental property, and guests must be notified of the parking plan and the maximum number of vehicles allowed.
Richland County's STR ordinance does not set a separate decibel limit for rentals. Sec. 16-82 requires the property to comply with all county ordinances at all times, so the county noise ordinance applies to short-term rentals just as it does to any residence.
Richland County's Land Development Code distinguishes owner-occupied from non-owner-occupied short-term rentals. Owner-occupied STRs require the owner to reside on the property at least 183 days per year, and non-owner-occupied STRs are not allowed in residential districts.
Richland County does not require the host to be physically present during a stay, but Sec. 16-82 requires a responsible local representative who can take phone calls at all times and is authorized to accept service of process for the owner.
Richland County's STR ordinance sets no explicit annual cap on the number of nights a property may be rented. Instead, eligibility is controlled through zoning, the owner-occupancy residency test, and registration under Sec. 16-82.
Richland County Code Sec. 16-82 does not spell out a specific liability-insurance minimum, but it authorizes county safety inspections and requires ongoing compliance with all county ordinances. The county gives 24 hours' notice before most inspections.
Consumer fireworks are legal in South Carolina and in unincorporated Richland County, but Sec. 18-9 bans discharge between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. On July 4th and New Year's Eve the cutoff extends to 1:00 a.m.
Richland County adopts the South Carolina Fire Code. Recreational fires and permanent fire pits are permitted but must be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, constantly attended, and kept small.
Richland County Code Sec. 10-2 prohibits open burning of leaves and yard trimmings on private residences in residential zoning districts. In rural districts it is allowed only if the fire is at least 75 feet from any structure, road, or property line.
Richland County has no defensible-space mandate for homes, but fire and burn rules require clearance around any fire: 25 feet for recreational fires (SC Fire Code) and 75 feet for permitted rural open burning (County Code Sec. 10-2).
Cooking fires and fires in fire pits, chimineas, or portable outdoor fireplaces need no notification. But South Carolina law requires you to notify the SC Forestry Commission before burning yard debris, and residential-zone open burning is banned countywide.
Richland County enforces the South Carolina building and fire codes, which require smoke alarms in every dwelling: in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every story, including basements.
Richland County enforces South Carolina Fire Code Chapter 61. Propane containers cannot be stored in basements or pits where gas could collect, must sit at code distances from buildings and lot lines, and any one installation is capped at 2,000-gallon water capacity.
Richland County has not adopted a mapped wildland-urban-interface (WUI) code or a defensible-space overlay. Wildfire risk is managed by the SC Forestry Commission through burn bans, fire-danger ratings, and voluntary Firewise guidance rather than mandatory zones.
In unincorporated Richland County, only one travel or camping vehicle per family may be parked on a residentially zoned lot, and it may not sit in the required front or side yard or in front of the main house. It cannot be lived in unless in a licensed RV park.
Richland County restricts what can be parked on public streets in residential zones: truck tractors, semi-trailers and trailers may not be parked on any public street, road or right-of-way in Rural Residential, Single-Family Residential, Manufactured Home or General Residential districts of the unincorporated county.
Richland County has no blanket overnight parking ban for cars on residential streets. The real limit is the state abandoned-vehicle rule: a vehicle left unattended on a highway for more than 48 hours (or 7 days on private property without consent) can be tagged and towed. Municipalities may set their
In unincorporated Richland County, truck tractors, semi-trailers and trailers may not be parked on public streets in residential zones, and may not be parked or stored on a residential-district lot unless the whole vehicle is inside an enclosed garage or carport (with a limited exception for Rural parcels of three
Under South Carolina law a vehicle is 'abandoned' if left unattended on a highway more than 48 hours, or left on private or public property more than 7 days without the owner's consent. An officer may tag it and, if not removed, have it towed and sold as abandoned.
Richland County restricts inoperable vehicles in yards: any motor vehicle or trailer that cannot move under its own power or is not street-legal may not be stored on a residential or commercial lot for more than 30 consecutive days unless it is kept in an enclosed garage or carport.
Richland County treats large trucks and trailers as commercial vehicles under Sec. 17-10. Truck tractors, semi-trailers and trailers (a trailer being up to 10,000 lbs GVWR) may not be parked on residential streets or stored on residential lots unless fully inside a garage or carport, except on Rural parcels of
Richland County has no separate ordinance dedicated to residential EV charging; installing a home charger is governed by the electrical permit and inspection process under the adopted building codes, not by a county parking rule. Commercial charging stalls fall under Land Development Code off-street parking standards.
Richland County does not regulate curbside loading zones on residential streets; loading requirements apply to new development through the Land Development Code, which requires off-street parking and loading spaces to be provided when a building or use is erected, enlarged or changed.
