The action was prompted by Councilman Rick Bradley – a procedural move that was the only matter under consideration at the meeting. Bradley was elected council vice chairman the previous week.

Third — and typically final — reading of the UDO had been approved during the Dec. 3, 2024, council meeting.

With approval of the move to reconsider, the UDO was effectively returned to second reading status and referred to the Committee of the Whole.

In a statement at the close of the called meeting, Chairman Benton Blount said the move was aimed at addressing some of the shortcomings in the UDO.

Read more about Unified Development Ordinance

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Upstate South Carolina remains under a winter storm warning until 7 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Between 1 and 3 inches of wintry mix was expected to fall Jan. 10. Chances of snow and sleet continue through early morning on Jan. 11.

Heavy accumulation is not expected south of the mountains, but freezing temperatures could create hazardous road conditions. Accumulating ice could also bring down trees and limbs, leading to the possibility of power outages.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency for the winter weather moving across the state. The executive order issued Friday supports the state’s ongoing response efforts to the snow, sleet and ice predicted to impact many areas in South Carolina.

Publix changes hours

Publix Super Markets in the Upstate will close on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. and will reopen pending weather conditions at 8 a.m. Jan. 11.

Schedule changes and cancellations

Greenville County Schools shifted to eLearning on Friday, with all activities canceled and facilities closed.

The city of Greenville and Greenville County offices are closed Friday. Greenville Municipal Court sessions for Friday have been canceled.

Greenlink will end services at 12:30 p.m. on Friday due to the winter weather. The last bus will depart from the transit center at 11:30 a.m. There will also be no bus services on Saturday.

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits rescheduled both weekend games. The Jan. 10 game will be made up on April 13, and the Jan. 11 game will be played Feb. 15.

Several Prisma Health locations have altered their schedule Friday due to the weather. All AnMed practices will remain open until noon and any closures will be shared later today.

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The disease remains a threat to people nearly 140 years after French scientist Louis Pasteur and his team developed a vaccine in 1885, and in the developed world the threat these days comes primarily from wild animals.

Known scientifically as rabies lyssavirus, rabies is a zoonotic disease — meaning it passes to humans from animals — that has been affecting humans since before recorded history.

In the vast stretch of time before a vaccine became available, the disease was a looming terror for human beings because it so often came through a bite from the longest domesticated companion animal, the dog.

Although easily preventable through vaccinations or through speedy medical intervention after possible exposure, the disease is still nearly 100% fatal once symptoms manifest.

The range of these symptoms and singular suffering brought on by the disease have been part of the human experience for so long that mentions of rabies cases date back to the earliest days of recorded history.

Ancient scourge

The deep history and profound impact rabies has had on human society is explored in “Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus,” written in 2012 by journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy.

To highlight why the disease grips the human imagination, even today, the authors open the book with descriptions of what rabies does to the people and animals it infects.

Instead of using the infected animal’s bloodstream to spread, the rabies virus travels through the nervous system to the brain. Once there its effects often produce aggression and excessive salivation — the proverbial foaming at the mouth.

Historically, one of the hallmarks of the disease in humans is a condition called hydrophobia, which is a fear of water. In fact, the condition describes such a distinctive aspect of rabies that it was used up until modern times to refer to the disease. Wasik and Murphy describe this as one of the disease’s most insidious characteristics as human sufferers throughout history reported being desperately thirsty and yet often deathly afraid of water.

Aside from the telltale fear of water, rabies throughout the centuries has been closely associated with humanity’s deepest fears about madness. Wasik and Patterson point to strong connections between the virus and the origin of tales about vampires, werewolves and even zombies.

Folklore and deep-seated human fears aside, rabies remains a worldwide threat, particularly as humans and animals often share many of the same spaces.

Modern menace

Rabies continues to persist on every continent but Antarctica and kills on average about 70,000 humans annually worldwide, predominantly in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization.

Outside the U.S., dogs are responsible for 99% of human exposures and deaths, according to the WHO, primarily due to extremely low vaccination rates in the developing world.

In the developed world, particularly in the U.S., human exposure to rabies comes primarily from wildlife. About 60,000 people in this country receive medical treatment for suspected rabies exposure each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Any mammal can carry and transmit rabies. In South Carolina, the most common animal carriers are raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health.

In November, a rabid skunk was confirmed in Easley with three suspected pet exposures. The three dogs suspected of exposure were placed into quarantine as required by state law.

“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals plenty of space,” said Terri McCollister, rabies program director for the DPH, in a statement about the Easley case. “If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it and contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer, wildlife control operator or wildlife rehabilitator.”

