Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - May 18, 2021
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Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - May 18, 2021
The Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission met on May 18, 2021, at 6:00 PM via Zoom to hear presentations and public comments on several rezoning and text amendment requests. Final votes on most items were deferred to the reconvened meeting on May 20, 2021, as per the commission's standard two-session format. Two items—approval of minutes and a withdrawal request—were voted upon and approved unanimously.
Approval of Minutes
- The minutes from April 20, 2021, and April 27, 2021, were approved unanimously.
Old Business
Withdrawal of Item #3
- A motion to withdraw the rezoning request by Shared Risk Holdings, LLC (18.827 acres at West 5th Street and Sean Drive) was approved unanimously.
Item #2: Happy Trail Farms, LLC Rezoning
- Staff presented a request to rezone 17.2 acres on Port Terminal Road from R6A (Residential Medium Density Multi-family) to R6 (Residential High Density Multi-family). Staff recommended denial, noting the property was recently rezoned to R6A and that R6 exceeds the density recommended by the Future Land Use Plan. The property has 3.3 acres of wetlands, limiting development.
- Public Comment: Ashley Elks, a representative of the applicant, spoke in favor, stating that the site could yield 216 units under R6 (vs. 144 under R6A) despite environmental constraints, that a city study showed demand for market-rate apartments, and that the project is locally owned. No one spoke in opposition.
- The commission will vote on this item on May 20, 2021.
New Business
Item #4: Text Amendment – Warehouse/Mini-storage in MCH District
- Staff presented a request by Michael Baldwin to allow warehouse or mini-storage (including outside storage) as a special use in the Medical-Heavy Commercial (MCH) district. Staff recommended denial, arguing the use is not complementary to the medical area and could consume land designated for mixed-use development.
- Public Comment: Ashley Elks spoke in favor, describing a planned 46,000 sq. ft. climate-controlled self-storage facility on Allen Road with temporary RV/boat parking. Discussion clarified that if approved, each site would still require a special use permit. No one spoke in opposition.
- The commission will vote on this item on May 20, 2021.
Item #5: City of Greenville Rezoning to CD
- Staff requested to rezone 5.2345 acres near the Town Common (between East 1st Street and the Tar River) from OR (Office-Residential) and R6 to CD (Downtown Commercial). Staff recommended approval, citing consistency with the Horizons Plan and the downtown character. The site is in a floodplain and floodway, requiring no-rise certification and other permits. No public comments were made.
- The commission will vote on this item on May 20, 2021.
Item #6: Text Amendment – Dance Studio and Parcel Delivery Service
- Staff requested to add “dance studio” as a permitted use in CDF, CG, and CH districts, and “parcel delivery service” as a permitted use in CG and CN districts. Staff recommended approval, noting the uses are benign and already allowed in comparable districts. No public comments were made.
- The commission will vote on this item on May 20, 2021.
Item #7: Adoption of Title 9 to Comply with NCGS 160D
- Staff presented a required update to the City Code to comply with North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160D, which consolidates and modernizes planning and zoning procedures. Key changes include new conflict-of-interest rules, updated vested rights timelines, and revised rules of procedure for the commission. The ordinance must be adopted by July 1, 2021. No public comments were made.
- The commission will vote on this item on May 20, 2021.
Key Outcomes
- Immediate approvals: Approval of April 20 and 27, 2021 minutes (unanimous); Withdrawal of Item #3 (Shared Risk Holdings) (unanimous).
- Deferred decisions: All other items (Items #2, #4, #5, #6, #7) will be discussed and voted upon at the reconvened meeting on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at 6:00 PM via Zoom.
- The Chair asked members to consider two topics for discussion on May 20: (1) formalizing the current public comment time limits (5 minutes for first speaker, 3 minutes for subsequent, 30-minute total per side) and (2) a potential return to in-person meetings.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the May 19th, excuse me, May 18th, Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The planning and zoning commission is a public body established by the Greenville City Council pursuant to North Carolina General Statute. The commission makes final decisions on preliminary subdivision plots and makes recommendations to the city council on rezoning tax amendments, ETJ extensions, street closings, name changes, including honorary designations and comprehensive plan amendments. We meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m., normally in the city council chambers, but because of COVID uh rules and regulations, we are now meeting on the third Tuesday via Zoom, where we hear the presentation on each matter and public comment. Then we reconvene at 6 p.m. on the following Thursday, which would be the 20th in this case of May, and then we have discussions and vote on each item. So with that, I'd call on the invocation, and it looks like I'm listed to do that. So if you'd be kind enough to join me, let's bow our heads. Father, thank you for this wonderful day we've had today, and we thank you for the weather. We ask you to give us the discernment to look at all the positions of each party on each matter that comes before us and to make a decision based on wisdom that takes into account all the considerations of the citizens of Greenville, which we serve. We ask you to bless those who are less fortunate than we are today, and we ask you to give us blessings upon this meeting tonight. In your precious name we play. Pray, amen. Ms. Bland, would you call the roll, please, and ask for each member to respond verbally to being here? Yes, sir. Les Robinson. Les Robinson speaking because my video is not opting, and I am here. Michael Overton? Here. Billy Parker. Here. Max Ray Joyner. Here. Pat Maxwell. Here. John Collins. Here. Alan Brock. Kevin Faison. Here. Chris West. Brad Goose. Alan Thomas. Here. Mr. Chair, we have a quorum. Miss Bland, is everybody voting tonight or voting on Thursday? Yes. Great. Thank you very much. All right. Going to number four on the um Roman number four on the minutes. Approval of the minutes from April 20th and April 27th. Has me. Has everyone had a chance to observe, review, and look at those minutes from the April 20th and April 27th. Are there any changes or modifications or requests for additions to those minutes? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to approve the minutes from April 20th and the 27th. Move to approve. Okay.
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