Greenville City Council Meeting - September 10, 2026

The Greenville City Council met on September 10, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included agenda adjustments, public comments, appointments, consent agenda, several public hearings, and other business items. Key topics included stormwater drainage improvements, a downtown hotel rezoning, a large residential rezoning, a commercial rezoning denial, annexations, code enforcement ordinance updates, transit fare proposals, and a youth curfew ordinance.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes, easement release, assignment of economic development agreement, 2027 meeting schedule, budget schedule for FY 2027-2028, police department grant funds for BikeSafe and traffic safety, lease agreement for golf cart fleet replacement at Bradford Creek, contract award for Golden Road drainage improvement project, and various tax refunds greater than $100. (Motion passed 6-0 with special emphasis on item 13.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Edwards urged council to approve the Golden Road drainage contract, citing decades of unresolved stormwater issues.
• Christy Dixon advocated for a moratorium on data centers, citing AI risks, lack of public input, and environmental concerns; she also noted the Environmental Advisory Board's work on a tree ordinance.
• L. Hendrickson, Preston Joyner, Jay Lampa, Jason (speaker), and Cassidy Mayo criticized police conduct, particularly Officer Jennifer Umblett, calling for her decertification and improved de-escalation training. They also raised concerns about a pattern of violence and lack of accountability.
• Lewis Hornbuckle and Venus Simon urged keeping bus fares free to support vulnerable populations, citing cost-of-living challenges and the need for safe, accessible transit.
• Mary Ann Blackburn requested a citywide prohibition on Flock cameras, arguing they violate privacy and enable surveillance without oversight.
• Don Cavallini read a statement from Ms. Johnson describing a traumatic police encounter and calling for accountability.
• Mike Corner expressed frustration that Sawyer's Fun Park items (18 & 19) were continued at the last minute, noting many residents had made arrangements to attend.
• Gwen Stewart, Hugh Bryan, Louise McRoy, and Jerry McRoy opposed the Sawyer's Fun Park rezoning and annexation (items 18 & 19), citing spot zoning, traffic, noise, property value impacts, and a history of noncompliance. They requested denial and a moratorium on repeated applications.

Discussion Items

Appointments to Boards and Commissions

• Council made appointments to the Environmental Advisory Commission (Dr. Joe Leskovich), Human Relations Council (Lakisha Bishop, Summer Badman), Multimodal Transportation Commission (Lena C. Johnson), Youth Council (Christian Blake, Amelia O'Hagan, Zoe Orman). Several other appointments were continued. (All votes 6-0.)

Public Hearings and Votes

• Item 15: Rezoning for hotel at Evans and Reade Circle – Approved 6-0. The 1.08-acre site would be rezoned from CDF to CD to allow a 100–120-room hotel with on-site parking. Staff recommended approval.
• Item 16: Rezoning for 42.07 acres off Charles Boulevard – Approved 6-0. The property would be rezoned from Office to four residential tracts (OR, R6, R6S, R15S), allowing 150–175 multi-family units and 115–135 single-family lots. Staff recommended approval; a speaker from Sound Rivers requested conditions to protect the floodplain and stream.
• Item 17: Rezoning for 2.43 acres at Howell and McClellan – Denied 6-0. The request to rezone from R6 to CG was inconsistent with the land use plan; staff recommended denial.
• Item 20: Annexation for O'Reilly Auto Parts – Approved 6-0. The 1.025-acre site on North Memorial Drive will be developed as a retail store with an estimated tax value of $2.5 million.
• Item 21: Annexation for Randy Wong property – Approved 6-0. The 2.034-acre site on Frog Level Road contains a single-family residence; annexation is for sewer connection.
• Item 22: Code enforcement ordinance updates – Approved 6-0. Repeal and replace multiple titles to strengthen enforcement, including a 48-hour life safety repair requirement, clearer definitions for unfit housing, and a simplified $100 civil penalty structure. Staff noted alignment with council goals.
• Item 23: CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report) – Approved 6-0. The report covers CDBG and HOME program expenditures for 2025-2026, including 716 households assisted.
• Item 24: National Register nomination for Higgs House – Approved 5-0 (Councilmember Scully recused). The property at 1112 Dickinson Avenue was recommended for listing.

Other Business

• Item 25: Transit fares and benches/shelters update – Approved 6-0. The proposal reduces the full fare from $1.25 to $1.00, with electronic fare collection, fare capping ($3 daily, $12 weekly, $40 monthly), and free transfers within 60 minutes for app/card users. Paratransit fare set at $2.00. On-demand microtransit fare set at $2.00, increasing to $3.00 in January 2028. Benches and shelters installation faces right-of-way challenges; microtransit expansion considered for areas lacking infrastructure.
• Item 26: Youth Protection Ordinance (first reading) – Approved 6-0. Establishes a downtown curfew for juveniles under 18 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 PM to 6 AM, with exceptions for parental accompaniment, school activities, work, emergencies, and constitutional activities. Second reading required.
• Item 27: Budget Ordinance Amendment #2 – Approved 6-0. Adjusts multiple funds, including $300,000 for affordable housing, $150,000 for GUC energy improvement, $470,000 for CDBG/HOME grants, $658,998 for facility maintenance, and $161,760 for Golden Road drainage. Adds 3 FTEs for custodial services. Total operating budget becomes $211.1 million.
• Item 28: Grant application for low/no emission buses – Approved 6-0. Authorizes application to FTA for $589 million competitive grant to replace 4 diesel buses with compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. City share is $641,000 (60% general fund, 40% vehicle replacement fund).

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda and all appointments approved unanimously.
• Public hearings resulted in: hotel rezoning approved (6-0), Charles Boulevard residential rezoning approved (6-0), Howell/McClellan commercial rezoning denied (6-0), three annexations approved (6-0), code enforcement updates approved (6-0), CAPER approved (6-0), historic nomination approved (5-0).
• Transit fare reduction to $1 approved (6-0).
• First reading of youth curfew ordinance approved (6-0); second reading at a future meeting.
• Budget amendment approved (6-0).
• Grant application for CNG buses approved (6-0).
• Items 18 and 19 (Sawyer's Fun Park rezoning and annexation) were continued to November 12, 2026, at the applicant's request, drawing criticism from speakers.