The Greenwood City/County Planning Department is a multi-jurisdictional planning organization serving Greenwood County, the City of Greenwood, the Towns of Ninety Six, Troy, and Ware Shoals. The Department's function includes comprehensive planning, long-range planning, development review, subdivision review, land use management, census coordination, and other special projects.

Our Mission

The Mission of the Greenwood City/County Planning Department is to develop a vision for the future growth and development of the communities we serve by:

• Utilizing planning principals that promote rational, economical, and environmentally efficient use of land.
  
  
• Developing, fostering, and implementing a long-range plan for the built environment through the Comprehensive Plan.
  
  
• Focusing on economic vitality, environmental integrity, and development design quality through the highest quality master plans, plan implementation, and development review that is complementary to the community's growth pattern.
  
  
• Providing professional advice and technical expertise to elected officials, appointed boards and commissions, city and county departments, and citizens to assist in understanding and addressing key community issues and priorities.
  
  
• Providing high-quality, effective, professional planning services to property owners and the development community with enduring respect of the public trust.

Personnel

The Greenwood City/County Planning Department is a professional staff assembled to provide planning and development services to Greenwood County and its communities. Our goal is to assist you in your planning endeavors. Click below to reach the following individuals:

• Phil Lindler (AICP), Director )
  
  
• Lisa Hawthorne, Planner )
  
  
• Brian McKenna, Zoning Administrator )
  
  
• Chris Hudson, Planner )
  
  
• Jacqueline Hackett, Zoning Technician )
  
  
• Melissa Duff, Secretary )

Planning Commission

The Joint Planning Commission of Greenwood County is the local body that makes recommendations concerning the physical, social, and economic growth, development and redevelopment of the community. By South Carolina Code, the local planning commission has the responsibility to:

• Prepare and revise periodically plans and programs for development and redevelopment.
  
  
• Prepare and recommend for adoption by the appropriate governing body:
  
  
  • 1 - Zoning ordinances including maps and amendments.
    
    
  • 2 - Regulations for the subdivision or development of land and amendments and to oversee the administration of these regulations.
    
    
  • 3 - An official map and amendments showing the exact location of existing or proposed public streets, highways, and utility rights-of-way, and public building sites, together with regulations to control the erection of buildings or other structures or changes in land use.
    
    
  • 4 - A landscaping ordinance setting forth required planting, tree preservation, and other aesthetic considerations for land and structures.
    
    
  • 5 - A capital improvements program setting forth projects required to implement plans, including an annual listing of priority projects for consideration by the governmental bodies responsible prior to the preparation of the capital budget.
    
    
  • 6 - Policies and procedures to facilitate implementation of planning elements.

The Planning Commission is made up of 15 members who are appointed by the various local governments: 7 appointments from Greenwood County, 5 appointments from the City of Greenwood, and 1 appointment each from the Towns of Ninety Six, Troy, and Ware Shoals. These appointments are based on the population distribution throughout the County. Planning Commission Roster [PC Roster.doc]

The Planning Commission holds regular meetings on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers of the Greenwood County Courthouse in accordance with a schedule that is approved at the beginning of the year. Agendas and Minutes are available for viewing at the following link: Click here to view..

The Planning Commission meetings include public hearings on various items on the agenda. These items typically require public notification in a local newspaper, posting of signs on the subject property, and written notification to adjacent property owners.

Long-range planning items and rezoning requests are reviewed by the Planning Commission and a recommendation is made to the appropriate county, city, or town council. The county, city, or town council reviews the requests with the Planning Commission recommendation and may either approve the item after two or three readings (dependant upon the jurisdiction), amend the item, deny the request, or table the item for further information or study.

Preliminary and final development reviews and variances to the Land Development Regulations are reviewed by the Planning Commission without a public hearing. Once the Planning Commission makes a decision on these items, it is approved or denied and does not go through the county, city, or town councils.

Board of Zoning Appeals

The Joint Board of Zoning Appeals for Greenwood County is the local body that considers and makes decisions concerning:

• Appeals where it is alleged there is an error in an order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the staff in the enforcement of the zoning ordinance.
  
  
• Appeals for variance from the requirements of the zoning ordinance when strict application of the provisions of the ordinance would result in unnecessary hardship.
  
  
• Special exceptions as allowed within the zoning ordinance.

The Board may grant a variance in an individual case of unnecessary hardship if the Board finds:

• There are extraordinary and exceptional conditions pertaining to the particular piece of property.
  
  
• These conditions do not generally apply to other property in the vicinity.
  
  
• Because of these conditions, the application of the ordinance to the particular piece of property would effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict the utilization of the property.
  
  
• The authorization of the variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property or to the public good, and the character of the district will not be harmed by the granting of the variance.

The Board of Zoning Appeals is made up of 9 members who are appointed by the various local governments: 4 from Greenwood County, 2 from the City of Greenwood, and 1 each from the Towns of Ninety Six, Troy, and Ware Shoals. These appointments are based on the population distribution throughout the County.

The Board of Zoning Appeals holds regular meetings on the first Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers of the Greenwood County Courthouse in accordance with a schedule that is approved at the beginning of the year. Agendas and Minutes are available for viewing at the following link: Click here to view..

The Board of Zoning Appeals meetings include public hearings on all items on its agenda. These requests require public notification in a local newspaper, posting of signs on the subject property, and written notification to adjacent property owners.

The Board is the final review authority for variances to the zoning ordinance; Board of Zoning Appeals items do not go before county, city, or town councils. Appeals of the Board's decisions may by made to Circuit Court within 30 days of receipt of notification to the applicant of the decision of the Board.

Utility Coordinating Committee

Each month the Planning Department hosts a meeting of the local Utility Coordinating Committee (UCC). The purpose of this meeting is to identify proposed developments and identify potential problem areas in the design of infrastructure and public safety features on the development site.

The UCC meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at Duke Power's office located at 848 By-pass 72 NW in Greenwood.

To view the Utility Committee Membership PDF or the Utility Coordinating Committee Workbook, click here.

Making Your Comments

Rezonings, variances, and certain other development-related requests are considered at public hearings before various boards, and commission or the Council itself.

The most effective way to express your opinion about one of these items is to appear in person at the public hearing. After the introduction of the item, the person chairing the meeting will open the public hearing and specifically ask for comments on that item. You will be asked to give your name and address, and will usually be asked to limit your remarks to five minutes. When a group of individuals share a concern, it is preferable to have a spokesperson for the group. Such a group spokesperson will generally be given a greater amount of time to speak.

If you cannot attend the public hearing, you may send a letter with your concerns. Letters should be addressed to the attention of the body considering the request, in care of the Planning Department at 528 Monument Street, Room B-01, Greenwood, SC 29646, and should reference the case number or provide other description of the project under review. Your letter will be forwarded to the members of the body that will hold the public hearing and will be placed in the project file. Letters are not routinely read aloud at the public hearing.

While staff members are available to answer your questions regarding the agenda item, they cannot forward any verbal concerns to the public hearing body. All comments must be made in person at the public hearing or in writing.

If you have a disability that requires any special materials, services, or assistance, please contact our office at (864) 942-8636 so that appropriate accommodations may be arranged.