Mauldin council adopts updated comprehensive plan, says zoning changes will follow separate process

The Mauldin City Council voted 5–0 on July 26 to adopt an updated comprehensive plan required by South Carolina law, concluding a year‑long review process.

City staff told council the comprehensive plan is a broad policy guide rather than a parcel‑by‑parcel rezoning tool. “It is not a comprehensive overhaul of zoning, and it does not get down into the granular level,” the city administrator said, explaining the plan lays out long‑term goals and that a separate zoning overhaul will follow to align code with the plan.

The planning commission recommended the draft by a 6–0 vote before it reached council. Staff said the plan was developed with consultant Benchmark Planning and community input over more than a year, and that additional technical work — including a zoning code review to implement the plan’s vision — will be led by city staff and presented to council in the coming months.

Resident Michael Yanover spoke during public comment to urge more granular district definitions and more public outreach. “It looks like a wholesale upscaling of what can be done on a lot of the property in Mauldin,” Yanover said, adding he worried the plan links regulatory alignment and rezoning before infrastructure improvements are in place.

Council members sought clarification on the plan’s scope before voting. Council discussion emphasized that the comprehensive plan expresses a community vision and that any rezoning or regulatory changes will require subsequent, separate actions and public hearings.

The council adopted the comprehensive plan on second reading by voice vote, 5–0. Councilmembers and staff said the next steps will include more detailed zoning work and additional public outreach when parcel‑level changes are proposed.