The city recently overhauled its zoning rules to permit more 'low-intensity' housing options.
The city of Greenville, South Carolina is exploring ways to support missing middle housing to grow the city's housing supply and improve affordability.
According to an article by Megan Fitzgerald in Greenville Journal, "Mary Douglas Hirsch, the city’s director of planning and development, said missing middle housing is 'gentle density' that can be used for infill development within the city."
After commissioning a study of regulatory barriers to housing production in Greenville city and county, the city and county councils adopted the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan, which "promotes missing middle housing strategies and outlines areas within the city suitable for this housing type, such as around downtown Greenville, Augusta Street and the Village of West Greenville."
In 2023, the city overhauled its zoning and land use regulations to remove barriers to missing middle housing and create a new Neighborhood-Scale Zoning Districts designation. "Neighborhood-Scale Zoning Districts allow low-intensity housing options ranging from 2.5 to 3 stories tall. These buildings can accommodate between 4 and 12 residential units, with a 16-unit max when the development bonus is applied."
City officials are looking for ways to eliminate other barriers to middle housing production such as financing issues and utility fees. "Planning staff is also interested in completing a pilot project for missing middle housing on city-owned land in partnership with a home builder."
Read the full story: ‘Missing middle’ momentum: Greenville pushes for attainable urban housing to handle growth
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