Greenville County Council on its meeting approved amendments to the environmentally sensitive district for Paris Mountain (ESDPM) at second reading after adopting a red-lined amendment that staff and the planning committee recommended. The package increases minimum lot sizes, strengthens tree-preservation language and adds limits on light pollution while leaving some conditional uses and special exceptions intact.

Supporters said the changes reflect years of neighborhood work and staff collaboration. Emily Poole, Upstate staff attorney at the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, told council, "Because Paris Mountain is 1 of Greenville County's most precious and iconic places, we know we must do everything we can to shield the mountain from dangerous development and environmental degradation." Residents who helped draft the changes and worked with staff urged council to approve the measure as a significant step toward preserving slopes, streams and specimen trees.

Speakers from the Paris Mountain community also raised quality-of-life concerns tied to rental properties. Greg Valente described repeated disturbances and property damage linked to short-term rentals, saying his family had “been awakened in the middle of the night by large parties on more than 1 occasion” and that police response sometimes arrived hours after calls. Advocates and several council members discussed possible language to address short-term rentals, but the text amendment adopted at second reading did not include a countywide ban or a defined short-term-rental ordinance.

Councilor Bradley moved the amendment on the floor to adopt the red-line version circulated in the agenda packet; the council voted to permit additional amendments at third reading if members wish to refine provisions such as short-term rental language. The ordinance as amended passed second reading with the recorded tally of 10 in favor and 2 opposed.

Discussion versus decision: the council formally approved the amended ESDPM text at second reading (a binding step in the ordinance process) while leaving the door open for narrowly tailored amendments at third reading. Advocates said they will continue meetings with individual council members in the coming weeks to press for any additional language addressing short-term rentals and enforcement.

Next steps: the measure will return for third reading, where council may accept further amendments or finalize adoption. Supporters and staff said the version before council had county-staff support and review by the county attorney's office.