Greenwood City Council Approves Changes to Comprehensive Plan Amid Rapid Growth

Greenwood City Council Approves Changes to Comprehensive Plan Amid Rapid Growth

Greenwood — In a move to keep pace with rapid urban development, the Greenwood City Council approved significant changes to its Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Maps on Monday. These changes are expected to guide the city’s policies and development strategies for years to come.

Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Maps

The Comprehensive Plan serves as a guiding document for the city’s future growth and development. It includes Future Land Use Maps that illustrate the types of uses anticipated on parcels within the city limits. “Our Comprehensive Plan should realistically and accurately reflect existing land uses, as well as future growth,” said Carol Coleman, Greenwood City/County planning director. “The document, therefore, needs to be fluid and is subject to revisions as needed.”

Consultant Recommendations

To assist with the changes, the city engaged outside consultants, Arnett Muldrow and Orion Planning. City Manager Julie Wilkie acknowledged the necessity of this step, noting the “unprecedented interest in development of residential subdivisions over the past three years.” The consultants found that many of the city’s residential properties fell under the high-density residential land use category on the future use maps.

They recommended updating the definitions of low-, medium-, and high-density residential uses to align them with the city’s zoning ordinance. The adjustments were aimed at encouraging the growth of larger lot subdivisions with lower densities, while still allowing for higher density development in appropriate areas of the city.

Moratorium Lifted

With the approval of these changes, the City Council also voted to lift a temporary moratorium enacted on May 6. The moratorium, which paused the creation of subdivisions of land into five or more parcels of 7,000 square feet or smaller, was initially set to expire on Sept. 3. However, it was lifted early as part of the new ordinance.

“Greenwood is fortunate to have a proactive council that recognized the need to make some adjustments to address the rapid growth in our city,” said Wilkie. Mayor Brandon Smith echoed this sentiment, adding that the city staff is “ready to listen to our citizens and work with interested developers in furtherance of responsible growth.”

Additional Council Actions

In addition to the changes to the Comprehensive Plan, the council approved several other measures:

• Planned Development District: Approved the first reading of a Planned Development District at the corner of Marshall Road and 25 Bypass. This project will include residential and commercial uses with a buildout timeline of five to seven years. The 146-acre property is proposed to have 362 single-family detached residences and 109 townhomes, along with commercial uses on all four corners.
• Kitson Mill Redevelopment: Passed the first reading of the Kitson Mill redevelopment project. This initiative will include 400 residential units, such as apartments, lofts, and townhomes, and repurpose old mill buildings for commercial use. The former mill office will be saved for use as the leasing office.
• Waller Avenue Streetscape Plan: Authorized a contract to begin construction on the Waller Avenue Streetscape plan. The project is funded in part through a $750,000 federal Community Development Block Grant, with the city’s cost being $482,000.

Looking Forward

To see the current and future city land use maps and a rendering of the Waller Avenue Streetscape plan, the information will be made available online.

As Greenwood continues to grow, the City Council aims to ensure that this growth is managed responsibly, striking a balance between accommodating new residents and maintaining quality of life for existing ones. The plan adjustments and new projects reflect a broader strategy to foster sustainable development.