Darlington County, SC Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code § 22-32(1)a
- Removal deadline after notice
- 30 days
- Appeal window
- 15 days from notice
- Maximum penalty
- $200 fine or 15 days jail
- Covered zone
- Residential/commercial area or 100 ft of highway ROW
Summary
In unincorporated Darlington County, letting junk, litter, debris or scrap lumber pile up on a vacant lot or premises is a nuisance under Code § 22-32(1)a whenever the lot sits in a residential or developed commercial area, or within 100 feet of a primary highway right-of-way. The county administrator's office enforces it through a certified-mail notice and removal deadline.
Accumulation of junk and trash. It shall be unlawful to allow to accumulate on any premises or in the rear of stores, factories or residences in a residential or developed commercial area, or within 100 feet of a primary highway right-of-way: old fixtures, junk, litter, white goods, debris, bottles, cans, bricks, concrete, scrap lumber or other building debris, trash or any other material which tends to keep the premises wet, exclude the sun or catch and favor the accumulation of filth, or to be present in such quantities and in such condition as to materially increase the danger to property of others from forest or other fires. Such accumulations are hereby declared a nuisance.
Full Breakdown
Darlington County's nuisance ordinance, Code of Ordinances § 22-32(1)a, makes it unlawful to allow old fixtures, junk, litter, white goods, debris, bottles, cans, bricks, concrete or scrap lumber to accumulate on any premises, including a vacant lot, in a residential or developed commercial area, or within 100 feet of a primary highway right-of-way. The code defines a residential area as one with at least 16 developed lots per mile of road frontage on both sides, or with development on at least a third of available frontage, and lists U.S.
52, U.S. 15, U.S. 401, S.C. 34, S.C. 151, S.C. 403 and S.C. 102 as the primary highways triggering the 100-foot buffer. The rule targets material that keeps a lot wet, blocks sun, collects filth, or raises fire danger to neighboring property. Enforcement runs through § 22-51: once a citizen or county agent files a nuisance complaint form, the county administrator or a designee mails the owner (and any tenant) a certified notice requiring removal within 30 days. An owner who disagrees can appeal in writing within 15 days under § 22-52; the administrator must rule on that appeal within 15 days, and if the appeal is denied the owner still gets 30 days from the denial to clear the lot.
Failure to comply lets the administrator issue a uniform summons under § 22-53, and a sheriff's deputy or authorized officer who personally witnesses the violation can summons the responsible party directly under § 22-54.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 22-32 is a misdemeanor under § 22-55: conviction carries a fine of up to $200.00, up to 15 days' imprisonment, or both. Once the compliance deadline from the § 22-51 notice or a denied § 22-52 appeal passes, each additional day the junk or trash remains counts as a separate offense, so fines can multiply quickly on a lot that is never cleared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the junk and trash rule apply to any vacant lot in the county?
Who do I contact to report a junk-strewn vacant lot?
What happens if the owner ignores the 30-day notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Darlington County
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