News & INSIGHTS

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – Greenville leaders are trying to plan how the city will grow in the future, and they want to hear from their residents.

They’ve just launched an interactive map so residents can see how they are impacted.

City officials said the draft of this development code is more interactive, specific, and easier to understand through color coordinated maps. None of this is set in stone yet, and before it is, the city wants people to weigh in.

Greenville is growing, whether the city is ready or not.

“When you know that people are moving, you have to plan for what that looks like,” Beth Brotherton, with the city of Greenville.

Through this development code, city leaders are putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

“To describe how we’re going to implement balanced and planned growth for the future,” said Brotherton.

This zoning plan lets people know what goes where.

“It is the ability to look at a map and say, ‘oh, you can put a big building there. That’s where a 19-story building can go,'” stated Brotherton. “‘Thank goodness, it can’t go next to my house, because only residential stuff can go here.'”

Debbie Allen has been a school teacher in the area for years. She said she wants to see more parks, sidewalks and micro areas for kids to play.

“I’m very in tune to little children needing micro breaks and having little, tiny park areas,” said Allen.

She also has an interest in residential zoning.

“I have a personal vested interest in trying to get my little house approved for Airbnb,” she said.

She agreed this new interactive map is much easier to navigate than the former code.

“I’m not an engineer, but I seem to be figuring it out!” exclaimed Allen.

Brotherton said this plan makes it easier for developers to know what they can build where, but that’s not all.

“It also gives neighborhoods some protection. That we’re not going to drop a giant building, that isn’t of the right form and function next to an existing neighborhood,” said Brotherton.

With some recent projects getting some backlash from neighborhood groups, Brotherton said this code will help.

“This development code takes away surprises, it takes away the, ‘I didn’t know that could go in my neighborhood’ or ‘I need to fight against that,'” she said.

Now is the time to use your voice and share what you like, or don’t like, about the draft.

If you couldn’t make the open houses on Wednesday, the city will be holding two on Thursday, January 26.

• Coffee with the Code, from 8 to 11 a.m., at Prisma Health Welcome Center at Unity Park. 111 Welborn Street.

• Drop-In Open House Session, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Greenville Convention Center. 1 Exposition Drive

City officials said they still have public meetings to go through and the planning commission before presenting the code to city council.

Click here for the interactive zoning map.

Planning staff is available to meet with community members and groups through the month of February, for more on the project or how to request a meeting, click here.