The Greer City Council convened on Tuesday evening for its regular meeting, approving an annexation and zoning change for an upcoming development.
The first item of old business up for Council’s consideration was Ordinance 5-2026, which approves the annexation of a 17.41-acre plot of land on McElrath Road into the city with a zoning classification of Traditional Neighborhood. This plot will be used to create a single-family detached subdivision.
According to city officials, this subdivision is expected to add 67 housing units, and the annexation and zoning were recommended to be approved by the city Planning Commission. The ordinance came with its share of controversy, with three individuals speaking against its approval during the public forum of Tuesday’s meeting. Common concerns included wildlife disruption, traffic management and resident privacy.
The Council ultimately moved to approve the ordinance with a vote of 6-1, with council member Charles Lander voting in opposition. The majority opinion primarily revolved around property rights.
“This landowner has a right, as any of us do, to be able to realize the economic value of their property, and we as elected officials don’t have the authority to deprive them of that,” said council member Mark Hopper. “In a situation like this … when this landowner does something with their property, it [happening] within the city is the only way that we have to influence that development and protect our residents.”
Lander opposed the ordinance, citing both constituent complaints and concerns with the zoning classification. According to city staff, the proposed development technically meets the density requirements for a Suburban Neighborhood classification, allowing for four units per acre. However, the developer has requested a zoning of Traditional Neighborhood due to certain lot sizes — a zoning that allows for up to 10 units per acre.
City staff recommended approval of the request due to traditional neighborhood zoning matching the future land use map for the city, but Lander is concerned that allowing for more units could lead to uncontrolled growth.
“The reason why we have zoning is to make things appropriate for the area … [and] to protect the surrounding community,” Lander said. “I don’t think it was appropriate to do a traditional zoning when a suburban zoning was more than adequate for that piece of land.”
Other items of old business for Council included three ordinances dealing with easements related to the City Sports & Events Center. The easements are for the Greer Commission of Public Works and Duke Energy to provide permanent sanitary sewer, domestic water and electrical services to the site. All three ordinances were approved unanimously by Council.
In new business, Council heard the 2026 Accommodations Tax Grant recommendations from city staff. This document from the Accommodations Tax Committee addresses the proposed funds to go to various tourism-related ventures in Greer for this fiscal year.
Officials say that the committee looked at 26 applications for grants, with 13 being for advertising costs and 13 being for programming costs. After discussion of each grant, council member Karuiam Booker motioned to add additional funds to two programming requests. His request was to add $8,000 to Foothills Philharmonics for a total of $10,000, and $10,000 to Any Given Supper in Partnership with White Wine & Butter for a total of $25,000.
Council voted to approve his amendment to the grant list unanimously. Council then voted unanimously to approve the amended grant list. A full breakdown of the grant recommendations can be viewed on the City Council’s April 14 agenda.
Council then heard an award recommendation for Stormwater Improvements Project #2026-014, which aims to improve areas on Ebbitt Court, Glenwillow Court and Carolina Avenue. City staff recommended the project be awarded to McMurria Grading, LLC, which offered the lowest of four bids at a price point of $224,750. Council approved the recommendation unanimously.
Other items included the first and final reading of Resolution 12-2026, which renames Greer’s Municipal Courtroom to Henry J. Mims Courtroom. Council also heard Resolution Number 8-2026, which approves the retirement of police K9 IKar and the transfer of his ownership from the police department to his officer. Both items were approved unanimously by Council.
Finally, Council heard the first and final readings of three resolutions accepting various subdivision streets into the City of Greer street system. Resolution Number 9-2026 accepts Vines Creek Subdivision streets, including Redear Road, Bowfin Street, Redfin Road, Vines Creek Drive and Hickory Shad Court. Resolution Number 10-2026 accepts Donahue Hills Subdivision streets, including Donhill Drive, Nadine Way, Cyndis Lane, Algeddis Drive and Alvin Pond Drive. Resolution 11-2026 accepts Estates Subdivision street Chartwell Drive.
Council approved all three resolutions unanimously.
For additional information on Greer City Council, visit its website.
