Did you know that according to projections, Greenville County will see population growth that's equivalent to adding another town of Travelers Rest every year for the next five years? Or that by 2012, it is predicted that the average county resident will spend a total of 36 hours each year stuck in traffic?

These were just some of the facts presented on June 12 at the Greenville County Planning Department's "County Check-up" meeting. The goal of the event was to give residents a brief overview of the status quo regarding the county's housing market, economy, natural resources, community facilities, transportation network, and land usage. The idea behind the County Check-up meeting was that before we decide where to go in the future, we need to know where we stand today.

More than 100 people, many of whom were members of our citizen committees, came out to County Square that evening. The planners created a report card that, in keeping with the health-care theme, was in a prescription format. Residents were asked to rate each of several components of the county's overall status on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 being "unhealthy" and 4 being "healthy." Of all the elements, respondents gave Greenville County's population growth the strongest rating, and transportation received the weakest rating.

Citizen committee members raised some excellent questions after the presentation. One member noted that while 18 percent of the county's residents are African-American and 6 percent are Hispanic, nearly all of the committee members are Caucasian. He was concerned that the diversity of the county is not represented in the citizen committees. The planning department has made attempts to reach out to minority communities and encourage people of all races and backgrounds to volunteer, but has not been very successful. Our comprehensive plan needs to be representative of all groups, and one of the committee members' most important tasks will be to convey the concerns and suggestions of people who are racial minorities in the county.

This week, the comprehensive plan process begins another very important step as the citizen committees start to meet on a regular basis and form ideas on how to improve the quality of life in the county, address problems, and continue to make Greenville County a great place to live. Stay tuned for more information on the progress of the committees.

Sincerely,

Tiffany Wedmore

 

Great places start with great plans. The next time you notice an especially well-designed neighborhood or community, think about the process that leads to that success. It almost always begins with citizens who envision something better for their community and take the time to vocalize that vision. Public input is a crucial ingredient in the process of creating successful plans, and the results wouldn't be the same without it. That's why we are asking you as Greenville County residents to take advantage of an opportunity to shape this area's future.

Over the next several months, citizens will have plenty of chances to get involved in the process of creating the new comprehensive plan for Greenville County. My name is Tiffany Wedmore and I'm an intern with the Planning Department. During my internship, I will be attending the various meetings and workshops related to this project. We understand that coming to every meeting and closely following the plan's progress is no easy feat for most residents, so I will keep a blog that highlights the most important developments along the way.

One significant development that deserves mention is the upcoming start of citizen committee meetings. The groups are made up of people who have been generous enough to volunteer their time and knowledge, and we want to give them a challenge to make it worth their effort. Instead of the typical structure of these committees, in which citizens take part in an open and sometimes unfocused forum, each of the six groups will be structured much like a classroom. The participating citizens will receive "homework" assignments, tests, and will take field trips to various parts of the county.

By the end of the process, these committee members will have not only produced a document to help guide future development in the county, they will also share their work with the public at their "graduation ceremony". This event will be an opportunity for each committee to present its results to our stakeholders, including the public. What's great about this process is that it provides a way for some of our most enthusiastic people to share their ideas, which will likely result in some creative plans and solutions. Stay tuned for more information.

Finally, please take note that there are many more ways to get involved, including our Imagine Greenville Survey, available at www.imaginegreenville.com under the Get Involved section, as well as our "Green Room," where you can visit and speak directly with a staff person. Finally, be sure to attend our State of the County meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 at County Square. This meeting will feature a detailed discussion on the growth, decline, and change in the county. For more information, please contact the Planning Department via e-mail at planning@greenvillecounty.org, or by phone at (864)467-7270. Whether you've lived here for five months or 50 years, we want to hear from you!