Greenville South Carolina residential site plan showing property lines, an existing house, proposed garage, shed, deck, driveway, setbacks and lot coverage — Example Greenville residential site plan showing property boundaries, an existing house, proposed garage, shed, deck, driveway and site dimensions. The address, zoning, setbacks and coverage calculations are illustrative. Verify the legal jurisdiction and property-specific requirements before permit submission.

Site Plan for Permit in Greenville, SC: Residential Plans

Planning a new home, garage, shed, deck, pool or residential addition in Greenville commonly requires a drawing showing where the proposed work will be located on the property.

A site plan for a permit in Greenville, South Carolina is a scaled overhead drawing of the lot. It shows the legal property boundaries, existing buildings, proposed improvements, setbacks, driveways, paved areas, drainage features and other conditions needed for zoning and permit review.

The City of Greenville requires a single-family site plan as part of a building-permit application when a new building or an addition to an existing building is proposed. The City also states that almost all development or redevelopment of a structure or parcel requires site-plan approval before another construction-related permit can be issued.^[1]^[2]

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Is a Site Plan Required for Every Greenville Permit?

No. A site plan is not needed for every type of residential permit.

Interior work that does not alter the exterior footprint or site layout may not require a new site plan. Examples can include certain kitchen renovations, bathroom alterations, interior electrical work and replacement of equipment in an existing approved location.

A site plan is much more likely to be required when the project affects:

the footprint of a house or another building;
the location of a garage, shed or accessory structure;
property-line setbacks;
distance between structures;
building or impervious coverage;
driveways, parking areas or walkways;
decks, patios or pools;
existing trees;
grading and drainage;
floodplain or environmental areas;
recorded easements; or
work within the public right-of-way.

The City’s single-family requirements identify site-plan approval for all new construction, modifications affecting gross floor area and enclosure or alteration of features such as porches, balconies and breezeways.^[2]

Projects That Commonly Need a Greenville Site Plan

Residential project	Why a site plan may be required
New house	Shows the dwelling footprint, setbacks, driveway, coverage, grading and drainage.
Home addition	Confirms the expanded footprint, property-line clearances and revised coverage.
Attached or detached garage	Shows garage location, access, setbacks, building separation and roofed coverage.
Shed or accessory building	Establishes zoning placement even when the structure is small enough to be exempt from a building permit.
Deck or covered porch	Shows the new footprint, stairs, setbacks and whether the area is roofed or uncovered.
Swimming pool	Shows the pool, deck, safety enclosure, equipment, utilities, setbacks and impervious coverage.
Driveway or parking expansion	Documents the new impervious area, access, landscaping and drainage effects.
Retaining wall	Shows the wall in relation to property lines, buildings, grades and drainage.

Important Corrections to the Featured Image

The featured infographic is an educational example. It is not an approved site plan, legal survey or property-specific zoning determination.

Correct the website branding

The footer currently identifies SitePlans.ca. Because the image is being used on USA Site Plans, replace it with:

USA SITE PLANS — USASITEPLANS.COM

Remove the code-compliance guarantee

The phrase “Code-Compliant. Permit-Ready.” suggests that the generic example has been checked against the requirements applying to a real property.

Replace it with:

“Accurate. Detailed. Prepared for Permit Review.”

A complete drawing can support permit review, but the City may require revisions, surveys, engineering or other documents.

Replace the R-10 zoning label

Greenville adopted a new Development Code and zoning map in June 2023. Current house-scale residential districts include RH-A, RH-B, RH-C and RH-D.^[6]^[7]

The image should state:

“Current zoning district: verify through the City of Greenville zoning map.”

Do not present the setbacks as universal minimums

The image shows several proposed dimensions, including:

five feet between the garage and side boundary;
eight feet between the shed and side boundary;
ten feet between the shed and rear boundary;
ten feet between the garage and front or street-facing boundary; and
15 feet between the shed and house.

These can remain as illustrative proposed dimensions, but they should not be described as Greenville-wide minimums.

