Mount Pleasant, SC Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 156.583 Invasive Species
- Prohibited list
- SC Exotic Pest Council Invasive Plant List
- Removal deadline
- Before final inspection
- Replacement credit
- None for invasive species removal
- Enforcing agency
- Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Dept.
- Maximum fine
- $500 and/or 30 days (§ 156.1577)
Summary
In the Town of Mount Pleasant, Town Code § 156.583 bars planting or counting toward any landscaping requirement any invasive exotic species on the South Carolina Exotic Pest Council's Invasive Plant List. Where invasive plants already occupy a site slated for development, the owner must eradicate them before final inspection, and the Town gives no tree or shrub replacement credit for removing them.
(A) Invasive exotic species listed on the South Carolina Exotic Pest Council Invasive Plant List shall not be planted or used to fulfill any planting requirements. (B) Where invasive species exist on sites to be developed in part or in full, they shall be removed by appropriate means so as not to damage desirable species. ... (3) Replacement is not required for removal of invasive species.
Full Breakdown
582, which otherwise forbids removing trees and natural vegetation from a special right-of-way bufferyard, scenic highway bufferyard, critical area buffer, or historical and cultural resources buffer. 582(B) states removal of invasive species is required, not merely allowed, wherever they appear in a protected buffer. 583(B)(1), landscape, buffer, and site plans submitted to the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Department must flag the presence of any invasive species on the tract. 702(C). 583(A) blocks any South Carolina Exotic Pest Council-listed species from being used to satisfy a bufferyard, streetscape, or parking-lot landscaping requirement anywhere in town, not just within a protected buffer.
Violations & Fines
Planting a South Carolina Exotic Pest Council-listed species to satisfy a Town landscaping requirement, or failing to eradicate invasive species identified on an approved landscape or buffer plan, is a violation of Chapter 156. Under § 156.1577(B)(1)(a), a conviction carries a misdemeanor fine of up to $500, up to 30 days imprisonment, or both, and the Zoning Administrator may also pursue an injunction or other action under § 156.1577(A) to correct the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant an invasive species from the SC Exotic Pest Council list in my Mount Pleasant yard?
Do I get credit for removing an invasive tree from a required buffer?
When must invasive species be removed during development?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
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