1 CITY OF TRAVELERS REST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ...

CITY OF TRAVELERS REST 

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 

COMMUNITY FACILITIES ELEMENT 

Introduction 

Communities rely on schools, libraries, 

utility providers, and public safety 

departments to provide services that the 

community needs to function properly. In 

many cases, these public services are 

supplemented by the work of private 

agencies. 

A city's future growth and expansion rely on 

the availability, capacity, and condition of 

utilities such as water, sewer, and electricity. 

The future extension and improvement of 

these services enhances a city's ability to 

market key properties and thereby attract 

commercial and industrial development to 

bolster its economy. 

The following section provides an inventory 

of public and private services that are 

provided in Travelers Rest, a future needs 

assessment of these services, and the goals 

and strategies that will be used to meet those 

needs. 

Road Improvements 

The future growth and prosperity of the City 

of Travelers Rest will be contingent upon 

the ability of its road network to handle 

future traffic volumes. As traffic volumes 

increase, there will be an increasing burden 

put on the existing streets. The following 

map shows average daily traffic (ADT) at 

certain stations along the roadways. 

1 

Travelers Rest Traffic Counts 

Another important consideration is the 

repair of the existing road system. It is 

essential that major thoroughfares are well 

planned and recommendations are 

implemented to ensure that roads are not 

overburdened and land uses are compatible 

with the transportation system. 

Public Safety 

Public safety is an important aspect of a 

city's overall function. The city's ability to 

respond to emergency situations and to 

provide a feeling of security to its citizens is 

essential to the public's health, safety, and 

welfare.

The Police Department has a staff of 13 

officers. This is equivalent to a ratio of 1 

policeman to every 330 persons in the city. 

The Police Department has an average 

response-time of two minutes to any 

location in the city, and a case-solved rate of 

near 70 percent. For comparison, the state’s 

average is slightly above 40 percent. The 

Greenville County Sheriff’s Department 

ratio of policemen to the total 

unincorporated population is 1 to 1,000. Its 

average response time is between 3 and 10 

minutes. 

The Fire Department has one station that 

serves the Travelers Rest area. It serves a 

maximum daytime population of 10,000 

persons. The city has nine paid firefighters, 

which equates to a ratio of 1 firefighter per 

483 persons and three volunteer firefighters 

for every paid firefighter. The Fire 

Department has an average response time of 

three minutes to any location in the city. 

The City of Greenville Fire Department's 

average response time is also three minutes 

or less. 

As of January 1, 2006 the City of Travelers 

Rest Fire Department had an ISO (Insurance 

Service Office) rating of four. A low ISO 

rating has two main benefits: 1) A lower 

rating corresponds with the ability to serve 

the citizens of its community and 2) a lower 

rating means lower insurance rates, which 

can be helpful in attracting new businesses. 

The Travelers Rest Fire Department 

currently has three pumpers, one ladder 

pumper, one service vehicle, and one 

command vehicle in its operational fleet. 

Educational Facilities 

Travelers Rest is currently served by two 

elementary schools, one middle school, and 

one high school. This includes the recently 

2 

built high school on North Main Street, 

which went into service in January 2006. 

The new high school will greatly add to the 

educational opportunities of the youth of the 

city and create an environment in which 

Travelers Rest can be proud. 

Heritage Elementary is located just outside 

the city limits, while Gateway Elementary 

School is located in Travelers Rest. 

Considered a model school for the county, 

the school contains state of-the-art 

equipment. Gateway Elementary students 

consistently maintain above average scores 

on cognitive and basic skills tests when 

compared with state standards. Northwest 

Middle School is located between Marietta 

and Travelers Rest and currently serves the 

middle school needs of the community. 

Heritage Elementary, Northwest Middle, 

and Travelers Rest High School are all 

schools that have been approved for 

International Baccalaureate programs. 

Recreational Facilities 

The City of Travelers Rest has three parks 

within or near its city limits: Gateway Park, 

Poinsett Park, and Travelers Rest City Park. 

There is also a nature trail at Gateway 

Elementary. There are also several regional 

and state parks in the surrounding area 

including the county Riverbend Equestrian 

Park, Paris Mountain State Park, and 

Furman Lake. Along with these amenities, 

Travelers Rest is also home to a community 

YMCA. Some of the area’s golf courses 

include Green Valley Country Club, Furman 

University, and Summersett Golf Courses. 

Public Gas 

Public gas is provided to Travelers Rest by 

the Piedmont Gas Company, which has been 

available since 1990. Public gas is available

to Travelers Rest by a 4-inch main line that 

runs mostly along U.S. 25. This line is 

connected to a variety of customers from an 

industrial complex on Saddleback Cove to a 

residential subdivision near Forest Drive. 

The Piedmont Natural Gas Company has 

noted several requests for extension of its 

gas lines. 

Public Sewer 

The City of Travelers Rest owns and 

operates a sewer collector system, which 

serves residential, commercial, and 

industrial customers within the City of 

Travelers Rest. The collector system ties to 

the Western Carolina Regional Sewer 

Authority (WCRSA) trunk lines at 

approximately 53 locations throughout the 

City. WCRSA conveys the wastewater to 

their wastewater treatment plants. Flow 

from the east side of the City flows to the 

Travelers Rest East pump station, which is 

operated and maintained by WCRSA. Flow 

from the west side of the City flows by 

gravity to a WCRSA trunk line along the 

Reedy River. All flow is treated at the 

Mauldin Road Wastewater Treatment Plant 

operated by WCRSA. 1 

In order for the City to gain capacity for 

future flow to the WCRSA system, a new 

pump station will be constructed to divert 

flow to the west side of the City to the 

Reedy River trunk line and inflow must be 

reduced and measured to the satisfaction of 

both the City and WCRSA. WCRSA has 

advanced the City 70,000 gallons of average 

day flow to be allocated to the Travelers 

Rest East pump station upon WCRSA 

completing work on a new Tubbs Mountain 

Road Pump Station and the City agreeing to 

an Intergovernmental Agreement with 

WCRSA which includes construction of the 

new pump station. Also, the City will have 

3 

additional sewer capacity upstream of the 

new pump station, which will be constructed 

off of Tubbs Mountain Road north of State 

Park Road. 1 

Funding for the new pump station is to be 

provided by a combination of existing City 

funds, revenue from a development impact 

fee to be enacted, and a loan from the State 

of South Carolina. 1 

Regulations should require that storm 

drainage systems be designed to handle 25year 

storms as opposed to just 10-year 

storms. The intent is to minimize adverse 

impacts of a concentration of commercial 

and industrial developments on the 

community, so as to assimilate growth 

through proper controls. 

Public Water 

There are two surface water reservoirs 

owned by the Greenville Water System with 

accompanying restricted watershed areas 

totaling 44 and 2 square miles that provide 

water to Travelers Rest and other areas of 

the county. The two reservoirs, known as 

Table Rock and North Saluda, have a 

combined dependable minimum yield of 50 

million gallons per day in drought years. 

The two reservoirs are located in the 

northern part of the county. A 30-inch trunk 

line is connected to Table Rock Reservoir 

and a 48-inch line is connected to the North 

Saluda Reservoir. These two large water 

lines run in a southerly direction and 

eventually cut through the heart of Travelers 

Rest, supplying it and the county with water. 

Officials with the Greenville Water System 

have indicated that no expansion or 

1 Information provided by Rogers and Callcott 

Engineers, Inc. in City of Travelers Rest Capital 

Improvements Plan for Sewer Pump Station and 

Sewer System Rehabilitation

improvement of water mains is being 

considered in the near future. 

Public Electricity 

Electric power is available to the community 

and surrounding areas from the Duke Power 

Company. Duke Power Company 

representatives are available to assist 

industrial prospects at no cost or obligation 

in analyzing their electricity needs. 

Government Facilities 

The community offers a city council form of 

government with a mayor and eight council 

members serving a four-year term. There is 

also a full-time city administrator who 

4 

ensures continuing responsiveness to area 

residents and industries. City Hall, housing 

the police department, city staff, and council 

chambers, has become the anchor to a now 

thriving government/office corridor. 

Medical Facilities 

Health care to the citizens of Travelers Rest 

is available through the 45-bed North 

Greenville Medical Campus, a long-term 

acute care hospital and a member of the 

Greenville Hospital System. The hospital is 

located within the city limits of Travelers 

Rest and includes a 24-hour emergency 

room. Chestnut Hills Hospital, a 

rehabilitation and substance abuse care 

facility, is also located in Travelers Rest.

Goals and Accountability Tables 

Community Facilities Element 

Goal 1: Improve automobile safety on streets and highways 

Strategies Time Frame Participants 

1. Implement the recommendations of the 

Thoroughfare Plan conducted in 1993. 

