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Developer asks Greer council to privatize Park Avenue to reduce utility tap costs for 'The James'
Summary
A developer for The James told Greer City Council that a near-fourfold increase in Greer CPW tap and capacity fees, discovered in March 2025, created unexpected costs and petitioned the council to privatize a segment of Park Avenue so the project can consolidate water taps and lower expenses; council deferred detailed review until a public hearing and readings.
Mike McCarthy, vice president of the Meridian Group, told Greer City Council on Sept. 9 that his company discovered in March 2025 that Greer CPW had raised tap and capacity fees "by almost 4 times effective 01/01/2025," and that his development had not received the same advance notice other developers had. McCarthy said the fee increase imposed unexpected costs on the apartment project now known as The James.
McCarthy said the project currently has two taps because Park Avenue, a public road, bisects the site. "The privatization of Park Avenue between our 2 parcels would allow us to run the water line across Park Avenue and have and maintain a single tap location on Trade Street," he said, arguing that privatizing that segment would permit the project to be served by a single six-inch line and reduce the impact of the fee increase.
McCarthy described prior coordination with Greer CPW on utility design and said the developer learned of the fee change only when the team went to make taps in March 2025. He said Meridian had tried to resolve the matter with CPW, which told them fees must be paid under the new structure and said it was not responsible for notifying every developer.
The mayor (presiding officer) thanked McCarthy for traveling to present the petition and told council members that because the matter will require a public hearing and two readings, it would be appropriate to defer detailed questions until staff and members could review the issue further and meet with staff as needed. The council did not take immediate action on the privatization request; the matter will return for public hearing and further council consideration.
McCarthy said the developer intends to work with neighbors and engineers toward a "no harm accommodation," noted positive feedback from community outreach at the site, and said leasing is expected to begin early next year.
Next steps: the council said it will schedule a public hearing and additional readings where members and staff can examine the privatization proposal, the utility configuration, and any necessary agreements with Greer CPW.
