Spartanburg City Council Meeting – October 12, 2026

The City Council of Spartanburg met on October 12, 2026, to handle routine approvals, hear public comments, recognize graduates and special observances, award the 2026 street resurfacing contract, accept a small property donation, and review a proposed redesign of Morgan Square. The meeting ended with a vote to enter executive session.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the minutes of the September 28, 2026, City Council meeting.
• The council approved the agenda for the October 12, 2026, meeting.
• Mayor Jerome Rice Jr. noted Councilwoman Leslie Rogers was absent on business.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Antonio Tanner thanked the council for the earlier hate crime proclamation and noted that October 13, 2026, would mark one year since the city passed the hate intimidation ordinance. He also recognized October as hate crime awareness month and told the council that his mentor Michael Mowden, who helped draft the ordinance, passed away that morning.
• John Haig, a retired engineer, said the only viable transportation option from Spartanburg to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) is Uber and that a ride costs $75, or about $4 per mile. He cited $62,500 in Uber revenue to GSP during May, and the airport's $96 million parking garage, and argued that the city should pursue some form of airport transportation, possibly with federal funds.

Recognitions and Proclamations

• Kathy Hill presented the 2026 Citizen Academy graduating class of 24, bringing the total number of graduates to 238 since the program began in 2017.
• The council proclaimed October 15, 2026, as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day in Spartanburg and encouraged residents to light candles at 7 p.m. as part of the Wave of Light.
• The council proclaimed Citizen Scholar Institute Day in Spartanburg in honor of the organization's 30th anniversary; it was founded in 1996.
• The mayor also noted that pre-meeting proclamations recognized hate crime awareness and international teachers.

Resolutions and Bid Awards

• Resolution on industrial/business park properties: City Manager Chris Storr said a resolution consenting to the placement of certain properties in the city's joint industrial and business park with Cherokee County was a housekeeping step tied to a previously approved development agreement with Barrett Realty Investments. The mixed-use project at Broad and Spring Streets — reported in the media as Project Rap and now commercially known as the Wheelhouse — includes retail, restaurant, and apartment space and will wrap the garage under construction. Blue Moon remains part of the project. The council adopted the resolution.
• 2026 street resurfacing bid: Public Works Director Jay Squires reported that four bids were received and Rogers Group was the responsive low bidder at $1,578,389.02. The 60-day project is expected to begin at the end of October and be completed by November 30, using penny sales tax and CTC funds. Staff plan to give residents door hangers about 48 hours before work begins. The council awarded the bid.
• Highland Avenue property acceptance: Fredelin Frazier asked the council to accept a sliver of land of about one-twentieth of an acre from Henson and Kapasi at the rear of their property on Highland Avenue. The city plans to use it as right-of-way to create a landscaped buffer and community enhancement along the West Main/Highland Avenue corridor. The council accepted the property.

Morgan Square Presentation and Discussion

• City Manager Chris Storr presented the proposed Morgan Square redesign for discussion only, with no vote requested. He said the earliest vote would be at the October 26, 2026, council meeting.
• Storr described the public engagement history: more than 3,400 survey responses in 2021, a business and community leaders committee in 2022, roughly 260 participants in 2023 workshops including 12 mobile workshops, and an arborist assessment of square trees in 2023.
• The public's six priorities, he said, were more green and shade, live music and events, pedestrian-first streets, vibrant edges with outdoor dining, a water element, and public restrooms.
• A previous design concept had been paused in early 2025 because of concerns and construction impacts on downtown businesses. One Spartanburg, the city's development partner, was asked to take an independent fresh look, leading to the new concept presented by landscape architect Thomas Baker of Michael Vergason Landscape Architects.
• The concept would realign Dunbar Street to enlarge the square's active footprint by about 30 percent, creating roughly 32,000 square feet of flexible civic space. The plan includes a pedestrian-first block between Spring and Magnolia/Wall streets, a large lawn, a central square and tree grove, two water features, a possible stage, granite and brick materials, preserved willow oaks along Main Street, and an increase in shade trees from 54 to 79, about a 40 percent increase.
• Storr said the realignment would involve a property-line exchange with One Morgan Square with no monetary exchange. On a typical day vehicle movements would not change, but the Spring-to-Magnolia/Wall block would be resurfaced as a pedestrian-first zone that could be closed with bollards for large events.
• The plan also includes potential vehicle drop-off points, including one on Church Street; a leased space on the square for public restrooms and downtown staff; and possible SCDOT-initially-concurred pedestrian islands in unused Church Street turn lanes.
• Estimated total project cost is about $18.2 million, primarily funded through an anticipated hospitality tax bond. Storr said there is no proposed tax increase and no cuts to other city programs.
• The construction timeline could include an eight-week winter project along Main Street storefronts, a five-month vehicle closure to rework the Main/Wall/Magnolia-to-Spring intersection area, and a 12-month process for the central square. The target is an early 2027 start and completion in the spring of the following year. More information was made available at MorganSquare.com.
• Council reactions were broadly supportive. Council member Eric asked that accessible handicap parking near the west end be considered for people with mobility issues who still drive. Several council members praised the design, with Mayor Pro Tem saying it would be better than Sundance, and council members emphasized keeping Main Street businesses accessible during construction.

Staff Updates

• City Manager Chris Storr announced that the city had received another $2.1 million in HUD funds for lead-based paint mitigation in older housing stock, targeting limited-income or fixed-income residents.
• In response to questions, Storr said the park clock tower project is still in design with no final budget or timeline, and that sourcing steel for smaller projects is being evaluated.
• Storr also said construction of the joint government center and parking garage on Broad Street is moving on schedule, but he did not give an opening date because life-safety systems, power supply, and usable entrances and exits must be completed first.

Council Updates

• Council members encouraged participation in Code Spartanburg, the city's zoning ordinance update, noting that themes from kickoff events are available online.
• A council member said poll workers are still about 100 people short for the upcoming election and urged residents to sign up; training is about three hours and the workday about 13 hours.
• Other updates included the International Festival, National Night Out, the fire department open house, the 90th Shrine Bowl in December, Miles with the Mayor on October 24 at 8 a.m. at the Converse campus, and the countywide Walk and Roll event on October 21 at 9 a.m.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 28, 2026, meeting minutes and the October 12, 2026, agenda.
• Adopted the resolution related to properties in the city's joint industrial and business park with Cherokee County.
• Awarded the 2026 street resurfacing contract to Rogers Group for $1,578,389.02.
• Accepted approximately one-twentieth of an acre of Highland Avenue property from Henson and Kapasi.
• Recognized Citizen Academy graduates and issued proclamations for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, Citizen Scholar Institute Day, hate crime awareness, and international teachers.
• Took no vote on the Morgan Square redesign; information and discussion only, with a possible vote on October 26, 2026.
• Moved into executive session.