To the casual observer, Greenville County’s rapid growth may make it seem like new subdivisions are popping up with little warning and even less public input.
The reality is there is a legally mandated process in place that must be followed and that often takes years to complete.
The team charged with overseeing that process for Greenville County is the office of Subdivision Administration, which falls under the county’s planning department. Led by Subdivision Administrator Meagan Staton, the staff of five works to ensure each project follows the requirements spelled out in the county’s land development regulations.
The following is a general, simplified description of the subdivision planning process.
Process overview
A major subdivision is defined as any division of land into seven or more lots, or any subdivision of land that requires the construction of infrastructure like new roads, water and sewer service extensions, or drainage improvements.
The first step in subdivision development is determining whether a proposed project is within a zoned or an unzoned area of the county. Zoned areas typically have additional requirements and restrictions, depending on the zoning classification. This determination shapes next steps, but the process for zoned and unzoned projects is broadly similar.
The next step is a pre-submittal meeting between the developer and Subdivision Administration staff. At this stage, the developer will typically present a conceptual plan. Staff will advise what is required to submit a preliminary plan, which is the next step in the process.
The requirements for what must be included in the preliminary plan are extensive and include proposed lot and street layout, location of proposed water and sewer infrastructure, floodplain information, and the location of houses and other significant structures. If any of the required information is lacking or incomplete, the preliminary plan submission will be rejected.
“We only want applications that truly meet all of the checklist requirements,” Staton said.
Once a preliminary plan submission is deemed complete, it is sent out for technical review by members of the Subdivision Advisory Committee. The SAC includes members of other county departments responsible for things like floodplain management, roads and bridges and stormwater management. It also includes representatives of outside agencies like water and wastewater utilities, Greenville County Schools and the state Department of Transportation, among others.
The SAC meets monthly, and although there is not a public comment opportunity during these meetings, Staton said such meetings are a chance for the public to learn detailed information about a proposed subdivision project.
The final stage that determines whether a project moves forward is overseen by the Greenville County Planning Commission. Its decisions to approve or deny are binding and must be arrived at using the county’s land development regulations. Planning Commission meetings are also the venue where the public has the opportunity to weigh in on a project.
Subdivision Administration’s role is procedural and centered on ensuring each project complies with the county’s land development regulations. It is not a decision making body and therefore does not set policy.
Staton said the above process can take as little as two or three months but can last up to seven years, and all of this has to be completed before any construction can take place.
For more information, visit greenvillecounty.org/landdevelopment.
Good to know
A major subdivision is defined as any division of land into seven or more lots or any subdivision of land that requires the construction of infrastructure like new roads, water and sewer service extensions, or drainage improvements.