According to the DPH, it is important to keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, as this is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease. The skunk was the fifth animal in Pickens County to test positive for rabies in 2024.

There have been 74 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year, according to DPH.

Simple precautions

With South Carolina — and the Upstate in particular — experiencing rapid development, human-wildlife encounters will continue to increase.

With such encounters comes the potential for possible exposure to rabies, but there are a few simple steps people can take to mitigate that risk, according to advice from DPH and the state Department of Natural Resources.

First, avoid contact with wild animals. Just because an animal may appear cute and cuddly does not mean it is safe to handle.

Another thing to keep in mind is that simply seeing a wild animal in your neighborhood or near your home doesn’t mean it is necessarily rabid, according to Tammy Waldrop, a biologist with SCDNR.

To reduce chances of attracting wild animals, Waldrop said homeowners should not serve or store pet food outside and should secure things like grills and garbage containers away from areas where wild animals can get to them.

It is also important to keep pets up to date on vaccinations. South Carolina law requires pet dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies.

For more information visit dph.sc.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.

Rabies in South Carolina fast facts

• Since 2002, about 150 animals annually have tested positive for rabies in South Carolina.
• About 30% of those cases involve a suspected exposure to humans.
• The primary animal carriers in South Carolina are raccoons, skunks foxes and bats.
• State law requires rabies vaccinations for pet dogs, cats and ferrets.
• Any mammal can potentially carry and transmit rabies.

Source: S.C. Department of Public Health

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The easement is the culmination of an effort that began in 2023 by The Nature Conservancy with local and state funding partners to secure $1.4 million for the easement.

The easement places permanent restrictions on development for 484 acres of the faith-based camp off U.S. Highway 25 north of Marietta. It will also help preserve habitat for plant and animal species, which include ​​16 rare, threatened or endangered terrestrial species reported within two miles of the property according to TNC.

Protection of the property will also help preserve watershed conditions for the main stem of Gap Creek. The Gap Creek system is known to support the Rosyside dace, Fieryblack shiner and other aquatic species of interest.

The easement was funded by grants from the South Carolina Conservation Bank, the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust, the Upstate Land Conservation Fund, Awanita Valley, and donors to TNC. 

Proceeds from the easement will help the camp to fund renovations on original buildings, continue to provide for their equestrian program and create inviting spaces where guests can immerse themselves in nature and have transformative experiences that deepen their faith.

“Our goal is always to make sure that we can provide a space in nature for others to come and grow in their faith and strengthen their relationships with their community,” Awanita Valley executive director Brent Wood said in the statement. “We want Awanita Valley to always be here for the community; thanks to this conservation easement, it will be.”

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Elected: Blount becomes chairman, Bradley vice chairman

Council unanimously selected Benton Blount (District 19) as chairman during its first formal meeting of the year.

Rick Bradley (District 26) was elected vice chairman.

After taking over the gavel from outgoing chairman Dan Tripp, Blount said he and Bradley came into office two years ago with the conviction council had frequently been embroiled in unnecessary conflicts among its members.

He said he has seen some of the same tensions during his time on council and vowed to do everything he could to eliminate or minimize such conflict. Blount also promised to work on meaningful change for the county and to promote transparency and accountability.

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The new inductees are the first class to join the hall of fame since 2014.

The group includes the posthumous induction of three pioneers from Greenville’s Black baseball community — Manning “Kingfish” Clark, Rico Dawson and Thomas Hallums.

The four other inductees are:

• Travis Barbary — Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets manager. An Easley native, Barbary is entering his 30th season with the Dodgers organization and has been a player, coach and staff member.
• Greg Burgess — Vice president of operations and grounds for the Greenville Drive. Burgess also serves as the head groundskeeper at Fluor Field. A Rock Hill native, he majored in turfgrass management at Clemson University.
• Eric Jarinko — Greenville Drive general manager. A native of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, Jarinko has a degree in sports management from Clemson University.
• Bob Kipper — Greenville Drive pitching coach. A native of Aurora, Illinois, Kipper was a left-handed pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1985-1992 before entering coaching.

The inductees will be formally honored at a banquet Jan. 21 at the AFL Champions Club at Fluor Field.

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The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust board approved $500,000 toward the purchase of two parcels during the board’s Dec. 16 meeting.

The South Carolina Conservation Bank board followed two days later in approving $2.4 million toward the purchase of land that will enlarge the park to a total of almost 1,900 acres.

The expansion plan was publicly announced Nov. 18 during a Greenville County Council finance committee meeting.

The two parcels, one 56.4 acres and the other 9 acres, border the northeast edge of the state park. The larger parcel has frontage on State Park Road. The parcels include a home and a two-acre lake. Ownership would be transferred in 2025 to the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, which operates all state parks.

