While growth and development continue to present challenges for Greenville County leaders, the biggest County Council push in 2024 was aimed at getting a capital projects local option sales tax to address road needs in front of voters for a referendum.
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Penny tax for roads referendum fails
Facing an estimated $3 billion road repair backlog, Greenville County Council spent much of 2024 putting together a proposal to impose a capital projects local option sales tax on the November ballot.
While it was narrowly defeated by about 7,200 votes, the measure would have increased the sales tax in the county by 1% and generated about $1 billion over the eight years for which it was proposed. Without the tax, the county is left reliant on about $12 million it generates annually through its road maintenance fees.
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UDO crosses the finish line
Years of effort to produce a unified development ordinance finally bore fruit in December when council formally adopted the measure. The UDO is aimed at streamlining and modernizing the county’s land use and zoning regulations.
After several lengthy discussions, it became clear many council members viewed it as a flawed document but a decided improvement over the regulations it replaced. It is all but certain council will consider amendments and further refinements in the coming year.
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County establishes first new regional park in 15 years
In May the county took ownership of the historic Oakland Plantation to create the first new regional park in 15 years.
The 52-acre property on Adams Mill Road in the rapidly growing Five Forks area near Simpsonville was purchased by Upstate Preservation Trust from the YMCA of Greenville for $1.2 million with funding provided by the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust and the South Carolina Conservation Bank.
The goal was to preserve the property for a public park and restore the site’s historic structures, including a barn which contains one of three remaining slave dwellings in Greenville County. Planning for the park is ongoing but is expected to include educational components centered on the historic structures.
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Gowensville citizen effort leads to initial zoning
After more than a year of grassroots efforts to obtain zoning protections for properties in the rural Gowensville community in the northern part of the county, council approved initial zoning for more than 2,700 acres in December.
Spearheaded by Preserve Gowensville, a group of area residents organized to protect the rural character of the region, the effort secured the endorsement of more than 200 property owners.
The properties were assigned a mix of agricultural preservation district, rural residential and residential suburban zoning classifications.