Review and update where needed 

Ongoing TRCC, GCPC 

2. Utilize transportation control measures 

to reduce congestion during peak-hour 

demand 

Ongoing TRCC 

3. Control commercial and residential 

development so that transportation 

facilities are not overloaded 


4. Encourage smart development that 

controls road access and reduces traffic 

jams 


5. Upgrade railroad crossings throughout 

the city 

2008 TRCC 

6. Implement road repaving program 2008 TRCC 

Goal 2: Encourage alternatives to motorized modes of transportation 


1. Require all new subdivisions to have 

sidewalks 

Ongoing GCPC 

2. Inventory existing sidewalks and 

determine where more are needed 

2007 TRCC, GCPC 

3. Develop a city bicycle route system 

and provide bicycle lanes for newly 

expanded roads 


Goal 3: Improve the safety of pedestrian and bicycle travel 


1. Install pedestrian crossing signs and 

crosswalks 

Ongoing TRCC 

2. Construct more handicapped ramps at 

intersections with sidewalks 

Ongoing TRCC 

3. Install crosswalks on major highways, 

particularly Highway 25 

Ongoing TRCC 

5

Goal 4: Ensure the reliable provision of public utilities to the citizens of Travelers Rest 


1. Begin discussions with Piedmont 2006 TRCC, Piedmont Natural 

Natural Gas. Get public gas piped 

throughout the city 

Gas 

2. Review the recommendations of 

the sewer rehabilitation report for 

Travelers Rest conducted by Camp 

Dresser & McKee and implement 

those deemed the most necessary and 

feasible. 

Ongoing TRCC, WCSA 

3. Increase the number of water 

pumping stations within the city 

limits 

Long-term Greenville Water 

Goal 5: Increase recreational opportunities in the city 


1. Construct more parks and ball 

fields, and indoor sporting facilities 

2008 TRCC 

2. Construct more bicycle and 

walking trails 

2008 TRCC 

Goal 6: Replace or improve deficient or inadequate lighting 


1. Set up a lighting program to 

address deficient lighting in areas 

where public safety is an issue 

2006 TRCC 

2. Replace above ground power lines 

with underground lines 

Ongoing TRCC 

3. Place period lighting along State 

Park Road, Poinsett Highway, and the 

CBD along Main Street 

2006-2008 TRCC 

6



CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT 

Introduction 

The purpose of the Cultural Resources 

Element of the Travelers Rest 

Comprehensive Plan is to account for the 

history, organizations, and events that give 

Travelers Rest a sense of identity. It 

includes a historic overview of the city, 

recommended methods by which historical 

events can be recognized and preserved, and 

a list of organizations and events that enrich 

the culture of our community. 

The appreciation of our cultural resources 

can bring widespread benefits. While this 

appreciation is associated with many 

inherent benefits such as pride and identity, 

it has been proven that cultural resources 

can also include economic benefits as well. 

Historic Overview of Travelers Rest 

The Travelers Rest area has been an 

exceptionally beautiful part of the country 

since the earliest of times. Its rolling hills, 

mountain scenery, delightful climate, and 

unsurpassed mountain spring water make it 

the one of the garden spots of the world. As 

a result, it was the home to abundant 

wildlife, an ideal hunting territory for Native 

Americans, in particular, the Cherokee. In 

1776, Native American tribes were forced to 

sign a treaty ceding the present Greenville 

County lands to the state of South Carolina. 

Evidence of this early Native American 

presence can be found in the numerous 

arrowheads, artifacts, and mounds that have 

been found over the past half-century. 

Upon the formation of a state, a route for 

trade emerged. Using the old Native 

American trails, drovers and farmers from 

7 

Kentucky and Tennessee herded their cattle, 

hogs, sheep, turkeys, and carried their corn 

and grains through the Appalachian 

Mountains, down to the ports of South 

Carolina and Georgia. The gently rolling 

hills of the northern portion of the county 

around which the present day Travelers Rest 

resides, offered an ideal place to rest after 

the often treacherous journey through the 

Appalachian mountain ranges. Because 

these first resting places were often just 

primitive campsites, people living in this 

region saw an excellent opportunity to offer 

these travelers a more accommodating place 

to stay in order to make a profit. So they 

opened up their homes as inns and provided 

land where the drovers’ cattle could rest and 

feed before continuing their journey to the 

southeast. These drovers were so moved by 

this southern hospitality that the area 

became known as “Travelers Rest.” 

The Travelers Rest Post Office was 

officially established on October 10, 1808. 

It was once thought that the post office was 

located where the town is today; however, it 

was actually located six miles to the north at 

the intersection of Highway 25 and Highway 

414, where Travelers Rest developed as a 

crossroads community, similar to Sandy Flat 

and Lima. Crossroads such as these typically 

emerged about five miles from one another 

in rural areas. 

Owned and operated by Thomas Edwards, 

the original Travelers Rest Post Office was 

located in a portion of his inn/store for 

approximately ten years. Eventually Major 

Henry Ellis Lynch, who served as 

postmaster from 1831-1866, moved the post 

office farther south in 1831 to the southern 

corner of the present day Highway 25 and 

Tigerville Road.

In 1873, After Lynch’s death, the stagecoach 

stop was once again moved, this time to the 

14-room house of Colonel Robert Anderson. 

The house was actually built by Clevis 

Montgomery in 1851 and still stands today. 

The Charleston News & Courier said, “The 

house of Colonel R. Anderson is filled with 

Travelers Rest Post Office 

boarders and they already put up the 

‘standing room only’ sign. Colonel 

Anderson and his wife are untiring in their 

attention to the guests and everyone is made 

to feel entirely at home.” In 1898, his 

daughter, Minnie Anderson Hillhouse, 

inherited, enlarged, and renamed the house 

to the Spring Park Inn 

. 

Spring Park Inn 

The inn, along with a park and pavilion, 

became the hub of the community, hosting 

baseball games, religious revivals, music 

events, and political debates. Adding to the 

popularity of the inn was the Carolina, 

Knoxville, and Western Railroad, which 

passed right in front of the house. 

8 

Towards the later half of the 19 th century, 

many northern Greenville County residents 

wished to establish a railroad from 

Greenville to Asheville to encourage trade. 

Construction started in 1887 and made it as 

far north as the River Falls in 1909. Due to 

the difficulty of the task, however, the line 

was never completed. The northern railroad 

that was completed from Greenville to the 

northern portion of the county near 

Travelers Rest became known as the 

“Swamp Rabbit,” because it followed along 

the lowlands of the Reedy River. While the 

Swamp Rabbit did not achieve the 

importance of some of the other lines in the 

county, the northern railroad was able to 

serve some mills in the northern portion of 

the county, such as Renfrew Mill. 

In 1891, an application was made to the 

State Legislature to incorporate the town of 

Travelers Rest, and was passed by the 

General Assembly in December of that year. 

However, factions had begun to develop 

between the northern and southern portions 

of the town for a variety of reasons. As a 

result, the citizens of the upper part of 

Travelers Rest decided to withdraw from the 

town and petition for their own 

incorporation as the town of Athens in 1893. 

By the early 1900s, however, a lack of 

funding soon caused Athens an early demise 

and the whole village resumed the name of 

Travelers Rest soon after. This political 

split is important because the Athens Jail 

was built shortly after the town’s 

incorporation. The Athens jail was the first 

of its kind in the northern portion of the 

county. 

In 1959, the town of Travelers Rest, having 

grown to include 2,500 inhabitants, 

petitioned the Secretary of State to 

incorporate the town. On September 21, 

1959, the city of Travelers Rest was granted 

a charter leading to incorporation. The 

corporate limits were designated as a one-

mile radius from the intersection of 

Highway 25 North and McElhaney Road. 

Preserving Public History 

In an area so rich in history, there are many 

historic events that are commemorated 

today. One of these events is marked with a 

monument near the Enoree Baptist Church, 

which is a result of the following story: 

Most historic deeds recorded about the 

Revolution revolved around men, but some 

of the most daring actions were conducted 

by women. Laodicia Langston Springfield, 

better known as “Dicey” for her spirited 

behavior, was the fifteen year-old daughter 

of Solomon Langston, a strong 

Revolutionist. According to legend, Dicey 

heard that a company of loyalists known as 

the Bloody Scouts was on a march to destroy 

her brother’s company. With no one to help 

her since they were all out in the field, she 

set out in the dead of night to warn her 

brother of the loyalist’s approaching. She 

ran miles through thick forest and brush and 

waded up to her neck through the freezing 

waters of the Enoree River eventually 

making her way to the camp by dawn. She 

would later have another run in with a 

loyalist who threatened her by gun point; 

her response, “Shoot me if you dare! I will 

not tell.” 

Drawing of the Dicey Langston House 

9 

This historic narrative resulted in a 

monument being placed near the Enoree 

Baptist Church in 1933. This marker is a 

good example of how historical events can 

be commemorated as a valuable cultural 

resource. It is important that Travelers Rest 

strives to continue this practice of 

maintaining close ties to its history. 

