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Council advances two large Uptown developments, authorizes road‑transfer process and remands one rezoning
Summary
Council advanced two major mixed‑use Planned Development Districts near Uptown Greenwood (first reading and forwarding to public hearing) and authorized the city manager to start a request to SCDOT to transfer portions of Mason and Kitson streets to city control; a separate rezoning request at 212 Curtesy Drive was remanded to Planning Commission after a tied/uncertain vote sequence.
Council moved forward with several major development items that, together, reshape portions of Uptown Greenwood and surrounding corridors.
Uptown PDD (Ordinance 24‑17): Staff and the project team described a large mixed‑use PDD that would reuse and renovate existing warehouse buildings, add up to about 400 residential units across two phases (roughly 200 units per phase), and create commercial space connected to the Uptown area. Developers said phase one will focus on loft‑style and garden apartments with parking behind buildings; townhomes are expected in phase two. Brian Beal and developer Darren Webb answered questions about phasing, amenities (pool, pickleball, dog park as potential amenities), access points and parking. Council approved Ordinance 24‑17 on first reading by unanimous vote.
PDD near Bypass/Marshall Road (Ordinance 24‑5): Council considered a PDD rezoning of roughly 146.64 acres to create a mixed‑use corridor with commercial “four corners,” medium and high density residential areas, usable open space, and buffers (staff referenced 25‑ to 50‑foot buffers along major roads). Developers said they plan clustered single‑family and townhome products, with multi‑phase build out. Council voted to move the item forward (first reading/public hearing process) and asked for a traffic study tied to school crossings.
Road transfer initiation: Council authorized the city manager to initiate a formal request to the South Carolina Department of Transportation to transfer specified portions of Mason Street and Kitson Street to city ownership. Staff emphasized the authorization only starts the SCDOT process; formal acceptance and any maintenance obligations will return to council for final approval.
Curtesy Drive rezoning (Ordinance 24‑4): The rezoning of 8.49 acres at 212 Curtesy Drive East drew substantial council discussion about densities (staff cited 3.65 dwelling units per acre under the single‑family plan and 6.24 du/acre for a townhome plan), compatibility with the new future land use map, and whether R4 would be a better fit than the applicant’s requested R7. After discussion and votes, council ultimately sent the item back to Planning Commission for further review.
Why it matters: these actions, if carried through approvals and final plats, will add several hundred housing units, increase the commercial tax base and shift maintenance and right‑of‑way responsibilities for streets under negotiation with SCDOT. Staff noted potential increases in traffic and the need for pedestrian and school‑crossing improvements.
What’s next: the PDDs proceed through the statutory review process (public hearings and subsequent readings); staff will report back on traffic studies and any formal requests to accept roads from SCDOT. The Curtesy Drive matter will return to Planning Commission as directed by council.
Attribution: Paul Harrison, Darren Webb, Brian Beal, Carol Coleman and councilmembers participated in the discussion and votes recorded in the public meeting.
