Greenwood County, SC Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Greenwood County Code Section 11-4-3(c), adopted by Ordinance No. 18-00 on June 20, 2000, targets vacant property specifically. It bars an owner, occupant or agent from maintaining or permitting on any premises, 'including vacant lots or land,' an accumulation of trash, garbage, household appliances, furniture, discarded clothing, building materials, glass, wood or miscellaneous refuse in a manner that is or may become a public nuisance, and it also bars placing or leaving such material adjacent to the premises or in any public place except for garbage collection.

Section 11-4-4(a) reinforces this for undeveloped ground by capping weeds, grass and vegetation at 12 inches on 'property (with or without structures),' so an empty lot is regulated the same as a built one, unless the parcel is approved agricultural land. Section 11-4-5 places the upkeep duty on the owner, agent, occupant or lessee, covering not just loose litter but material trapped at fence lines, wall bases, ditches and other lodging points. The county litter officer enforces these sections under Section 11-4-6, which requires 15 to 30 days' written notice, and the county administrative officer may inspect a vacant lot under Section 11-4-8, seeking a search warrant if the owner refuses entry.