The National Register of Historic Places 

While there over 60 sites in Greenville 

County that are listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places, none of these 

sites are in Travelers Rest. To highlight the 

importance of the historic places in the 

city—as well as to promote their 

preservation—it is important that a thorough 

review is completed to determine eligible 

sites and apply for listing. 

The National Register of Historic Places in 

the Nation’s official list of cultural resources 

worthy of preservation. Properties listed in 

the Register include districts, sites, 

buildings, structures, and objects that are 

significant in American history, architecture, 

archeology, engineering, and culture. 

Listing a property in the National Register 

contributes to preserving historic properties 

in a number of ways: 

• Recognition that a property is of 

significance to the nation, the state, 

or the community 

• Consideration in the planning for 

federal or federally assisted projects 

• Eligibility for federal tax benefits 

• Qualification for federal assistance 

with historic preservation when 

funds are available.

Considering these benefits, obtaining a 

listing in the register is an important 

endeavor for property owners and local 

governments. 

Clubs & Organizations 

Clubs and Organizations are a valuable 

commodity to the cultural fabric of any 

community. These groups serve many 

functions, including increasing social 

capital, providing a forum for public input, 

and sharing of new ideas. 

The following is a list of clubs and 

organizations around or in the Travelers 

Rest Area: 

- Friends of the Library 

- Lions Club 

- Masonic Lodge 

- North Greenville Family YMCA 

- Order of the Eastern Star 

- Travelers Rest Area Business 

Association 

- Travelers Rest Garden Club 

- Travelers Rest Woman’s Club 

- Women of the World 

- VFW 

10 

Entertainment and Events 

Community events and opportunities for 

entertainment often provide a chance for 

social networking, better communication, 

and exploration of different cultures. For 

these reasons, it is important that these 

opportunities remain plentiful. 

The following list provides some examples 

of this type of place: 

Conclusion 

- Spring Park Driving Range 

- Harvest Fest 

- Christmas Parade 

- Fishing Lakes - Groce and 

Blackwell 

- Half Marathon and 5K Run 

The cultural resources of a community 

maintain inherent value – they provide a 

unique identity, increase social 

opportunities, and can become a positive 

force for economic development. Because 

of this value, it is important that historical 

resources are preserved, clubs and 

organizations are highlighted, and 

entertainment and cultural events are used to 

their maximum potential.

Historic Preservation 


Cultural Resources Element 

Goal 1: Preserve historical resources in Travelers Rest 


1. Conduct a survey of historical sites 2006 TRCC, SC State Historic 

2. Apply qualified historically 

significant sites and structures to be 

placed on the National Historic 

Register 

Adopt a Historic Preservation 

Ordinance and District 

Office 

2006-2008 TRCC 

2007-2008 GCPC, GCHC 

Goal 2: Enhance public awareness about the importance of preserving historical 

resources in Travelers Rest 


1. Teach “applied history” of 

Travelers Rest in local schools 

2006 Local Schools 

2. Continue to update Travelers Rest On-going TRCC 

web page with historical information 

3. Open a local history museum out 

of a historic site building 

Cultural 

2010-2011 TRCC 

Goal 1: Increase cultural opportunities for all citizens 


1. Construct a cultural community 

center with a new building or 

acquiring and renovating an existing 

structure 

2009-2010 TRCC 

11



ECONOMIC ELEMENT 

Introduction 

The purpose of this document is to fulfill 

the requirements of the South Carolina 

Local Government Comprehensive 

Planning Enabling Act of 1994 and to 

make information available to interested 

parties about the Travelers Rest economy. 

The Economic Element presents 

information regarding the labor, 

employment, and markets that affect the 

Travelers Rest economy. 

Historical Perspective 

Accessed by U.S. Highways 276 and 25, 

and located 14 miles from I-85 and 22 

miles from I-26, Travelers Rest offers 

many opportunities for economic 

development. Employers in this section 

of the state speak well of the stability and 

productivity of the workers, accustomed 

to giving a full day’s work for their pay. 

They are quick to respond with jobs 

offering steady employment and more 

diversified job opportunities. The highly 

favorable industrial climate makes this 

area attractive to migrating capital. The 

close proximity to the City of Greenville 

also enhances the skill level of the area 

labor force. 

Labor Force 

Labor force is defined as those persons 

aged 16 years and over who are able, 

available, and seeking work. The labor 

force includes both members of the 

armed forces and the civilian labor force, 

12 

and is further broken down between 

employed and unemployed persons 

(Table 1). Persons age 16 years and 

older who are not in the labor force 

include students, homemakers, retired 

workers, inmates of institutions, and 

others unable or unwilling to seek 

employment. These persons are counted 

in a separate category. 

Table 1: Labor force in Travelers Rest, 1980 to 2000 

1980 1990 2000 

Employed 1525 1452 1787 

Unemployed 64 88 49 

Not in Labor 

Force 

601 799 1091 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 

Two measures used to describe the labor 

force are the percent of the population in 

the labor force (labor force participation) 

and the percent of the labor force that is 

unemployed (unemployment rate). 

Looking at the table above, Travelers 

Rest, with a population of 4099, had a 

labor force participation rate of 63 

percent in 2000, compared to 67 percent 

in Greenville County. The 

unemployment rate decreased from 5.7 

percent to 2.6 percent between to 1990 

Census to the 2000 Census. 

Occupational Status describes the kind of 

work in which the citizens of Travelers 

Rest are employed. There has been 

continued movement away from a labor 

force employed in blue-collar jobs to one 

that is increasingly white collar in 

Travelers Rest. Between 1990 and 2000, 

numerical increases occurred in the 

managerial & professional specialties; 

service; and technical, sales, and 

administrative support occupations. A 

decrease occurred in the precision 

production, craft, and repair; operators, 

fabricators, and laborers category.

1980 1990 2000 

Number % Number % Number % 

Managerial & Professional Specialty 246 16% 256 18% 477 27% 

Technical, Sales, and Administrative Support 378 25% 338 23% 586 33% 

Services 

143 9% 160 11% 234 13% 

Farming, Forestry, and Fishing 4 0% 8 1% 0 0% 

Precision Production, Craft, and Repair; Operators, 

Fabricators and Laborers 


754 49% 692 48% 490 27% 

Table 2: Occupation type, Travelers Rest, 1980 to 2000 

Table 4: Drive time to work, 

A more detailed look at the type of jobs 

residents of Travelers Rest occupy can be 

seen in table in Table 6. It describes job 

categories based upon the National 

Standard SIC Codes. 

Travelers Rest, 1990 and 2000 

Drive Time to Work 1990 

Worked at Home 16 

Less than 5 minutes 55 

5 to 9 minutes 215 

2000 

15 

63 

169 

10 to 29 minutes 779 769 

30 to 59 minutes 317 661 

More than 60 minutes 


29 66 

Another important factor to consider is 

whether the citizens of Travelers Rest are 

working within or outside the city limits 

Table 3). Approximately 84% of the 

Travelers Rest’s labor force worked 

outside their place of residence in 2000, 

which can mostly be explained by the 

proximity to the City of Greenville. As 

Table 4 indicates, the majority of the 

labor force must travel between 10 and 29 

minutes to work. 

Table 3: Workers by place of residence, Travelers 

Rest, 1990 to 2000 

Worked 

Inside Place 

of Residence 

1990 2000 

Number % Number % 

336 24% 272 16% 

Worked 

Outside 

Place of 

Residence 

1075 76% 1471 84% 


13 

Income 

A key factor in the demand for goods and 

services in the future is the amount of 

discretionary household income (Table 

5). Basic commodities such as food, 

prescription drugs and services are 

relatively the same regardless of the 

household’s income level. 

Table 5: Incomes, 1999 

Travelers 

Rest 

Per Capita 

Income 

Greenville 

County 

South 

Carolina 

15,704 22,081 18,795 

Median 

Household 

Income 

34,917 41,149 37,082 


Thus, the higher the household income 

levels are in an area, the more disposable 

income is available for consumption. 

Travelers Rest had a median household 

income of $24,960 in 1999, about $6,000 

less than Greenville County’s median 

household income.