The actual requirements depend on:

the zoning district;
which lot line is the front, side or rear;
whether the property is a corner lot;
whether the structure is attached or detached;
the structure’s height and use;
recorded easements;
floodplain or stream conditions;
historic-district requirements; and
previously approved plans or variances.

Correct the building-coverage calculation

The image shows a 100-foot by 150-foot lot, producing an area of 15,000 square feet.

The labelled roofed footprints are:

existing house: 40 × 30 feet = 1,200 square feet;
proposed garage: 24 × 24 feet = 576 square feet; and
proposed shed: 12 × 16 feet = 192 square feet.

The subtotal is:

1,200 + 576 + 192 = 1,968 square feet.

The corresponding building coverage is:

1,968 ÷ 15,000 × 100 = approximately 13.1%.

The deck must then be classified correctly:

a roofed deck or porch is generally included with building coverage; while
an uncovered deck or patio is listed under additional impervious coverage on Greenville’s current lot-coverage chart.^[3]

The image’s 2,200-square-foot and 14.7% calculation should not be used unless every included area is itemized and verified.

Add total impervious coverage

Greenville’s lot-coverage worksheet separates two measurements:

Building coverage: roofed areas supported by walls or columns.
Additional impervious coverage: driveways, parking, walkways, steps, uncovered decks and patios, pools and similar surfaces.

Gravel is treated as impervious on the City worksheet.^[3]

The image should not label roofed structures alone as the complete site-coverage result while excluding the driveway and other hard surfaces.

Greenville’s Site Plan Permit Requirement

The City’s permit information states that development or redevelopment of a structure or parcel normally requires a Site Plan Permit before another building or construction permit can be issued.^[1]

The single-family site-plan process reviews matters such as:

whether the proposed use is permitted in the zoning district;
compliance with dimensional requirements;
building and impervious coverage;
accessory-building placement;
parking and driveway layout;
tree requirements;
grading and drainage;
stormwater requirements;
floodplain and environmental conditions; and
other development standards.

The City may request supplemental reports, information or revised plans where the property’s legal or physical conditions require them.^[2]

What Should a Greenville Residential Site Plan Show?

The precise requirements vary by project, but a complete residential plan commonly includes the following.

Drawing information

complete property address;
owner or applicant information;
project description;
drawing scale;
north arrow;
drawing date;
revision date where applicable; and
clear existing, proposed and demolition labels.

Property information

all legal property boundaries;
length of each boundary;
lot area;
street names;
rights-of-way;
recorded easements;
current zoning district;
subdivision, lot or parcel information; and
floodplain, creek or environmental areas where applicable.

Proposed construction

proposed building or structure footprint;
overall length and width;
setback from every relevant lot line;
distance from other buildings;
roof overhangs;
stairs, landings and ramps;
door locations;
driveway or parking changes;
new patios and walkways;
proposed grading;
roof-drainage direction;
construction access; and
areas of vegetation or paving to be removed.

Lot Coverage Is Required for Single-Family Permits

The City’s current Lot Coverage Chart states that it must be completed for all single-family building permits.^[3]

The worksheet has three parts.

1. Building coverage

Building coverage includes areas under a roof supported by walls or columns, including:

the principal house;
attached garages;
detached garages;
covered porches;
open-air garages or carports;
accessory dwelling units;
sheds and other outbuildings; and
other roofed structures.

2. Additional impervious coverage

The worksheet separately lists:

uncovered decks and patios;
mechanical-equipment pads;
steps;
walkways;
driveways;
parking areas;
pools and pool decks;
gravel surfaces; and
other impervious improvements.

3. Combined impervious coverage

The final section adds the roofed building coverage to the additional impervious area.

This is why a plan showing only the house, garage and shed percentage is incomplete when the project also contains a driveway, walkway, pool or uncovered deck.

