by Jennifer Miranda
Paris Mountain, Travelers Rest’s beloved monadnock, is a sanctuary for native flora and fauna. The forest covering Paris Mountain includes hickories, red maples, and tulip poplars. Wildlife such as bears, bobcats, and turkey also add to the area’s biodiversity. Headwater streams of the Reedy River originate here. Parts of Paris Mountain are deemed an Environmentally Sensitive District (ESD) by Greenville County. This status acknowledges the area’s ecological significance and protects it from large-scale developmental projects. However, a Greenville-based development company, the Divine Group, plans to change this. The Divine Group has proposed developing a 150,000 square foot hotel on the northwest side of the mountain within the next few years. The luxury hotel, named the Inn at Altamont, would boast a restaurant, large event spaces, and even a rooftop bar (1).
Annexation: bypassing existing environmental protection
Paris Mountain’s designation as an Environmentally Sensitive District (ESD) is only valid if the land is a part of Greenville County. Therefore, the Divine Group plans to annex 40 acres of Paris Mountain to the City of Travelers Rest. Once the land is owned by Travelers Rest, it would no longer be protected by Greenville zoning laws or considered an ESD. Once annexed to Travelers Rest, the development group plans to donate part of the property to the City as a new park. The Inn would be built on the remaining acreage. This proposal of annexation will be delivered by the Divine Group to the Travelers Rest City Council, who will then accept or deny the proposal.
Not surprisingly, the Divine Group has faced significant resistance from local conservation groups and passionate citizens who wish to preserve Paris Mountain. There have been several public meetings to discuss concerns with the Divine Group and its CEO, Krut Patel; the most recent meeting in February included over 400 participants. A petition on Change.org opposing the Inn at Altamont currently has over 12,000 signatures. Patel, in response to this backlash, shared his alternative development plan if the rezoning falls through: building hundreds of apartment buildings (2). Patel states that these apartments would be allowed under the current zoning laws– as long as the entrance is not on Altamont Road. The current ESD regulations only provide protection against residential development if the entrance to the development project is on Altamont Road (2). So, if the annexation plan fails, the Divine Group has threatened to develop the same area with apartments, and build an entrance on Old Buncombe Road to bypass current ESD restrictions.
Where we stand:
SCNPS, along with local conservation groups, opposes the development of the Inn at Altamont. The project would disrupt local ecosystems, displace wildlife, and lead to waterway pollution. Many of our sister organizations have already sent letters to the Travelers Rest City Council opposing the Inn. These groups include Naturaland Trust Development, The Environmental Action Group, Save our Saluda, Friends of Paris Mountain, and Altamont Road Safety (3). In a letter to City Council, the Southern Environmental Law Center cites pollution of the Reedy River, an increase in stormwater runoff, and downstream erosion as likely effects of the development. In his letter on behalf of Naturaland Trust, our own vice president Frank Holleman cited displacement of bear and bobcat populations as additional negative effects of Paris Mountain development (2).
How you can help:
Our local community has shown support for the conservation of Paris Mountain through a myriad of grassroots efforts. The organization Save Paris Mountain was created to provide citizens opportunities to oppose the Inn at Altamont. The group’s website, saveparismountain.org, includes resources for citizen involvement in conservation efforts. Resources include a link to a petition opposing the development, and sample letters and emails that can be sent to Travelers Rest City Council members. The website also includes up-to-date information on public meetings about the proposed development, including Travelers Rest City Council meetings. The Divine Group plans to submit their proposal for annexation to Travelers Rest City Council before mid-March, so attending City Council meetings within the next few weeks is a good opportunity to voice support for conservation efforts. There are City Council meetings on March 10th and March 20th at 6pm, at 125 Trailblazer Drive, Travelers Rest. As previously mentioned, the Travelers Rest City Council will ultimately decide the Inn’s fate.
Now is the time to stand up for SCNPS’s mission of protecting native plant communities. Please consider joining the conservation efforts for our beloved Paris Mountain.
Citations:
- https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/news/paris-mountain-hotel-greenville-sc-altamont-inn-travelers-rest/article_0e3185ea-e7fe-11ef-95ad-13a04b6d4043.html.
- https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/news/paris-mountain-hotel-altamont-travelers-rest-environment-annex/article_85887a8e-ed4b-11ef-98bf-e7ed3e213f87.html
- https://saveparismountain.org/