Table 6: Jobs by industry, 1999 

Travelers Rest Greenville South 

County Carolina 

Number % % % 

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining: 0 0.00% 0.39% 1.14% 

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 0 0.00% 0.35% 1.06% 

Mining 0 0.00% 0.04% 0.08% 

Construction 127 7.11% 7.76% 8.25% 

Manufacturing 342 19.14% 21.47% 19.42% 

Wholesale trade 50 2.80% 4.45% 3.32% 

Retail trade 270 15.11% 12.34% 11.93% 

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities: 69 3.86% 4.18% 5.03% 

Transportation and warehousing 62 3.47% 3.42% 3.41% 

Utilities 7 0.39% 0.77% 1.61% 

Information 79 4.42% 3.27% 2.11% 

Finance, insurance, real estate and rental and leasing: 152 8.51% 6.10% 5.63% 

Finance and insurance 113 6.32% 4.24% 3.88% 

Real estate and rental and leasing 

Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and 

39 2.18% 1.87% 1.75% 

waste management services: 145 8.11% 9.22% 6.88% 

Professional, scientific, and technical services 67 3.75% 5.73% 3.69% 

Management of companies and enterprises 

Administrative and support and waste 

0 0.00% 0.04% 0.04% 

management services 78 4.36% 3.44% 3.15% 

Educational, health and social services: 294 16.45% 16.23% 18.62% 

Educational services 110 6.16% 7.28% 8.38% 

Health care and social assistance 

Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food 

184 10.30% 8.94% 10.24% 

services: 132 7.39% 7.41% 8.28% 

Arts, entertainment, and recreation 25 1.40% 1.20% 1.55% 

Accommodation and food services 107 5.99% 6.21% 6.73% 

Other services (except public administration) 45 2.52% 4.99% 4.70% 

Public administration 82 4.59% 2.21% 4.70% 


Market Area 

In 2003, the City of Travelers Rest hired 

Arnett Muldrow & Associates to 

complete an economic assessment of the 

city. The report concluded: 

Travelers Rest remains a highly local 

market geared particularly towards local 

residents. Local traffic will continue to 

be the “bread and butter” for local 

businesses. Fortunately, this alone 

represents a strong and growing market 

for Travelers Rest. “Visitor” traffic 

represents a very low proportion of 

14 

overall traffic. Several businesses 

however are showing stronger 

performance than others with visitor 

traffic. These businesses are reaching 

out to what they perceive as a greater 

future market. 

Customers who reside inside the 

Travelers Rest zip code but outside of the 

City of Travelers Rest are still shopping 

in downtown stores just as much as 

customers who also reside inside the city. 

This equalization in customer traffic 

indicates that Travelers Rest is a 

powerful market in all of Northern 

Greenville County.

Clearly, the City of Travelers Rest has the 

capacity for a larger market area. 

Business owners must think regionally if 

Travelers Rest is to be thought of as an 

economic center. While certain obstacles 

exist, such as competition from 

Greenville and natural barriers, there still 

is potential for expansion. The greatest 

potential is to the north where there are 

fewer natural boundaries and there is less 

competition. There is also great 

potential, as the economic assessment 

indicates, to serve nearby Furman 

University and North Greenville 

University. 

Figure 1: Customer visits to Travelers Rest 

per 1000 residents, by zip code, 2003 

Source: Arnett Muldrow and Associates, 2003 

15 

Table 7: Place of residence of customers in 

Travelers Rest, by zip code, 2003 

Location Percent 

Travelers Rest 37% 

Greenville 24% 

Slater/Marietta/Cleveland 10% 

Greer 7% 

Taylors 5% 

Easley 3% 

Simpsonville 2% 

Elsewhere in South 

Carolina 8% 

North Carolina 2% 

Other States/Countries 4% 

Source: Arnett Muldrow and Associates, 2003 

Central Business District 

A concentrated central business district is 

an important element in the retail trade of 

a city. Travelers Rest is no different. 

While the district faces challenges from 

other nearby commercial areas, there are 

many things that the downtown area, 

along U.S. 276 can offer that many other 

cannot. The potential is there for a 

walkable, dense urban district, complete 

with specialty shops. The goals and 

objectives listed at the end of this chapter 

could go a long way in achieving this, 

making Travelers Rest a destination with 

a more regional market. With proximity 

to the mountains and lakes, Travelers 

Rest has several unique retail 

opportunities, as Sunrift Adventures has 

done. 

In addition to the U.S. 276 corridor, State 

Park Road has become an office, 

financial, and government corridor. 

Conclusion 

As this element shows, there are a 

number of opportunities and challenges

when it comes to the Travelers Rest 

economy. The degree of success that is 

achieved economically will be related to 

how well the goals and objectives on the 

following pages are accomplished. 

New opportunities and challenges will 

always come along. This is evident in the 

recent opening of the Wal-Mart on U.S. 

25. The presence of this Wal-Mart shows 

how business environments can change, 

and how both planning and flexibility are 

essential to a local economy. 

16


Economic Element 

Goal 1: Encourage, aid and support the existing business and local entrepreneurs 

while actively recruiting new businesses into the city. 


1. Work closely with the Greater Greenville 

Chamber of Commerce and the Travelers Rest 

Area Business Association to support existing 

and recruit new businesses that are compatible 

for Travelers Rest. 

On-going TRCC 

2. Work with County officials to transform the On-going Greenville County, 

former “Swamp Rabbit” rail line in a 

greenway/trail system. 

TRCC 

3. Provide the necessary infrastructure to 

On-going TRCC, Service 

commercial and industrial sites – water, sewer, 

and gas. 

Providers 

4. Advertise the city through the use of 

newsletters, videotapes, brochures/inserts, and 

the Internet. 

On-going TRCC 

5. Create and maintain an inventory of available Short-term TRCC, TRABA, 

commercial and industrial sites 

GCPC 

6. Establish a subsidized loan program to provide 

property owners with a source of capital for 

start-up businesses 

Mid-term TRCC, Local Banks 

7. Begin to analyze the feasibility of a Northern 

Connector that would connect Travelers Rest 

with the rest of the county. 

Mid-term TRCC 

Goal 2: Promote a diversified local economy in Travelers Rest 


1. Continue to promote State Park Road as a 

public service/office district 

On-going TRCC, GCPC 

2. Promote more entertainment businesses that 

cater to children and teenagers. 

On-going TRCC 

3. Encourage small, local businesses On-going TRCC 

4. Promote Travelers Rest as a bed & breakfast Short-term TRCC, Local 

community 

Merchants 

17

Goal 3: Revitalize the Central Business District 


1. Study the feasibility of establishing a central Short-term TRCC, GCPC, 

business district that would allow mixed uses 

TRPC 

2. Encourage infill development between 

existing businesses in order to create a more 

concentrated retail district. 

On-going TRCC 

3. Encourage independent merchants to modify 

their hours of operation to later in the evening to 

better serve their customers. 

On-going TRCC 

4. Adopt a maintenance code that would require Short-term TRCC, TRPC, 

building owners to maintain the quality of their 

structure (ie Greer) 

GCPC 

5. Use TEA-21 funding to continue physical 

improvements to downtown. 

Short-term TRCC 

6. Increase the widths of sidewalks to increase 

pedestrian traffic. 

Mid-term TRCC 

Goal 4: Vacant sites and buildings in Travelers Rest will develop as high quality 

retail opportunities. 


1. Create a site information task force to 

assemble information on properties and meet 

with property owners in order to better market 

development opportunities in Travelers Rest 


2. Create Travelers Rest Ambassadors, market 

expansion opportunities to growing specialty 

businesses in the region. 

Short-term TRCC, TRABA 

3. Consider developing a land-banking 

mechanism to help assemble property 


4. Develop a small business loan-pool to help 

start-up businesses in Travelers Rest. 

Mid-term TRCC 

5. Develop a mini-grant program to assist 

businesses with quality renovations of existing 

buildings. 

Mid-term TRCC 

18

Goal 5: Expand the Travelers Rest Market 

1. Continue to recruit specialty retail and high 

quality businesses to Travelers Rest. 

On-going TRCC, TRABA 

2. Develop a targeted marketing campaign for 

visitors and the growing number of residents of 

the area. 

On-going TRCC, TRABA 

3. Develop a city-wide way-finding system. Short-term TRCC, GCPC, 

TRPC 

4. Create a series of small regularly scheduled 

events in a central location in Travelers Rest 

Mid-term TRCC 

5. Market Directly to Furman and North 

Greenville Students 

Mid-term TRCC, TRABA 

TRCC = Travelers Rest City Council 

TRPC = Travelers Rest Planning Commission 

TRABA = Travelers Rest Area Business Association 

GCPC = Greenville County Planning Commission 

19



HOUSING ELEMENT 

Introduction 

The housing element of the Travelers Rest 

Comprehensive Plan reviews the type, age, 

and condition of housing units; examines 

owner versus renter occupancy; and 

discusses the affordability of housing in the 

City of Travelers Rest. Based upon this 

analysis, with the assistance of individuals 

and organizations involved in housing, this 

element identifies goals and strategies 

addressing future housing needs. 

Housing Units 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there 

were 1,701 housing units in Travelers Rest 

in 2000. Of these housing units, 1,534 were 

occupied, while the remaining 167 were 

vacant. 983 of those occupied were owneroccupied, 

while 580 were renter-occupied. 