Current House-Scale Residential Coverage Limits

The City’s February 2025 coverage chart lists the following maximum building-coverage limits for RH districts:

District	Lot size	Maximum building coverage
RH-A	All lot sizes	20%
RH-B	Under 14,000 sq. ft.	35%
	14,000–20,000 sq. ft.	30%
	Over 20,000 sq. ft.	25%
RH-C	Under 9,000 sq. ft.	45%
	9,000–14,000 sq. ft.	40%
	14,000–20,000 sq. ft.	35%
	Over 20,000 sq. ft.	30%
RH-D	All lot sizes	50%

The City instructs applicants in other zoning districts to contact the Planning and Development administrator for the applicable limit.^[3]

These figures should not be applied until the property’s current zoning classification and legal lot area have been confirmed.

New Homes and Residential Additions

A new dwelling or an addition that expands a house requires a single-family site plan as part of the building-permit application.

The drawing should show:

the complete existing house footprint;
the proposed addition;
property boundaries;
front, side and rear dimensions;
covered porches;
stairs and landings;
garages and accessory structures;
driveways and paved surfaces;
building and impervious coverage;
trees affected by the work;
existing and proposed drainage; and
any easement or environmental constraint.

Separate architectural or construction plans are normally needed to show:

floor plans;
foundation design;
wall and roof framing;
building elevations;
cross-sections;
energy-code information; and
electrical, plumbing and mechanical work.

Garage Site Plans

A garage site plan should establish both zoning placement and practical vehicle access.

The plan should identify:

whether the garage is attached or detached;
garage length and width;
garage-door position;
distance to each property line;
distance from the house and other structures;
existing and proposed driveway;
parking and manoeuvring areas;
roof overhangs;
finished-floor elevation;
roof-drainage direction;
utility and easement conflicts;
trees affected by construction; and
revised building and impervious coverage.

The illustrated 24-by-24-foot garage has a 576-square-foot footprint. That area must be added to the roofed building-coverage calculation.

A garage position that appears to fit on an aerial map may still conflict with a legal boundary, easement, drainage feature or required setback.

Shed and Accessory-Structure Plans

The image illustrates a 12-by-16-foot shed with an area of 192 square feet.

Greenville lists one-story detached accessory structures not exceeding 200 square feet among the projects exempt from a building permit. However, the City specifically notes that accessory structures under 200 square feet still require application submission and approval before construction.^[4]

A shed plan should show:

the shed footprint;
building height;
door and window locations;
distance to all relevant lot lines;
distance to the house, garage and other structures;
roof or eave projections;
foundation or anchoring method;
roof-drainage direction;
existing easements and utilities;
affected trees; and
updated coverage calculations.

A storage shed should not be represented as a dwelling, bedroom, rental unit or permanent sleeping space. Residential occupancy requires a different type of approval.

Decks, Porches and Patios

The coverage category depends on the construction.

Covered deck or porch: generally included with building coverage.
Uncovered deck or patio: listed as additional impervious coverage on the City worksheet.

The plan should show:

deck or patio dimensions;
whether it is roofed;
stairs and landings;
distance to property lines;
distance to other structures;
posts and footings;
existing and proposed grades;
drainage beneath or around the project; and
the correct coverage category.

Pools and Outdoor Projects

A residential pool plan should show more than the pool basin.

A thorough site drawing can include:

pool dimensions;
pool deck or patio;
distance to each property line;
distance from the house and accessory structures;
safety fence and gates;
pool equipment;
electrical clearances;
underground and overhead utilities;
construction access;
drainage and backwash arrangements;
trees to remain or be removed;
easements; and
revised impervious coverage.

The City’s lot-coverage worksheet includes the pool and pool deck under additional impervious coverage.^[3]

Projects Adding Impervious Area

Greenville states that projects adding 100 square feet or more of impervious area are subject to additional regulation.^[1]

Impervious surfaces can include:

roofed additions;
garages and sheds;
driveways;
parking pads;
walkways and steps;
uncovered decks and patios;
pools and pool decks;
mechanical pads; and
gravel-covered areas.

The plan should clearly state the existing, proposed, removed and final square footage of each surface.

Grading, Drainage and Stormwater

A new building or paved area can change where rainwater moves across the property.

