Greenville Planning & Zoning Commission Reconvened Meeting – August 20, 2020
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Greenville Planning & Zoning Commission Reconvened Meeting – August 20, 2020
The Planning and Zoning Commission reconvened on August 20, 2020, to vote on items from the August 18, 2020 agenda after receiving additional public comments. The meeting included discussions on seven agenda items: five rezoning requests, a text amendment, and a land use map amendment. Key votes included approval of a controversial text amendment for small private schools by a 5-3 margin.
Public Comments & Testimony
- For Item 2 (Porter Town Rd rezoning): one comment from Ann B. Massey.
- For Item 3 (Herman Garris/Portertown rezoning): one comment from Ann B. Massey.
- For Item 4 (text amendment for small private schools): 19 communications opposed (including three couples, totaling six individuals) and one comment from Mr. Ballot. No additional live public testimony was taken at the reconvened meeting.
Discussion Items
Item 2 – Rezoning 14.221 acres on Porter Town Road
- Commissioner Chris West recused himself due to a potential substantial financial interest. Alan Thomas, the alternate, did not vote.
- Commissioner Pat Maxwell expressed concerns about downstream flooding in the Willow Run neighborhood and questioned whether residents were adequately informed about flood risks. City engineer Daryl Norris explained the city's floodplain management outreach program.
- Motion to approve (with staff recommendation) passed 7-1 (Maxwell voted deny).
Item 3 – Rezoning 33.849 acres near Herman Garris and Portertown Roads
- Motion to approve made and seconded; passed unanimously.
Item 4 – Text Amendment to Create Use Classification for Small Private Schools
- A possible conflict of interest involving Commissioner Michael Overton was raised due to a $250 donation to John Paul II Catholic School. After discussion, counsel advised that no recusal was required under state law because Overton would not receive a direct, substantial financial benefit.
- Commissioner Pat Maxwell moved to deny the text amendment, arguing the process had been unfair to neighbors and the amendment could set a harmful precedent. He noted 230+ signatures opposed.
- Motion to deny failed 5-3 (Maxwell, Collins, Gooth in favor of denial; Overton, Parker, Joyner, Faison, West opposed).
- A subsequent motion to approve the text amendment (consistent with the comprehensive plan) passed 5-3 (same split). Commissioner Brad Gooth argued the matter should be handled through a special use permit rather than a text amendment.
Item 5 – Amend Future Land Use Map for 1.881 acres on South Memorial Drive
- Motion to approve made and seconded; passed unanimously.
Item 6 – Rezone 9.873 acres in Cobblestone Subdivision
- Motion to approve made and seconded; passed unanimously.
Item 7 – Rezone 5.756 acres between West 10th and 8th Streets
- Motion to approve made and seconded; passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Item 2 (Porter Town Rd rezoning): Approved 7-1 (Maxwell opposed).
- Item 3 (Herman Garris/Portertown rezoning): Approved unanimously.
- Item 4 (private school text amendment): Motion to deny failed 5-3; then approved 5-3 (Overton, Parker, Joyner, Faison, West in favor; Maxwell, Collins, Gooth opposed).
- Item 5 (land use map amendment): Approved unanimously.
- Item 6 (Cobblestone rezoning): Approved unanimously.
- Item 7 (West 10th/8th rezoning): Approved unanimously.
- The commission also clarified voting procedures for alternates and determined no conflict of interest for Commissioner Overton.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, Mr. Robinson, we're good to go. Mr. Parker, thank you very much. And everyone watching us and joining us tonight. Welcome back to the August 18th, 2020 uh planning and zoning commission meeting that we began on August the 18th in pursuant to the rules. We now reconvene after receiving additional comments to now discuss the matters on our agenda from August the 18th, and after doing so to uh have a vote on each item. The uh first I'd ask uh if you would like to join us uh with your thoughts and prayers for us a moment, please. Uh Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to once again gather and do the city's business. We ask that you give us the patience and perseverance to look at the materials and consider all B points subjectively with a kind heart and open mind. We ask that you uh give us the ability to be fair and impartial to all those involved and be considered of all those in green. And finally, Lord, we ask that you give your special blessing to all those who are in our community, especially in this time of the pandemic of COVID-19. In those words we ask your holy name, amen. Amen. All right, Mr. Parker, could you uh could you help us and call the calendar, please to let's uh see who's with us tonight? Yes, sir. Les Robinson? Present. Michael Overton. Present. Billy Parker. Present. Max rejoiner. Here, John Collins, present. Alan Brock? President, Kevin Faison, President Chris West. Here. Brad Gooth. Here. Alan Thomas. Here. Ms. Robinson, your roll is complete. You have a form. Mr. Parker, thank you very much for that roll call. Uh between uh Tuesday night and tonight, uh, we have received some additional materials, and if my count is correct, uh as to the happy trails item, we received one comment from Ann B. Massey. And then as to the John Paul matter, if my count is correct, we received 19 communications from people who were against the measure, and of those 19, three were couples for a total of six. And then we received one comment from Mr. Ballot. Has everyone received those comments and has everyone had a sufficient amount of time to review the comments before discussing the same and voting tonight? And if not, please let me know. All right, looks like everybody has received those materials. And those of you who took the time out to provide us those materials uh and and do so in your day, I appreciate that, and we certainly will consider those as we go about our business. So with that in mind, uh we'll proceed to item number two on our agenda from August the 18th, and that was the item that I'll read back again. The request by Amy A. Edwards to rezone a total of 14.221 acres located along Porter Town Road between Eastern Pines Road and North Southern Railroad from RA20, residential agricultural to CG, which is general commercial, and also including 5.038 acres and R6 residential high density residential uh and 9.183 acres. And it's been brought to my attention that one of our commission members believes that he has a significant financial interest in this matter and needs to be recused.
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