Planning commission upholds staff approval of Mountain Grove group development 6–3 after neighbors’ appeal

Neighbors and an appellant’s counsel challenged staff’s administrative approval of Mountain Grove Group Development (PP2025148), arguing the change from a 2021 RV park approval to a mixed group development with manufactured homes exceeded staff’s administrative authority, altered the land‑use from transient to permanent occupancy, and required a new traffic impact study and public notice.

Appellants’ counsel Megan Serrano said the change introduced manufactured homes alongside RVs and “is materially altering the project's use, intensity, and character, converting it from transient occupancy to permanent dwellings,” and urged that the matter be returned for full planning commission review with updated traffic and notice. Neighbors raised concerns about septic capacity, runoff, narrow local roads, and environmental impacts.

Staff responded in detail, explaining the regulatory distinction between group developments and preliminary plans, noting the application followed the LDR article for group developments (Article 12) and was reviewed by the Subdivision Advisory Committee (SAC), which included transportation and fire‑safety reviewers. Staff also said Greenville County’s traffic engineer determined an updated traffic impact study was not required because the updated plan proposed the same number of spaces (193) and trip‑generation would be broadly comparable.

After deliberation, a motion to uphold staff’s administrative decision carried on a 6–3 vote, according to the transcript.

What’s next: Because the commission upheld staff, the administrative approval stands. If future parties claim staff erred on specific grounds, those could be re‑raised with additional evidence.