Reverend Stacy Mills, representing Mountain View Baptist Church, asked Greenville City Council to endorse a church-led master plan that would redevelop a 91-acre Newtown area and create about 500 housing units ranging from townhomes to multifamily buildings.

Mills described a multi-decade effort in which the congregation has acquired 40 of 48 parcels identified in the plan and worked with design firm Scott Johnson Design Group and other partners. "We are in great position to share with our city an opportunity to develop 500 new units of housing," Mills told the council, noting the proposal includes single-family attached and detached units, accessory dwelling units and multifamily with setbacks consistent with the current development code.

The plan emphasizes neighborhood-serving amenities and environmental restoration: Mills highlighted a proposed wetlands cleanup and restoration with outdoor learning spaces, a repurposed community center that would keep the church active in the neighborhood, a food forest and a community garden to address a localized food desert near Unity Park. Mills said the wetlands parcel—about "20 plus acres"—is owned by CSX Railroad and that project conversations with CSX and other partners have been ongoing. "They have spoken positively about our master plan," Mills said.

Mills asked the council for three specific forms of city support: (1) an endorsement of the master plan, (2) enabling zoning tools to keep development outcomes cohesive across multiple owners, and (3) a resolution to assist with property acquisition and infrastructure funding for affordable housing. He also described community engagement steps used to develop the plan: front-porch meetings, a five-day design charrette that drew hundreds of neighbors, and workshops with young professionals.

Council members asked detailed questions about financing, timing and land ownership. Reverend Mills said the project is in a pro forma development phase and that the church has organized a Parish House Community Development Corporation to lead development; exact fundraising targets were "not finalized," he said, adding the team could build houses next year if site control and sequencing were secured but expressed intent to avoid a piecemeal "checkerboard" build.

On environmental cleanup and liability, staff and presenters said the state has advanced a voluntary cleanup process and a Record of Decision was reached in spring 2025; the responsible parties identified were Duke Energy and CSX Railroad, and staff described the consent-signing step as pending. Councilmember questions about remaining parcels and engagement with other owners elicited responses that the church-owned core of 40 parcels and has been in contact with several other owners and larger entities in the area.

The council did not take formal action at the meeting; staff said the next steps would be a Project Preview Meeting for community feedback followed by zoning work with planning staff in the coming months. The presenters and city staff said they would return with further details and materials as the plan advances.