The number of housing units has continued 

to increase in Travelers Rest. The 1,701 

housing units in 2000 was an increase from 

1,267 housing units in 1990. There were 96 

building permits given for residential 

construction from 2003-2004, according to 

Census statistics. 

Types of Housing 

Travelers Rest has a variety of housing 

types, including single-family detached, 

single-family attached, manufactured 

housing, multifamily developments, and 

group quarters. Single-family detached 

units accounted for the majority of the 

housing units in Travelers Rest in 2000 at 

67.6%. The second most common type of 

20 

unit was manufactured housing at 14.8%. 

Approximately 15.8% of the housing stock 

had 5-20+ units in the structure. Another 

7.1% of the city’s population resided in 

structures of 2-4 units. 

Table 1: Housing unit types in Travelers Rest, 2000 

1,400 

1,200 

1,000 

800 

600 

400 

200 

0 

1-unit, 

detached 

1- unit , 

attached 


Multifamily; 

2 to 

4 units 

Age and Condition of Housing 

Multifamily; 

5 or 

more unit s 

Mobile 

home 

According to the 2000 Census, 75% of all 

housing units in Travelers Rest were built 

after 1959. Approximately 6% of the 

housing units were built before 1939, with 

the remaining 19% built between 1950-59. 

In 2000, the median year that housing units 

were built in Travelers Rest was 1977.

Table 2 

215 

319 

Year Housing Unit Built, 2000 

Travelers Rest, SC 

296 

96 


The U.S. Census offers statistics that give 

insight into housing occupancy and 

condition. Nine percent of all housing units 

in Travelers Rest were occupied by 

households below the poverty level; 103 of 

those were renter occupied units. 168 units 

had no vehicles available to them, 73 had no 

telephone units, and 48 had more than 1.01 

persons per room. All units had complete 

kitchen and plumbing facilities. 

Affordability 

Of all the housing variables, affordability is 

one of the most difficult to define. 

Affordability is both a function of income 

and household size. One measure of 

affordability is the incidence of excess cost 

burden – the share of a person’s income that 

is needed to pay rent. Census figures show 

that 32.8 percent of the population spent 

more than 29 percent on their income on 

rent. Just over 40 percent of the population 

spent less than ten percent of their income 

on rent. 

The addition of the Brookside Apartments 

contributed to a recent increase in affordable 

housing in Travelers Rest. With other 

housing apartments, such as Oak Crest, 

122 

212 

319 

122 

21 

Table 3 

Table 4 

Raintree, Wittington, and Wexford, 

Travelers Rest will have an adequate amount 

affordable housing for some time. 

Value 

Rent of Renter-Occupied Housing Units 


69 

195 

55 

The 2000 median value of an owneroccupied 

housing unit in the city of 

Travelers Rest was $93,100. Of those 

specified, 60% were valued at less than 

$100,000. The median contract rent was 

$481 for renter-occupied housing units, with 

over 33% of the specified renter- occupied 

housing units had rents between $300 and 

30 

59 

203 

Less than $200 $200 to $299 $300 to $499 

$500 to $749 $750 to $999 No cash rent 

212 

Value of Owner-Occupied Housing, 2000 


92 

35 

Less than $50,000 $50,000 to $99,999 $100,000 to $149,999 

37 

$150,000 t o $199,999 $200,000 to $299,999 


470

$500. 

22


Housing Element 

Goal 1: Create and maintain residential neighborhoods that provide pleasant places to live 


1. Ensure housing construction includes 

adequate infrastructure 

Ongoing TRCC 

2. Create a future land use plan that directs 

where residential development should go. 


Goal 2: Provide incentives for more assisted living facilities 


1. Identify possible locations for assisted 

living facilities, particularly near the North 

Greenville Hospital 

2006 TRCC 

Goal 3: Provide a variety of housing choices 


1. Conduct a housing study in order to 

identify present/future need of a variety of 

housing choices and to identify ideal 

locations for various housing types 

2006 TRCC, GCPC, TRPC 

2. More city and community involvement 

with Habitat for Humanity 

Ongoing TRCC 

TRCC = Travelers Rest County Council 

TRPC = Travelers Rest Planning Commission 

GCPC = Greenville County Planning Commission 

23



LAND USE ELEMENT 

This element of the Travelers Rest 

comprehensive plan includes several 

important elements pertaining to land 

use, including current land use, future 

land use, and zoning. 

Introduction 

The importance of land uses in local 

government planning can hardly be 

understated. The location and amounts 

of a particular land use—such as 

residential, commercial, industrial, and 

public—can have widespread effects on 

traffic, aesthetics, noise, safety and other 

quality of life concerns. 

Three commonly addressed components 

of the land use element are current land 

use, future land use, and zoning. This 

element looks at the status of each 

feature and how they interact with each 

other. 

Current Land Use 

Current land use, as the name implies, 

suggests what the present use is on each 

parcel of land. The Current Land Use 

Map can be used to provide a wide range 

of important data for the day-to-day 

local planning, such as acres of vacant 

land, or number of parcels being used for 

industrial purposes. 

The following map indicates current 

land uses (as of January 2006) in the 

City of Travelers Rest. The map was 

compiled by using Greenville County 

Real Property Services data, as well as 

aerial photos. 

24 

Current land use map (through January 2006) 

Future Land Use 

The Future Land Use Map acts as a 

blueprint for how the community would 

like to develop. It acts as a guide in 

making land use decisions, ensuring that 

a city develops in a manner that the 

municipality would prefer. The Future 

Land Use Map is shown at the end of 

this section. 

Zoning 

Zoning is used to get from the current 

land use map to the future land use map. 

This is accomplished by the use of zones 

that stipulate the type of uses that are 

allowed on each parcel. By keeping 

zoning consistent with the future land

use map, over time a community will 

arrive at its preferred development 

pattern. 

Zoning districts in Travelers Rest, and number of 

acres for each district: 

Zoning Acres, 2006 

S-1 101.47 

C-1 22.45 

C-2 368.00 

I-1 266.71 

OD 2.07 

R-10 850.53 

R-15 511.69 

R-7.5 202.47 

RM 183.74 

Total 4515.11 

Percent of land in each zoning classification, 1990, 1998, 2006 

20% 

18% 

16% 

14% 

12% 

10% 

8% 

6% 

4% 

2% 

0% 

R-15 R-10 R-7.5 RM C-1 C-2 S-1 I-1 O-D 

25 

1990 1998 2006

Future Land Use Map, City of Travelers Rest 

26


Land Use Element 

Goal 1: Adopt a future land use plan that is compatible with the goals and strategies 

outlined in this plan 


1. Promote State Park Road as an office 

district 


2. Conduct Master Plan, concentrating on 

ways to revitalize downtown area 


3. Establish 276 corridor as a Downtown On-going TRCC, GCPC, TR Area 

Revitalization Area 

Business Association 

4. Identify locations for residential 

2006 TRCC. GCPC 

development 

5. Identify locations for convenient intense 

commercial and industrial development 

adjacent to major intersections 

27 


Goal 2: Conduct a study for possible annexations of lands outside the city limits 


1. Jointly adopt future land use plans with the 

Greenville County Council in order to 

develop goals for land located adjacent to but 

outside the City of Travelers Rest 

On-going GCC, GCGC 

2. Initiate zoning for lands just outside of the 

Travelers Rest city limits that are not 

consistent with the city or the county’s future 

development goals 

On-going GCC, GCPC 

3. Consider using extra-territorial jurisdiction 

on properties located outside the city that are 

not consistent with the city or county’s future 

development goals 

On-Going TRCC 

4. Conduct a study on the pros and cons of 

the taxes assessed and services provided for 

those living inside the city versus those who 

live in the county just outside the city limits 


5. Actively solicit the voluntary annexation 

of property adjacent to the city’s corporate 

limits 

2006 TRCC 

6. Adopt an annexation procedure that 

includes a cost/benefit analysis 

2007 TRCC



NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT 

Introduction 

There is an important relationship between 

city planning and natural resources. A 

thorough assessment of our area’s natural 

resources can help ensure the proper use and 

conservation of these assets. This element 

features a natural resources inventory, and 

makes recommendations for the improved 

use and conservation of the natural 

resources. 

There is little doubt that the first settlers in 

Travelers Rest chose the location as a 

resting place because of its beauty and 

tranquility. Just as their forefathers before 

them, the residents of Travelers Rest today 

take pride in a serene environment in which 

to live. Natural resources need to be 

protected not only for their inherent 

environmental value, but also because these 

resources have a major impact on quality of 

life and economic development. 

Climate 

The climate of Travelers Rest has been said 

to be ideal, with four distinct seasons but no 

extremes to each. The surrounding 

mountains protect this thermal belt location 

from severe winter weather, and yet the 

mountain breezes also cool the warm South 

Carolina summers. Annual mean 

temperature is 61.8°F, with the mean in 

January at 42.3°F and the mean in July at 

77.3°F. 

