The first Sprouts Farmers Market in South Carolina should open next year along Woodruff Road now that Greenville County Council has agreed to rezone the development site.
The Phoenix-based grocery chain is scheduled to open a store at the corner of Woodruff Road and Highway 14 in June of next year, said Greenville developer Neil Wilson, whose RealtyLink requested the rezoning of about 10 acres at the corner.
“They’re very similar to a Fresh Market or a Whole Foods, but they deliver at a much lower price,” Wilson said. “I think they will be well received.”
Some neighbors vigorously opposed the development on what is now vacant land, as they did previous plans to put Fresh Market and Harris Teeter groceries at the site. Their concerns included traffic congestion and the development being next door to a cemetery called Graceland East Memorial Park.
Tuesday night, however, County Council voted 7 to 5 to give final approval to the developer’s rezoning request.
County planners and the county Planning Commission had previously signed off on the change.
The rezoning also got support from Eastside residents associated with Southside Christian School, which is across Woodruff Road from the development site, after RealtyLink agreed to donate 4.2 acres to the school.
Sprouts specializes in fresh, natural, and organic foods and uses a store layout it says was inspired by a farmers market.
The chain operates more than 260 stores around the country, including 15 in the Atlanta area, and aims to grow at a pace of 30 new stores a year, according to its website.
Sprouts spokesman Diego Romero said the company has not announced any expansion plans past 2017 at this time.
RealtyLink plans to put the Sprouts store in a 30,000-square-foot building that it will separate from the cemetery next door by means of a three-foot berm and six-foot concrete wall.
RealtyLink also plans a 13,200-square-foot building to house a restaurant, shopping, and/or offices but hasn’t signed up any tenants for that space yet, Wilson said.
The development site is in County Council District 28, represented by Fred Payne.
Payne voted in favor of the rezoning, saying it had been approved by county planning officials and was in harmony with the county’s 2009 comprehensive plan. Payne also cited a right to sell on the part of the property owner and the developer’s efforts to accommodate citizen concerns.
Council Chairman Butch Kirven voted against the rezoning.
“I believe there ought to be a certain area on Woodruff Road that’s not commercialized,” Kirven said, drawing applause from opponents of the rezoning gathered in council chambers to witness the vote.
