Tesalon Felicien

The Greenville News

There was no standing ovation for Neil Wilson Tuesday night after an hour-long presentation at Southside Christian School.

In the final of three town halls, Wilson, principal at RealtyLink — alongside landscape architect Natasha Sexton of SGA Architecture, and Southside Christian School superintendent, Sam Barfell — maintained his stance to develop a parcel of land adjacent to Graceland East Memorial Park at the intersection of State 14 and Woodruff Road which his group purchased back in December.

"We wanted to be here," Wilson said on the town hall meetings. "We want good honest discussion on how this property should be developed and that's the reason we're here."

A patient Wilson took time addressing one concern after another from the few dozen people in attendance, both for and against the development that would divide the lot into two pieces.

The development would bring nearly close 30,000 square-foot Sprouts Farmer’s Market, a natural and organic food store and other commercial rental properties on one portion. Contingent on rezoning approval from the county, Southside Christian School would receive four acres which would be used an early childhood facility, according to school officials. The school also has the option to sell it's portion of the property if it chooses not to develop it. A 6-foot brick wall also is planned to buffer that portion which is closest to the cemetery. The land is currently zoned as a residential suburban.

Wilson said the group will likely apply for zoning in April.

Wilson highlighted, a noxious use clause which would prohibit businesses such as cinemas, tire shops, used clothing facilities or any business that "would be sensitive to the people visiting their loved ones next door."

Colby Price, project manager at RealtyLink also presented the findings of an independent traffic study. He said traffic study projections show the proposal would have little effect on the intersection.

"This intersection currently fails. If we developed the property as we hope to.., we do increase the traffic but not to any extent to change the already existing grades of the intersection," Price said. "We believe that not only are we not worsening the intersection but with the improvements we''re making, we're making it easier to navigate."

He added a new grocery store would decrease trips for nearby residents to other parts of Woodruff Road.

But those reassurances were not enough for some in attendance.

A number of attendees focused on the traffic on Woodruff Road, saying that any additional development would only increase through traffic through their neighborhoods. Other's contested a need for another grocery store, while a handful welcomed the proposal.