Planning commission grants conditional preliminary approval for Virk Farms mixed‑use residential plan

The Spartanburg County Planning Commission voted unanimously Jan. 6 to grant conditional preliminary plat approval for the Virk Farms mixed‑use residential development on Asheville Highway in Inman.

Planner Joshua Rowland told the commission the application from The Divine Group and engineer Bluewater Civil Design describes a roughly 19.86‑acre site with five townhome buildings totaling 29 units plus 108 patio home lots, an overall density of about 6.89 units per acre and approximately 5.38 acres (about 27%) of common open space, exceeding the 20% minimum. The plan shows a 15‑foot Type 3 bufferyard where required and about 0.61 miles of internal roads proposed to be publicly maintained.

Rowland noted the plan represents a change from a February 2025 submission that had been conditioned previously; differences include a change from an exclusively townhome plan to a mixed townhome/patio home layout, a reduced unit count and an increased open‑space allocation. County staff recommended conditional approval pending sign‑offs from Spartanburg County Public Works (engineering and stormwater), Spartanburg County Planning & Development (approved landscape plan, lighting plan and a traffic impact analysis), Spartanburg County Sewer (SSSD) for sewer service, and the South Carolina Department of Transportation for an encroachment permit, and required establishment of a property owners association at final plat.

Commissioner Toby McCall moved to grant the conditional preliminary plat approval under those contingencies; Allen Newman seconded and the motion carried 8‑0.

The commission’s action is preliminary; final plat approval and the listed agency sign‑offs must be obtained before development proceeds.