28 

Animal and Vegetation Habitats 

Travelers Rest and its vicinity currently does 

not have any vertebrates or invertebrates on 

the federally endangered or threatened 

species lists. There are, however, several 

plants within a two-mile radius of the city 

center that are on the federally endangered 

and threatened lists. Bunched Arrowhead 

and Piedmont Ragwart are on the federal 

endangered list, while Dwarfed-Flowered 

Heartleaf is on the federally threatened list. 

All of these plants are considered critically 

imperiled globally because of their extreme 

rarity or because of some factor(s) making it 

especially vulnerable to extinction. 

There are several plants, although not on an 

endangered or threatened list, that are cause 

for some concern at the state and regional 

level. These plants include the Stiff 

Dogwood, Hollow Joe-Pye Wood, Shortleaf 

Sneezewood, Sweet Pinesnap, Green-Fridge 

Orchis, and the White Goldenrod. They are 

considered to be somewhat secure globally, 

but may be rare in parts of its range or found 

locally in a restricted range. 

Water Quality 

Greenville County has many rivers and 

streams that are classified by the Department 

of Health and Environmental Control as 

“fresh water.” This means that the water 

quality is good enough for many uses but 

falls short of the requirements for 

“outstanding resources waters.” 

Appropriate uses are direct contact 

recreation, fishing, drinking (after required 

treatment), agriculture, and industrial. The 

waters also serve the propagation of 

balanced indigenous aquatic communities of 

flora and fauna.

The Appalachian Council of Governments 

has developed water basin plans for much of 

the Upstate. These plans make specific 

policy recommendations for the continued 

health of local water. The plans call for 

coordinated efforts from local governments 

and wastewater treatment providers. 

However, they recommend against this 

coordination resulting in consolidated 

treatment plants. Large wastewater plants 

release proportionally larger amount of 

contaminants, and therefore should be 

discouraged. 

The plans also call for the improvement of 

older treatment plants that are still in 

operation. Each facility should together 

form a group to evaluate best management 

practices. These practices can lead to the 

establishment of benchmarks, which will aid 

the plants in achieving common goals. 

Water conservation is another policy 

recommendation that needs to be embraced 

in Travelers Rest. The city should look to 

this as well as other controls over oil and 

grease releases, industrial releases, and the 

protection of buffer zones along streams. 

An important reason to protect stream 

buffers relates to the amount of sediment in 

our creeks and rivers due to overbuilding 

and incorrect sediment prevention methods. 

Sediment is the leading water contaminant 

in South Carolina. It lowers oxygen levels, 

kills wildlife, reduces a creek’s holding 

capacity, reduces recreational uses, and must 

be filtered out before water can be made 

drinkable. Recent development activity has 

increased the amount of sediment in the 

rivers of Greenville County. The average 

depth of soil erosion is estimated to be from 

four to six tenths of a foot. 

Buffers are an effective way of preventing 

this erosion from reaching the water, which 

29 

not only benefits wildlife, but local 

government budgets as well. Sediment 

clogs storm drainage systems and increases 

road maintenance costs. It also increases 

public and industrial water treatment needs. 

Greenville County should be diligent in its 

enforcement of erosion controls. Inspectors 

need to insist upon effective sediment 

retention walls on all construction sites. 

Additionally, planners reviewing projects in 

planned development zones should require 

that developers prepare a soil and water 

conservation component to any development 

that disturbs or adds fill to the natural land 

surface. 

Greenville County and Travelers Rest 

officials should investigate measures that 

would encourage the establishment and 

protection of buffer zones along waterways. 

Riparian areas serve valuable functions, 

such as storing and slowly releasing water 

and providing wildlife habitat. 

Development within these areas inhibits 

their ability to regulate flows in watercourse, 

reducing flood peaks and thus mitigating 

flood damage. The zones also help to 

maintain base flows during dry periods, 

thereby preserving needed aquatic habitats. 

Air Quality 

Air quality is an inherently difficult issue for 

small municipalities to address. However, 

in recent years there is been an increased 

concern in the Upstate about air quality. At 

the forefront of these concerns is groundlevel 

ozone. 

Ozone is a colorless, nearly odorless toxic 

gas. While upper-level ozone protects 

humans from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet 

light, it is unhealthy and dangerous at the 

ground level. Ground-level ozone is formed 

by a reaction between volatile organic

compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen 

(NOx) when they are exposed to ultraviolet 

light. NOx primarily comes from 

automobile exhaust and industrial emissions, 

while VOCs primarily come from natural 

sources such as trees and other vegetation, 

as well as automobile exhaust. Sunlight and 

hot weather cause ground-level ozone to 

form in harmful concentrations in the air. 

Because of this, ground-level ozone is most 

threatening in the warmer months. 

Ozone levels that exceed the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency standards 

can cause irritation and damage to lung 

tissue, reduction of resistance to lung 

disease, and aggravation of existing lung 

conditions or asthma. Excessive levels can 

also cause substantial plant and ecosystem 

damage. 

Areas that are considered to be “nonattainment” 

are subject to Federal scrutiny 

when adding industry or developing 

transportation projects. Attainment status is 

determined by looking at the fourth highest 

reading of the year at each monitoring 

station. If any three consecutive years have 

an average reading higher than 0.085 parts 

per million, the area is considered to be nonattainment. 

The following table shows the 

three-year averages of the fourth highest 

annual readings at Upstate monitoring 

stations. 

Ground level ozone averages (ppm) 

Monitoring 2001-2003 2002-2004 2003-2005 

Site Average Average Average 

Anderson 0.086 0.082 0.079 

Cherokee 0.084 0.080 0.075 

Oconee 0.084 0.082 0.076 

Pickens 0.085 0.080 0.078 

Spartanburg 0.087 0.084 0.081 

The Upstate region will need to address this 

issue in order to avoid losing federal funding 

for roadway projects. There are several 

30 

ways in which the City of Travelers Rest can 

help. 

Industries can take steps to decrease 

emissions during the summer months. Other 

ideas that would help include use of masstransit 

and car-pooling. Local employers 

should encourage car-pooling in the hottest 

months be offering incentives to employees. 

Soils 

County soil surveys are undertaken by soil 

scientists to learn what kinds of soil are 

present, where they are, and how they can be 

used. Soil scientists observe the steepness, 

length, and shape of slopes, the size and 

speed of streams, the kinds of native plants 

or crops, the kinds of rock, and many 

features of the soil. 

Soils that have similar profiles make up a 

soil series, each of which is named for a 

town or other geographic feature near the 

place where the soil of that series was first 

observed and mapped. All the soils in the 

United States having the same series name 

are alike in those characteristics that affect 

their behavior in the undisturbed landscape. 

Soils of one series can differ in texture, 

slope, stoniness, or some other characteristic 

that affects the use of soils by man. On the 

basis of such differences, a soil series is 

divided into phases. An example of such a 

phase is sandy loam. An example of a soil 

series is Cecil and Hiwassee. 

The areas shown on a soil map are called 

mapping units. On most maps detailed 

enough to be useful in planning the 

management of farms and fields, a mapping 

unit is nearly equivalent to a soil phase. 

Some mapping units are made up of soils of 

different series or of different phases within 

one series. Three such kinds of mapping

units are shown on the soil map of 

Greenville County: soil complexes, soil 

associations, and undifferentiated groups. 

A soil complex consists of areas of two or 

more soils, so intricately mixed or so small 

that they cannot be shown separately on the 

soil map. Generally, the name of a soil 

complex consists of the names of the 

dominant soils, joined by a hyphen. 

Brevard-Evard complex is an example of a 

soil complex. 

A soil association is made up of adjacent 

soils that occur as areas large enough to be 

shown individually on the soil map, but are 

shown as one unit because the time and 

effort of delineating then separately cannot 

be justified. The name of an association 

consists of the names of the dominant soils, 

joined by a hyphen. Ashe-Cleveland is an 

example of a soil association. 

An undifferentiated group is made up of two 

or more soils that could be delineated 

individually, but are shown as one unit 

because, for the purpose of the soil survey, 

there is little value in separating them. The 

name of a undifferentiated group consists of 

the names of the dominant soils, joined by 

an “and.” "Edneyville and Ashe soils" is an 

undifferentiated soil group in this county. 

