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1. What is Greenville 2040?

The City of Greenville is embarking on a planning process to develop a new Comprehensive Plan to determine the course of the next 20 years. This process, called Greenville 2040, will enable the community to help shape the vision and make recommendations through ongoing engagement opportunities. When completed, the comprehensive plan will help guide decision-making in Greenville for years to come.

2. What is a comprehensive plan?

A comprehensive plan is a long-term guide for the future physical development of a city that considers the input of citizens, businesses and other stakeholders. It includes recommendations for future land use, community facilities, connectivity, open space and recreation areas, cultural and natural resources and economic development. It includes a vision (an aspirational statement about the future condition of the city); goals (desired outcomes for each of the plan topics that are expressed simply) and actions to achieve the goals.
Download: What Is A Comprehensive Plan?

3. Why does the City of Greenville need a Comprehensive Plan?

In general, planning demonstrates good stewardship. Change – good or bad – happens whether we are ready or not. Greenville is located within one of the most rapidly growing areas of the United States and the metro area is the fastest growing area in South Carolina. The previous plan was adopted in 2009 and almost 10 years later, most of that plan has been implemented. It is time to reflect and take stock of the existing conditions and trends facing the community and solicit the community’s ideas and input to create a plan that will guide the long-term preservation, revitalization and growth of our city.

4. What is included in this type of plan?

The comprehensive plan is just that – comprehensive. Topics range from land use and transportation to economic development and parks. Each topic will include a thorough evaluation of the city’s current conditions and the most important trends. The community will be asked for input through in-person and online engagement activities. Finally, recommendations will emerge in each topic that meld the technical analysis with the intuition of citizens. Topics in the Greenville 2040 Comprehensive Plan include population, economic development, natural resources, cultural resources, community facilities, housing, land use, transportation and priority investment.

5. How will this affect me?

As residents and business owners in the city, you stand to gain from a well-executed comprehensive plan. This is especially true if you become active in the process and share your thoughts and ideas. The City is committed to an open process where anyone who cares about the future of Greenville has a chance to contribute. Ultimately, the comprehensive plan is intended to deliver greater prosperity and quality of life to all segments of the community. By getting involved you can help shape the vision and policies that make this happen.

6. Who will lead the planning process?

The process is being guided by a 42-member citizen steering committee. The City received a total of 228 applications for the committee and the members were ultimately selected through a rigorous process to ensure that the committee represents the diverse interests in the city. The steering committee will meet regularly throughout the process to plan outreach activities, discuss the technical analysis and give input on the direction of the plan, with oversight by the City’s Planning & Development Department, in collaboration with the consultant team.

7. How can I get involved?

Everyone is invited to contribute their thoughts and ideas and there will be many opportunities to do so throughout the planning process. Meetings will be announced well in advance through traditional media, social media and the City’s website. Please visit www.gvl2040.com and register your email address to receive direct updates on the process and engagement opportunities.

8. Do I have to be an expert to contribute ideas?

Absolutely not! By living, working or raising a family in Greenville, you know a lot about this community, and whether you’ve just moved here or you’re a lifelong resident, your perspective is important. 

9. How will my input be used?

When you contribute an idea to Greenville 2040, you are contributing directly to the comprehensive plan. Depending on when you get involved, your ideas could serve as the foundation for the community’s vision statement, contribute to one of the plan’s goals, inspire a specific action (like a new project, policy or program) or set the course for implementation.

10. How is Greenville 2040 different from other planning processes in the community?

There are several different planning processes going on in the city and region concurrently. The Downtown Strategic Master Plan process, which kicked off in June of 2018, focused on the downtown area only. The City also recently completed the Wade Hampton Boulevard Strategic Plan and the 2018 Historic Resources Survey. Greenville County is also undertaking a comprehensive planning process, which Greenville 2040 will be mindful of and will coordinate with as appropriate.

11. What is the timeline for completing the plan?

The process will last roughly 20 months, with a goal of adopting the plan in the winter of 2020.

12. Where can I learn more?

More information is available at www.gvl2040.com. Be sure to share your email address with us under “Stay Informed” and we’ll keep you updated on upcoming meetings and major announcements.