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Board approves King's Classical School modular classrooms with limits after debate over temporary use
Summary
The board granted King's Classical School a special-exception modification to place modular classrooms and incorporate 109 Old Augusta Road for administrative use, approving staff conditions but removing language that would have automatically ended a church lease once modulars were occupiable; vote passed 5–1.
The Greenville Board of Zoning Appeals approved a request from King's Classical School to modify its special-exception permit to allow modular classrooms on campus at 3030 Augusta Street and to incorporate an additional parcel (109 Old Augusta Road) for administrative offices, after extended discussion about parking, screening and the appropriate duration of temporary permits.
Planning staff presented the application and recommended conditional approval: a two-year permit for the modular building with up to three one-year extensions by staff, required transition screening along the property line, compliance with the recorded shared-parking agreement (administratively the church must have at least 70 spaces available during Sunday services) and further administrative plan review to address circulation, parking and fire-department access. Staff warned that temporary permits should not be repeatedly extended without clear justification.
Applicant Michael Short asked the board to soften or remove two proposed conditions that would have required removal of modular units once permanent classroom space was occupiable and that would have ended the school's temporary lease at the Baptist church. Short said the school needs flexibility as it phases renovations and fundraising, noting "This year, we had 26 students" and that next year enrollment projections were higher; staff materials had listed different current-enrollment and projection numbers for context.
Neighbors raised concerns. Robert Talladega, who lives adjacent to the site, said the playground is already loud and that modulars and associated carpool traffic would harm his yard and quiet use, adding "I'm really burned up about it." Augusta Heights Baptist Church pastor Greg Dover said the church supports the school's continued operation and is willing to lease space so long as the parking easement is honored.
After deliberation the board approved the staff recommendation with the applicant’s requested edits: the second sentence of paragraph 2 was removed and paragraph 3 of the staff conditions was deleted (language tying temporary-use termination to modular occupancy). The motion passed on a roll call vote, 5–1 (Mark Harrow voted no). Conditions retain limits on the modular permit duration, require the specified transition buffer and screening, and require the applicant to address traffic-engineering, fire-department and parking comments during administrative plan review.
Staff and the applicant said the modular units will be connected to water and sanitary sewer and that the transit screening (a six-foot privacy fence plus plantings) should mitigate visual impacts to adjacent properties. The board directed staff to ensure parking agreements are honored and to continue coordination through administrative plan review and permitting. The next step for the applicant is final site-plan adjustments and permitting to place the modular units in time for the coming school year.
