On November’s agenda for the Board of Zoning Appeals, the board reviewed newly proposed Airbnbs, a self-service storage facility and a bar.
Here’s what you missed at this month’s meeting:
Denied: Airbnbs on East Washington Street
This month’s meeting saw two applications for short-term rentals located at the historic Davenport Apartments.
Patricia Reynolds, the applicant representing Happy Traveler Investments, was seeking a special exception permit to be allowed to rent to guests for 30 days or fewer, which is known as a visitor accommodation. Currently, Reynolds operates the unit as a short-term rental with an occupancy permit that was granted in 2017, meaning she was grandfathered in and did not technically need to receive a special exemption permit to continue operating. Though her request for a special exemption permit was rejected, Reynolds will therefore still be allowed to continue to operate as a short-term rental.
That was not the case for the second applicant, Jeffrey Jones, who recently purchased a unit within the building with the intention of using it as a secondary residence for himself and his wife for part of the year while renting it out as a two-person maximum Airbnb for the remainder of the time.
Jones’ request for a special exemption permit was also rejected, and because the unit was purchased after the city’s requirements for special permission to use residences as short term rentals, he will not be able to rent out the unit for that purpose.
Several members of the community attended the meeting with concerns about noise, traffic, and retaining the original purpose of the apartment.
“There is absolutely no better illustration of why zoning laws exist,” one resident, John Warner, said at the meeting.
Lately, the question and battle over Airbnbs in Greenville, and especially within historic neighborhoods, has been a topic of much debate. Though some interpret GVL2040 to allow Airbnbs, many homeowners and neighbors worry about noise, increased traffic and the loss of neighbors within residential communities.
The board ultimately denied the applicants a Special Exception permit.
Approved: Self-Storage service on Wade Hampton Boulevard
Krish Patel Inc. applied to be granted a Special Exception permit to operate a self-service storage. Located on 255 Wade Hampton Boulevard, and owned by Brilliant Boys, it is located in a regional commercial district near the intersection with North Church Street and is not developed.
Although more than five acres, staff found the property is “significantly impacted” by multiple sanitary sewer lone easements, floodplain from Richland Creek, and a sloping topography. The property was approved in 2016, but failed to submit proof of recordation to the administrator in time, which was a condition of the approval. It was denied in 2018 after “finding that the request was not consistent with the comprehensive plan.”
According to the applicant, the building would not only be used for storage; it would also be a mixed-used facility including a restaurant or retail, along with office and self-storage space. The board approved the applicant after finding it consistent with GVL2040.
Approved: Bar on South Main St
The board approved a bar to operate on 355 South Main Street Suite 30. The applicant, The Cocktail Company, intends to run a “high-end cocktail bar” and will operate 7 days a week and closing before 2 a.m., which is a condition recommended by staff.
