Town Council - Regular Meeting

Hello. Thank you for joining us this evening for our town council meeting. Um it's an odd date for us, but we didn't want to meet on the week of Thanksgiving because so many people travel. So, thank you for taking the time to join us. Um, first and foremost, I would like to before we do anything, um, I would like to give a quick update and shout out to many, many fire departments. On Sunday, uh, our fire department along with many others and Chipper Wilkerson standing at the back is, uh, somebody that I don't know what we'd do without. I really don't. He's an incredible fire chief and person. So, we want to say thank you. Uh 18 different response organizations representing 16 outside agencies, 88 total personnel on the scene, seven personnel backfilling. We had support from Flint Hill Fire Department, Lesley Fire Department, Riverview Fire Department, Rock Hill Fire Department, TK Fire Department, York County Fire Safety, Indian Land Fire Department, Riverside Fire Department, Van White Fire Department, yes, if you live here, it's Van White, Pineville Fire Department, Steel Creek Fire Department out of Meckllinmberg County, the York County Sheriff's Office, the Fort Mill Rescue, and the South Carolina Forestry Commission. This fire affected 23 acres along Doly's Bridge Road. We're not the only area in the state to have had fires recently. It was heavy wind day and it's been very dry. Those fires can spread quickly and endanger people living in homes along these corridors. Our our staff was able to get out information

very rapidly. Um, our police department helped manage that W'sbridgeidge Road was closed down to traffic so these guys could do what they do best and I just want to make certain that everybody understands how important this work is. Not only did they get that fire under control, but they stayed overnight. Rock Hill sent tall lights and we stayed overnight to watch for hot spots. Guys, it doesn't get any better than the people that don't sleep to make sure you and I are okay. So, if we would, can we give a standing o to Chief Wilkerson Fire Department?

Thank you. We'll now sp start our meeting with the pledge of allegiance and then Ronnie Helms will give us our invocation.

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Father, as we come before you tonight, as we go into this season of Thanksgiving, we want to first of all say thank you. Thank you for another year that you've brought us through. Thank you for all the blessings you've bestowed upon us. Pray that you bless each and everyone that's represented here tonight. Touch us, guide us, direct us, give us wisdom to conduct the town's business. We give you the praise and glory for it all. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Thank you. As we conduct this meeting, we would ask if you have any device that may ring, chirp, or play us a song, please put it on silent so that we can have your full attention and you can have ours. I see we have quite a few folks of age at the back. Uh you guys want to stand up and somebody tell me what class uh you're taking and what we can do to make sure you get the appropriate credit. Most of us are from the government class at these local people over here from Fort Mill High School, but we just have a citizenship project. So, we had to come to a town council meeting cafe.

Awesome. So, we have high school students uh attempting to learn what we do and uh get credit for it. I'd like to welcome David Martin to our meeting tonight and we have a lot of other important business and important folks coming up. So, thank you all for joining us. Pursuant to section 2-46 of the code of ordinances for the town of Fort Mill, any citizen of the town may appear before council for the purpose of providing public public comments on any municipal matter except personnel. Those who wish to speak must sign in outside of the council chambers prior to the start of the meeting and they're given three minutes each. Do we have anyone signed in to speak? Thank you. So, we'll jump right in with one of my favorite organizations, the Fort Mill Economic Partners organizational update. Mariah Price will give us an update on how things are going.

Good evening. Thank you. Uh here we go. I appreciate you allowing us to come again. Mariah Price with Fort Mill Economic Partners. We're here to give Pull it towards you or is it working? Tap on it because I can't I don't hear it. Chris, it's not gonna really Hello. Could you ask? I think it works now. Here we go. Can you hear? Okay. Thank you.