In most areas surveyed, there are places 

where the soil material is so rocky, so 

shallow, so eroded, or so disturbed by 

humans that it cannot be classified by soil 

series. These places are called land types 

and given descriptive names. “Urban land” 

is a land type in Greenville County. A map 

showing soil associations is useful to people 

who want a general idea of the soils in the 

county, who want to compare different parts 

of the county, or who want to know the 

locations of large tracts that are suitable for 

a certain kind of land use. Such a map is a 

31 

useful general guide in managing a 

watershed, a wooded tract, or a wildlife area, 

or in planning engineering works, 

recreational facilities and community 

developments. It is not a suitable map for 

planning the development of a farm or field 

or for selecting the exact location of a road, 

building or other structure, because the soils 

in any one association ordinarily differ in 

slope, depth, stoniness, drainage, and other 

characteristics that affect their management. 

The soil associations in this survey have 

been grouped into three general kinds of 

landscapes for broad interpretive purposes. 

Each of the broad groups and the soil 

associations in each group are described 

below. 

Soils on Floodplains; Loamy 

Throughout. 

These soils are formed in loamy alluvial 

sediment. Deposits of soil material are 

being continuously laid down by streams 

during floods. In places, the water table is 

near or at the surface for six months or more 

in most years. In Greenville County, there is 

one association that is on the floodplains 

along the major streams and their tributaries: 

1. Cartecay-Toccoa-Wehadkee Association 

Nearly level, well-drained to poorly drained 

soils. 

This association consists of soils on 

floodplains along the Middle and South 

Tiger Rivers, the North, Middle, and South 

Saluda Rivers, the Enoree River, the Reedy 

River, Grove Creek, Mountain Creek, Huff 

Creek, Brushy Creek, and Green Creek and 

their tributaries. This association makes up 

about six percent of Greenville County. 

Minor soils in this association are in the 

Buncombe, Chewacle, and Congaree Series. 

Most of this association is wooded or 

pastured. The soils are suited to pasture,

wetland hardwoods, and as habitat for 

woodland and wetland wildlife. Frequent 

flooding makes the soils of this association 

poorly suited for dwellings and to industrial 

sites or recreational uses. 

Soils on Piedmont Uplands; Loamy Surface 

Layer and Clayey Subsoil. 

These soils formed in material that 

weathered from the underlying bedrock of 

granite, gneiss, or schist. They are 

predominantly well drained. In Greenville 

County, there are three associations on the 

Piedmont Uplands. 

2. Cecil-Hiwassee-Appling Association 

Dominantly gently sloping to sloping, welldrained 

soils. 

This association consists of gently sloping 

soils broad ridges and have sloping soils on 

ridges of medium width that are dissected by 

a few long. Shallow drainage ways. This 

association makes up about 28 percent of 

Greenville County. Minor soils in the 

association are in the Catula, Durham, 

Helena, Louisburg, Madison, and Wickham 

series. Most of the soils in this association 

are suited to use as sites for dwellings that 

have on-site sewage disposal and to 

industrial sites or recreational uses. The 

Cataula, Helena, and Louisburg soils are less 

suitable that the other soils. 

3.Cecil-Pacolet Association 

Dominantly strongly, sloping to moderately 

steep, well-drained soils. 

The soils in this association are on narrow 

ridge crests and adjacent to drainage ways 

and streams. This association makes up 

about 31 percent of Greenville County. 

About 85 percent of this association is in the 

forest or pasture. The rest is cultivated, idle, 

32 

or used for most home sites. Slopes make 

most of this association poorly suited to 

septic tanks, industrial sites, or recreation 

uses. 

4.Cecil-Urban Land – Hiwassee Association 

Gently sloping to moderately steep, welldrained 

soils. 

This association consists of gently sloping to 

moderately steep soils in the City of 

Greenville and the surrounding urban and 

industrial area. This association makes up 

about 10 percent of the county. The only 

farming in this association is in home 

gardens where the soil has been severely 

altered by urban development. On-site 

investigation is needed to determine the 

suitability of the soils for landscaping, 

woodland, and other uses. 

Soils on Mountains; Loamy Throughout. 

These soils formed in material that 

weathered from granite, gneiss, or schist 

rocks. They are dominantly well-drained. 

In Greenville County, there are two 

associations that are on narrow ridges, toe 

slopes, and very steep sides in the mountains 

and foothills. 

5. Brevard-Evard-Edneyville Association 

Dominantly moderately steep to steep, welldrained 

soils. 

This association consists of moderately 

steep or steep soils on narrow ridges and on 

toe slopes, and makes up about 12 percent of 

Greenville County. Most of the land in this 

association is wooded. The soils on toe 

slopes are suited to corn, small grain, and 

pasture. Soils of the association are suited 

to woodland wildlife and some of the soils 

are suited to openland wildlife. Steep slopes 

make most of this association poorly suited 

to use as sites for dwellings that have on-site

sewage disposal and to industrial sites, or 

recreational uses. 

6. Edneyville-Ashe-Cleveland Association 

Dominantly steep to very steep, well-drained 

soils. 

This association consists of steep to very 

steep soils in the mountainous part of 

Greenville County. This association makes 

up about 13 percent of Greenville County. 

Most of this association is forest. The soils 

are better suited to this use than most other 

uses. Food and cover are well distributed 

for woodland wildlife. Most of the soils in 

this association are unsuited to use as sites 

for dwellings that have on-site sewage 

disposal and to industrial sites, or 

recreational uses. 

Scenic Corridors 

Highways 25, 276, and State Park Road in 

Travelers Rest are all roads within the 

Travelers Rest Scenic Overlay District. The 

Scenic Overlay District is designed to 

identify areas subject to additional land-use 

regulations. It is the intent of this 

designation to ensure that development in 

these nonresidential districts occurs in an 

orderly manner and is in harmony with the 

environment. To ensure that these corridors 

are protected, it is important that the city’s 

scenic corridor ordinance is reviewed and 

revised as conditions change. 

33 

Selected natural features in 

Travelers Rest 

Open Spaces 

The City of Travelers Rest has three parks 

within or near its city limits: Gateway Park, 

Poinsett Park, and the Travelers Rest City 

Park. There is also a nature trail at Gateway 

Elementary. There are several regional and 

state parks in the surrounding area including 

Riverbend Equestrian Park, Paris Mountain 

State Park, and Furman Lake. Some of the 

area’s golf courses include Green Valley 

Country Club, Hillandale, Furman 

University, and Summersett Golf Courses. 

Greenways 

A greenway is a corridor of protected open 

space managed for conservation, recreation, 

and non-motorized transportation.

Greenways often follow natural geographic 

features such as ridgelines, stream valleys, 

and rivers, but may also be built along 

canals, utility corridors, or abandoned rail 

lines. Widths may vary from thirty to one 

thousand feet. 

Abandoned rails, such as the former 

“Swamp Rabbit” line or lines between 

Cleveland and Travelers Rest, and areas 

around rivers and streams could offer an 

excellent opportunity to create a bike or 

walking greenway. 

The trails within the greenways provide 

access between neighborhoods and 

destination points, opportunity to travel 

without an automobile, outdoor education 

classrooms, and close-to-home paths for 

walking, jogging, bicycling, and roller 

blading. Tree cover and use of bicycles 

instead of cars provide for better air quality, 

fewer hard surfaced parking lots, and 

reduced energy costs. 

Increasing the presence of greenways and 

open spaces is important because they can 

improve the quality of life in a community, 

which can in turn contribute to economic 

development. 

34


Natural Resources Element 

Goal 1: Set up a maintenance program for sidewalks and landscaping currently in place 


1. Ask the garden club to adopt a 

particular site to maintain monthly 

2006 TRCC 

2. Ask biology teachers to use 

landscape areas as possible labs for 

students and thereby help maintain 

them 

2006 TRCC 

3. Have an annual downtown 

clean-up day. 

2006 TRCC 

Goal 2: Create a more aesthetic feel to the City of Travelers Rest 


1. Review and update the current 

2006 TRCC, GCPC, TRPC, 

sign ordinance 

TRABA 

2. Review and update the scenic 

2006 TRCC, GCPC, TRPC, 

corridor ordinance 

TRABA 

3. Conduct a feasibility study of a 

streetscape and beautification plan 


4. Conduct a study of the feasibility 

of a tree ordinance 


5. Join the National Tree Trust’s 

Community Tree Planting Program 


6. Attain Tree City U.S.A. status 2008 TRCC, GCPC 

Goal 3: Provide and protect more open space 


1. Conduct a study on the feasibility 

of a greenway 


2. Conduct a study on the feasibility 

of an open space ordinance 

2006 TRCC, TRPC, GCPC 

35

Goal 4: Create more recreation and outdoor activity opportunities 


1. Find locations suitable for the 

construction of parks, ball fields, 

and indoor sporting facilities 

On-going TRCC, GCPC, GCPR 

2. Establish a greenway/trail on 

the former “Swamp Rabbit” line 

between Travelers Rest and 

Greenville 

On-going TRCC 

3. Purchase playground 

equipment for local parks 

2007 TRCC 

4. Construct a picnic area at 

Tubbs Mountain Extension and 

Poplar Road 

2007 TRCC 

Goal 5: Protect watershed and flood prone areas 


1. Discourage development in 

flood prone areas 

On-going TRCC, GCPS 

2. Purchase right-of-way along 

rivers and streams to develop a 

buffer system 

2006-2008 TRCC, GCPS 

3. Require all new development to 

be buffered a certain distance 

from rivers and streams 

2007-2008 GCPC, GCPS 

Goal 6: Initiate a city-wide recycling program 


1. Provide recycling bins to each 

residence and business 

On-going TRCC, GCPS 

2. Conduct a recycling education 

program 

2006 TRCC, GCPS 

3. Set up large-scale recycling 

centers in appropriate areas 

2007-2008 TRCC, GCPS 

Goal 7: Protect wildlife habitats 


1. Develop a wildlife sanctuary 2010 TRCC 

36



POPULATION ELEMENT 

Introduction 

One of the most important aspects of the 

Comprehensive Plan is the section pertaining 

to an area’s population and the changes 

occurring within that area’s population. 

