Home Care In Greenville, SC

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Growth and development are still top of mind for Greenville city leaders. Now that the new development code is in place, they are full speed ahead considering how they want the city to grow moving forward. Especially when it comes to business development.

Greenville City Economic Development Corporation update

Last June, city council voted to create a non-profit separate from the city. It’s named the Greenville City Economic Development Corporation. They’ll be responsible for overseeing business and retail recruitment, also real estate and small business development. It’s similar to the county’s organization, GADC.

Being a separate organization allows them to accept private funding. It’s still a work in progress but Monday, leaders took a big step with appointing six board members. The board has experience in all types of development and entrepreneurship.

“Because Greenville is growing so fast you wanna have as much say and how it grows so we just passed the development code which is really important but now that we can bring a higher level sophistication to the way in which we grow,” said Councilman John DeWorken, who spearheaded the creation of Greenville City Economic Development Corporation.

City can help GSP Airport grow

Speaking of economic development, for the first time ever city leaders adopted a resolution agreeing to assist GSP Airport financially. They didn’t allocate any money to the airport Monday, but the resolution just says they can in the future.

This all stems from GSP’s goal to increase the number of passengers and non-stop flights. City leaders say airport growth is tied to tourism and business growth. That’s why they want to work with them and help when necessary.

“We’re happy to join in partnership with the county and GSP Airport as well as many other partners that are going to help make this possible and I think there’ll be some good news on this very shortly,” said Mayor Knox White during the meeting.

Before they spend any money it’ll have to be voted on at council. The resolution is timely, because GSP is hosting a press conference Tuesday morning to announce a new airline and a new non-stop destination.

Legacy Park Swamp Rabbit Trail connecter

Verdae Development has designed and constructed a Swamp Rabbit Trail connector at Legacy Park. Which includes an elevated wooden boardwalk, two bridge structures. The city council agreed to take ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the connector going forward.

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Even though it caused significant damage to infrastructure, the flooding earlier this month in Conestee Nature Preserve clearly demonstrated the importance of the preserve in mitigating the impact of the Reedy River in spate.

The preserve’s wetlands and vegetation functioned as they were meant to in diffusing and slowing down floodwaters, according to preserve Executive Director Michael Corley.

“One of the values of the nature preserve is as a floodplain and it gives a place for the Reedy River’s floodwaters to go,” he said.

The preserve, located south of Greenville and west of Mauldin, has seen many floods over the years. What set the Jan. 9 event apart was the sheer volume of rainfall in a short period of time. That produced a massive amount of runoff into the Reedy, which flows through the heart of the preserve. The force of such a volume of water heavily damaged two of the park’s most popular boardwalks — Woodie Walk and River Otter Way.

In a way, the damaged boardwalks also demonstrated another important fact about the preserve: how much it means to the public.

Following the flood, CNP issued a plea for public fundraising support to help with repairs. According to Corley, the response was immediate and overwhelming. He said in less than 10 days, more than 200 donors had pledged around $25,000 to a recovery fund dedicated to repairs.

“The dollar figure aside, the fact that more than 200 people have taken the effort and been willing to give of their own funds is incredibly meaningful and shows there’s a truly impressive level of generosity and community support,” he said.

He said the outpouring of support has enabled his team to get started ordering supplies and marshaling the equipment needed for the repairs, which should take about four to six weeks to complete.

Beyond the impact within the preserve, the recent flood highlights the critical necessity of protecting wetlands and undeveloped areas adjacent to streams and rivers as a means of both protecting water quality and mitigating the effects of flooding, Corley said.

He credited Greenville County Council’s recent passage of an ordinance requiring riparian buffers as an important step in such efforts.

“Keeping such buffers intact is going to pay huge dividends, not just for us but for the (residents) of Greenville County in terms of water quality and flood damage,” Corley said.

The challenge going forward will be to maintain and expand natural areas that help control flooding as regional population and economic growth drive more development.

Corley said this is another vital mission Conestee Nature Preserve performs, namely educating the public on the value of protecting natural areas.

For more information about the preserve or to contribute to its recovery fund, visit conesteepreserve.org.

The city of Greenville’s floodplain map is all about risk.

What is the risk of flooding in my neighborhood? What is the risk of damage to my property if a flood occurs? These types of questions are best answered when there is an accurate map depicting which areas in the city are subject to flooding.

Revisions have been proposed to improve the accuracy and consistency of the city’s current floodplain map. The changes are part of the city’s six-month review of the development code.

New updates to the regulatory floodplain map come from a city-wide flood study completed in June 2019 as part of the city’s Stormwater 2.0 initiative. Before the study, the map consisted of information collected from 14 smaller area flood studies completed over more than 20 years.

“Now, we have an identical application and floodplain mapping throughout the city,” said Paul Dow, a city engineer.

Land parcels were both removed and added to the new map. However, the overall amount of land within the floodplain was reduced, according to the city.

What’s the impact?

Properties located within the city’s floodplain require certain building flood protections. Developers constructing new buildings must follow these requirements outlined in the city’s development code. Due to the additional requirements, it can be more costly to build within a floodplain.

Dow said there are no retroactions for existing buildings added to the floodplain. However, if substantial improvements adding more than 50% of that building’s value are completed to the existing structure, the building protection requirements will apply.

Properties removed from the floodplain will no longer be subject to the city’s flood requirements. More properties than before will have fewer requirements since the city’s overall floodplain was reduced, Dow explained.