You're welcome. Um we're here to provide an update of what we've been doing this past year and to answer any questions. You know, we're in constant communication as we try our best with um town staff and council. So, give a brief overview of things we've been doing. Our updates tonight include our website, our the um fundraising event of the Strawberry Sprint and Stroll this past year, our newsletter, a grant that we started um our art mural and microtransit pilot program. So um we launched late last year discover mill.org. So we this year have put a focus on getting the website out there and making updates and making sure it's up to date. We were um awarded with the SCPRT advertisement grant and we were able to start a Google ad to um get discover mill out on Google and any searches. Um since then we've been able to get greater analytics of who is using our website. Um in the last 28 days we've had over um500 users um visiting the site. This also has been able to um allow us to have greater engagement and partnerships with the uh businesses and organizations. For example, we have partnered with um Anna with Fort Mill now who writes our blogs and our events for the page. Um and they um have high engagement through that. Um she also posted it on her newsletter to bring more awareness to our website. Um we're going to continue focusing on this website um as the year goes on in next year as well with more marketing. So we've been very grateful for this project. And then the our strawberry sprint and stroll 5K and fun run this year. It was

a great turnout. Another great partnership with the town staff and and um the strawberry festival. Um we have Mr. Hudgens of course represented on the screen. So, um we're just very grateful. This is a special event for us. It is our biggest fundraiser for our organization, but it's also a collaboration with town and um our local businesses. We had um uh a little over 900 participants, which was a better than we expected with it being spring break this year. Next year we won't run into that issue with Easter not being so late um and spring break not affecting. But um we are very uh grateful for the turnout that we had even with a lot of people being out of town. We also were able to have Fort Mill Care Center as our um charitable organization and we were able to donate a little over $3,000 to them just from the race proceeds. So another successful year. We're um planning already for next year. It's uh April 25th. So mark your calendars. We're going to be having our race website launched December 1st with the early bird special. Um and then we're uh continue our marketing efforts. Another thing that we continued on with this year is a quarterly newsletter. On our website, we have a function that you can sign up to receive these newsletters. and we have over 265 subscribers to date just from the website. Um these newsletters are sent out quarterly and we try to highlight um different things that our organization are working on but also different um development projects or projects going on within the town and anything that the town is doing. Um, in this our past fall newsletter, as you can see, it it

featured the um mural, which I'll talk about here shortly, and and Debbie as our spotlight um and all the work that she's done. So, if you're interested in receiving these, if you do not receive them, you can sign up on our website. Another uh special project that we have been able to accomplish this year is our utility infrastructure grant. So this is a grant program to encourage investment in and re revitalization of the downtown commercial district. It provides a reimburseable matching grant up to $15,000. and we were able to award our first recipients which was the speckled pear market um that and we awarded them in this past June. So we received um some additional applications since then that are currently under review and we're looking to continue this in the next year. We also have our um official unveiling of the art mural actually this Thursday, November 20th at 4 o'clock. So, if you're available, please come out. We're going to be um having a little uh we're going to have a drape. So, official unveiling of the wall of all of Debbie's hard work and and the um able that we were able to do this through the accommodations tax grant from from the town of Fort Mel. So, we're very grateful that we were able to do this and just add um some more art into the downtown area, but also another tourist um piece that people can come and look at and take pictures of. So, that's coming. We're so excited. It's been working on this whole year and Debbie's been hard at work. if you've seen her out on that fortlift making your making a little nervous with how high she has

to go, but um she's done a great job and we're very grateful for her hard work. Another um key project that I know you guys are aware of because we've been able to come and speak to you about, but I want to give an update since we've been um able to speak to you. So, our microransit pilot program, again, this is a pilot program that we are looking to launch next year in um hopes of bringing microtransit to the three commercial districts. To date, we are still looking for additional partnerships for the remaining of the funding. We're hoping to hear from the county on on whether they're able to help us financially, but we're also looking at um some public and private um partnerships that we can be able to um launch this next year. The next step after con securing the funding would be to sign our contract and start our marketing campaign for this program. So, um we are definitely still hard at work at this and hoping to be able to um launch in um next year. In addition, some um we have some new board members on our our um board which is very exciting. We have two new businesses. We have Unique Loom and Sunb Belt Rental Rentals who joined our board. Um but we also have some new faces from organizations that have already been on the board but their um previous uh members have stepped away due to different obligations. So we're very grateful. It's it's always nice to have new um insights and different visions and um opinions of how we can make our organization better. So we're very grateful for our new board members. I know I kind of talked quick, but I know I want to respect everyone's time, so if you have any questions, I would