Richland County does not have a residential curb-painting permit program. Colored curb markings are official traffic-control devices; painting a public curb to reserve or restrict parking is not a private right, and residents should not paint county or state road curbs themselves.
In unincorporated Richland County, residential fences and walls in a required front yard may not exceed 4 feet, and fences in side or rear yards may not exceed 7 feet. Retaining walls are excluded. Inside Columbia, Forest Acres, or Blythewood, the city's own code governs.
Unincorporated Richland County generally requires a building permit for fences over 7 feet tall or for fences and walls built of masonry or concrete, which need structural review. Standard residential wood or wire fences within the height limits usually do not need a permit, but must still meet zoning setbacks.
Richland County's zoning code sets fence height and location but does not decide who pays for a shared boundary fence. Cost-sharing and finished-side ('good neighbor') questions are private property matters governed by South Carolina common law and any recorded agreements or HOA covenants, not by county ordinance.
Retaining walls are excluded from the residential 7-foot fence height limit in unincorporated Richland County, but masonry or concrete walls generally require a building permit and structural review. Larger walls may also involve grading and stormwater review under the county's land-disturbance program.
A compliant fence in unincorporated Richland County stays within the 4-foot front and 7-foot side/rear height limits, keeps clear of corner sight-triangles, sits on your own side of the property line, and meets zoning setbacks. Pools and certain uses have their own mandatory fencing rules.
Richland County's LDC does not ban common residential fence materials like wood, vinyl, chain-link, or aluminum, but masonry and concrete walls require a building permit and structural review. Screening and buffer fences for certain uses must be opaque and meet minimum heights.
Common residential fence materials—wood, vinyl, aluminum, and chain-link—are allowed in unincorporated Richland County within the height limits. Masonry and concrete walls need a building permit and structural review. Required buffer screening must be opaque, and its finished side must face away from the property being screened.
In unincorporated Richland County, a dog off the owner's property must be under physical control by leash or similar restraint. Recent code updates treat a dog as at-large even on its own yard if the owner is not present with it. Cities like Columbia set their own leash rules.
Whether you can keep chickens or livestock in unincorporated Richland County depends on your zoning district under the county Land Development Code (Chapter 26). Agricultural and rural districts allow livestock and poultry; suburban residential districts restrict them. Check your parcel's zoning with Planning & Development.
Richland County does not ban specific dog breeds such as pit bulls. South Carolina regulates dogs by behavior through its dangerous-animal statute (SC Code 47-3-710), not by breed. Any dog that attacks unprovoked can be declared dangerous regardless of breed.
Richland County has no dedicated countywide beekeeping ordinance; where hives may be kept in the unincorporated county is governed by Land Development Code (Chapter 26) zoning. South Carolina regulates apiaries and honeybee health at the state level through Clemson's Department of Plant Industry.
South Carolina's statewide Large Wild Cat, Non-Native Bear, and Great Ape Act (SC Code 47-2) bans private possession of big cats, bears, and apes. Richland County's animal ordinance also addresses wild and dangerous animals. Native wildlife is regulated by SC DNR; possessing many species requires a permit.
Keeping cattle, horses, goats, or hogs in unincorporated Richland County is controlled by your zoning district under the Land Development Code (Chapter 26). Agricultural and rural districts permit livestock; suburban residential zones restrict it. South Carolina's Right-to-Farm Act protects established farms.
Richland County's animal ordinance does not set a strict household cap for the unincorporated county, but every dog and cat over four months old must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated. Keeping enough animals to become a commercial operation triggers a Commercial Pet Breeder Permit. Columbia limits residents to three dogs.
In unincorporated Richland County, cats are treated as pets under the animal ordinance: every cat over four months old must have a current county pet license and rabies vaccination, and must wear its tag. New residents get 30 days to license. There is no countywide cat leash law.
Richland County has no dedicated ordinance banning general wildlife feeding, but it prohibits creating animal nuisances and attractants that draw pests. South Carolina bans baiting or feeding that harms wildlife management, and SC DNR restricts feeding deer and bear in some situations. Intentionally feeding nuisance wildlife can trigger county enforcement.
Richland County's animal ordinance requires humane care, adequate food, water, and shelter, and prohibits neglect. Keeping so many animals that they cannot be properly cared for is enforced as a nuisance and as cruelty. South Carolina's ill-treatment-of-animals statute (SC Code 47-1-40) makes cruelty and neglect a crime.
In developed areas of unincorporated Richland County, grass or weeds over 12 inches tall are "unsafe and noxious vegetation" and can be declared a nuisance. The property owner must cut or remove them or face county abatement and a lien.