It’s important to note that the city’s updated floodplain map will not impact a property owner’s flood insurance. Instead, flood insurance is based on the floodplain maps created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Dow said the city’s new floodplain map will not be submitted for FEMA to update its map.

“We encourage people to get flood insurance and if you’re outside of a flood zone – a FEMA flood zone – your flood insurance is drastically cheaper,” Dow said.

What’s next?

Using the new floodplain map, the city has prioritized a list of new stormwater projects to complete.

“We have a prioritization of what’s called level of service. Level of services is just a word that means how well a culvert or a pipe can handle a certain storm,” Dow said. “So we now have a list from this model of pipes to focus on.”

The updated floodplain map will be presented to the city’s Planning Commission Feb. 13 as part of the development code’s six-month review. Greenville City Council will then review and vote on the updates.

Dow believes the floodplain map should be reviewed again in five years. With the new comprehensive, city-wide map, city engineers will be able to easily update the map in the future

“We don’t have to pick it up from various places anymore,” Dow said. “We have an established baseline model that can get updated as rainfall amounts are collected.”

Daily Covid-19 admissions in the Greenville County area

About the data

Data is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitalization data is a daily average of Covid-19 patients in hospital service areas that intersect with Greenville County, an area which may be larger than Greenville County itself.

The number of daily hospital admissions shows how many patients tested positive for Covid in hospitals and is one of the most reliably reported indicators of Covid’s impact on a community.

Total population

Ages 65 and up

Total population

Ages 65 and up

An updated vaccine is recommended for adults and most children. Statewide, 7% of vaccinations did not specify a home county.

Nearby hospitals

Share of I.C.U. beds occupied

About this data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes: The hospitals map shows the average I.C.U. occupancy at nearby hospitals in the most recent week with data reported. The data is self-reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by individual hospitals. It excludes counts from hospitals operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service. Numbers for hospitalized patients are based on inpatient beds and include I.C.U. beds. Hospitalized Covid-19 patients include both confirmed and suspected Covid-19 patients. The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on cases in May 2023.

How trends have changed in Greenville County

About this data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notes: Weekly county death data prior to Jan. 2021 was not reported by the C.D.C. and is sourced from reporting by The New York Times. Hospitalization data is a weekly average of Covid-19 patients in hospital service areas that intersect with Greenville County. Hospitalization numbers early in the pandemic are undercounts due to incomplete reporting by hospitals to the federal government.

Historical trends in Greenville County

The data in these charts has been archived and they are no longer being updated.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data in these charts has been archived and they are no longer being updated. Weekly county case data prior to Jan. 2021 was not reported by the C.D.C. and is sourced from reporting by The New York Times. The C.D.C. stopped reporting data on cases in May 2023. Test positivity data is based only on test results reported to the federal government and is a seven-day average.

Planning a visit to Greenville, SC? Travel to the area is booming, and we’re so glad you’re here! We love our little city (and so does The New York Times, Forbes, and Southern Living!) because there’s so much for everyone to see, do, and eat.

Art connoisseurs, outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, and history buffs will all find something to enjoy while visiting Greenville. And, of course, families have an incredible amount of opportunities to make memories here. So, since you’re planning to visit, we wanted to make your planning a little easier by giving you a list of our top recommendations for places to eat, places to stay, and things to do in Greenville… as well as a guide to parking in downtown Greenville.

Greenville, SC Travel: Plan Your Visit!

Places to Eat: Visitor’s Guide to Dining in Greenville – Greenville has a fantastic culinary scene, and if you’re visiting for the first time, the options could be a little overwhelming, so we’ve rounded up a list of restaurants to check out, organized two ways: by meal-type and by location to accommodations.

Visitor’s Guide to Dining in Greenville, SC

Places to Stay in Downtown Greenville – We love recommending visitors to Greenville stay in or near downtown because you have quick and easy access to dining, shopping, and sightseeing. So here’s our list of top recommendations on where to stay in downtown Greenville, SC.

These houses and hotels in Greenville are great places to stay, close to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Parking in Downtown Greenville – Knowing where to park and what to expect when it comes to parking can make any visitor to any city a little more comfortable and at ease, so we’ve created a comprehensive guide to kid-friendly parking in downtown Greenville to make your trip even easier.

Things to Do When Visiting Greenville – With so many different options for things to do in the Greenville area, we have created a guide to help you decide what you’re going to do while you’re visiting. From Falls Park on the Reedy to the Swamp Rabbit Trail, to tons of indoor activities, there are endless ways for you to make memories with your family and friends.

These are some of the best things to do when visiting Greenville, SC!

Event Venues in Greenville – If you want to see a concert, Broadway show, sporting event, or one of the other many different activities taking place in Greenville, be sure to check out our guide to event venues in Greenville so you can see what’s going on during your visit.

A Weekend Itinerary to Greenville, SC – If you want help planning out an entire weekend’s worth of fun activities, we’ve created several different itineraries depending on your family, traveling party, and children’s ages.

Visiting College Near Greenville, SC

If you are visiting the Greenville area as a prospective student, family or to attend an event at one of our area’s universities and colleges, you’ll find helpful information in these guides to visiting Upstate South Carolina universities. Find places to stay, things to do, and great restaurants nearby.

We’re so excited for you to visit Greenville! What are you most excited about?