love to answer them. I don't have any questions, but I am so appreciative of the work that this group has been able to accomplish. I've known about the group since it had another name, and this is the greatest progress I've seen in so many years. It's the mural is gorgeous. The race is forever at this point. It is a given that that is a part of Fort Mill's annual offerings and I'm so proud of the progress. Love the little shrink wrap on the card. Yeah.

And uh can't wait to see what a difference that makes. So, thank you um for all the businesses that invest in Fort Mill. and you continue to invest by coming together and offering opportunities for other businesses to come in. We're so grateful for what you do. We're very grateful for what you do. Thank you, council. For the utility infrastructure grant, what's the timing on applications? Is that ongoing throughout the year or do you have a specific deadline for this? Yes, that's a great question. It's ongoing throughout the year as funding is available. Okay, awesome. Thank you. And they must be in the town limits. Is that required? Correct. Yes. Okay.

And if there's um all the requirements are also on the website for anyone to be able to view. Perfect. Thank you. And I think it's important to note that that helps some of the folks that want to site in a facility that doesn't have the utility setup necessarily to do the business they do. So it helps them offset that cost so they can operate in that space. Did I describe that properly? Yes. Exactly. Yeah. And the speckle pair is doing fabulous. So thank you. And Jerry, I see you sitting there. Thank you for joining their board. It's a great group of people. Couldn't ask for any better. So, thank you so very much. Yes. Thank you.

All right. Appreciate it. And thank you for uh bringing us up to date. That's always important. All right. We do not have any new business for this evening. We will move immediately into old business. Item number one, second reading. An ordinance amending the zoning map of the town of Fort Mill to change the zoning designation for York County Tax Maps 020 06 01, 051, 052, 053, 054, 058, and 034. This is approximately 15.9 acres from general industrial and R10 to one family residential district to MXU mixeduse development district to adopt a mixeduse concept plan and development conditions and other matters relating there too. This is in ward two which is Ronnie Helm's ward. Chris Pettit, has anything changed since our last presentation?

Thank you, mayor. Um uh two changes, one being a typo was fixed and one um we went through the the uh permissible uses and um inserted into uh prohibited uses uh being tattoo parlors and payday lending establishments to be consistent with some of our other zoning districts. But those are the only changes. Awesome. Council members, do you have any questions in regards to this particular item? No questions. Just wondering since we've got such a large group of people, do you mind doing just a quick overview of what the project is? I hate to take up much time, but since I would love to have Jerry get a brief over the project.

No, just I think just an overview for the young folks at the back. Follow Mariah. Exactly. Well, and we've got the pictures and our information, too. I just think I mean this is the group that's going to be able to to use the housing that's coming to it hopefully. So,

absolutely. And I don't have a presentation, I'm sorry, but I'll give you a narrative of what we're doing. It's an old mill that's been in town for a long time. A portion of it is 130 years old. And the building through uh quite a bit of effort was able to attain historic registry uh in the state. And that is a big plus for the development and also I think more importantly for the outward appearance of the building. So it looks like it's been here forever and we continue the Fort Millish look. We're going to convert it to 225 apartments uh along with 25,000 square foot of retail space and I believe it is a true extension of Main Street and I think it will become a community magnet for the township folk to enjoy. Some of the benefits that we're adding so that the entire town can um benefit from this is a second level uh part of parking for the public. Um we're also um widening the streets um doing diagonal parking on Watson. So we're realigning Watson, realigning Link Street uh to allow for circulation. Uh we've also incorporated a housing subsidy for the Fort Mill uh employees inclusive of the school district where percentage of the apartments are going to be offered at discounted rates for the employees and um if the apartment building is full and an employee wants to get on the wait list, it'll automatically be hopscotched to the number one position. Um so we're we're really excited. We had a couple of meetings this past week with our professional team. We've heard from Shipo regarding the plans. There's a couple of little things that they're looking for us to do, but uh what we looked at the last time with the

elevations and um what the outward appearance of the building is going to be has not changed at all. So, it's it's a really exciting time right now. Really exciting. We'll be done with design development drawings by December one, moving into construction documents, which I hope to have done by the end of January to present to the township for permit review.

