The Board of Directors meets the first Wednesday evening of each month at 6:30 PM at the either the Bobby Pearse Community Center or other local venues.
Waffle House Zoning Appeal
Judge Ned Miller has denied Waffle House’s motion asking for partial summary judgment against the City of Greenville in the company’s lawsuit challenging changes to the zoning code that makes 24-hour a day, 7-day a week operation subject to special regulation in areas zoned C-2. This means that the Waffle House will go before the Board of Zoning Appeals on June 17 to request that they be allowed to stay open after midnight. The meeting will be held at 4 PM at City Hall. Please try to attend if your schedule permits. See agenda below.
Brookside Development Update
You may recall that Douglas Development’s request for reinstatement of their permits was pulled from the May 20 agenda due to the appellant’s failure to properly post public notice on the site. The position of your board and that of several other associations is that the project is not compatible with the neighborhood and needs to be redesigned to blend in and enhance the existing immediate homes and not tower over them. Multi-family detached units would be more acceptable to the neighborhood, if done right. Please show your support for the position of your neighbors by attending the BZA hearing on Thursday, June 17, at 4 PM at City Hall in the Council Meeting Room. You don’t have to speak, just show up to show your support. We are not against development, just the plan in question.
Following is the draft agenda for the June 17 BZA meeting:
A. S 10-83. Application of Rakesh B. Naik in behalf of BVM Investments, LLC, Owner, for a Special Exception pursuant to Section 19-2.3.5, Special Exception Permit and Section 19-4.1, Table of Uses, of the Code of the City of Greenville (Land Management) to establish a ‘Liquor Store’ within an existing building located at 9 Pelham Road in a ‘C-2’, Local Commercial District (TMS # 0279000100106).
B. A 10-62. Application of Atty. Mark R. Holmes in behalf of Douglas Wade Hampton, LLC, Owner, for an Appeal of the Administrator’s Decision pursuant to Section 19-2.3.16 (A)(2), Appeals From Decisions and Interpretations of Administrator / Right of Appeal / Board of Zoning Appeal, of the Code of the City of Greenville (Land Management) to revoke the Conditional Use Permit for the multifamily development known as “Brookside Gardens” located at 25 Brookside Circle in an ‘RM-2’, Single and Multifamily Residential District (TMS # 0274040107100).
C. S 10-85. Application of Waffle House, Inc. in behalf of WH Capital, LLC, Owner, for a Special Exception pursuant to Section 19-2.3.5, Special Exception Permit and Section 19-4.1, Table of Uses, of the Code of the City of Greenville (Land Management) to operate a ‘Restaurant With Indoor Seating Only’ on a 24-hour per day basis (the hours between 12 Midnight and 5 AM require a Special Exception Permit) within an existing building located at 11 E. Stone Avenue in a ‘C-2’, Local Commercial District (TMS # ‘s 0035000401700 and 0035000401800).
You are invited to review documents relating to these Applications before the public hearing. Documents are now available for review online or in the Planning and Development Office on the 5th floor of City Hall, 206 South Main Street, Greenville, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. You may call the Office at (864) 467.4476 for more information on these Applications.
Weather Tid-bits
Based on historical data from GSP airport, the average high for June is 85.5°F, average low is 64.6°F, and the average rainfall is 4.49″. (From SC State Climatology Office website)
On June 1, 1903, 9.18 inches of rain fell in a 24 hour period in Walhalla and was considered a 100 year rainfall event.
2010 Hurricane Season Could be a Record Setter
Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is projecting a 70 percent probability of the following ranges:
• 14 to 23 Named Storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including:
• 8 to 14 Hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which:
• 3 to 7 could be Major Hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)
“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record” said a NOAA administrator. NOAA will issue an updated hurricane outlook in early August, just prior to what is historically the peak period for hurricane activity.
Stamp Sales Benefit Shelter Pets
The US Postal Service is working with Ellen DeGeneres and Halo, Purely for Pets, a holistic pet care company she co-owns, to bring greater attention to the cause of shelter pets. Every year, 6 to 8 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters, and of that number, nearly half are euthanized. Although the problem seems overwhelming, the key to the solution is adopting a shelter pet when seeking a new companion and ensuring that the animal is spayed or neutered. HALO will donate food to animal shelters for each stamp purchased. The stamps are “commemoratives” which means that they will only be available for purchase for a limited time. The stamps can be ordered at USPS, stampstotherescue, or by calling 1.800.STAMP.24 (1.800.782.6724). They are also available at many local branches. Your purchase will help bring awareness to this serious problem one stamp at a time.
Butterfly Gardening
A perfect fit with the increasing interest in the use of native plants, providing wildlife habitat and installing lower maintenance landscapes is butterfly gardening. Butterflies are looking for two things in your yard…plants that provide nectar for adults, and host plants where eggs are laid and where the young larvae (caterpillars) feed. For a successful butterfly garden, you need both. Most species of butterflies are host-specific so the next time you are buying and planting, consider putting in some plants which will attract butterflies. Keep in mind that the larval forms of some butterflies can strip a host plant of foliage in a short time, but they need that food to mature. The plant will regenerate leaves, so just plant it in a less visible area if this bothers you. Remember that butterflies like sun, just like the plants they prefer. Some of the best choices for butterfly plants include aster, butterfly weed, coreopsis, ironweed, milkweed, buddleia, verbena and abelia. For more information on butterfly gardening, check your local nursery, bookstore, library or the following websites which offer lists of butterfly plants. The Butterfly Site. Clemson Butteryfly Gardening.