The single-family site-plan example published by the City shows drainage arrows, property lines, structures, driveway width, floodplain information and setback dimensions.^[2]

A detailed plan may show:

existing and proposed grades;
finished-floor elevations;
surface-flow arrows;
roof gutters and downspouts;
swales;
catch basins;
retaining walls;
driveway slope;
low points;
erosion-control measures; and
the direction runoff leaves the property.

The proposed project should not:

direct water toward the house;
send concentrated runoff onto a neighbouring property;
block an existing swale;
cover a drainage facility;
create ponding beside a structure; or
interfere with a recorded drainage easement.

A land-disturbance permit may be required before grading begins. The City states that this permit cannot be purchased until the required Site Plan Permit and any applicable Stormwater Permit have been approved.^[1]^[10]

Floodplain, Creek and Wetland Conditions

Construction near a floodplain, floodway, wetland, stream or riparian area can require additional information and review.

The City’s single-family requirements state that construction is not exempt from the floodplain, wetland, riparian, depressional-storage, erosion and sediment-control provisions of the development regulations.^[2]

The plan may need to identify:

mapped flood-zone limits;
regulatory floodway;
creek or stream location;
required buffers;
wetland boundaries;
existing and proposed elevations;
finished-floor elevation;
retaining walls;
areas of fill or excavation; and
erosion-control measures.

The City provides an interactive flood-zone map for determining whether a property may be affected.^[9]

Trees and Residential Development

The City requires property owners to complete the Tree Disturbance Form before removing regulated trees within Greenville city limits.^[8]

The current lot-coverage chart says tree surveys must show:

trees greater than six inches in diameter proposed for removal;
trees greater than three inches intended to remain for required tree counts or mitigation;
tree locations;
species; and
diameter.^[3]

A residential site plan may also need to show:

tree-protection areas;
construction access;
foundation excavation;
driveway paving;
utility trenches;
material-storage locations; and
replacement trees.

Tree approval and the building permit are separate matters. A structure fitting within the zoning envelope does not automatically authorize removal of protected trees.

Historic District Properties

Exterior alterations to a building in a designated Greenville historic district require a Certificate of Appropriateness through the City’s historic-review process.^[5]

Historic review can affect:

home additions;
new garages;
replacement garages;
sheds visible from the street;
covered porches;
decks;
retaining walls;
demolition; and
exterior materials and roof forms.

A municipal building permit does not replace historic approval where that additional review applies.

Confirm City or County Jurisdiction

A Greenville mailing address does not always mean the property is inside the incorporated City of Greenville.

A property may instead be located in:

unincorporated Greenville County;
Mauldin;
Simpsonville;
Greer;
Travelers Rest;
Fountain Inn; or
another nearby municipality.

City and County permit applications, zoning districts and setback requirements are not interchangeable.

Before preparing the site plan, confirm:

the legal permitting jurisdiction;
the parcel or tax-map number;
the applicable zoning map;
the responsible building department;
the responsible stormwater authority; and
whether private subdivision or HOA approval is also required.

The City provides an address locator for confirming City services and jurisdiction. Greenville County operates its own separate building-permit process.^[1]^[13]

Site Plan Versus Boundary Survey

A site plan and a boundary survey are not the same document.

Boundary survey

A boundary survey is prepared by a licensed land surveyor. It establishes or verifies legal property boundaries and may identify monuments, easements and encroachments.

Permit site plan

A permit site plan uses reliable property information to illustrate existing conditions and proposed construction for municipal review.

A drafting plan may be suitable where the City accepts owner-provided information and the boundaries are reasonably established. A licensed survey may be needed when:

the project is close to a property line;
survey markers cannot be found;
the lot is irregular;
neighbours disagree about a boundary;
an easement affects the project area;
an encroachment may exist;
the property is in or near a floodplain; or
the City requests certified measurements.

Do Not Measure From a Fence

An existing fence is not reliable evidence of the legal property line.

A fence may be:

inside the subject property;
inside the neighbouring property;
offset from the surveyed boundary;
constructed around a tree or retaining wall;
located within an easement; or
partly inside a public right-of-way.