For those of you in the back, uh this is the old mill structure down at near the foot of Main Street there near Sprat. It is currently being it's vacant. It's a vacant vacant. It's not being used and it is zoned industrial, meaning that right now the operation of an industry is pertinent to that zoning. So, an industry could go there. These fine folks that use the building for their rug company, correct? um really thought it would better serve our community as a mixeduse area where we would have apartments that they have worked with us to provide opportunities for teachers and town employees uh at a reduced rate for a place to live and a parking deck and some beautiful landscaping and architecture that will um be in keeping with the designation that it now holds on the National Historic Register. So, this has been a collaborative process that I have to say the Nasari family and Jerry, our town planning staff, uh, everyone has worked really hard to make this good for Fort Mill. So, um, I am very proud of the work that's been done and the patience that's been offered on this particular project.

Well, we're appreciative of all your comments and all your input. I think when you do it together collaboratively, you really get something that's going to be special. I really believe that. I agree. Thank you, Jerry. Jerry, appreciate it. Anyone have any questions? I had a question and I apologize. I may not have seen it in here, but uh the last time we addressed the new structure being going through planning commission and the old structure going through HRB. just know if that was I didn't see that in or would that would that be in Yes. Uh that that is in there and and it was Yes.

Okay. Sorry about that. I thought to to that point, Councilman, in the documentation we received Friday afternoon, um Shipo and MPS will also be reviewing the new building. Okay. So, there's a lot of regulatory oversight from our planning commission, our zoning board, and the state commissions and agencies. that will ensure that the work is done properly not just to our satisfaction for what it will result in. So a lot of hands in this particular project and everybody working for the same result. Further questions or comments? I make a motion we approve all business item number one. Second.

I have a motion to approve and several seconds. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed. Thank you so much. We appreciate you and look forward to this project. Thank you, Jerry. Thank you so much. Old business item number two, second reading, an ordinance amending the business license ordinance of the town of Fort Mill to update the class schedule as required by act 176 of 2020. Chris Pettit.

Uh thank you, mayor. No changes on this item either. Um this is uh required by the state um act 176 otherwise known as the business license standardization act basically makes the process for getting a business license uh consistent across the state. Um and so this requirement to update the uh business license class schedule. Every jurisdiction throughout the state that charges business licenses is also doing that uh before the end of the year. So um happy to answer any questions you may have on that. But no changes since first reading. Any questions in regards to this item? I'll entertain a motion. I'll make a motion that uh approve old business item number two.

I'll second. I have a motion to approve old business item number two and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed. Thank you. New business item number one, first reading, an ordinance amending ordinance number 2025-16, so as to change the duration for the temporary moratorum on the acceptance and processing of applications for reasonzoning or annexation of new residential developments. Chris Pettit.

Thank you, mayor. Um, council adopted ordinance 25-16, which was a temporary moratorum. Uh earlier this year as we were beginning to undertake our comprehensive plan rewrite, our downtown master plan creation and our parks and recreation plan um those plans are slated to be finalized and come before council the first of the year um for adoption. So uh the original intent of the moratorum was to put a pause on new residential development as our vision was molded by these new plans. Uh so this uh extension of that temporary moratorum allows us to finalize that vision uh prior to accepting any new applications for residential development and it will run through the end of March uh or earlier if canceled by council.

