The smallest subdivision on the agenda generated big discussion at the City of Greenville Planning Commission’s November meeting. But in the end, three new subdivisions were approved, including one the commission had rejected about a year ago.
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1724 N. Main
When 1724 N. Main St. was subdivided into two lots, it was considered a minor subdivision. But when owner Marc Crowley wanted to turn those two lots into three, it became a Planning Commission matter because three lots would be considered a major subdivision.
Clay Jones, a land surveyor from Site Design Inc. hired by Crowley, said a 1939 plat shows three lots on the land. The owner plans $300,000 in renovations to the house at 1724 but needs to sell the other lots to be able to do it.
Five people spoke against the project, although many more opponents in the audience did not make comments during the public hearing. Neighbors voiced concerns that the two smaller lots would appear cramped and destroy the character and look of North Main. They also decried the loss of heritage and historic trees and the potential for stormwater runoff.
North Main resident Linda Whisenhunt said the area welcomes new neighbors and supports change, but they cannot tolerate change that impacts the character of their neighborhood.
City staff recommended approval subject to several conditions, including planting of street trees and stormwater management measures.
PC member Meg Terry said she had concerns about heritage trees and water mitigation as well as the scale of the home at 1724 and how it would interact with two smaller lots on each side. PC member David Keller said it was obvious the neighbors were against it but the application technically met all requirements. PC member Michael Allen said he thought the opposition came because neighbors don’t know what’s coming.
In the end, the project was approved 5-2, with Keller and Tankersley voting no. Jason Tankersley said he voted against approval because he thought one lot serviced the owner’s needs to sell property to be able to renovate the house and that the house is worthy of a bigger lot.
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Beattie Place
The PC approved preliminary plans to turn a long-vacant piece of property in the Cleveland Forest neighborhood into a new subdivision.
Pace Beatty told commissioners he and his brother, Bill, wanted to turn 7.662 acres of land bordered by Woodland Way and Newman Street that has been in his family since the 1950s into a new 22-home subdivision. Plans for the subdivision filed this summer had called for a cul-de-sac, but that would have violated the city’s rule against dead-end streets.
The new plan has a new private road with street parking that connects with Newman Street and a two-way alley to provide vehicular access to individual lots. City staff recommended that traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps or islands be considered to reduce cut-through traffic.
Some nearby residents said they were concerned with where the proposed road comes out on Newman Street as well as the amount of additional traffic the subdivision would generate. But city officials said they saw no traffic capacity issues on Woodland Way. While city staff said the intersection with Newman is not ideal, a three-way stop or a small traffic circle may be able to alleviate some concerns. A formal study is not required because the new subdivision won’t generate enough peak-time traffic.
The Beattys held two neighborhood meetings regarding the project, and Pace Beatty told commissioners they were not trying to do anything that would hurt the neighborhood in which they grew up. They have hired an architect to develop architectural guidelines that would ensure the new homes there would preserve the character of the neighborhood.
Other residents voiced concern over losing trees on the property and whether the development would have to adhere to the Clean Water Act to ensure the quality of the Reedy River. Nate Lipscomb, a nearby resident, asked the brothers to consider reducing the number of homes in the proposed subdivision.
“It’s true in life less is more,” Lipscomb said. “I’m appealing on a more personal level. Beattie Park could represent a legacy rather than an unwanted project.”
The PC unanimously approved the subdivision as long as the intersection with Newman is addressed.
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Meadow Pointe
The PC approved a proposed eight-lot subdivision off an existing cul-de-sac at Parish Court in the Parkins Mill neighborhood despite city staff’s recommendation for denial.
A proposal for a subdivision on the land was denied in 2014 because it was out of character for the neighborhood, provided only one access point on East Parkins Mill and neighbors had concerns about the development potentially tying up traffic near a school.
The proposal was to develop an eight-lot subdivision on land owned by Jacqueline Collins. Developers said $6 million would be invested. The project is not developer-driven; instead it was developed for the family to build homes. Zoning would allow for 21 homes.
The revised plans called for a new private road from Parrish Court and a second emergency-only access to East Parkins Mill Road. The property’s configuration prevents a safe connection to East Parkins Mill, the developer said.
City staff recommended the project be denied because of the dead-end street. But several neighborhood residents spoke in favor of the project, including some who were against the first proposal. One resident said “almost everything I objected to before has been fixed.”
Joe Watson told commissioners that the corridor of East Parkins Mill and Cleveland Street serves as a shortcut to downtown for those who don’t want to get on Laurens Road and it was important the development have a cul-de-sac instead of a through street.
In the end, commissioners approved the project with the cul-de-sac, saying the exception was granted because of the property’s configuration and accessibility issues.
