The Greenville County Committee on Finance approved funds to acquire roughly 3.6 acres of vacant wooded land adjacent to Southside Park on Log Shoals Road, committee members said.

Ms. Perez, a county staff member presenting the item, said the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust is offering a grant to support the purchase. "The trust will be giving us $245,000, the chair a charitable donation of $20,000," Ms. Perez said. "Basically, the funds are used to acquire approximately 3.6 acres of vacant wooded property that's contiguous with Southside Park on Log Shoals Road and this would expand the park by 5% and preserve the last undeveloped parcels that are surrounding the park."

A county staff member identified as Ted clarified the financial terms and appraisal. "The grant's actually $245,000. The property appraised for $265,000. So the property owner could potentially take a $20,000, donation tax deductible donation since they're selling it to us for less than the appraised value," he said.

Mr. Lambert, a county staff member who spoke about the legal steps, said county council must approve formal acceptance of the property once the trust completes the purchase. "This is a request for a motion to approve the interest in this land that's required since the Historic Natural Resources Trust is essentially purchasing this on the county's behalf. County council needs to approve acceptance of this property," Mr. Lambert said.

Committee members moved to approve the grant and separately approved acceptance of the interest in land. Both motions were carried by voice vote; the chair declared, "The ayes have it." The motions did not record a roll-call tally in the committee minutes.

The acquisition is intended to expand Southside Park by roughly 5 percent and keep the remaining undeveloped parcels contiguous with the park from being separated from public ownership. The matter will proceed to the full county council for final acceptance of the property interest, as Mr. Lambert explained.