Greenville County, SC Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

Under County Code § 17-54, tree preservation is tied directly to zoning density in unincorporated Greenville County. Every new land development project must meet a baseline "tree density unit" requirement calculated from the tables in §§ 17-58 through 17-61, based on the diameter at breast height (DBH) of trees saved and identified on an approved Tree Protection Plan (TPP). The TPP must be submitted before any grading or clearing activity and before a grading permit issues; the County has 15 calendar days to review it for compliance with the density-unit and tree-protection standards.

Developers who go beyond the baseline get two separate incentives layered on top of each other. 0 times the standard DBH credit published in the § 17-61 conversion table, making it easier to clear the bonus threshold. Second, once a project's saved-tree credit exceeds the required minimum by 10% or more, the County may award financial and administrative incentives, expressly including a 2% density bonus for each additional 10% of density overage, up to a 10% total bonus, plus expedited permitting. Projects using pervious pavement, rain gardens, or other approved conservation practices to cut runoff and erosion may also be allowed reduced curb, gutter, and stormwater infrastructure requirements as part of the same package.

All of this runs through the County's development review process; the tree survey and TPP must be prepared by a licensed forester, landscape architect, or certified arborist and stamped accordingly.