Population characteristics and trends are 

important ingredients in assessing an area’s 

needs. An examination of past demographic 

trends, coupled with a forecast of future 

growth, is important to the planning process 

and the programming of services, housing, 

education, and recreational facilities. 

Assessing and addressing these needs could 

have a positive affect on growth. 

The purpose of this document is to fulfill the 

requirements of the South Carolina Local 

Government Comprehensive Planning 

Enabling Act of 1994 and to make information 

available about Travelers Rest to interested 

parties. The Population Element presents 

information related to “historic trends and 

projections; number, size, and characteristics 

of households; educational levels; income 

characteristics; race; sex; age and other 

information.” 

Historic Trends and Characteristics 

Since 1891, when it was created by the State 

Assembly, Travelers Rest has grown from a 

rural resting place to a small bustling 

community. Figure 1 below shows Travelers 

Rest’s population growth from 1970 to 2000 

as well as projections to 2020. This data was 

obtained from the United States Census 

Bureau and the Greenville County Planning 

Commission. 

37 

FIGURE 1 

Between 1990 and 2000, Travelers Rest 

enjoyed a significant population increase. 

Due to recent developments to the immediate 

south of the city and the allure of areas north 

of the city, positive growth is expected to 

continue. 

Race 

In the 2000 Census, the racial makeup for 

Travelers Rest remained somewhat consistent. 

The biggest change was the increase in 

Hispanic population. As shown in figure 2, 

Hispanics account for four percent of the 

population in Travelers Rest. This is 

consistent with the increase in Hispanic 

population in the rest of the county. It is 

likely that the Hispanic population is larger 

than stated by the 2000 Census, as Hispanics 

are among the most commonly undercounted 

demographic groups when completing the 

census.

FIGURE 2 

Other 

1% 

Sex and Age Composition 

For planning purposes, one of the most 

important diagrams used when evaluating the 

demographics of a region is that of a 

population pyramid. A population pyramid 

graphs age and sex at the same time. These 

diagrams help to explain the people of a 

community. 

FIGURE 3 

Asian 

1% 

White 

76% 

Hispanic 

4% 

Black 

18% 

RACE 

The population pyramid of Travelers Rest is 

shown in figure 3. The first thing that stands 

out is the large number of children under the 

38 

age of 14. Because the city of Travelers Rest 

is small, this could be an anomaly caused by 

small sample size. With that being said, it 

could be an indicator of a community that has 

become more appealing towards families. The 

fact that the 30 to 44 age groups are also large 

would lend credence to this idea, as those are 

the groups that are most likely to move to an 

area with children. 

Migration and Mobility 

Data from the most recent census shows that 

the number of people moving to the city is 

increasing. From the 1990 Census, three 

percent of citizens lived in a different state in 

1985. In contrast, data from the 2000 Census 

shows that the percentage went up to 18%. 

Almost one in five citizens of Travelers Rest 

did not live in Travelers Rest five years ago. 

Economic growth is strong in Greenville 

County. Relatively inexpensive and 

accessible land and labor is a large contributor 

to this growth. As expected, development in 

Greenville County results in development in 

and around Travelers Rest. Commercial 

development pressures and the continued 

development in the Northcliff subdivision are 

two examples of the growth experienced in 

Travelers Rest. 

Household Composition 

The 2000 Census revealed some interesting 

comparisons to the 1990 Census. In 2000, 

average household size remained relatively 

constant, changing from 2.60 in 1990 to 2.62 

in 2000. 

The U.S. Census Bureau defines a family as 

consisting of a householder and one or more

other persons living in the same household 

who are related to the householder by birth, 

marriage, or adoption. The percentage of 

households that represent families decreased 

from 76.5% in 1990 to 72.8% in 2000. This is 

likely the result of two factors: increasing 

divorce rates and an increased amount of 

population density during the ten year span. 

Divorces cause families to split and higher 

densities increase the chances of unrelated 

roommates living in the same household. 

Income 

Significant increases in Travelers Rest’s 

median household income and per capita 

income occurred between 1989 and 1999. In 

1989, the median household income was 

$24,960. The per capita income was $10,341. 

In 1999, the household income had increased 

to $34,917 and the per capita income had 

increased to $15,704. 

By 1989, the average household income was 

$33,653. Per capita income during the same 

time period was $10,341. Latest figures show 

per capita income has risen another 29 percent 

to $16,156 in 1998. 

This rise in income levels does not tell the 

whole story. As income levels rose, so did 

poverty rates. In 1989, the poverty rate was 

12%. In 1999, that rate had increased to 16%. 

Education 

Educational attainment is improving in 

Travelers Rest. In 1990, the high school 

graduation rate was 61.5%. By 2000, this 

figure rose to 76.3%. Four-year college 

graduation rates increased as well. In 1990, 

college graduation rates stood at 9.8% and in 

2000 it had increased to 14.0%. 

39 

Population Forecasts 

The Greenville County Planning Commission 

forecasts were last revised in January Based 

on census data, rezoning activity, subdivisions 

activity, and certificate of occupancy 

information it is projected that the population 

for Travelers Rest in the year 2010 will be 

4,600 and 5,000 by the year 2020. 

Conclusion 

The data presented in this element paints a 

picture of a city that is growing and changing. 

The city has grown into a small bustling 

community that is becoming older, better 

educated, mobile, and increasingly urbanized, 

with growth forecasted to continue well into 

the next century. This growth is not without 

its challenges. 

A downside to the growth is the possibility 

that the growth could overwhelm the city, and 

Travelers Rest could lose the quality of life 

which has made the area an attractive place to 

live and do business. Development trends 

show that subdivision development in and 

around other cities in Greenville County is 

extending into the unzoned and rural areas. 

Urban sprawl into rural areas not only 

destroys the character of an area but also 

places demands on public services providers 

who are often not equipped to handle sudden 

growth. The result can be inadequate public 

services, resulting in overcrowded roads and 

and overburdened fire and police services. 

Travelers Rest needs to address this issue 

before it becomes a problem like it has in 

other cities in the region. The city must 

develop a strategy that allows growth to occur 

in a well-managed and thoughtful way and at 

the same time maintain and preserve its open 

spaces and unique character.

Data also shows that the makeup of the 

population is changing. Nationally and locally 

there is a trend toward an increasing elderly 

population. As a large segment of our 

population matures, there will be a greater 

demand for various services tailored to meet 

their needs. These needs include housing, 

transportation, social, and medical. The 

community must be able to respond to this 

growing need and at the same time not neglect 

other segments of the population. 

Travelers Rest’s population will continue to 

grow. The quantity of the city’s future 

population can be projected with some 

reliability. The quality of life for future 

residents, however, will depend on how 

Travelers Rest will manage its growth and 

accommodate the needs of a growing and 

changing population. The goals and strategies 

on the following page have been developed to 

address the needs of a growing and changing 

population. 

40


Population Element 

Goal 1: Develop a growth management strategy 


1. Estimate public service and infrastructure 

requirements for the forecasted population 


2. Identify areas in the city that can 

accommodate more growth 


Goal 2: Ensure that social needs are met in order to encourage a diverse community 


1. The construction of a community center for 

both children and the elderly 

2008-2009 TRCC 

2. Viable transportation for elderly and the 

handicapped to commercial and community 

facilities 

2008-2009 TRCC 

Goal 3: Conduct a study for possible annexations outside the city limits 


1. Conduct a study on the pros and cons of the 

taxes assessed and services provided for those 

living inside the city versus those who live in 

the county just outside the city limits 

2006-2007 TRCC, GCPC 

Adopt an annexation procedure that includes a 

cost/benefit analysis 

2007 TRCC 

3. Actively solicit the voluntary annexation of 

property adjacent to the city limits 

On-going TRCC 

41

1 CITY OF TRAVELERS REST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ...

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