Humane Society Fundraiser can Beautify your Garden
On June 4-6 and 11-13, Daylily and Hosta Gardens, 2396 Roper Mountain Road, Simpsonville, will partner with the Greenville Humane Society for a fundraiser. Hours are Friday: 12-6, Saturday: 9-4, and Sunday: 12-6. Daylily and Hosta Gardens will donate 10% of all sales for both weekends to the Greenville Humane Society to help homeless animals in need. Over 900 varieties are on display.
Visitors are welcome to bring donations of pet food and needed supplies for the animals. Pet friendly garden…dogs welcome! For more information visit their website or call 864-297-9043. You can also email them at DaylilyGarden@charter.net
In Search of the “Historic Columbia” Daylily
Historic Columbia Foundation is seeking a daylily that once bloomed on the grounds of the Robert Mills House named “Historic Columbia” to plant in the new border gardens, which will be installed this spring. Developed by Robert Kennedy of Camden, this bright yellow daylily features a six-inch diameter bloom, with five to six blooms per stalk. A June 1982 issue of The State newspaper featured Kennedy’s donation of this daylily to the gardens of the Robert Mills House. If you can help the Foundation locate the “Historic Columbia” daylily, please contact David Simpson, Director of Grounds at 803.252.1770, ext. 35 or email dsimpson@historiccolumbia.org.
Landscaping at North Main Entrances
Thanks to Joanne Conner and Joyce Murphy for maintaining the landscaping around the signs as you enter the neighborhood on Main Street. One is behind the Rite Aid just north of Stone Ave. The other is where North Main meets Rutherford Road. Until the plants get established, they need water during dry periods. For those who expressed interest in participating on the beautification committee, if you would be willing to help water occasionally, please drop Joanne an email at joanneconner@charter.net Thank you!
New Greenspace for Neighborhood to Enjoy
If you have traveled down Croft Street in the last several months, you may be wondering what’s going on with the property adjacent to Croft Park. It’s actually going to be a nice improvement to our neighborhood that will be available to all of us! The “Children Under Construction” childcare center that was on the Croft Street closed down last fall and the School District of Greenville County purchased the property for Stone Academy. The School District and the City of Greenville have been working together on the development of the property into a field with a walking track to be completed before school starts on August 16th. We encourage the entire neighborhood to come out and enjoy this new greenspace in the evenings and on weekends!
-Jennifer Medlock, Stone Academy PTA and Earle Street resident
Bicycling & Greenways E-Newsletter
The City of Greenville has been designated a Bronze “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists and is actively pursuing several bicycling and greenway trail projects. To subscribe to the new E-Newsletter for updates and information about ongoing efforts to encourage bicycling and walking for recreation and transportation go to the website.
The Carolina First Saturday Market (open May 1 through October 31, 8 am to noon) recently added ‘Booth with a Cause’, a way for local, community-minded organizations to bring public awareness to their mission. Upcoming participants include:
June 5 – US Green Building Council – SC Chapter – Upstate Branch
June 12 – Interim Hospice
June 19 – Cookies for Kids Cancer
June 26 – Harvest Hope Food Bank
If you would like to reserve a space, please contact mcox@greenvillesc.gov.
Calendar
City Council Formal Meeting and Work Session schedules can be found at the City Website
June 2 – August 25 – Reedy River Nighttime Concert Series, Peace Center Amphitheater,
June 4-6 & 11-13 – Daylily and Hosta Fundraiser for the Humane Society. See article earlier in newsletter for details.
June 15 (Tuesday) – 7:00 pm. Upstate Chapter, Native Plant Society Meeting. Topic is “The Upstate: Confronting the Challenges of a Fast-Growing Region” Speaker is Brad Wyche, Executive Director of Upstate Forever. Free. Greenville Tec Administration Building, McAlister Square, Greenville, SC.
June 17 (Thursday) – BZA Meeting. 4 PM. City Hall. Both Waffle House and Brookside (Douglas Development) are on the agenda as mentioned earlier in the newsletter. While we realize this is not a great time for those who are working, please show your support by attending if possible.
July 4 – AT&T Red, White and Blue presented by Wachovia, A Wells Fargo Company
Downtown Greenville.
July 12 – August 16 – Yoga (for beginners, however all levels are welcome). Mondays 6:30-7:30 pm. Bobby Pearse Community Center. 904 Townes Street. Instructor: Brooke Kleinfelter. Fee: $5 per class. Pre-registration NOT required. Contact: Pam Davis, 467-4331, or pdavis@greenvillesc.gov
Don’t forget to renew your NMCA membership. Only $10 annually. You should have received a membership form in the mail. The form is also available online at our website. You can renew easily via PayPal or download, complete and mail the form. Membership runs on a calendar year from Jan 1 to Dec 31. If you are not sure if you are current in your dues for 2010, please let us check for you. Just email pgilreath@aol.com and we’ll let you know.
We need your participation!! Tell your neighbors, too. Thank you!!