Okay, any questions to this extension of the temporary moratorum on residential development? When will we start planning for ordinance review related to these items as far as uh text amendments uh from the code? Correct. Once once I think we get together and are are all in agreement of of the vision, then we can certainly move forward on on doing that. If for some reason we we're not quite there at the end of March, can we extend it again or

you can just for the folks that will be watching this on tape later, uh this was very intentional on our part to help us through our comprehensive plan update that's required, our downtown plan update that it's a new plan, and our parks and wreck plan. So we have a lot of work uh going forward to planning how we want to structure our future. So what we wanted to do was to make sure that our planning staff and everyone on our staff had the opportunity to verify the work make it properly documented so that each of us could vote on that as a policy and a movement forward. I think it has been helpful and we will continue to do the extension until we're prepared to move forward intentionally.

Many, many hours have gone into not only the meetings, but then reading again, going back over and making notes and things like that. So, there's been a tremendous amount of time and effort by a lot of people that's gone into that. Agreed. and things like the mill project that was before us. Um the reason those continue to go is because they were already in place before the moratorum. Correct. Be in the process. Yes. Chris, did you have something you wanted? If we're not further along by the end of March, we would just come up and just vote for another extension like Allan was talking about or does it just No, you you would have to take a new action uh to do that. Yes. So, it would have to come back before council. Would it be an automatic six months or we could do three months or it's

whatever we vote. Whatever we vote. Okay. So, we have those opportunities to revisit it, but I think we have to do that responsibly uh to ensure that we're not holding people up for the sale of their property or the building of their home. Um, you know, it affects more than just large developments. It affects a lot. So, we're not doing it without reason or intent to make this better for everyone. We are doing this for the right reasons, but we will have to be intentional as we move forward. I used that word about five times, didn't intentional is applicable. Intentionally did. All right. I need a um make a motion to approve new business item number one.

I'll second. Have a motion to approve new business item number one and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed. Thank you. All right. That is one of the shorter meetings we've had in quite some time. I'm gonna start with you, Mr. Moody, for the good of the whole. First of all, I'm honored to sit Mr. Wolf's face normally. I kind of feel like Superman in his chair. Miss you, Chris, wherever you are. Um, no, but um, it's been a busy year. We've gotten a lot accomplished. Um, it's not easy running a town this size. um a lot of workshops. I think this maybe 20 or 30 hours worth of workshops just for our budget alone, right?

Zoom calls and breakout sessions. So, I mean, but it's good, you know, to see the progress we're making and kind of like it's kind of like Sim City for in real life, you know, computer game, right? You know, you get cast a vision and and see it happen with fire departments and different infrastructure projects. I'm excited about the future and next year. So excited about the tree lighting and the barberh shop tree lighting after the mate. Put a plug in for that Friday morning. Go to Wormies and Jeff's. It's a great event. Not as good as our tree lighting, but it's pretty good. It's a Charlie Powers Christmas tree, our former mayor, which is a coat rack with Christmas lights on it. So, um, but it's really cool. And then the parade coming up. So, looking forward to all the end of the year festivities. So, thank you, Chris.

That's it. Thank you, Ronnie. Uh, just want to do another shout out for the fire department. I know what they're going through cuz I was one for a while. Uh, but really proud. Looking forward to Christmas season. Uh, it's going to be another beautiful year. It is. And, uh, looking forward to seeing my new great grandbaby.

There you go. Ronnie's raising an army. Um, I I would like to take a second to not jump to Christmas, but to recognize and acknowledge the holiday next week. Thanksgiving is incredibly important um to our nation as the roots of Thanksgiving were because people survived to live here at this country. We come together as families and I would like to thank everyone on staff and on council for operating as diligently as we have this year. We have come together and we are a family. Uh we fight like brothers and sisters on a given day. Um but it's all for the right reasons and the right intent. We all want to do what's good for Fort Mill. So, I'm extremely thankful for the hard work that has gone into this year and as Chris Moody said, we've made a lot of progress. So, thank you all. Um, this is leave season. I've noticed a lot of people think it's okay to blow their leaves all the way out to the center line. It is not. It is not okay to blow your leaves into the storm drain so that if it ever rains again, they won't work. Uh, please use caution and care if it rains and the people that have blown them out to the center line, it's slippery. So, um, please refer to our website for any information regarding what to do with yard refues. And, uh, please do that appropriately so that you're not creating a hazard for anyone else. Um, I look forward to the Christmas events. They come very quickly after Thanksgiving. probably not have another council meeting before we have the tree lighting. Um maybe not before the Christmas parade. So, uh thanks to everyone that participates in those and makes our town really feel like a real small town. It's a good feeling. Lisa,

