York County, SC Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- York County Code § 155.752
- Trigger
- 500 or more attendees or participants
- Approval needed
- Board of Zoning Appeals special exception
- Duration
- Approval good for a single event only
- Pre-step
- Mandatory pre-application staff meeting
- Also required
- Zoning compliance application and event plan
Summary
A street fair or festival expected to draw 500 or more attendees in unincorporated York County needs special exception approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals under County Code Section 155.752, on top of the standard zoning compliance application required for any special event.
§ 155.752 LARGE SPECIAL EVENTS. For a special event that is expected to attract 500 or more attendees or participants:
(A) Special exception use approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals is required and applies only to a single event; and
(B) Prior to submittal of an application to the Board of Zoning Appeals, the applicant shall attend a pre-application meeting with staff to discuss the operational characteristics of the proposed event and whether and in what manner the applicant must coordinate with other agencies or County departments.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
752 layers extra review on top of the standard special-event process. First, the organizer must attend a pre-application meeting with staff to discuss the event's operational characteristics and whether it needs to coordinate with other agencies or county departments; only after that meeting can an application go to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Second, the event needs special exception use approval from the Board, and that approval is good for a single event only, so a recurring festival must return to the Board each year rather than relying on one open-ended approval.
751: the event still needs a zoning compliance application accompanied by an event plan covering the description of activities, anticipated attendance, an emergency access and public safety plan, and coordination letters from agencies such as the Sheriff's Office, Fire Safety, or SCDHEC. 737 rather than by the event permit itself.
Violations & Fines
Holding a 500-plus-attendee event without Board of Zoning Appeals special exception approval, or skipping the required pre-application staff meeting, violates Section 155.752. Zoning Code violations are misdemeanors under Section 155.9999, punishable by a fine of up to $500 per day for each day the event runs without the required approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size event triggers extra permitting in York County?
Does a street fair organizer have to meet with county staff first?
Does one Board of Zoning Appeals approval cover an annual festival every year?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina special events & permits overview
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