Bravo on a reconsideration of the UDC! Thank you! In its present form it provided developers a blank check to do as they pleased.
Question about the currently rural and residential areas that have commercial zoning. Has the county considered an “open space” fund that allows land owners who don’t want to see developer blight sell the building rights to the property while maintaining ownership?
This has worked extremely well in other parts of the country. The landowner gets the value out of the property that they would rather have preserved and residents get the character of the area we love preserved.
i find it odd that council in the past could vote to approve any project without their hands being tied...shit they gave the green light to every developer that would grease their palms/line their pockets and enrich their families/businesses and donors(developers) but you tell us its difficult to stop the development...why do we vote for any of you if you dont have the power to put a hold on overdevelopment bud...seems peculiar that the council of the last 3-4 years has approved/voted yes on buildings that are built without any one ready to move into them...i have 7 in a 4 mile radius here in fants district...huge warehouses that were rushed to build but sit vacant without paying tennants...how do you explain the actions of the past council Benton...i find it hard to believe that you/the other members have no way to stop the developers from building...having grown up in ny state politics and participating in my families politics(for 52 years) i remember my brother and cousin working to halt our counties greedy overdevelopment ....cant be much different here than there bud...if you/the others have no say in stopping the ridiculous growth what and why do we need you ....nothing personal but its very hard to believe council cant vote for a halt/moratorium on excessive development....like i said if you/the others cant stop it why do we elect you???...sad how the previous members kept the taxpayers/voters from meetings and decisions so building could go unchecked but you say you cant halt it...the council of the past 5 years displayed little if any transparency so why should we think you and the new members will be any better
Happy to address these concerns. It’s important to address the frustrations about past council decisions and clarify the limitations we currently face. Halting development without following legal procedures can lead to lawsuits, penalties, and significant financial consequences for the county at tax payer expense. Developers often have legally binding agreements in place, and arbitrarily stopping projects could result in expensive legal battles that taxpayers ultimately fund.
I understand the skepticism, especially given the history of limited transparency in past councils. While I can’t change what was done before, I am committed to breaking that cycle by being more open and engaging with the public. Every decision, debate, and vote is open to scrutiny, and I encourage public participation to ensure the process is transparent, but I’ll gladly defend my transparency as authentic and welcome yourself or anyone else to fact check any claims made.
Stopping development is complex because approvals often involve agreements finalized years before current members took office. Once those contracts are signed, councils have limited power to reverse them without violating the law. Additionally, state laws frequently restrict how local councils can impose moratoriums or limit growth. It’s not that we don’t want to act—it’s about ensuring we operate within legal boundaries to avoid creating further challenges. That said, I share your frustration with vacant warehouses and overdevelopment. These issues are the result of poor long-term planning by past councils, which prioritized short-term gains over sustainable growth. Moving forward, we are focused on smarter, more deliberate planning that addresses community needs and prevents these mistakes from being repeated.
You ask why elect us if we can’t stop this, and the answer lies in shaping the future. While we may not be able to undo past approvals, we are working to create policies that ensure responsible growth going forward. This includes revisiting zoning regulations, improving public input processes, and holding developers accountable. I acted on that as chair by taking the most recent ordinance off the books last week to ensure what you have mentioned doesn’t continue to happen.
I ran for office to change the status quo, not to repeat it, and I hope that over time, you’ll see that myself and this council is striving to earn your trust through transparency and action.
Again, appreciate the opinion and feel free to reach out anytime!
why not undo all the procedures the last council voted into place that they rushed through before the new council was sworn in for this session...as i recall they rushed/pushed a bunch of legislation through before the new cast was sworn in...sort of like executive actions taken in response to how they finished their last 3-4 months of behind closed door dealings and add new legislation to keep the deals former council members made from happening again in such haste bud...i dont need a phone call...theres nothing you can tell me i havent heard before both here in the GCRP AND WITH MY PAST EXPERIENCE IN MY FORMER STATE...WE HAD AN ORGANIZATION THERE CALLED COMIDA...A BOARD OF STIFF COLLARED RICH CATS THAT DETERMINED WHO GETS TAX BREAKS AND DEVelopment approvals like they do here....im sure you mean well bud but in the years ive been around politicians i never really met any i trusted or believed their rhetoric...ive spoken to you before at numerous meetings for the GCRP over the past couple of years...you seem ok and like you mean well but ive seen many that put on that facade only to be the total opposite....i will continue to read your newsletters and engage in conversation for now if thats ok with you....let me close with a statement my Grandpa told me when i was 10-11 yrs old(50 years ago) ...Politicians are people that cant make it in the private sector and are only good at spending other peoples money...man how truthful that quote is even 50 plus years later...lol....many folks i speak to here in Greenville County have lost faith/trust in their reps bud....i get around a lot and like to open dialogue with my fellow county taxpayers...many and i mean many are totally disgusted with county council/leaders and the direction the county is going towards...im one of them...you have a good night bud...im sure we will chat more...lots of folks are watching this new council...keep on keepin on
Benton, I listened to the beginning of the podcast. Why would Greenville county be required to cover state road costs? What circumstance would arise that it would be necessary to do so.