Setbacks should be based on dependable legal-boundary information rather than the apparent edge of a lawn, fence or driveway.

Easements and Utilities

A recorded easement may protect:

water service;
sanitary sewer;
stormwater facilities;
electric lines;
natural-gas lines;
communications infrastructure;
shared driveways;
drainage routes; or
access rights.

Showing an easement on the site plan does not mean construction within it will be approved. Written authorization or relocation of the proposed project may be required.

Contact SC811 Before Digging

South Carolina homeowners should submit a utility-locate request before digging for foundations, decks, additions, pools, fences or landscaping.

SC811 instructs homeowners to submit the request at least three business days before excavation, excluding the submission day, weekends and holidays.^[12]

Public utility markings may not identify privately owned services such as:

landscape-lighting wiring;
power serving a detached building;
irrigation lines;
private gas piping;
private drainage lines;
pool equipment services; and
security or communications wiring.

A private utility locator may be needed for privately installed lines.

How to Submit a Greenville Permit Application

The City prefers building applications and construction plans to be submitted online. A single-family site plan is included with the building-permit application rather than submitted through the non-single-family site-plan form.^[1]

A typical process is:

Confirm the jurisdiction. Verify that the property is inside the City of Greenville.
Confirm the zoning district. Use the current City zoning map.
Identify the permits required. Building, site plan, grading, stormwater, tree, floodplain and historic approvals may be separate.
Gather property information. Obtain the survey, plat, deed, tax-map number and recorded easements where available.
Measure existing conditions. Document the house, garages, sheds, driveways, decks, patios and other improvements.
Prepare the proposed layout. Show dimensions and setbacks for the new project.
Calculate coverage. Complete building, additional impervious and combined coverage calculations.
Review trees and drainage. Identify trees, grades, flow directions and land disturbance.
Prepare construction plans. Add floor plans, elevations, foundations and structural details where required.
Submit the complete application online.
Respond to review comments. Revise the drawings when Planning, Engineering or Building staff request corrections.
Receive all required approvals before construction.
Contact SC811 before excavation.
Schedule required inspections.
Obtain final approval.

Common Greenville Site Plan Mistakes

Using SitePlans.ca branding on a USA Site Plans article.
Claiming that a generic plan is automatically code-compliant.
Using R-10 instead of checking the current Greenville zoning district.
Applying example setbacks to every property.
Failing to confirm whether the property is in the City or County.
Using the mailing address to determine jurisdiction.
Measuring from a fence instead of the legal property line.
Leaving existing sheds or garages off the drawing.
Failing to distinguish existing, proposed and demolition work.
Using inconsistent structure dimensions and area calculations.
Combining building coverage and impervious coverage incorrectly.
Leaving driveways and walkways out of impervious calculations.
Failing to count gravel as an impervious surface.
Leaving uncovered decks or patios out of the worksheet.
Assuming a shed under 200 square feet needs no City approval.
Failing to show roof overhangs near property lines.
Building over an easement.
Blocking an existing drainage route.
Ignoring the 100-square-foot added-impervious-area rule.
Leaving trees affected by construction off the plan.
Ignoring historic-district approval.
Ignoring floodplain or creek conditions.
Starting grading before the required permit is issued.
Digging before obtaining utility locates.

How Our Greenville Site Plan Service Works

Send the property address. Include the correct jurisdiction when known.
Describe the project. Tell us whether it is a new home, addition, garage, shed, deck, pool or driveway.
Provide the proposed dimensions. Include the intended location and known setback measurements.
Upload available documents. A survey, recorded plat, contractor sketch or permit correction notice can improve the drawing.
We prepare the site plan. The drawing can show boundaries, existing buildings, proposed work, setbacks, access and coverage information.
Review the draft. Confirm all customer-supplied measurements before using the plan for permit coordination.

Order a Greenville Residential Site Plan

Need a clear property drawing for a new home, addition, garage, shed, deck, pool or driveway?

