Darlington County, SC Right to Farm: Agricultural Zoning Protection (2026)

Unincorporated Darlington County regulates where large-scale livestock operations may locate instead of zoning agricultural land by district. Code § 3-53 requires commercial or confined swine operations to sit at least five miles from any other swine operation, including facilities across the county line, and lists separation distances from other uses in a table: one-half mile from a residence, one mile from a religious institution, two miles from a public or private school, one mile from a public park, one mile from commercial or industrial uses, two miles from an incorporated municipality's limits, two miles from a county industrial park, and one mile from a public water source or surface water intake.

Waste lagoons tied to a swine operation must sit at least 1,500 feet, measured in a straight line, from the property line, from any water supply, stream or watercourse, and from the centerline of any public road. An applicant must submit proof of liability insurance of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence covering cleanup from an accident or natural disaster that causes waste to seep or overflow, filed with planning staff at the time of application. Section 3-54 layers on additional requirements for all of the uses covered by this article: permittees must maintain all-weather access roads under SCDHEC Regulation R.61-43, any new production unit needing an address must have public road frontage or a recorded easement with at least 20 feet of travel surface, and applicants must submit an approved agricultural facility plan, proof of state and federal permits, and a stormwater permit from SCDHEC or the county, whichever holds jurisdiction.