Here’s a recap of Greenville City Council’s Oct. 9 meeting:
Approved: $1.7 million for Cleveland Park playground
The city plans to replace and revamp the playground at Cleveland Park. The project is expected to cost $2 million to install new playground equipment, add new shade structures and fix resurfacing materials.
To help fund the project, the city will apply for a $300,000 grant from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism’s Federal Land and Water Conservation fund in December. If awarded the grant, the city will be required to match the funding.
Council approved a resolution to utilize $1.7 million from the hospitality tax fund to satisfy the grant’s 1-to-1 matching fund requirement and cover the project’s remaining cost.
Initial approval: Development agreement with NR Gateway Greenville
NR Gateway Greenville LLC plans to create a large-scale, mixed-use development – commonly referred to as the Greenville Gateway Project – at 250 N. Church St. The project will include approximately 294 multifamily units and over 12,000 square feet of new commercial space.
While developing the project, NR Gateway Greenville also intends to complete various public improvements including a public plaza and streetscape upgrades along Church Street, North Street and Beattie Place.
Council approved the initial reading of an ordinance to enter into a development agreement with NR Gateway Greenville for the design and construction of these improvements. The city would spend $3 million for the improvement project. That amount includes a $1 million grant the city plans to request from the Greenville Water System.
Initial approval: Development agreement with United Community Bank
Council approved the initial reading of an ordinance to enter into a development agreement with United Community Bank.
United Community Bank is currently building its corporate headquarters and related parking facilities in downtown Greenville. The organization owns property located at 200 E. Camperdown Way and along Falls Street and Webster Street.
Through the public-private partnership with the city, the United Community Bank will complete streetscape improvements along East Camperdown Way and Falls Street. The upgrades include curbing, new brick banded sidewalks, seat walls, raised planters and more.
The city agreed to fund the organization’s public infrastructure improvements and appropriate $1.69 million to the project.
Initial approval: $4.9 million for public space updates and safety improvements
Council gave initial approval to an ordinance appropriating $4.9 million in state funding for the city’s Cultural Corridor project.
The city received a $20 million allocation from the South Carolina fiscal year 2023-24 budget for public space upgrades and safety improvements. On Sept. 25, council approved eight city projects to receive the state funding.
Postponed: Location and use standards for body piercing and tattoo facilities
Council voted to postpone indefinitely an ordinance that would amend the location and use standards for body piercing and tattoo facilities within the city’s code of ordinances.
The proposed amendment would allow body piercing/tattoo facilities in the industrial flex district (IX) and mixed-use shopfront 2 district (MXS-2), with additional distance and location standards. It would also remove body piercings and tattoos from the code’s personal service use category and establish them as a separate use.
The Village of West Greenville falls under MXS-2 zoning within the new development code. Councilwoman Lillian Brock Flemming expressed concerns that the community wasn’t informed about this amendment change to the code.
Initial approval: Amendment to the GVL2040 future land use map
The first reading of an ordinance to amend the GVL2040 comprehensive plan future land use map was approved by council.
The amendment removes the “corridor mixed-use” classification from a portion of Augusta Street from the Augusta Place intersection to the Riverside Drive intersection. The section will retain the “sub-urban residential” designation.
The purpose of the classification change is to prevent commercial encroachment of the portion of Augusta Street which has an established neighborhood character.
Presentation: AccessGVL
The city of Greenville unveiled a new website that shows the accessibility of specific locations in downtown Greenville. The new technology was created in partnership with Barbara Stone Foundation’s Greenville CAN initiative.
Residents and visitors with disabilities will be able to use the interactive map and database to see the accessibility of various downtown parking options and 27 restaurants. The technology will also show the most accessible routes from the city’s 10 parking garages to the restaurants.
The site can be found at accessgvl.com.
AccessGVL – ♿️ Making downtown #GreenvilleSC enjoyable for ALL residents and visitors. We’ve partnered with the Barbara Stone Foundation and its signature initiative Greenvillecan to develop to the web app https://t.co/4fh8KuxaaU for visitors who need an accessible path. pic.twitter.com/tNCN92NbIw
— City of Greenville (@CityGreenville) October 9, 2023
Update: Solid waste and recycling services
Council received an update on the city’s solid waste and recycling services during a work session on Oct. 9. The city’s public works department provides weekly sanitation services to more than 17,000 residents and manages over 30,000 tons of material annually.
The city of Greenville is one of only two cities in Greenville County that provides weekly, curbside recycling collection. In 2022, 3,136 tons of recyclables were collected by the city of Greenville.
To learn more about the city’s trash and recycling services, visit greenvillesc.gov/286/Recycling-in-Greenville.