Send us the property address, proposed dimensions and any available survey, plat, contractor sketch or City comments.

Order Your Site Plan

USA Site Plans prepares residential drafting plans using customer-supplied information and available property sources. Our standard drawings are unsigned and are not certified boundary surveys, architectural plans, structural engineering plans, drainage certificates or guarantees of permit approval. A South Carolina land surveyor, architect, engineer or other qualified professional may be required depending on the property and project.

Greenville Site Plan FAQs

Does Greenville require a site plan for a new house?

Yes. New single-family construction requires a site plan as part of the building-permit process.

Does a home addition require a site plan?

Yes. An addition changes the building footprint and requires the proposed construction to be shown in relation to the property and existing improvements.

Does a detached garage require a site plan?

Yes. The plan should show its location, dimensions, setbacks, driveway access and effect on building and impervious coverage.

Does a 12-by-16-foot shed require a building permit?

It has an area of 192 square feet. A one-story detached accessory structure not exceeding 200 square feet can be exempt from a building permit, but Greenville still requires application submission and approval before construction.

Does a small shed have to meet zoning?

Yes. A building-permit exemption does not remove zoning, setback, coverage, easement, tree or drainage requirements.

Is R-10 a current City of Greenville zone?

The current Development Code uses classifications such as RH-A, RH-B, RH-C and RH-D for house-scale residential areas. The actual property zoning must be checked on the current map.

Are the setbacks shown in the image official minimums?

No. They are illustrative dimensions. Required setbacks are property-specific.

Is the image’s 14.7% coverage calculation correct?

Not as presented. The labelled house, garage and shed total 1,968 square feet, or approximately 13.1% of the 15,000-square-foot lot, before the deck is classified and added.

Does the driveway count toward building coverage?

No. It is listed under additional impervious coverage rather than roofed building coverage.

Does gravel count as impervious coverage?

Yes. Greenville’s current lot-coverage worksheet states that gravel is considered impervious.

Does an uncovered deck count?

The City worksheet lists uncovered decks and patios under additional impervious coverage.

Does a covered porch count?

Yes. A covered porch is included under roofed building coverage.

Is a coverage worksheet required?

The City’s current chart states that it must be completed for all single-family building permits.

What happens when a project adds more than 100 square feet of impervious area?

The City says additional regulation applies to projects adding 100 square feet or more of impervious surface.

Does the site plan need drainage information?

Drainage direction, grades and stormwater features may be required depending on the project and property conditions.

Can the project block an existing swale?

No. The design should maintain lawful drainage and avoid directing runoff onto neighbouring property.

Do trees need to be shown?

Trees affected by construction or removal may need to be documented. The City’s coverage chart identifies survey and mitigation requirements for qualifying trees.

Does a historic property require another approval?

Exterior changes in a designated historic district require a Certificate of Appropriateness.

How can I determine whether the property is in a flood zone?

The City provides an interactive flood-zone map. Floodplain, stream and wetland conditions can require additional review.

Is a Greenville mailing address always inside the City?

No. Many Greenville mailing addresses are in unincorporated Greenville County or another municipality.

Are City and County permit requirements the same?

No. The City of Greenville and Greenville County have separate zoning and permit systems.

Can I use an online parcel map instead of a survey?

Online mapping can support preliminary drafting but does not legally establish a property boundary.

Can the existing fence be used as the boundary?

Not reliably. A fence may be offset from the surveyed property line.

Do I need to contact SC811?

Yes, before excavation. SC811 instructs homeowners to provide at least three business days’ notice.

How are City applications submitted?

The City prefers online submission of building applications and construction plans.

Can the plan be revised after City comments?

Yes. It can be updated using corrected dimensions, zoning comments, coverage calculations, drainage requirements or survey information.

Official Sources

Greenville zoning, building, stormwater, tree and site-plan requirements can change. Individual properties may also be affected by County jurisdiction, floodplain conditions, streams, easements, historic-district controls, private covenants, subdivision restrictions and previous approvals. Confirm current property-specific requirements with the responsible permitting authority before construction.