Date of Award
5-2010
Document Type
Terminal Project
Degree Name
Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP)
Department
Planning and Landscape Architecture
Advisor
Professor Stephen Sperry
Committee Member
Dr. Barry C. Nocks
Abstract
“Sans Souci had class man, real class, because of the people not the place. People make the community.”
This quote from a former Sans Souci resident speaks directly to what makes a community vibrant: people. Restoring Sans Souci may not be as difficult as it seems. This is because Sans Souci is not, in reality, the dregs it is often thought to be. Its many positive attributes provided it with great potential. Yet, reestablishing Sans Souci also faces many obstacles. Changes cannot occur until a desire to achieve them is shared amongst the residents, amongst the people. This former resident’s quote also suggests that it is not the physical elements in a place which make it a great community. While this is true to a degree, there are physical factors within a neighborhood which can enhance, or deter, the residents’ ability to interact, share and create the common values which facilitate a strong sense of community.
The Sans Souci Neighborhood Plan is intended to “piggy-back” on the momentum established by Greenville County’s Cherrydale Area Comprehensive Plan. The Cherrydale study area was divided into four districts, one of which was defined as “Sans Souci.” With 32% of the residents living in this district, it contains the highest percentage of the population that was covered by the Cherrydale Area Plan. By planning at a neighborhood scale within the larger Cherrydale area, greater detail can be attained to inform Sans Souci’s future. The plan’s objectives aim to enhance the quality of life for residents by accounting for economic, social, environmental, and cultural factors.
Incentives for adopting the plan stem from the breadth of benefits that can be attained by supporting community-level efforts. By stimulating growth and improving property values where county services already exist, it will relieve the fiscal impacts created by Greenfield development. Rural areas require the extension of services such as water, sewer, and trash collection, as well as the construction of new roads, schools, libraries, parks, and other services. With Sans Souci’s abundant potential, investment in the area would see financial return through increased tax revenues. This is a win-win scenario for local government.
Recommended Citation
Manley, Matthew C., "Neighborhood Plan for Sans Souci" (2010). Master of City and Regional Planning Terminal Projects. 32.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/mcrp/32