Appearance Ordinance
Lexington County’s Neighborhood Appearance District ordinance was created in 2015 at the request of the Whitehall HOA and other HOAs in the Seven Oaks area. In 2019 it was updated to allow (but limit) domestic chickens and to restrict vehicles parked in yards, to add standards for certain commercial properties, and to expand the coverage to a much larger area of the county.
The Appearance Ordinance deals with:
- Grass, weeds and uncultivated vegetation.
- Maintenance of swimming pools.
- Exterior storage.
- Structural disrepair and maintenance.
- Additional factors affecting exterior appearance and maintenance of the property.
The County may notify residents whose properties have these problems, and give the residents a reasonable time period to correct the problems. Residents who fail to make the necessary improvements may face fines up to $1,097 per day or even imprisonment up to 30 days for noncompliance.
Who can take action, and how?
Any individual may file a complaint directly to Lexington County under the Neighborhood Appearance Ordinance. A county zoning officer will investigate and take action as appropriate.
On the county's website:
- Download the Violation Complaint form. It's included in the Forms section.
- View the requirements and enforcement provisions of the Neighborhood Appearance District Ordinance. They're in Article 5, Chapter 1, of the Lexington County Zoning Ordinance (revised June 25, 2024).
More information is available on Lexington County's Zoning Code Enforcement web page.