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Administrator: County Square repairs contractor‑paid; Relco Point roads and utilities advancing; council asks analysis of free EV chargers
Summary
County staff reported that County Square breezeway repairs are contractor‑paid and expected to finish by mid‑May; Relco Point infrastructure work is under way with roads and utilities phased through October; council asked staff for an analysis of electric‑vehicle charger costs and whether users should pay fees.
County staff told Greenville County Council on Feb. 4 that repairs to the County Square breezeway are covered by the contractor and are expected to finish in mid‑May, that infrastructure work at the Relco Point development is progressing through phased road and utility construction, and that the council requested a staff analysis of electric‑vehicle (EV) charger costs and potential user fees.
On County Square repairs the administrator said the work underway replaces the PTFE membrane covering the metal framework between the north and south buildings; the contractor is modifying and strengthening the metal framework and will paint the structure before installing the new covering. “All of the labor and materials is paid for by the building contractor,” the administrator reported, and the contractor has indicated a mid‑May completion date. The administrator said the contractor’s subcontractor default insurance is covering the cost.
On Relco Point, the administrator presented slides showing roughly 32 acres under development. He described staged road construction (green and purple areas shown on the slides) with expected road completion phases between April and October, installation of conduit for data and electric, and storm, sanitary sewer and water work. He said about one million cubic yards of dirt have been moved to level the site and that conceptual plans include retail, office floors with ground‑floor retail, and townhome/multifamily pads; the developer projects land valuation of roughly $110 million and tax valuation generating about $30 million per year, with the county retaining tax revenue for the first 30 years to recover development costs, according to the administrator’s presentation.
On electric vehicle charging, the administrator said there are 34 chargers in the county garage and the county is paying about $1,800 a month for electricity for them; currently users do not pay to charge. The administrator said the initial installed cost was high and that installing fee‑based chargers would need an analysis. He provided the historical install‑cost figure quoted in the meeting—about $15,000 per charging station for models that accept payment—and said the set of stations was installed with a capital offset that left a roughly $450,000–$500,000 difference to recoup, per the administrator’s account. Council members asked for a staff analysis of current electricity rates and what a per‑use fee would need to be to recoup the installation cost within five or ten years and asked staff to compare city garage charging policies; the administrator agreed to provide the requested figures.
Council members also asked about parking‑garage attendants, handicapped parking and a drive‑through tax drop box; the administrator said an attendant contract with Pivot provides direction and janitorial services and described plans for a drop‑off area near the veterans memorial and two after‑hours tax drop boxes (one at the front drive and one in the garage) scheduled to be installed in late spring or early summer.
What the council asked staff to provide - A written analysis of EV station electricity costs and proposed per‑use fees that would recoup installation costs in five and ten years, including comparison to nearby city garage policies. - Clarification on parking garage policies and attendant costs and evaluation of whether chargers should be fee‑based or remain free.
Why it matters Repairs covered by a contractor and paid through insurance reduce county capital exposure for County Square. The Relco Point build‑out—roads, utilities and proposed commercial and residential pads—carries implications for future tax revenue and traffic; the EV charger question concerns county operating subsidies and whether users should pay to use county‑provided charging infrastructure.
Who spoke The administrator presented the report; council members asked for the EV charging analysis and other clarifications about County Square and parking.
