Greenville City Council held its second workshop to review the city’s draft budget for fiscal year 2027 on April 27.
No tax increases or changes to business license rates are included in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. The city’s solid waste fee is expected to increase by $1 per month, along with 2.4% annual fee increase for stormwater and wastewater.
Patricia Dennis, the city’s chief financial officer, presented the projected FY27 general fund revenue budget – the city’s core operating fund – which equals approximately $157.8 million. The city’s projected general fund expenditures equal approximately $160.9 million.
Read more about the city’s first budget workshop
Departments involved in public safety are expected to receive the largest percentage of general fund expenditures, including $42.1 million for the Greenville Police Department, $24.4 million for the Greenville City Fire Department and $19.4 million for Public Works.
Council also reviewed the proposed FY27 budget for the city’s capital improvement program, which equals $28.8 million. The draft budget allocates funding to capital projects that reflect City Council’s five priorities:
- Recreation, Open Space and Resilience: $10.9 million
- Neighborhoods and Affordable Housing: $5.5 million
- Mobility and Transportation: $4.6 million
- Economic Development: $4.4 million
- Public Safety and Engagement: $3.4 million
Community members are invited to learn more about the draft budget at the city’s project preview meeting on April 28. The meeting will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Prisma Health Welcome Center at Unity Park. A public hearing and the first reading of the finalized FY27 budget will be held on May 11, with the second reading scheduled for May 18.
Here’s a full recap of the April 27 meeting of the Greenville City Council following the budget workshop.
Denied: Buncombe Street and Butler Avenue property rezoning
Council denied an application to rezone 2.92 acres at the corner of Buncombe Street and Butler Avenue in a 4-2 vote. Councilmembers Lillian Brock Flemming, Ken Gibson, Wil Brasington and Mayor Knox White voted against the proposed rezoning. Voting in favor were Dorothy Dowe and Tina Belge.
Three parcels of land were proposed to be rezoned from a Planned Development District (PD) to Mixed-Use 2 District (MX-2). The city’s Planning Commission reviewed the application on April 2 and recommended approval to council.
The property proposed for rezoning was the former site of Cline Hose and Hydraulics and has sat vacant since 2015. In 2018, the site was rezoned to a Planned Development District for a 237-unit senior living complex that never moved forward to construction.
A new mixed-use development was proposed for the property at 309 Butler Ave. and 615 and 711 Buncombe St. The project would have included a drive-thru restaurant called Cafe Racer Coffee + Donuts. White and other council members were not in favor of the proposed land use for the site, citing traffic concerns and effects on the surrounding neighborhood.
Final approval: State funding for downtown conference center
The South Carolina General Assembly previously allocated $26 million for the city’s downtown conference center project, previously known as the Greenville Cultural Arts Center.
An initial $7 million was allocated to the city in the state’s general appropriations bill for FY20. The state’s general appropriations bill for FY21 included the remaining $19 million for the project. Council gave final approval to appropriate the state funding, including current and future accrued interest, to the city’s Capital Projects Fund.
Approximately $7 million of the state funding will be disbursed to the Museum and Gallery Inc., as directed by the state’s budget proviso in FY26. This funding transfer is the result of the planned conference center no longer including a museum and gallery element as previously envisioned.
Update: First quarter crime report for 2026
Council reviewed the Greenville Police Department’s crime statistics for the first quarter of 2026 – comprising January, February and March – during its work session. Chief Howie Thompson said overall crime was down 21% from the first quarter of 2025.
Violent crimes such as murder, assault, assault and robbery decreased from 65 cases in 2025 to 61 cases in 2026. Property crimes were also down from 532 cases in 2025 to 412 cases in 2026 – a 23% decrease. The Greenville Police Department received 22,445 calls for service in the first quarter of the year, a 5% increase from last year.
Community members are invited to apply to the Greenville Police Department’s 2026 Citizens Academy starting May 1. The program, which will run from Aug. 11 to Oct. 6, allows residents to get a first-hand look at the department’s operations and daily responsibilities. For more information, contact the police department.
Additional Items
- Council gave initial approval to appropriate an additional $372,960 from the South Carolina Infrastructure Investment Program for the South Downtown Sewer Improvement project, which is scheduled to be completed in the summer.
- Council approved a resolution authorizing the city to apply for a $38,098 grant through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s FY2025 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The funding would be used to replace a handheld narcotics analyzer used by the Greenville City Police Department.
- Council gave final approval to rezone approximately 0.26 acres at 212 Ashbury Ave. from House D District (RH-D) to Mixed-Use 2 District (MX-2). The historic Mrs. W. H. Smith Tourist Home, currently on the site, will be restored into a bed and breakfast.
- Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to revert to only having a single public comment period during City Council meetings.
- Council has initial approval to abandon a portion of the public right-of-way on Wilton Street for the proposed improvement project on Ashley Avenue. The project includes reconfiguring the intersection of Ashley Avenue and Wilton Street.
- Council approved the first reading of an annexation request for approximately 0.63 acres on Redland Way. The proposed city zoning for the property is House C District (RH-C).
- Council gave final approval to an easement agreement allowing Duke Energy Carolinas to provide utility services to the Greenville Zoo, located at 150 Cleveland Park Drive.
- Council approved the final reading of an ordinance to abandon a portion of the right-of-way on East Court Street and a portion of Court Street for a proposed mixed-use development at 127 S. Main St.
- The Greenville City Fire Department received a $30,000 grant from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Council gave final approval to appropriate the grant funds for equipment purchases needed for the Upstate Regional Collapse Search and Rescue Team.