The new property would expand the existing trail network and add another access point with parking.

Read more about Paris Mountain State Park

Of the $2.4 million committed to the purchase by the state Conservation Bank, the bank anticipates being reimbursed $1 million through a federal grant from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund, according to bank director Raleigh West.

The number of visitors to Paris Mountain State Park has more than quadrupled since the pandemic, and this would be the second major expansion to the park in the past years.

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Nearly $1 billion in new manufacturing projects

The year started off in February with EnerSys, a global manufacturer of energy-storage systems, announcing an investment of $500 million that will create 500 new jobs with a lithium-ion battery production facility in Greenville County.

The new 500,000-square-foot facility will be located on 140 acres in the Augusta Grove Business Park off Bracken Road in the southern part of the county.

According to the company, the new facility will be its second in South Carolina and will focus on producing lithium-ion cells for commercial, industrial and defense applications.

Another $400 million set of investment announcements came in December with a pair of expansions by Magna International to its operations in Piedmont totaling $194 million and expected to create about 200 new jobs.

Another $216 million announcement involved an as-yet-unnamed company for a new motor vehicle production facility, also in Piedmont, that is expected to create more than 700 new jobs.

Read more business news on UpstateBusinessJournal.com

Phase 2 of County Square redevelopment gets underway

The second phase of the $1 billion County Square project got underway early this year with demolition and infrastructure work.

Demolition of the old Greenville County administrative building was followed by site work, which involved reconfiguring University Ridge and infrastructure improvements.

Once complete, the project will involve about a dozen new mixed-use buildings incorporating residential, office, hotel, food and beverage, and other retail uses.

Clemson college of veterinary medicine breaks ground

The state’s first college of veterinary medicine moved firmly from the drawing board to reality with the November groundbreaking of the Clemson University Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine. Clemson’s board of trustees approved plans for the college in 2023 and hired the college’s first dean, Steven Marks.

The curriculum for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program was approved this year, and the college continues to hire faculty and seek accreditation for the program through the American Veterinary Medical Association. The inaugural class of 80 students is expected to enroll in 2026.

Liquor liability insurance squeezes food and beverage industry

Skyrocketing costs for liquor liability insurance continued to put stress on the state’s $22 billion food and beverage industry this year and reform hopes were dashed when the General Assembly adjourned without taking action on the issue.

The issue has yet to capture widespread public concern and was overshadowed by other issues leading up to November’s general election. Industry leaders are organizing to make the matter a priority in the coming legislative session.

BMW, Michelin celebrate major milestones

Two of the state’s most significant corporate citizens celebrated major milestones. BMW Manufacturing celebrated its 30th anniversary in the Palmetto State in June, and Michelin North America celebrated its 50th anniversary in September.

Over several decades the two companies have had a profound impact on the state’s economy and helped supercharge South Carolina’s drive to become a manufacturing powerhouse.

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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.

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1,100-acre Saluda Bluffs protected

November saw the announcement of protections for the 1,090-acre Saluda Bluffs property in the heart of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area in Pickens County.

Greenville-based Naturaland Trust worked with local and state conservation groups and state agencies to secure the largest privately held, unprotected piece of property in Pickens County for conservation. Ownership of the land will be assumed in early 2025 by the state Department of Natural Resources, which it will use to form the new South Saluda Wildlife Management Area.

The property is effectively the centerpiece of the views from Caesars Head, Table Rock and Jones Gap state parks, which themselves form one of the most scenic stretches of South Carolina’s section of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Highway 11 property protected, may become new state park

Another Naturaland Trust project secured 365 acres near the intersection of Dill Road and state Highway 11 in northern Greenville County, the first step in a process that may lead to the creation of a new state park.

The Glassy Mountain Foothills project came about when the property owner, Spartanburg dentist Holland Satterfield, offered the property to Naturaland Trust at a discounted price of $3.2 million.

Although in very early stages, the plan to make the property a state park is in part dependent on state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism obtaining a $1 million grant from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Saluda Grade trail property secured

In August the Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy signed a contract with Norfolk Southern to purchase the historic 31-mile rail corridor that will form a trail connecting communities on both sides of the North Carolina-South Carolina state line.

A dream for decades, the Saluda Grade Trail will connect a string of communities in northern Spartanburg County in South Carolina along 31 miles of what was formerly the steepest mainline rail route in the country before it ceased operations more than 20 years ago.

New golf course planned in southern Greenville County

September brought the unveiling of plans for a new signature golf course in southern Greenville County.

