Here’s a recap of Greenville City Council’s June 12 meeting:
Approved: $267 million operating budget
Council unanimously passed the second and final reading of the $267 million 2023-24 operating budget, which maintains the city’s current property tax rates at 81.4 mills.
While the new budget does not raise property taxes, it does increase the solid waste fee by $1 per month and includes a 3.5% increase to the base sewer fee.
The budget anticipates revenues totaling $249.4 million and appropriates $17.6 million from the city’s fund balance to reach the $267 million in expected expenditures.
Council also approved a $57.4 million capital improvement program budget, which includes $1.9 million for a public safety campus.
The new budget takes effect July 1.
Approved: new development code and zoning maps
With a palpable sense of relief, council unanimously approved the second and final reading of the city’s updated development code and new zoning maps.
The vote followed a lengthy process of public engagement as city planning staff sought citizen input and incorporated a number of changes derived from that feedback.
Shannon Lavrin, assistant city manager for planning and development, was visibly moved as she thanked all involved in developing the new code and singled out her staff for their work.
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The new development code and zoning maps are expected to be a significant improvement over the previous code, which was considered antiquated and obsolescent. The overhaul is designed to better facilitate implementing the GVL2040 strategic plan and encourage a nodes-and-corridors strategy for urban infill development.
The code expands the number of zoning categories, which will give city planners more flexible and nuanced tools to guide growth while preserving the character of existing neighborhoods — a priority expressed by a broad cross-section of city residents.
Lavrin said further changes and updates were likely as the new code is implemented, which is why it requires council to review the code after six months and again at the year mark.
