Hardscaping and landscaping on Kiawah Island.

Almost everything outdoors needs an ARB permit. The board's standards, Designing with Nature (the 2026 edition, posted in September 2026), put fences, walkways, driveways, seating areas and landscape lighting through its review.

The application carries a review fee, a deposit and an agreement form, and the board's own answers page says the form is signed by both the contractor and the owner. The board generally meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month, and its standards say a permit is issued within ten business days once the submittal is complete.

Fences are short, dark and hidden. Five feet is the ceiling, post caps and lights included. An open fence has to sit at least ten feet off the property line and outside the stormwater buffer, which is typically fifteen feet from a marsh or lagoon edge.

It is to be simple and dark, with evergreen planting screening it, and chain link is not allowed. On lots whose side and rear setbacks are ten feet or less, the standards let a fence sit five feet from the line with enough evergreen planting between. The Town's code asks for a zoning permit as well.

Hard surfaces come out of a budget. Lot coverage, the house footprint included, is capped by the lot's high ground: 55 percent under 8,000 square feet, 46 percent from 8,000 to just under 12,000, and 39.67 percent at 12,000 and over. Driveways, walkways and at-grade seating areas are all drawn on the plan the board reviews.

A seating area at grade stays at least ten feet from the property lines and outside the same stormwater buffer. A driveway stays five feet from a side line, light-colored or attention-getting paving will not be approved, and plans for new or replacement hardscape go to the community association for a drainage review before construction.

Turf is possible, out of sight, with samples. The standards allow artificial turf for a lawn only after the board has reviewed and approved samples. It counts toward lot coverage, and it is not allowed in a right-of-way or where neighboring properties can see it. The Town's own landscape code calls synthetic turf discouraged. Where you want real grass, it has to be sod; seeding and sprigging are not accepted.

The island sets the working day. A contractor needs a Town business license, a community association encroachment permit and a gate pass before the first truck comes through. Work runs Monday to Friday, 7 to 7, and Saturday, 8 to 5, with no Sundays or national holidays. On the beachfront, lights may not shine toward the beach in loggerhead season, May 1 to October 31, and on a house lot the board does not allow motion-sensor lighting.

Rules checked in October 2026 against: Kiawah Island ARB, Designing with Nature (2026 edition) · ARB frequently asked questions · Town of Kiawah Island, business licenses · Kiawah Island Community Association, livability and encroachment permits · Town of Kiawah Island, Lights Out for Turtles. Boards and councils change them, so we confirm the current text for your address before quoting.