Greenville County Planning Commission Approves Fork Shoals Commercial Project and Derby Farm Subdivision While Rejecting Bellewyn Subdivision Reconsideration

Greenville County Planning Commission Meeting Recap from November 20

Hey there, Greenville residents! If you’re curious about what’s been happening in your neighborhood, we’ve got the scoop! The Greenville County Planning Commission had their latest meeting on November 20, and it was jam-packed with interesting proposals and discussions that could shape the future of our community. Let’s dive into the highlights!

Fork Shoals Commercial Project Approved

First up is the all-new Fork Shoals Commercial development, which is set to sprout near the intersection of Fork Shoals and West Georgia roads, just east of Simpsonville. This exciting project will cover a total of 9.78 acres and will include three lots featuring a large grocery store along with several other tenant spaces, totaling a whopping 46,500 square feet of retail goodness! To top it all off, there will be 250 parking spaces available for shoppers. Sounds like a great addition to the area, right? Well, it seems the planning commission thinks so too, as they unanimously approved the application and nobody voiced any concerns at the meeting. This one looks like a win for future grocery shoppers!

Bellewyn Subdivision Seeks Reconsideration

Next up on the agenda was the proposed Bellewyn Subdivision, which aims to create a cluster of lovely homes along South Batesville Road and Kings Mountain Drive, nestled right between the Woodberry and Brookhaven communities. This proposal had previously faced a setback in October, where it was denied by the planning commission. However, the developers requested a reconsideration, suggesting the commission may have made a mistake in their judgment. The commission met privately for about 30 minutes to discuss this sensitive matter, weighing the possibility of an appeal and legal implications. In the end, they concluded that they hadn’t erred and decided to deny the request once more, voting 6-2. It seems this subdivision still has a long way to go!

Gresham Place Development Receives Mixed Reactions

Moving along, we have the proposed Gresham Place subdivision being discussed, located along Gresham Road near the Gresham and Scuffletown roads in Simpsonville. This project is aiming to add 24 new lots on 12.85 acres, which translates to a density of 1.86 dwellings per acre. While some residents welcomed the idea, others voiced concerns about potential traffic congestion since the road is already quite small for the traffic it handles. Moreover, there are worries that the installation of a sanitary sewer connection might lower property values for those living nearby.

The planning commission carefully considered these concerns but ultimately felt that adding 24 homes would not vastly impact the area. They approved the project with a vote of 7-1, though they made recommendations for a tree protection plan to ensure nature is not overlooked in the development process!

Approval for Derby Farm Subdivision

Lastly, we have the lovely Derby Farm subdivision project, which aims to create a cozy cluster of homes near Old White Horse and McElhaney roads east of Travelers Rest. This plan includes 16 lots spread across 13.82 acres, yielding a lower density of 1.16 dwellings per acre. While there was some concern from the public about the safety of a nearby pond, the commission commended the developer for the thoughtful cluster design. It seems like the worries about potential pond contamination may not fall under the planning commission’s responsibilities, leading to a unanimous approval of the project. Yay for new homes!

Looking Ahead

As a little note, the planning commission will take a break and will not be meeting in December. So that wraps up this month’s proceedings, but stay tuned for more updates as we head into the new year!

That’s the latest from the Greenville County Planning Commission—stay informed, and see you at the next meeting!