On September 28, Greenville City Council held its regular meeting and considered a series of amendments to the Greenville Development Code. While most items received first‑reading approval, council members rejected the proposal to add new residential infill lot width standards.
Vote details and council positions
The amendment was separated from the broader code package and fell to a 4-3 vote. Mayor Knox White, along with councilmembers Ken Gibson, Tina Belge, and Lillian Brock Flemming, voted against the measure. Councilmembers John DeWorken, Dorothy Dowe, and Wil Brasington supported it.
What the proposed standards would have required
City staff designed the standards to address recent concerns about infill subdivisions in established neighborhoods. Under the draft calculation, an infill lot’s width would have needed to be at least 70 percent of the average width of the surrounding parcels – the two parcels on either side of the subject lot and the three parcels directly across the street.
Additional safeguards would have prevented a lot from being narrower than the narrowest surrounding parcel or the minimum width required by the zoning district. The Planning Commission also recommended excluding any surrounding parcel that was 200 percent or more of the average width of the other surrounding parcels.
Affordability concerns drive opposition
Opponents argued that the new width formula could limit the ability of developers to build affordable housing in Greenville’s older neighborhoods. “We need flexibility to create more homes for families who are struggling,” said Mayor White during the discussion.
Councilmember Flemming, the sole dissenting vote among the majority, emphasized the potential impact on low‑income residents, noting that stricter lot dimensions often translate into higher construction costs and, ultimately, higher rents.
Other development code actions approved
Although the infill lot width amendment failed, the council approved several other items:
- The first reading of an ordinance adopting nonpartisan municipal elections, as required by South Carolina’s new law (House Bill 3556). The city will use a nonpartisan primary followed by a general election for all offices beginning in 2027.
- Initial approval of five annexation applications, including the historic Poe Mill property. The 15.28‑acre site is slated for a mixed‑use development called “The Village of Poe Mill,” which could include up to 428 multi‑family units.
- Final approval of a storm‑water variance to widen the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail between Linky Stone Park and Unity Park, creating a 16‑foot, two‑lane path for pedestrians and cyclists.
Looking ahead
Councilmember Brasington, who announced his mayoral candidacy on September 22, recused himself from the infill lot vote to avoid any appearance of conflict. The council will continue to review the development code over the next months, with a full public hearing scheduled for early 2027.
Residents and developers alike are encouraged to submit comments on the pending code revisions before the next council meeting on October 12.
Original reporting: Greenville Journal — read the source article.