Kawonu Golf Club is planned for 294 acres to the west of Fountain Inn, along the Reedy River. Construction is expected to begin in early 2025, with the club opening in 2027. It will be private and golf only, open to a limited number of local and national members and their guests.

About 100 acres of the site will remain a nature preserve, including the portion of the land that hugs the Reedy River.

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What might be surprising is that organization’s mission is national in scope, and its creation was prompted by the U.S. and Canadian governments as part of a settlement in a decades-old timber trade dispute.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities has been working for almost two decades all over the country to ensure the nation’s working forests are sustainably managed.

This work not only produces environmental benefits but helps support the timber industry and, through that support, the people and communities that rely on working forests for their livelihoods, according to Pete Madden, the endowment’s president and CEO.

Trade troubles

The endowment is a nonprofit public charity born out of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement between the U.S. and Canada stemming from a trade dispute between the two countries over timber pricing.

As part of the agreement and at the request of both governments, the endowment was created with $200 million in funding to support its mission.

Madden said people don’t usually tend to think a trade dispute could create a meritorious, long-term initiative, but the endowment was set up in perpetuity to use the proceeds from its initial capital to fund the work of sustaining the nation’s working forests.

He said in the 18 years since the endowment’s inception, it has awarded more than $100 million in grants nationwide to “advance systemic, transformative and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests.”

This work is important to the state and national economies considering the forest products sector supports about 2.5 million jobs nationally and generates an estimated $128 billion in annual payroll, according to Alicia Cramer, the endowment’s chief operating officer.

Market changes

One of the challenges to keeping the American forestry industry healthy is the changing nature of demand for timber-based products, Madden said.

For instance, with the explosion in electronic communication in recent decades the demand for paper has slumped.

These market forces contributed to the closing of paper mills in Canton, North Carolina, and North Charleston and Georgetown in South Carolina, Madden said.

He added that mitigating the negative impact of losing such major employers on their surrounding communities is why the endowment works with forest products industry partners and government agencies to identify and develop new products and markets for those products.

In Southern states such as South Carolina, species like the loblolly pine grow exuberantly and have been a mainstay of the state’s timber industry. By helping identify and support markets for that timber the endowment aims to provide incentives for landowners to keep their land producing a sustainable, marketable product rather than sell off that land for development, Madden said.

“A tree doesn’t care about West Texas crude prices or a war in the Middle East,” he said. “It keeps on growing.”

That’s why the growing demand for cross-laminated and mass timber products for the construction industry is a promising development for the nation’s working forests, Madden said.

With companies like Timberlab in Piedmont in southern Greenville County pioneering precision mass timber fabrication for the building industry, the endowment works to keep forestry a vibrant part of the U.S. economy.

Toward that end, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities announced in November it was making $6.5 million in funding available for impact investments for projects supporting three primary focuses:

• Forests: Support working forests and the use of sustainable forest management practices for the health and retention of U.S. forests.
• Communities: Work with trusted partners within rural forest-reliant communities to build economic prosperity and resilience.
• Markets: Support forest industry processes and products, both traditional (e.g., paper mills, sawmills) and emerging (e.g., biochar, carbon).

The endowment will release a request for proposals in January with a proposal deadline of March 11, 2025.

For more information, visit usendowment.org.

U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities fast facts

• Established in 2006 and based in Greenville with $200 million in initial funding.
• Endowment has grown to $270 million with more than $100 million distributed in grants so far.
• Works to promote the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities.

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Approved: Country Club Road parcel rezoning

Council unanimously approved second and final reading of an ordinance rezoning a 12.2-acre parcel at 2065 Country Club Road near the intersection of state Highway 14 involving a mixed single-family detached/townhome development.

The measure changed the property’s zoning from suburban neighborhood to traditional neighborhood, which allows a higher density of dwelling units per acre. The proposed development for the property involves 49 townhomes and four half-acre lots for single family detached homes.

Approved: Annexation near Brockman McClimon, Abner Creek roads

Council voted 5-2 to approve first reading of an ordinance annexing a 4.7-acre parcel at 770 Brockman McClimon Road into the city and establishing an initial zoning classification of traditional neighborhood.

Plans for the property involve combining it with four adjacent parcels totaling 20 acres for a mixed single-family detached/townhome residential development. If approved, the measure would pave the way for all five properties to be joined in a 25-acre project involving a projected total of 166 units.

Approved: bid for Stevens Field site improvements

Council unanimously approved accepting a bid of slightly over $1 million from P&F Construction LLC for site improvements to Stevens Field.

The project involves stormwater improvements, construction of two fenced-in basketball courts and a parking lot and will be paid for by federal funding to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act.