Richland County has no ordinance regulating how a homeowner prunes or trims trees on their own single-family lot. Tree standards in the county's Land Development Code apply to new commercial and subdivision development, not routine yard maintenance. Cities like Columbia may add rules.
A homeowner can remove trees on their own single-family lot without a county permit. On land being developed, Richland County's LDC protects "grand trees" and larger trees in protected zones; removing them requires approval and replacement planting.
Richland County Code Sec. 18-4 treats overgrown grass, weeds, dead brush and noxious plants in developed areas as "unsafe and noxious vegetation." The sheriff can declare it a nuisance and require the owner to clear it or face abatement and a lien.
Richland County itself imposes no permanent lawn-watering ordinance. Outdoor water use is governed by your water utility and by South Carolina's Drought Response Act, which lets SCDNR and regional committees call voluntary or mandatory limits during declared droughts.
Rainwater harvesting is legal in South Carolina and Richland County has no ordinance banning or permitting residential rain barrels or cisterns. The county actually encourages capturing runoff, since stormwater reduction is a stated goal of its landscaping and stormwater programs.
Richland County does not require homeowners to plant native species, but its Land Development Code favors them: on development sites, trees and plants in parking-lot islands that treat stormwater "must consist of native trees and plants." Homeowner yards are exempt from these standards.
Richland County has no ordinance specifically permitting or prohibiting artificial turf on residential lots. Single-family yards are exempt from the county's landscaping standards, so synthetic lawns are generally allowed, subject only to stormwater and drainage rules on development sites.
Richland County has no ordinance banning residential backyard composting. Reasonable home compost piles are allowed, but a pile that becomes a nuisance, harbors vermin, or produces odors could be cited under the county's nuisance and noxious-vegetation provisions.
A residential pool in unincorporated Richland County needs a county building permit before excavation; the SC Residential Code (Appendix G) governs construction and barriers. A PUBLIC pool additionally needs a Construction Permit from SC DES before any work begins.
Under the adopted SC Residential Code (IRC Appendix G), a residential pool must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high measured on the outside. Pedestrian gates must open outward, self-close and self-latch.
Residential pool safety follows the adopted SC Residential Code (Appendix G): a compliant barrier, self-latching gates and, for house-wall barriers, door alarms. Public pools must meet the broader safety, drain-entrapment and attendant rules of SC Regulation 61-51.
Above-ground residential pools follow the same SC Residential Code (Appendix G) barrier rule as in-ground pools: a 48-inch barrier. Appendix G lets the pool wall itself act as the barrier if the ladder or steps are removable, lockable or barrier-protected.
A residential spa or hot tub is exempt from the pool-barrier rules of the adopted SC Residential Code if it has a safety cover complying with ASTM F1346. Otherwise the full 48-inch barrier requirement applies. Public spas fall under SC Reg. 61-51.
In unincorporated Richland County the Land Development Code permits a "home occupation" as an accessory use in residential districts. It must be clearly incidental and subordinate to the home, conducted within the dwelling, and not change the outward residential appearance.
Richland County's Land Development Code allows one small, non-illuminated sign for a home occupation, not exceeding two square feet, mounted flat against the dwelling (or on a low freestanding post in rural RU/RR districts).
A home occupation in unincorporated Richland County must meet LDC standards: only residents may work there, no retail of off-premises goods, no outside storage, and instruction limited to four students at a time. A county business license also applies.
South Carolina lets residents run a "home-based food production operation" selling nonpotentially hazardous foods without a DES/DHEC permit. Products must carry a specific disclaimer label. Richland County home-occupation and business-license rules still apply.
South Carolina lets a resident care for up to six children in a "family childcare home," which must register with SC DSS. In unincorporated Richland County it is treated as a home occupation and needs county zoning approval before the state application.
Yes. Unincorporated Richland County allows one accessory dwelling per single-family lot in most residential and rural districts. The unit cannot exceed 500 square feet or one-fourth of the principal home's heated floor area, whichever is greater. A manufactured home may not serve as an accessory dwelling.
In unincorporated Richland County a shed or other accessory structure generally cannot sit in front of the principal home's building line, must stay at least 10 feet from any property line in the rear yard, and in residential districts cannot exceed 1,200 square feet or 50% of the main home's
Richland County has no separate garage-conversion ordinance. A detached garage is an accessory structure under LDC Sec. 26-185 and must meet its setback, height, and size limits. Converting garage space to living quarters for a separate household is treated as an accessory dwelling and must meet the Sec. 26-151 ADU
Richland County has no carport-specific ordinance. A carport is an accessory structure under LDC Sec. 26-185: it may not stand in front of the principal home's building line, must be at least 10 feet from rear property lines, meet the district's side setback, and stay within the district height limit.