I recall working on the “148 in 12” road project from 1998 or thereabouts. To my knowledge no state roads were repaved. 148 miles of county roads based on federal guidelines (worst to first) and done so in 12 months. Why is this not possible now?
So does every road have to be resurfaced from end to end? Can we not do maintenance and repairs the correct way? Part of previous contracts involved, full depth patching, finished, patching, reclamation, and surface treatment.
I completely agree with you. That’s why I opposed the sales tax. The majority of road miles in the project list were State roads. We should be working up updating all County roads. Once that is done, it puts more pressure on the State (SCDOT) to update their much needed State road repairs in Greenville County.
I am in your corner Sir. I'm waiting to see if this 'new' council works for US. I'm glad to brush out the old and hopefully bring in something 'new'. I'm hopefully optimistic. I'm 60 and have been screwed over time and time again. We are starting anew. Now it's on you Mr. Blount.
I would ask why Greer taxes are so high when the development is growing in the Greer area and so many industrial plants are located in their area as well as new subdividations. There are folks that have homes that have gone up in value as have the taxes but like us our retirement is being eaten up by medical, food and energy costs. Senior citizens below a certain retirement figure need help on taxation without representation on their property. No taxes seem to being spent on our roads full of pot holes and lines that are barely visible like Dillard Rd, Batesville Rd. the Parkway to name a few and the Parkway is going to sink out of sight one. day if the dip in the road isn't soon repaired. It is hard on vehicles as are the rough roads. Before any developer is granted any permits for townhomes, apartments or houses the roads in developments should be wider to accomodate a park vehicle and still allow vehicles to pass each way. Just my obeservations.
Bravo on a reconsideration of the UDC! Thank you! In its present form it provided developers a blank check to do as they pleased.
Question about the currently rural and residential areas that have commercial zoning. Has the county considered an “open space” fund that allows land owners who don’t want to see developer blight sell the building rights to the property while maintaining ownership?
This has worked extremely well in other parts of the country. The landowner gets the value out of the property that they would rather have preserved and residents get the character of the area we love preserved.
The Dollar General location is a great example where this could be effective.
I’ll make sure to NEVER buy a thing from that DG
Paul Robach
12:05 PM (0 minutes ago)
to Benton
i find it odd that council in the past could vote to approve any project without their hands being tied...shit they gave the green light to every developer that would grease their palms/line their pockets and enrich their families/businesses and donors(developers) but you tell us its difficult to stop the development...why do we vote for any of you if you dont have the power to put a hold on overdevelopment bud...seems peculiar that the council of the last 3-4 years has approved/voted yes on buildings that are built without any one ready to move into them...i have 7 in a 4 mile radius here in fants district...huge warehouses that were rushed to build but sit vacant without paying tennants...how do you explain the actions of the past council Benton...i find it hard to believe that you/the other members have no way to stop the developers from building...having grown up in ny state politics and participating in my families politics(for 52 years) i remember my brother and cousin working to halt our counties greedy overdevelopment ....cant be much different here than there bud...if you/the others have no say in stopping the ridiculous growth what and why do we need you ....nothing personal but its very hard to believe council cant vote for a halt/moratorium on excessive development....like i said if you/the others cant stop it why do we elect you???...sad how the previous members kept the taxpayers/voters from meetings and decisions so building could go unchecked but you say you cant halt it...the council of the past 5 years displayed little if any transparency so why should we think you and the new members will be any better
Happy to address these concerns. It’s important to address the frustrations about past council decisions and clarify the limitations we currently face. Halting development without following legal procedures can lead to lawsuits, penalties, and significant financial consequences for the county at tax payer expense. Developers often have legally binding agreements in place, and arbitrarily stopping projects could result in expensive legal battles that taxpayers ultimately fund.
I understand the skepticism, especially given the history of limited transparency in past councils. While I can’t change what was done before, I am committed to breaking that cycle by being more open and engaging with the public. Every decision, debate, and vote is open to scrutiny, and I encourage public participation to ensure the process is transparent, but I’ll gladly defend my transparency as authentic and welcome yourself or anyone else to fact check any claims made.
