Greenville County committee approves several rezoning requests, holds others for more review

The Greenville County Planning and Development Committee on Sept. 15, 2025, approved multiple rezoning requests for properties across Greenville County and tabled others for further review.

Planning staff presented each rezoning docket with staff analyses and recommendations; the committee then took voice votes on each item. Several requests were approved by voice vote after staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval, while two dockets were held at the request of council members pending additional contact with property owners or further applicant decisions. One docket was withdrawn before consideration.

Staff described CZ-2025-054 (259 Beacon Street and 101 Orr Street), a 0.16-acre site, as a request to modify Neighborhood Commercial District (NCMC) standards to increase the maximum gross building square footage from 3,000 to 3,584 square feet and to allow an apartment above a proposed garage and a new driveway connection to Orr Street. Staff recommended approval, the Planning Commission recommended approval, and the committee approved the rezoning by voice vote.

The committee approved CZ-2025-055 (212 Gridley Street, 214 Morris Street and Bailey Street), a 1.49-acre project submitted by Jessica R. Chapman of Site Design Inc. on behalf of the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority. Staff explained the request would remove the southern parcel (about 1.03 acres) from a Flexible Review District (FRD) and rezone it to R-7.5, and the remaining FRD parcel would allow six residential units attached in pairs (maximum gross unit size noted by staff at 1,960 square feet and a maximum height of 45 feet). Planning staff recommended approval and the Planning Commission recommended approval; Councilman Mitchell asked for clarification because the committee agenda packet noted a staff recommendation of denial but staff confirmed the packet recommendation was approval. The committee approved the rezoning by voice vote.

CZ-2025-056 (913 and 915 Lakeview Circle), a 1.23-acre parcel owned by the Pacla Revocable Trust, was presented for rezoning from RS (Residential Suburban) to R-15 (single-family residential). Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval and the committee approved the request by voice vote.

CZ-2025-057 (10696 Old Whitehorse Road and McElhaney Road) was presented as a request to rezone a 1.85-acre parcel from C-2 Commercial to RS Residential Suburban to allow single-family residential use. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval and the committee approved the rezoning by voice vote.

CZ-2025-058 (1451 Donaldson Road and Augusta Road), a 3.32-acre parcel proposed for rezoning from C-2 Commercial to S-1 Services District for distribution/industrial-compatible uses, was presented by staff. The application noted the county's comprehensive plan designates the site for industrial uses (warehousing and light industrial) and staff recommended approval. The Planning Commission recommended approval and the committee approved the rezoning by voice vote.

Docket CZ-2025-059 was announced as withdrawn and was not considered.

CZ-2025-060 (West Blue Ridge Drive, Aladdin Street and Evergreen Street), a 3.79-acre site proposed for RM-10 multifamily residential (townhome development), drew staff's recommendation of denial and the Planning Commission's recommendation of denial. A committee member representing the district told the committee they had discussed the matter with the property owner and potential developer, who were still deciding how to proceed. The committee voted to hold the docket to give the applicant time to decide whether to withdraw or revise the application.

CZ-2025-051 (Highway 14 parcels in Greer), a 13.67-acre request to rezone RS parcels to S-1 Services District for private recreation and automotive storage, was presented. Staff recommended approval but the Planning Commission had recommended denial at an earlier hearing. The district council member said they had sought contact with the property owner to pursue an FRD alternative; the committee voted to hold the docket to allow the council member to confer with the owner.

Committee members said they were not ready to present a proposed text amendment to the Land Development Regulations (LDR) regarding cluster housing. Staff noted ongoing stakeholder meetings and some redline materials under review; the committee voted to hold the proposed text amendment and related zoning text items for further refinement and to coordinate review.

Votes at a glance

- CZ-2025-054 (259 Beacon St.; applicant: Guadalupe Villar for Justin M. Morris / Morrison Lane Solutions LLC): Approved (voice vote). Staff recommended approval; Planning Commission recommended approval.

- CZ-2025-055 (212 Gridley St. / 214 Morris St. / Bailey St.; applicant: Jessica R. Chapman / Site Design Inc. for Greenville County Redevelopment Authority): Approved (voice vote). Staff recommended approval; Planning Commission recommended approval.

- CZ-2025-056 (913 & 915 Lakeview Circle; applicants: Clayton H. Pacla & Tiara J. Pacla / Pacla Revocable Trust): Approved (voice vote). Staff recommended approval; Planning Commission recommended approval.

- CZ-2025-057 (10696 Old Whitehorse Rd. & McElhaney Rd.; applicants: Joseph M. Turner & Erica L. Turner): Approved (voice vote). Staff recommended approval; Planning Commission recommended approval.

- CZ-2025-058 (1451 Donaldson Rd. & Augusta Rd.; applicant: Justin M. Beasley for Roberts SC Land Greenville LLC): Approved (voice vote). Staff recommended approval; Planning Commission recommended approval.

- CZ-2025-059: Withdrawn (not considered).

- CZ-2025-060 (West Blue Ridge Dr. / Aladdin St. / Evergreen St.; applicant: Chip Coker for CEW Greenville LLC): Held (committee vote) after staff and Planning Commission recommended denial; applicant/developer reported undecided.

- CZ-2025-051 (Highway 14 parcels; applicant: Lynn Soulsby / Bluewater Civil Design LLC for Highway 14 Cars LLC and AGWG 3085 Holdings LLC): Held (committee vote); staff recommended approval and Planning Commission previously recommended denial. Council member requested hold to seek owner contact and potential FRD alternative.

What this means

Several small-lot residential rezones and one services/industrial-oriented rezoning were advanced by the committee with voice approvals; two larger or more politically sensitive dockets were tabled to give council members and applicants time to pursue alternatives or provide additional information. The committee deferred proposed zoning text amendments on cluster housing to continue stakeholder review.

Sources and provenance

Key transcript excerpts for each docket appear in the committee record (topic introductions and final committee actions). Excerpts include staff presentations starting at 00:01:13 (CZ-2025-054), 00:03:11 (CZ-2025-055), 00:06:34 (CZ-2025-056), 00:08:09 (CZ-2025-057), 00:09:32 (CZ-2025-058), 00:11:00 (CZ-2025-059 withdrawal), 00:11:32 (CZ-2025-060), 00:13:34 (CZ-2025-051), and the LDR cluster-housing discussion beginning at 00:15:17. The article is based solely on the committee transcript and voice actions recorded during the Sept. 15 meeting.

Ending

The committee adjourned after holding the outstanding items and deferring the text amendment work; staff will return the held dockets and the LDR text amendments for future committee consideration.