Updated: Travelers Rest councilmembers vote to approve Main Street townhome project

UPDATED (11/21/19, 6:45 p.m.):

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. — On Thursday, Travelers Rest councilmembers voted to approve rezoning for the proposed 17-unit townhome project at 508 N. Main St.

Councilmembers Brantly Vest, Steve Waddell, Jeff George, Grant Bumgarner, and Harvey Choplin and Mayor Brandy Amidon voted in favor of the rezoning ordinance. Councilmembers Rick Floyd, Kelly Byers and Shaniece Criss voted against the measure.

Full story/history below.

ORIGINAL STORY:

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. — The second of two votes on a 17-unit townhome development in Travelers Rest is scheduled to take place at the Thurs., Nov. 21 city council meeting. (View the agenda here.)

In October, councilmembers were expected to vote on rezoning a 1.27 acre parcel located at 508 N. Main St. (map below) for the development of Trailside Towns, but the vote was delayed until November.

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In the days leading up to the October meeting, the developers of the project —which was recommended for approval by the Travelers Rest Planning Commission and passed the first of two city council votes in September— submitted a revised site plan, addressing some of the concerns that had been raised by area residents. Of note, additional on-site parking spaces were added and the specifics of the proposed landscape buffer on the rear property line were defined.

"The developers have given us a new proposal and a new site plan for this parcel, and I'd like to have some additional time to review this," said Grant Bumgarner, councilmember and co-chair of the planning and development committee, prior to making a motion to delay the vote until November. "I'd also like to give those in opposition a chance to review the proposal and how it addresses some of [their] concerns."

Six people — three in opposition, three in favor — spoke at October's meeting.

Christa Youngblood, Pamela Carpenter and Walter Howard echoed sentiments raised earlier in a recent online opposition petition — mainly density, traffic congestion, parking and screening. 

"Growth is good for Travelers Rest but not at the detriment of our precious main street," Carpenter said.

Walt Brashier III and Will McCauley, the project's developers and longtime Travelers Rest residents, as well as Jonathan Nett, a civil engineer, spoke on behalf of the project, addressing some of the opposition's concerns.

"The town is growing and there are a lot of people that want to live in this area," Brashier III said, adding that the development fits into Travelers Rest's recently updated master plan. "The alternative [to this infill development] is going into undeveloped areas and knocking down trees in the outskirts of town where there are more natural settings, and I'm not a big fan of that."

"I think [this project] further creates a vibrant, walkability, bikability community," McCauley said. "This is a development that is on the [Swamp Rabbit] trail that does create the vibrancy and the enthusiasm [that the trail promotes]."

The November council meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 21, 2019, at the city hall complex located on Trailblazer Drive.

Related on the Travelers Rest Tribune:

Local developers respond to townhome opposition petition

Online petition opposes Travelers Rest Main Street townhome development

UPDATED: Main Street townhome development passes first reading

City of Travelers Rest releases 2019 Downtown Master Plan

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