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Council approves rezoning at 213 Pelser Highway after applicant raises recusal request
Summary
The Easley City Council voted to rezone a 0.34-acre parcel at 213 Pelser Highway from General Residential to Office Institutional after the applicant described limited parking and a low-traffic office use.
The Easley City Council voted to rezone a 0.34-acre property at 213 Pelser Highway from General Residential (GR-2) to Office Institutional (OI), after hearing from the property's owner and applicant, Dan Bracken.
Bracken told council members the parcel is adjacent to other commercial properties (he cited La Casita and Family Dollar within roughly 480 to 900 feet) and said the site's layout severely limits parking. He said the intended tenant is a low-visit, office-type business (he described it as akin to a med-spa, with typical client visits of 30 to 45 minutes) and that the property's configuration would produce only a small number of vehicle trips per hour.
"I can't put a lot of parking on this property. And the reason that's relevant, I can't put a lot of people in this space," Bracken said, adding that his intent was to provide a visible, affordable office space for a local business rather than pursue higher-revenue short-term rentals.
During public comment on the item, Bracken asked Councilwoman Denise Davidson to recuse herself because he said she had spoken against the request at the planning commission meeting. "So I'm formally asking her to recuse herself from the vote because she spoke and spoke against my request," Bracken said.
Davidson responded from the dais: she said her earlier remarks to the planning commission did not require recusal and that she had not made a definitive statement for or against the rezoning at that meeting. "I do not have to recuse myself from this vote," Davidson said for the record.
Council members asked staff about traffic and the history of zoning in the corridor. Planning staff noted that Highway 8/Pelser Highway carries roughly 17,000 vehicles per day in the area and that an Office Institutional designation was compatible with corridor uses. Bracken supplied a packet showing nearby commercial uses and a graphic indicating the back-of-building to property-line dimension of 58 feet, which he said limited his ability to add parking.
After discussion, the council approved Ordinance 2025-04 by voice vote. The applicant, Bracken, said he has received several inquiries about rental of the building but that pending rezoning he could not commit a new tenant.
The council record shows no roll-call tally; the mayor announced the motion passed with no opposition.
Votes and next steps - Ordinance 2025-04 (213 Pelser Hwy, GR-2 to OI): Passed (voice vote). Planning staff will complete standard permitting and site-plan review if and when development is proposed.
