GREER, S.C. (WSPA) – Greer will soon be home to a new charter high school.

The school will be placed on a large area of land off Kist Road, near Reidville Road. It’s expected to be a place of learning for nearly 700 students.

“Charter school education is a growing trend,” Greer Councilman Mark Hopper said. “I think people love that model and the flexibility.”

In July, an annexation request was made as Greer’s Board of Zoning Appeals voted to rezone the property from residential. We’re told two of the six members on the board voted against it; questioning the appropriateness of construction in the area.

“It changes the character of the entire neighborhood, really the entire area,” resident Larry Sinkuler said.

We spoke with many residents, all of whom told us they fear the traffic will be brought into their neighborhoods and fear what they call a lack of reliable infrastructure.

“We don’t think the road structure is capable of handling a major school,” resident Sue Sinkuler said. “Traffic in this area can’t handle it. There are no roads here other than Kist Road and it is two lanes. Everything else in the area, Burns Road, they are all single lanes.”

Councilman Mark Hopper tells us they want to be mindful of residents close to that area where construction will begin but with the growth Greer is seeing, a need for another charter school is what many leaders in the city think is appropriate. He says the area’s growth is currently putting a strain on the school districts.

7 News asked Hopper ‘Why a charter high school and why that area of land?’ He replied, “That is a great question. From our standpoint, that was a request that came to us. That was the annexation request and who was interested in doing a project on this site? Certainly with the quality of life in the Upstate, the economic prosperity in the Upstate, specifically I think some of the natural opportunities that Greer itself offers. I think that is where the interest for putting a charter high school on that land came from.”

Plans are still being submitted for review. At this time it is unclear when construction could begin. However, we’re told the hope is for the school to be open for the 2024-2025 school year.