Here is a recap of the Simpsonville City Council on Nov. 12.
Approved: New name for City Park
City Council approved renaming Simpsonville City Park to Gracely Park in honor of City Administrator Dianna Gracely by a vote of 4-3.
Councilmembers Chad O’Rear (Ward 1), Tim Pinkerton (Ward 5) and Lou Hutchings (Ward 6) voted against the measure.
Ahead of the vote, Hutchings and O’Rear said how much they appreciated Gracely’s work for Simpsonville, but felt the property should remain City Park. Both men suggested that the council explore naming an element of the park after Gracely to honor her work.
Mayor Paul Shewmaker and council members Aaron Rupe (Ward 2) and Sherry Roche (Ward 4) all spoke in favor of the name change as they discussed Gracely’s work above and beyond her scope of duties, including bringing more than $21.1 million in grants into the city, bringing the downtown revitalization project to life, spearheading and guiding the municipal complex project, and handpicking the various elements that will go into the park.
Gracely has served as Simpsonville’s city administrator since 2018, and was previously city administrator for Travelers Rest (2005-18) and Landrum (2002-05).
Initial approval: Zoning updates
Council approved several refinements to its zoning ordinances, including:
- Increasing the minimum front yard setback requirement from 15 to 20 feet in Residential-Medium Density districts.
- Bringing alcohol regulations for the city into greater alignment with the state by removing the city prohibition of bar or drinking facilities within 100 feet of a residential zoning district.
- Allowing electronic signage on city property to promote city events.
This item will go before the City Council for final approval Dec. 10.
Other item: Small Business Hurricane Recovery grant program
Stephen Clark and Justin Jones of the U.S. Small Business Administration attended the meeting to provide information about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Small Business Hurricane Recovery grant program, which was launched in partnership with American Express to support small businesses impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The program will provide $5 million in funding by distributing $5,000 grants to 1,000 eligible small businesses across the Southeast to support their recovery and help them build resilience against future disasters.
All applicants must be located in SBA disaster-declared counties, financially harmed and cannot cover costs, and have one to 25 employees. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Nov. 17. For more information, visit uschamberfoundation.org/solutions/small-business-hurricane-recovery-grant-program.
