Greenville Allocates State Funding for Public Spaces, Safety Upgrades: City Council Notes

Greenville Allocates State Funding for Public Spaces, Safety Upgrades: City Council Notes

Greenville City Council recently held a meeting to discuss the allocation of state funding for various public spaces and safety upgrades in the city. The meeting, which took place on June 10 at city hall, saw the council approving significant funding for several key projects aimed at enhancing public spaces and improving safety measures across Greenville.

Initial Approval: Public Space and Safety Project Funding

During the meeting, the council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will allocate $954,044 of state funding to four specific projects focused on public spaces and safety. The additional funding was earmarked for the following projects:

• Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Projects – $712,402
• Downtown Bypass – $177,450
• Cultural Corridor – $58,792
• Wade Hampton Corridor – $5,400

The city of Greenville received a total of $20 million from the state of South Carolina’s fiscal year 2023-2024 budget for public space upgrades and safety improvements. A portion of this funding, approximately $6.8 million, had already been allocated to various projects, including those mentioned above.

Initial Approval: Ordinance Amendment for Signs

In addition to approving funding for public space and safety projects, the council also gave initial approval to amend the city’s ordinance concerning temporary signs on right-of-ways or other public property. The current ordinance prohibits the placement of signs, regardless of their content, in public right-of-ways for safety and aesthetic reasons.

Under the proposed amendment, the city would no longer provide a 48-hour notice period for sign owners to remove their signs from public right-of-ways. Signs would also be prohibited from being placed on bus shelters in residential zoning districts. However, the city manager would have the authority to permit signs that share public information to be placed on public property.

Summary

The recent meeting of Greenville City Council marked a significant step forward in the city’s efforts to enhance public spaces and improve safety measures. With the approval of state funding for key projects and the amendment of sign ordinances, Greenville is set to see positive changes that will benefit residents and visitors alike.