Welcome to Preserve Gowensville Community!
About Preserve Gowensville Zoning
Who and where: Property owners in the un-zoned area who are serviced by the Gowensville Fire Department.
What: A grass-roots community effort by neighbors to get property Zoned by petition.
Why: To influence what sort of development comes out this way. Development is coming. Zoning guides development in accordance with the desires of the community. Gives the community control over its land uses, appearance, and quality of life. It helps prevent the mixing of incompatible land uses.
The large and high-density type of subdivisions are incompatible with the rural nature of the area and would detract from the rural quality of life in this area.
Recent development in the past two years: On 101, O’Neal Village Development, 195 acres, 708+ lots with commercial; Developments on 414 with more coming; Surrounding communities of Landrum, Campobello & Inman are expanding with various subdivisions.
Without some type of zoning in place the citizens have no standing or voice concerning development next to them and around them.
One way to slow and influence development is to get the area zoned. The zoning by petition method is relatively quick. Getting an area plan done could take a few years.
There are more rules that are considered when a development is being proposed in a zoned area than in one that is unzoned. This is why developers are drawn to land in unzoned areas. They have fewer restrictions, and it is easier to get their applications approved.
Consider also that in an unzoned area retail, commercial and industrial development can be built anywhere with no notice and no public hearing. If the area was zoned other than commercial, there would have to be postings and hearings for the zoning to be changed. Staff can approve Group Developments without public notice.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where can I get more information? preservegowensvillesc.org
Where do I go for the Greenville County Zoning web page? https://www.greenvillecounty.org/Zoning/Default.aspx
What is the effect of zoning on my property value/property taxes? Land Use determines your tax rate, and NOT zoning. Property value is a fickle thing. Zoning can protect property values in some cases, for example, by making it harder for an industrial plant to come in next door.
What if my property is in the contiguous area selected, and I don’t want my property zoned? Zoning By Petition is an area zoning process, but our goal is to only include landowners who want to participate
Once my property is zoned, is it permanent? Once property is zoned, it will always be zoned. The zoning classification can be changed but you can’t go back to unzoned. Changing the zoning classification is a process that takes about 3 months, and there are fees involved, depending on the size of the land and what district type is involved. A zoning change may not be approved if the proposed classification is very different from the surrounding zoning classification. Also, if a change is denied, there isa one year wait before another application can be filed. Rezoning brochure: https://www.greenvillecounty.org/Zoning/pdf/RezoningBrochure.pdf
Will I be able to continue doing what I currently do on my property (e.g., have cows, farm, horses, etc.)? Yes! Whatever you do now will be grandfathered. Whatever size property you have, you’ll be able to keep (even if the area is zoned for larger tracts around you).
I thought that septic tanks could only go on lots that were at least 1A (acre)? No, Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has no lot size minimum. There are advanced septic systems with small drainage fields now that allow them to go on much smaller lots.
What does getting zoned change for me? Essentially nothing changes for the individual property owner. Building codes, taxes, remain the same.
What are the benefits of getting zoned? Having an area zoned helps protect the community. It helps influence what sort of development comes out this way. Development is coming this way up from Boiling Springs, Greer, Inman. Zoning guides development in accordance with the desires of the community. Zoning gives the community control over its land uses, appearance, and quality of life. It helps prevent the mixing of incompatible land uses.
What is the process for zoning by petition? We have to gauge overall interest, and then define a contiguous area that is at least 1 square mile (640 acres) in size. At least 25% of the total number of owners in that contiguous area would have to sign and submit a petition requesting zoning to the County Council.
The Greenville County Planning staff then gets involved to support and help the citizens tweak the area involved and with helping to select the zoning classifications.
Once that area and zoning classifications are finalized, signs will be posted for 30 days and there will be meetings. To go to County Council for approval, a petition of at least 60% of owners representing at least 60% of the area will have to be signed.
Once a petition is signed with enough representation, it will go to County Council for approval. There is every expectation that County Council will pass it. If it does not pass, we have to wait 1 year before trying again.
I’m concerned about infrastructure, roads, etc.? Development causes strains on infrastructure and is not related to zoning rules.
My property is unzoned. What uses are permitted on it? Unzoned properties are not subject to the requirements of the Use Table found in the Greenville County Zoning Ordinance; therefore, there are no use-based restrictions for unzoned properties. At the same time, any development on an unzoned property will be subject to the requirements of the Greenville County Land Development Regulations.We're a community of people who share a passion for Preserve Gowensville. Our club provides a platform for like-minded individuals to come together, share knowledge, and learn from each other.