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Approved: Incentives for automotive projects in Piedmont

Council approved third and final reading to a series of ordinances authorizing economic incentives for Drive Automotive Industries of America LLC for a pair of projects in Piedmont totaling an expected investment of $194 million.

The company is a manufacturing division of Magna International Inc. and produces automotive body panels and assembles body systems for the automotive industry at its facility at 120 Moon Acres Road near U.S. Highway 25 and Interstate 185 in Piedmont.

The expansion of this facility involves an expected investment of $102 million and will create about 50 new jobs.

A second set of ordinances involves a $92.9 million project at 923 Matrix Parkway which is expected to create another 150 jobs.

Related: Greenville County Councilman Butch Kirven receives Order of the Palmetto

This project involves a new 625,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to begin operation in early 2025. The expansion of the existing Magna facility on Moon Acres Road and the new facility on Matrix Parkway will manufacture automotive parts for cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles.

Council also approved incentives for Project Blackbird, a still unnamed auto manufacturing facility, involving an expected investment of $215.9 million and creation of about 700 jobs, also in Piedmont.

The project involves construction of a motor vehicle production facility on about 210 acres near the intersection of Ray Road and U.S. Highway 25 south of Interstate 185.

Approved: Incentives for Amazon fulfillment center in Fountain Inn

Council approved a pair of incentive measures for a new Amazon fulfillment center at 206 Fairview Road Extension in Fountain Inn. The project is expected to create 200 jobs and involve an investment of $47.5 million on two properties totaling 106 acres.

As part of the incentives package, council adopted an ordinance placing the property in a multicounty industrial park in Greenville and Anderson counties.

Approved: Unified Development Ordinance

Council passed third and final reading of the Unified Development Ordinance, a measure designed to streamline and update the county’s land development and zoning regulations.

Council’s discussions on the UDO revealed dissatisfaction with elements within the more than 600-page ordinance, but the consensus among council members was the UDO is better than the regulations it replaces.

Council’s deliberations also pointed to the likelihood the ordinance will be amended in the coming year.

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Greenville Mayor Knox White presented Kirven the honor on behalf of Gov. Henry McMaster.

Considered South Carolina’s highest civilian honor and awarded by the governor to residents in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary achievement, the Order of the Palmetto was established in 1971 by Gov. John C. West.

“It’s rare to find a public servant who combines vision, integrity and the ability to get things done effectively as Butch Kirven,” White said.

Kirven was elected to council in 2004 and served as chairman from 2005-2012 and 2017-2020. He has served as the chairman of council’s finance committee, on the Greenville-Pickens Transportation Study’s policy committee, on the Appalachian Council of Government’s board of directors and on the S.C. Association of Counties board of directors.

Related – Amazon facility, automotive projects get economic incentives: Greenville County Council notes

Kirven also served 37 years in the U.S. Army National Guard and retired with the rank of brigadier general in 2003.

In accepting the honor, Kirven said his accomplishments would not have been possible without the many community leaders he has worked with throughout his career.

“I’ve been fortunate to know so many great people and learn from them,” he said.

During the same meeting as the Order of the Palmetto presentation, County Council approved naming the veterans memorial in front of County Square as the Herman G. “Butch” Kirven Veterans Plaza.

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Approved: 2025 city paving list

Council unanimously approved the 2025 paving list for city streets at an estimated cost of nearly $2 million.

The list includes 14 streets on the Greenville County side of the city totaling 1.74 miles at an estimated cost of $905,000 and 12 streets on the Spartanburg County side of the city totaling 2.31 miles at an estimated cost of $1.1 million.

The cost of the Greenville County projects is expected to be offset by appropriations from the Greenville County Legislative Delegation Transportation Committee.

Costs for the Spartanburg County projects are expected to be offset by funding through the county transportation committee and $500,000 in designated funding to the city from county capital projects sales tax revenue.

Approved: Mayfield Road annexation

Council unanimously approved second and final reading of two measures annexing a total of about 75 acres on Mayfield Road into the city and establishing an initial zoning category of suburban neighborhood.

Plans for the property involve construction of 134 age restricted single family residential units.

Approved: Maximum price for police, fire training facility

Council unanimously approved accepting a $15.8 million guaranteed maximum price package from the contractor for a new police and fire training facility to be built at 1985 Hood Road.

Reeves Young has been selected as the general contractor for the project, which the city had anticipated costing about $17 million.

The majority of the cost will be covered by debt issued by the Corporation for Greer Fund, while $800,000 will come from American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated to the city, $800,000 from the Greer Police Federal Drug Fund, and $250,000 in allocated funding from the state through the Department of Public Safety.

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