Stopping development is complex because approvals often involve agreements finalized years before current members took office. Once those contracts are signed, councils have limited power to reverse them without violating the law. Additionally, state laws frequently restrict how local councils can impose moratoriums or limit growth. It’s not that we don’t want to act—it’s about ensuring we operate within legal boundaries to avoid creating further challenges. That said, I share your frustration with vacant warehouses and overdevelopment. These issues are the result of poor long-term planning by past councils, which prioritized short-term gains over sustainable growth. Moving forward, we are focused on smarter, more deliberate planning that addresses community needs and prevents these mistakes from being repeated.
You ask why elect us if we can’t stop this, and the answer lies in shaping the future. While we may not be able to undo past approvals, we are working to create policies that ensure responsible growth going forward. This includes revisiting zoning regulations, improving public input processes, and holding developers accountable. I acted on that as chair by taking the most recent ordinance off the books last week to ensure what you have mentioned doesn’t continue to happen.
I ran for office to change the status quo, not to repeat it, and I hope that over time, you’ll see that myself and this council is striving to earn your trust through transparency and action.
Again, appreciate the opinion and feel free to reach out anytime!
why not undo all the procedures the last council voted into place that they rushed through before the new council was sworn in for this session...as i recall they rushed/pushed a bunch of legislation through before the new cast was sworn in...sort of like executive actions taken in response to how they finished their last 3-4 months of behind closed door dealings and add new legislation to keep the deals former council members made from happening again in such haste bud...i dont need a phone call...theres nothing you can tell me i havent heard before both here in the GCRP AND WITH MY PAST EXPERIENCE IN MY FORMER STATE...WE HAD AN ORGANIZATION THERE CALLED COMIDA...A BOARD OF STIFF COLLARED RICH CATS THAT DETERMINED WHO GETS TAX BREAKS AND DEVelopment approvals like they do here....im sure you mean well bud but in the years ive been around politicians i never really met any i trusted or believed their rhetoric...ive spoken to you before at numerous meetings for the GCRP over the past couple of years...you seem ok and like you mean well but ive seen many that put on that facade only to be the total opposite....i will continue to read your newsletters and engage in conversation for now if thats ok with you....let me close with a statement my Grandpa told me when i was 10-11 yrs old(50 years ago) ...Politicians are people that cant make it in the private sector and are only good at spending other peoples money...man how truthful that quote is even 50 plus years later...lol....many folks i speak to here in Greenville County have lost faith/trust in their reps bud....i get around a lot and like to open dialogue with my fellow county taxpayers...many and i mean many are totally disgusted with county council/leaders and the direction the county is going towards...im one of them...you have a good night bud...im sure we will chat more...lots of folks are watching this new council...keep on keepin on
Benton, I listened to the beginning of the podcast. Why would Greenville county be required to cover state road costs? What circumstance would arise that it would be necessary to do so.
I recall working on the “148 in 12” road project from 1998 or thereabouts. To my knowledge no state roads were repaved. 148 miles of county roads based on federal guidelines (worst to first) and done so in 12 months. Why is this not possible now?
So does every road have to be resurfaced from end to end? Can we not do maintenance and repairs the correct way? Part of previous contracts involved, full depth patching, finished, patching, reclamation, and surface treatment.
I completely agree with you. That’s why I opposed the sales tax. The majority of road miles in the project list were State roads. We should be working up updating all County roads. Once that is done, it puts more pressure on the State (SCDOT) to update their much needed State road repairs in Greenville County.
100% 👍
Well done. It is great there is more transparency moving forward.
I am in your corner Sir. I'm waiting to see if this 'new' council works for US. I'm glad to brush out the old and hopefully bring in something 'new'. I'm hopefully optimistic. I'm 60 and have been screwed over time and time again. We are starting anew. Now it's on you Mr. Blount.
Thanks for all the good work and communication
I would ask why Greer taxes are so high when the development is growing in the Greer area and so many industrial plants are located in their area as well as new subdividations. There are folks that have homes that have gone up in value as have the taxes but like us our retirement is being eaten up by medical, food and energy costs. Senior citizens below a certain retirement figure need help on taxation without representation on their property. No taxes seem to being spent on our roads full of pot holes and lines that are barely visible like Dillard Rd, Batesville Rd. the Parkway to name a few and the Parkway is going to sink out of sight one. day if the dip in the road isn't soon repaired. It is hard on vehicles as are the rough roads. Before any developer is granted any permits for townhomes, apartments or houses the roads in developments should be wider to accomodate a park vehicle and still allow vehicles to pass each way. Just my obeservations.