Executive_Summary.pdf

1-1Greenwood City/County Comprehensive Plan 2035

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

The Greenwood City/County Comprehensive Plan is an integrated and internally consistent statement of Greenwood County’s policies for future growth and development as well as those of the incorporated communities within the County. The Comprehensive Plan is developed within the authority and mandates of the South Carolina Comprehensive Planning Enabling Act of 1994. The Plan addresses the required process and elements provided by the South Carolina Code of Laws, Article 3, Section 6-29-510, within the context of local conditions. The document is comprised of elements, presented as chapters, which address the specific trends and concerns for each issue area. Upon adoption of the Plan, each local government in Greenwood County assumes the responsibility for implementation, updates, and communication with citizens and agencies regarding the Plan’s policies.

1-2Greenwood City/County Comprehensive Plan 2035

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

1.1. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FORMAT

The Plan consists of narrative text, maps, tables and graphs that convey the interrelationships among the various elements and highlight opportunities to address the needs and strategies identified through the comprehensive planning process. Chapter 2 provides an introduction to Greenwood County and its communities as well as the overall planning process. Chapters 3 through 11 present the nine detailed elements that comprise the bulk of the Plan. Each element identifies the existing conditions relevant to the focus area and relates this information to development trends. Maps, photos and graphics included throughout the document are illustrative and are not intended as policy statements, but more as a descriptive guide to possible outcomes. Each element concludes with specific goals, policies and programs to guide community actions, along with an implementation timeline over the life of the Plan. These consensus goals, objectives and strategies comprise the heart of the Plan, and chart the course of growth and development that will shape the future character of Greenwood County and its municipalities.

1.2. FUTURE LAND USE MAP

Accompanying the Comprehensive Plan text are Future Land Use Maps for Greenwood County and each municipality. The Future Land Use Map is an integral part of the Plan that provides a graphic depiction of the managed and orderly future growth and character of the community over the next 20 years. State law requires that the Land Use Map must designate the general type of land uses for the area covered by the Plan. In addition, the map and text together address the recommended population densities and building intensities for the land area. Other pertinent features of the Future Land Use Map include the location of existing and proposed parks, institutional uses such as public schools and colleges, greenspace and floodplains, and existing and proposed roadways.

1.3. PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The major goals and objectives are grouped by element. Detailed Implementation strategies conclude each element and outline the accomplishments necessary to meet the objectives and goals outlined within the necessary timeframes. Together, the implementation strategies guide the direction and character of Greenwood County’s development for the next twenty years as outlined in the future land use maps. The core implementation focus of each element is summarized below and presented in detail in each chapter.

The Population element presents foundational data on population growth and development trends that shape the other eight plan elements. The element also identifies special populations, health conditions, racial and ethnic composition, age, and educational attainment of County residents. Although this element does not include specific goals and objectives, data from this chapter provides the base assumptions used in the development of implementation plans for the elements that follow.

CHAPTER 3 - POPULATION

1-3Greenwood City/County Comprehensive Plan 2035

The Natural Resources element culminates with four goals and supporting objectives that promote clean air, protect soil and water resources, and sustain natural resources including the County’s prime agricultural lands, prime and urban forests, and sensitive plant and animal habitats. The element objectives also promote sound growth policies that preserve open space and parks and protect floodplain and floodway areas.

The Economic element is anchored by five goals that strengthen the local economy by increasing the County’s tax base, capitalizing on the County’s historic and natural resource assets to grow tourism, and supporting the retention, expansion and recruitment of businesses. These goals will be accomplished through objectives to strengthen Greenwood County’s role as regional employment center, increase worker preparedness and performance, reduce unemployment and increase private investment, and raise incomes and wages of county workers. Objectives include efforts to redevelop targeted commercial and industrial areas, revitalize existing facilities and districts and promote infill development, and encourage the use of renewable energy and recycling in business and industry.

Five goals guide the Housing element vision to increase residential development and the diversity of housing stock, while increasing affordable housing options. Residential objectives focus on infrastructure expansion for prime residential development areas, reduction of residential sprawl, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. The protection of existing residential areas is also a priority to be supported by continued building inspection services and codes enforcement, preservation of historic neighborhoods, maintenance of housing stock, and community development and neighborhood revitalization. Residential energy conservation is another county-wide goal that will be advanced through the preservation of open space, increasing the tree canopy, and the effective integration of housing design, materials and landscaping.

Cultural Resources needs are addressed through four goals that promote historic preservation, develop the cultural resource infrastructure as an economic asset, and increase awareness of Greenwood County’s rich cultural heritage. The Cultural Resources objectives seek to strengthen the County and its municipalities by growing the retirement economy, preserving historic resources, promoting the community as a primary tourist destination, and continuing to develop the Uptown area as a major cultural venue for the City and County. The evaluation of the potential impacts of land use proposals on cultural resources will also be given greater emphasis in the development review process.

CHAPTER 4 - NATURAL RESOURCES

CHAPTER 5 - ECONOMIC

CHAPTER 6 - HOUSING

CHAPTER 7 - CULTURAL RESOURCES

1-4Greenwood City/County Comprehensive Plan 2035

The Community Facilities element concludes with five goals to provide adequate, safe and efficient infrastructure to include administrative, civic, cultural, educational, and recreational facilities. Multiple objectives address the expansion of utilities and the provision of public services including solid waste disposal, parks, and education. Energy conservation is also encouraged through policies, procedures, and community facility siting and construction.

The four goals of the Transportation element support the location and development of transportation infrastructure to accommodate present and future needs, an efficient and accessible multi-modal transportation system, and an interconnected network of trails, sidewalks and greenways. Objectives seek to provide a safe and efficient roadway network that complements land use goals, to introduce transit options to increase mobility and accessibility, to promote the Greenwood County airport, and to encourage the use of alternative modes of travel. Energy conservation objectives are incorporated that reduce energy use through street and parking design and a multi-modal transportation system.

Five Land Use goals were developed to increase residential development, encourage affordable housing options for Greenwood County residents, promote energy conservation through land use planning, encourage efficient and appropriate land use, and continue cooperative planning among local jurisdictions. Residential objectives focus on infrastructure expansion needs for prime residential development areas, reduction of residential sprawl, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Objectives to promote energy conservation encourage a variety of planning strategies including mixed use, infill, and compact and clustering development, as well as redevelopment and open space preservation. Additional objectives support efficiency in land use patterns and consistency in land use planning and regulation among local jurisdictions.

The three Priority Investment goals include planning for long-range capital needs, forging and strengthening intergovernmental and interagency partnerships, and coordinating capital improvements planning. Objectives include the implementation of a Capital Project Plan, alternative funding identification, enhanced coordination in facilities and infrastructure development, and the leveraging of existing resources and partnerships to maximize cost-savings and efficiency.

CHAPTER 8 - COMMUNITY FACILITIES

CHAPTER 10 - LAND USE

CHAPTER 9 - TRANSPORTATION

CHAPTER 11 - PRIORITY INVESTMENT