During a Greenville Planning Board hearing Wednesday night, the board answered questions about what proposed zoning changes might mean for current property owners and possible future growth of the area.
The Planning Board has proposed two potential changes in amendments expected to be put before voters in March, including one that would eliminate a rule exempting properties in the downtown district from minimum lot sizes. Those properties that exist would be grandfathered, and could continue their current uses.
Chair Mike Sadowski said the proposed change was to try to control downtown density, noting that in the current ordinance, a multifamily development could be put on a very small lot.
“If I buy a one-acre lot, right now, I could throw up a couple of apartment buildings,” Sadowski said.
When asked about how that would affect existing lots downtown, many of which are less than an acre in size, board members said existing nonconforming lots are grandfathered, and protected by the town’s pre-existing nonconforming lot rules.
“It should not affect anyone in their existing situation,” said board member Miles Horsley.
According to Greenville’s current ordinance, any existing lot of record which has less area or road frontage than is required in the district may still be developed for any use allowed in the district. In the downtown district, this includes single-family, two-family and multifamily dwellings, including condos, as long as dwellings are above the ground floor in multistory dwellings, retail or professional offices, banks, restaurants, grocery, churches, inns, theaters, clubs, health care or recreational facilities or child care centers.
However, under the regulations, the lot must meet other requirements of the district, including setbacks and regulations for safe water supply and sewage disposal, but property owners would have the option to request a variance if there was a rule the property owner could not meet due to the size of the lot.
The other amendment proposes to eliminate an exemption for off-street parking for any future developed properties, but preserves the exemption for existing buildings.
The amendments propose to add definitions for “conversion,” “driveway,” “frontage” and “open space.”
The board did not make any changes to the proposed amendments following the public hearing. Any substantive changes made to the proposed amendments will require, by law, a second public hearing.
Once finalized by the Planning Board, the proposed zoning amendments will be forwarded to the ballot for voting by the public in March. All zoning amendments require a majority vote to pass.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.