The homes will be 1,400-2,400 square feet with an average of 4.75 units on each acre. The streets within the community will be private with a homeowners association managing the maintenance.
Glenn Pace, city planning and zoning coordinator, said successful sales of the first phase of Graystone Cottages, would likely lead to other phases.
Graystone’s annexation, scheduled for its second and final reading tonight, initiated a lengthy discussion on whether the planned community was responsible for providing approximately 600 feet of sidewalks on the exterior of the project parallel.
Chuck Reichert, of Fant Reichert & Fogleman Engineering and Surveying, appeared at the council meeting and suggested, “putting in sidewalks now wouldn’t serve a purpose since it only will be on the perimeter and not connect to any other sidewalks.”
Reichert said he provided 35-feet leeway from the center of Dillard Road to provide for future widening and adding sidewalks. “There’s no room to put the sidewalks in now,” Reichert said.
Reichert said, and Pace concurred, the Planning and Advisory Committee did not indicate the developers were responsible for putting in sidewalks.
Judy Albert, District Six councilwoman, reminded council it passed an ordinance for sidewalks to be added to planned communities. “We put that in for connectivity,” Albert said.
Mayor Rick Danner said the issue was voting specifically on annexation since the planning commission had already approved the development. Ed Driggers, city administrator, told council that rejection of the planning committee’s recommendation would mandate Graystone Cottages wait one year and reapply to council.
Council agreed to focus on the annexation it approved in first reading. All voted yes to approve the development.
In other council news:
• Keith Smith, president of Keith Smith Builders, was unanimously approved to the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals.
• The Justice Department has not ruled on Greer city council approving Map 2 for redistricting.
• Council met in executive session to discuss two personnel issues and an update on the Allen Bennett Hospital foreclosure. No action was taken, according to council.
• Greer’s Legislative Action Day scheduled Feb. 15 may be rescheduled because the House is on furlough. An option council is mulling is meeting with state senators and representatives in Greer, depending on the legislators’ availability.0