Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - April 18, 2023

The Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission met on April 18, 2023, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included a public hearing and votes on multiple zoning text amendments, including changes to bar spacing requirements, allowances for microbreweries and microdistilleries, tobacco shop regulations, and city code amendments related to engineering standards. All items were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the March 21, 2023 meeting were approved without discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke for or against any of the agenda items.

Discussion Items

Preliminary Plat – Nexus Harris Mill Run

• A request by The East Group, P.A., on behalf of BRC Greenville LLC and PHO Greenville LLC for a preliminary plat for “Nexus Harris Mill Run” on a 33.68-acre lot along B’s Barbeque Road. Staff requested a continuance to the May 16, 2023 meeting. The commission voted unanimously to continue the item.

Item 3 – Bar Separation Requirement Amendment

• Staff presented a request initiated by the commission to delete the 500-foot separation requirement between bars, except within the “BAR 2022” eligible area in uptown Greenville. The history was summarized: City Council approved the BAR 2022 use in January 2023 with no separation requirements, and asked the commission for additional feedback. At the February 21 meeting, the commission voted to initiate this text amendment. The amendment deletes the bar-to-bar separation in CDF, CG, and CH districts but preserves it elsewhere. A commission member thanked staff for the presentation. A motion to recommend approval passed unanimously.

Item 4 – Microbrewery and Microdistillery Zoning Amendment

• Staff presented a request to add “microbrewery” and “microdistillery” as special uses in the CDF, CG, and CH districts, and to add “microdistillery” as a permitted use in the Mixed-Use Institutional (MUI) district. This aligns with the districts where bars are allowed. The MUI district was created for the Intersect East project and is currently the only area with that zoning. A commission member asked if bars are permitted in MUI; staff clarified they are not. The amendment also adds microbrewery as a special use in the districts. The commission voted unanimously to approve.

Item 5 – Tobacco Shop Separation Amendment

• Staff presented a housekeeping amendment to clarify separation requirements between tobacco shop class 1 and class 2. The intent was to prevent a class 1 shop from locating within a half-mile (2,640 feet) of a class 2, but the existing ordinance language allowed it. The amendment removes the phrase “existing or approved” to ensure complete separation. There are currently 27 tobacco shops in the city (class 1 and class 2). A commission member noted two red dots (class 1) close together on the map; staff confirmed no existing shops are in conflict. The recommendation was approved unanimously.

Item 6 – Engineering Department Code Amendments

• Staff presented a comprehensive set of amendments to various chapters of the City Code to reflect changes in the city’s operating structure and development standards. The amendments were grouped into four sections: (A) creation of the Engineering Department and director; (B) revisions due to updates to the Manual of Standard Designs and Details (MSDD); (C) updates to the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control ordinance to match state model; (D) updated references to governmental agencies and documents. Key changes include: increasing shared duplex driveway maximum width to 26 feet; prohibiting private streets for single-family and two-family attached residential (continuing to allow for multifamily and non-residential); requiring adherence to lighting standards; requiring turnarounds on dead-end streets over 150 feet; requiring sidewalks on all new residential streets; and clarifying drainage responsibilities. The MSDD stakeholder group included developers, engineers, contractors, and city staff. The full ordinance package was approximately 600 pages. A commission member praised the thoroughness and noted the two-and-a-half-year process. The recommendation was approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Preliminary Plat – Nexus Harris Mill Run: Continued to the May 16, 2023 meeting (unanimous).
• Item 3 – Bar Separation Requirement Amendment: Recommended approval (unanimous).
• Item 4 – Microbrewery/Microdistillery Zoning Amendment: Recommended approval (unanimous).
• Item 5 – Tobacco Shop Separation Amendment: Recommended approval (unanimous).
• Item 6 – Engineering Code Amendments: Recommended approval (unanimous).
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned after the votes.