Committee initiates text amendment to strengthen Paris Mountain environmental protections

Greenville County’s Planning and Development Committee voted to initiate a zoning-text amendment aimed at strengthening protections in the Paris Mountain environmentally sensitive overlay and tightening definitions used in the SDPM (Special Development Procedures and Measures) and related zoning language.

Sponsor Councilman Blunt and Councilman Shaw said the amendment was intended to address loopholes identified during a recent annexation proposal and to ensure the county’s overlay provides meaningful protections for Paris Mountain and Altamont Road areas. The draft amendment is broader than recent text changes tied to a single site and would beef up definitions, procedural protections and substantive restrictions across the overlay.

Staff advised that county legal counsel had identified items requiring refinement, but that the ordinance could be initiated now and technical/legal edits made before later readings; the sponsor and staff said they would coordinate with counsel and return with any necessary changes prior to full council action.

Committee members moved to initiate the amendment; the motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: The amendment seeks to preempt future attempts to use annexation or creative interpretations to dilute protections in an environmentally sensitive area, specifically Paris Mountain and nearby corridors.

Next steps: The committee’s initiation sends the text-amendment process to the next stage; staff and legal counsel will prepare an ordinance for first reading and will refine language identified as needing legal clarification before second and third readings.