yes. So, um we celebrated Veterans Day um last week and as always, our town does it top-notch. So, thank you for all who participated, but thank you more to the veterans and the families that have sacrificed um for our freedom. Also, as we talk about Thanksgiving, uh we have to acknowledge Kataba Ridge High School band that'll be performing at the Macy's Day Parade. So, we're all looking forward to seeing that and celebrating with them.

Um and then also there's a group of boys at the back. I'll get emotional because of Casey, but um for three years now, we've done dinner at my house with a select group of football players as kind of a mentoring and giving back to them. And I am so proud of you all and all that y'all are doing. Um held Northwestern to six points in the first half. That was awesome. We're not going to talk about second half, but um but I look forward to seeing all of you in the audience become our future leaders. I will say when I was in high school, I didn't serve on student council. I didn't do anything like that and here I am, you know, in getting ready to start my 11th year of doing town council. You are our future leaders. David Martin, future leader. Um, did you think in high school or in college you'd ever be in your position? Um, so Fort Mill is doing a great job at raising some wonderful people in this community and I know every one of you will do the same. So, thank y'all for being here.

Don't make her cry again. Okay? I got seniors out here and they've been with me for a long time. What's up? Go ahead. Uh, you know, Thanksgiving's next week, so I just want to say what I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for my family. Um, I'm thankful for my second family, which is here. You know, I spend some weeks we spend just as much time together than we do with our family. We do.

Um, you know, thankful for all the projects that we have in the works. I'm thankful for the staff that's making these projects happen. Uh, we're really we're really doing some things that's going to set the town up for the next, you know, 10, 20, 50 years. So, thank you guys for for all that you do. Y'all y'all really make it happen. So, thank you for council for like I said, we don't always agree, but you know, we're always respectful to each other, and that's, you know, that's that's important. You're not going to find this a group like this just about anywhere in this area right here. I'm thankful for our other representatives, for David Martin, for all that you do for for our town, and you you've stepped up

and uh really, I mean, you you you've done an excellent job. So, thank you for for that. Uh thank you for the fire department. Um, there's a there's a there's a phrase. It's the six Ps. Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance. Okay. And the fire department, that's that's what they did right there. That's that's having your stuff in in order. So, when you have an event like that, you don't think about it. You already know exactly what you're going to do. You know who you're going to call. So, you know, we've got a top-notch fire department and uh Fort Mill Formill High School uh boys and girls cross country state champs. So, Fort Mill and um that's it. Thank you guys. Ben,

I'm going to throw out a challenge, especially to our high school crowd. Um, I did it a few years ago and it's kind of been an annual thing. It's It was pretty neat when I started it. Um, grab a notebook, legal pad. You can do it on a roll of toilet paper with the right pen, but make a list of things you're thankful for. Mhm.

Um, little things, big things, especially little things. You will find that there are amazing are an amazing amount of things that you can truly look in the mirror or look at your family and uh really appreciate maybe a little better if you see it written down, you know, in pen or paper, but uh take that challenge and challenge the people around you. Just uh be thankful. Well said.

To summarize what we're all thinking, um you guys matter. You matter to us. We see you. We know what you're doing to grow up and to become the people that you will be. And we're always prayerful that that will be productive citizens that will give back to the community that loves you so much. If you ever feel like you're not loved, call one of us and we'll make sure you do. So, uh, thank you for showing up in great numbers this evening. Absolutely. Do it again next month, too. Come on. Yeah. Uh, I love to see you there and let us know if we can be of help and service in any way. And with that, I'll ask for a motion to adjurnn. Make a motion we adjourn. I'll second.

I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. All those opposed, thank you for joining us. I was going to say