Council approves commercial rezoning at LT Hardy and E. Tenth despite traffic concerns

Greenville City Council on Oct. 9 approved an ordinance to rezone a 0.422-acre parcel at the southwest corner of L.T. Hardy Road and East Tenth Street from RA-20 (residential agriculture) to CG (general commercial), a move councilmembers said aligns with the city's future land-use map but raises traffic and safety questions for nearby neighborhoods.

The rezoning request, presented by city planner Chris Kelly, would allow roughly 2,500 square feet of retail on the site and — based on staff traffic estimates — could increase daily trips on East Tenth Street from about 9 under the current zoning to roughly 135 under the proposed zoning, a net increase of 126 trips per day. "The proposed zoning could generate 135 trips per day, which is a net increase of a 126," Kelly said.

Why it matters: the parcel sits at the edge of an area that has seen rapid development in the past year and a half; councilmembers and nearby residents said cumulative growth has strained East Tenth Street and L.T. Hardy Road and that site access patterns could affect safety for Lake Glenwood and adjacent neighborhoods.

Council discussion focused on traffic mitigation and access. Councilmember Blackburn said the corridor is becoming commercialized and voiced concern for nearby residents: "Tenth Street East is not a commercial corridor. Tenth Street East is a thoroughfare and it has become a commercial for commercial corridor." Rick DeCesar, speaking for the city's traffic review, told council there were no current plans for a traffic signal but that NCDOT was looking at L.T. Hardy Road for possible future improvements: "Not currently. There's no plans currently to put a traffic signal out. But, the state is currently looking at L.T. Hardy Road." DeCesar and Kelly both said more specific mitigation (turn lanes, driveway placement) would be determined during site plan review if the property is developed.

A representative for the property owner told council the owner plans to combine the rezoned parcel with an adjacent city-owned lot and to locate parking on the other lot, which the representative said would avoid additional cut-through traffic onto L.T. Hardy Road. "The plans are to to combine the 2 lots to create a commercial property for a builder studio. And the the parking lot is actually planned for the other. So it won't be coming off for the LT Hardy," petitioner representative Karen Staten said.

Staff noted the parcel drains to the Hardy Creek watershed and — if stormwater rules apply — would require 10-year detention and nutrient reduction measures; the property is not in the special flood hazard area. Planning staff recommended approval and the Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended the rezoning on Sept. 16.

The council voted to approve the rezoning 5-0 (motion by Councilmember Scully, second by Councilmember Willis). The ordinance passed with council members saying they would continue to press NCDOT for corridor improvements and expect site-plan conditions to limit unsafe access points.

Councilmembers emphasized the decision is based on the rezoning request before them and that any future site plan review would be the venue to require specific traffic mitigation. "We will keep asking questions and making sure that we're doing our due diligence," Mayor Pro Tem Monica Daniels said.