Greenville County Action Alert: Keep contacting Greenville County Council on sewer district expansion & UDO

We STILL need your help! Please continue to contact Greenville County Council members by next Tuesday, October 1, about two upcoming policy decisions that will impact how the county grows for years to come.

If you are a Greenville County resident, we urge you to contact your Council member today and ask them to:

• Vote NO on MetroConnects' proposed boundary expansion and
• Adopt the Greenville County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) this fall, without further delay.

Even if you have already reached out on either of these issues, please do so again and share this information with others to multiply our efforts. Right now is the critical time to influence council members on these decisions. 

Read on to learn more about our positions on each issue and what you can do to help.

Issue 1: Tell Council to vote NO on MetroConnects' expansion plan

Sewer sub-district MetroConnects has proposed a boundary expansion. If approved by County Council, the proposed expansion of the sewer sub-district boundary into rural areas of southern and northern Greenville County will invite sprawling development, especially in unzoned areas. Please contact your elected official and tell them to vote NO on the MetroConnects expansion plan.

In addition, a public hearing and second reading at County Council are anticipated Tuesday, October 1 at 6 pm at County Square (301 University Ridge, Greenville, 29601). Please plan to attend, and consider speaking in opposition at the public hearing. Click here to confirm the 10/1 agenda once posted.

Why UF opposes MetroConnects' boundary expansion:

• It will spur intense development in rural areas. The proposed boundary expansion includes large areas designated in the comprehensive plan as Rural and Rural Living (areas calling for a blend of agriculture, open space, and low-intensity residential), and Suburban Edge (characterized by low-intensity residential). Providing sewer service to such areas will undoubtedly spur development intensities much greater than the plan envisions. 
• It is unnecessary. MetroConnects' proposal provides no logical explanation why a boundary expansion is necessary — or how it could be economical — unless the intent is to serve development much denser than the comprehensive plan advises. 
• It will exacerbate vulnerabilities in unzoned areas. The proposed boundary includes large swaths of unzoned areas that are extremely vulnerable to sprawling development due to a general lack of land use restrictions. The potential for sewer service in such areas exacerbates this vulnerability and encourages development at densities much higher than the comprehensive plan advises and with much less required open space compared to rural-zoned areas. 

Issue 2: Urge your representative to adopt the County's UDO this fall

Current regulations guiding development in the county are antiquated and failing to meet the challenges of today. The UDO modernizes existing regulations and introduces new policies aimed at achieving the vison of the county's 2019 comprehensive plan.

A full draft was released more than six weeks ago, and a new Public Hearing Draft UDO released Monday includes many edits and changes based on feedback. Ask your County Council member to adopt the UDO — this fall, without further delay.

Why UF supports UDO adoption this fall:

• The UDO is better equipped to achieve outcomes we — as a community — have said we want. It strengthens tree preservation requirements, expands opportunities for missing middle housing, and provides incentives for affordable housing, all of which are sorely needed and will reduce sprawl. 
• We didn't get here overnight. Since 2020, the county has provided NUMEROUS public workshops and opportunities for the public to review and provide feedback on key components of the UDO. There have been plenty of chances for all interested parties to engage. We have been engaged since it started. Our feedback over the past several years has been listened to, and, in many instances, acted upon.
• We cannot let perfection be the enemy of the good. We see adoption not as an end-game but as an essential milestone in an ongoing process to better balance growth with other community priorities. We need to take this positive step now, knowing corrections can be made in the future as needed.

Don't know who represents you on County Council? Enter your address here to find out. Contact your representative and County Council Chairman Dan Tripp (see below). Tell them to vote NO on MetroConnects' proposed boundary expansion AND to adopt the UDO by year-end.

Greenville County Council Member Contact Info

County Council Chairman Dan Tripp: 864.915.9212, DTripp@greenvillecounty.org
County Council Vice-Chair Liz Seman: 864.501.4126, LSeman@greenvillecounty.org
Michael Barnes: 864.877.9457, MBarnes@greenvillecounty.org
Benton Blount: 864.483.2474, BBlount@greenvillecounty.org
Rick Bradley: 864.483.3090, RBradley@greenvillecounty.org
Ennis Fant: 864.467.2787, EFant@greenvillecounty.org
Chris Harrison: 864.467.4917, CHarrison@greenvillecounty.org
Butch Kirven: 864.228.9300, BKirven@greenvillecounty.org
Alan Mitchell: 864.483.6952, AMitchell@greenvillecounty.org
Joey Russo: 864.483.0689, JRusso@greenvillecounty.org
Steve Shaw: 864.553.9713, SShaw@greenvillecounty.org
Stan Tzouvelekas: 864.467.4958, stantz@greenvillecounty.org