Richland County has no tiny-home-specific ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is treated as a single-family dwelling that must meet the building code and district lot/setback standards. A tiny house on wheels is regulated like a manufactured/recreational unit and is not a general residential right; manufactured homes are
Under the SC Fire Code (Section 308.1.4) that Richland County enforces, charcoal and open-flame grills may not be used on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction. One- and two-family homes and small LP-gas cylinders are exempt.
Backyard smokers, BBQ pits, and grills are treated as cooking devices in Richland County. A fire used for immediate food preparation needs no SC Forestry notification, but the same balcony and clearance rules that govern grills apply.
In Richland County's single-family districts, principal homes must sit 25 feet from the front, 20 feet from the rear, and meet a combined side-yard total (16 ft in RS-LD, 13 ft in RS-MD, 12 ft in RS-HD) with a per-side minimum. Accessory buildings need a 5-foot side and rear setback.
In Richland County's single-family residential districts (RS-LD, RS-MD, RS-HD) and the rural district, the maximum height of structures is 45 feet. Accessory structures must stay within the height limit of the district where they are located unless specifically exempted.
Richland County's single-family districts control building bulk mainly through setbacks and the 45-foot height cap rather than a fixed lot-coverage percentage. Accessory structures in residential districts may not exceed 50% of the principal building's floor area (or 1,200 sq ft) and may cover no more than 30% of the yard.
In unincorporated Richland County, unsafe, dilapidated, or junk-strewn property can be declared a public nuisance. Vacant and abandoned structures must meet the International Property Maintenance Code, and the county can order repair or demolition of dangerous buildings.
Each single-family household or small business in unincorporated Richland County gets one county roll cart. It must be at the curb of the nearest public road by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and pulled back in once emptied or by 7:30 p.m.
Owners of vacant lots in developed areas of unincorporated Richland County must keep them free of overgrown weeds, junk, and debris. Grass or weeds over 12 inches, or dead growth that is a fire hazard within 10 feet of a property line, can be declared a nuisance.
In developed parts of unincorporated Richland County, grass or weeds over 12 inches tall, or trailing vines over 10 feet, can be declared an unlawful nuisance. The Sheriff serves notice, and unabated growth can be cut by the county and billed to the owner as a lien.
Richland County does not impose a specific countywide garage-sale permit for unincorporated residents; occasional home yard sales are generally allowed as an incidental use. Inside the cities (Columbia, Forest Acres, Blythewood), a city permit and frequency limits apply.
Unincorporated Richland County provides weekly curbside garbage collection using one county roll cart per household. Carts must be at the curb of the nearest public road by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and removed once emptied or by 7:30 p.m.
In unincorporated Richland County, roll carts go at the curbside of the nearest public road by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and must be brought back in once emptied or by 7:30 p.m. Keep carts out of ditches and storm drains.
Richland County collects large items like furniture, appliances, mattresses, and box springs curbside by appointment only. Electronics (TVs, computers, printers) are hazardous waste and not taken; residents may also use county drop-off centers free of charge.
Unincorporated Richland County provides curbside recycling by roll cart under Code Sec. 12-22. Only authorized recyclable materials are accepted, and collectors may refuse contaminated carts. Residents must remove contamination before the next collection to keep service.
It is unlawful to dump garbage, debris, junk, appliances, or any solid waste anywhere in unincorporated Richland County except at an SCDHEC-approved landfill (Sec. 12-60). South Carolina's litter law (16-11-700) adds criminal fines that rise with the weight dumped.
Political signs in unincorporated Richland County may not stand in a public road right-of-way or be attached to trees, utility poles, or public property. They cannot be illuminated, cannot exceed 32 square feet or 6 feet in height (if freestanding), may go up 60 days before an election, and must
Yard sale signs in unincorporated Richland County must be on the sale premises only, never in a public right-of-way or on a tree, road sign, or utility pole. They cannot be illuminated, are limited to 4 square feet and 4 feet in height, are limited to one per road frontage,
Yes. Unincorporated Richland County has genuine dark-sky lighting standards. All new development must use full-cutoff certified luminaires aimed downward to minimize light pollution, glare, and trespass. High-pressure sodium and mercury-vapor lamps are banned, and search/laser lights are prohibited except in emergencies.
Unincorporated Richland County caps light spilling onto neighboring property. Illumination at a property line may not exceed 0.1 horizontal or 0.1 vertical foot-candles (outdoor retail up to an average of 2.5). Luminaires must be full-cutoff, downward-aimed, and fitted with visors to control off-site spill and glare.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Richland County ordinances.