Q&Amy: Paris Mt. overlook road to close

Q: I heard the road to the Paris Mountain overlook spot is going to be gated and closed to the public. Is this true?

Amy in short: Yes. Graffiti, litter and security concerns have led to changes that will bar the driving public from the popular lookout.

A bit more: Known for its grand views of Greenville, Tower Road, the small road that turns off Altamont Road and climbs to the mountaintop where many a radio tower and besotted teenage couple can be found, has in recent years become the target of rampant vandalism.

Graffiti, some of it of a vulgar or offensive nature, covers nearly every reachable surface, including building walls and the road itself. Litter is widespread. Chain link fences are pried open.

Things came to a head in the last year or two when someone armed with spray paint circumvented a fence and concertina wire to deface Greenville County emergency communication facilities located atop Paris Mountain.

"We got tagged, and we got tagged bad," said Rick Blackwell, director of Greenville County E911.

At one point, the county painted South Carolina ETV's transmitter facility, which shares a site with the county equipment, only to have the graffiti back within a week.

"Folks are continuing to climb the fence and come in there," Blackwell said. "It's a security issue for us."

He considered several options for addressing the problem, including perhaps a park.

"Maybe if we made it something where people wanted to go, maybe they'd take better care of it," he said.

That idea would prove unfeasible, and officials explored closing the road to the public.

"I don't like the idea of us taking something away that's been such a hallmark," Blackwell said. "I don't see another way around this thing. Once you've been up there and seen the condition of the place, something has to be done."

He obtained permission from the people who own property adjacent to the road, including SCETV and the Gospel Fellowship Association, representatives from those groups confirmed.

The state Department of Transportation, which owns Tower Road, issued a permit for the county to install the gate, said Stephanie Jackson-Amell, district engineering administrator.

A single-arm gate, accessible by code for property owners, will be installed about 20 feet from the intersection with Altamont Road, Blackwell said. It will include a camera security system.

Cyclists and pedestrians will be able to circumvent the gate and access the road, he said, though no roadside parking is available in the area.

"It's a shame we even have to do this," Blackwell said.

Area residents said they were aware of the graffiti and litter issues and concerns about cars racing on weekends, said Ron Chitty, president of the Altamont Club, a social club for Paris Mountain residents.

Whether the new gate will help or hurt remains to be seen.

"If it gets closed, then what's going to happen? Are they going to take their act to downtown Greenville or Travelers Rest or Fountain Inn, or are they going to come down to my neighborhood because they're already up there?" he asked.

The county is currently working with Duke Energy to provide power to the intersection. There's no timeline yet for installation of the gate, but the $14,000 project has been funded by the county. That price does not include the cost to install or provide electricity to the site.

Got a question? Send it to Q&Amy by emailing me at aburns@greenvillenews.com or calling 864-298-3822. You can find me on Twitter at @QandAmyNews.