County Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. At this time, I will call to order the March 2nd, 2026 County Council meeting to order. We welcome you all here tonight. Uh I will recognize Debbie Clowninger from District 7 for the invocation and pledge of allegiance. Let us rise. Dear heavenly father, thank you for allowing us to come together to do the business of the people. Give us strong mind, bodies, and soul to make good decisions tonight. I especially pray that you would protect our men and women in service to this country in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.

Amen. Algian 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.

We do have one oath of office tonight. If Mr. Matthew Smith is here, if you'll make your way forward and come stand in front of the podium. Uh Mr. Smith has has agreed to serve on one of our volunteer boards, the board of disabilities and special needs in our atlarge position and on behalf of council want to say thank you sir for agreeing to do that on behalf this our entire community thanks you for the work that you do um you don't get paid for it and you will not get thanked for it very often but we do thank you now Thank you, sir. We do have two appearances tonight. Um, first I'll recognize Katherine White, chairperson of York Soil and Water Conservation District to provide the council with the annual update.

Thank you for uh having me. My name is Katherine White. I'm the chair of the York Soil and Water Conservation District. We have three other board members here as well, CWSN, Peggy Palmer, and Beth White, who's passing out two um handouts for y'all. One is our 2025 yearly report and the other is our winter 2026 quarterly newsletter. I'm hoping to come or have someone from the board come every quarter to give you guys an update. Um just to let you know you'll probably see us again this year. Um I did want to reiterate our thanks for the increased allocation in the budget this year and uh I wanted to give you a little bit more of an update on the Rock Hills Blackjacks Heritage Preserve. There's a little blurb about it as our biggest accomplishment of 2025. Um, but since then they've actually the DNR has actually uh sent out requests for proposals and um should have started work today um mulching some of the area um that grows the Schwinet Sunflower, which is the reason that that property was um preserved. So, that's good news. Uh they're also planning on moving the parking lot and making it more um well lit and less uh desirable for dumping. There was a lot of trash dumping over there and illegal activity and such. So, we're very excited about the progress that we've made there with all the support that we've gotten. Um and I think that's it. Thank you very much.

Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate the work that y'all do for the community. Thank you for Thank you for that. We also have uh Carol Herring with York County Library Board to address the council regarding a survey to gather the public's feedback on libraryies strategic planning efforts. Thank you to the York County Council chair and members of the council for having me here tonight and providing some time on the agenda to inform you and the community about an exciting plans that we have. I am Carol Herring. I am serving on the York County Library Board and I am chair of the strategic planning committee. Our committee, strategic planning committee, has developed a survey that we will be distributing to the community in order to um anonymous survey back up. Uh in order to gather public feedback for the strategic planning efforts, the feedback from all county residents is welcome and most of the information you will receive on the survey will be after our March 12th meeting. So the board will have time to approve the survey. We will be distributing that after the board meeting on March 12th. There will be additional details forthcoming later in this month. So thank you.

Thank you ma'am. At this time we move to our public forum session of the agenda and this is an opportunity for citizens to come forward and to sign up to speak. It is limited to 15 individuals for two minutes. Um, one thing that I'll say at the outset, it looks like a number of folks have signed up on this list who uh probably want to speak on a public hearing item. If you have signed up for this and the item that you're asking to speak on is a public hearing item, I'm going to ask that you wait until the public hearing uh for us to get there. And that that will be the first thing that we get to after um the public hearing session. So, if I stop you midway or if I if I question you, it's because I understand that you want to speak on a public hearing item and we'll ask you to move to that. Uh, if you'll please keep your comments to something that's germanine to county council. Um, please don't point out or direct any comments to individuals because this is not the chance for folks to respond back. It's for us to listen to uh the community and the issues before us. Um, I think did I cover everything? All right. First up, if if you when you come up, if you'll please give your name and address before you start speaking. And if you'll make sure to take a look at the screen, it will let you know when you're getting close to your two minutes, and then it'll tell you when your two minutes is up. And and if you don't notice it, then I'll have to cut you off. And I hate doing that, but that's that's the job I have to do. So, if you'll pay attention to the screen, um you'll know when your time is up. Uh first individual who signed up tonight is Jamie Costia. Jamie Costas, 774 Gates Mill Drive, number 203 in Fort Mill. Good evening, County Council. South Carolina's motto, while I breathe, I hope, reminds us that hope is not passive. It is active. It calls us to believe in a better future and to work responsibly towards it. Hope means growth, opportunity, and innovation, but it also means foresight

and stewardship. Allowing a heavy industrial solar cell manufacturing facility in a light industrial zoned property is asking this community to stretch beyond what was originally planned and promised. Solar energy represents progress and sustainability. Many of us support renewable energy and the jobs it can bring, but hope must be matched with preparation, which means allowing for this type of business only in a properly zoned location. Our state's other guiding principle, prepared in mind and resources, speaks directly to this moment. Preparation means ensuring the ensuring the infrastructure can handle this business. It means protecting nearby schools, neighborhoods, and small businesses. It means confirming environmental safeguards, emergency response readiness, and long-term compatibility with surrounding properties. Hope without preparation is risk. Hope with preparation is leadership. I urge you to carefully weigh whether this project truly aligns with both the spirit and responsibility development and zoning framework meant to protect this community. There is no level of emergency readiness that will be able to protect the children in the school right next to Silfab when an accident occurs. While we breathe, we hope. Let us also be prepared in both mind and resources to protect the people, especially the children who are the future of this county. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Tim Hagerty.

Good evening. Tim Hagerty, 747 Birchway Drive, Fort Mill. I attended the last February 16th YCC meeting and I listened to half a dozen York County citizens speak regarding the QTS data center proposal and I had a deja vu experience. Those York County citizens are having the same issues thrust upon them as the Fort Mill area residents have had with Silfab. These experiences are therefore not unique. They are systemic within York County government. These issues do not occur by accident. They are purposeful and reoccurring time and again. So I reviewed the vision statement for York County. It reads, "Your county provides an environment where all citizens and businesses can thrive and succeed." I then reviewed the vision statement for Aone County, a county that has recently opposed the controversial highdensity development that was not allowed per current zoning codes. The Aon County vision statement reads, "A diverse, growing, safe, vibrant community, guided by rural traditions, and shaped by natural beauty where employment, education, and recreation offer a rich quality of life for all generations, both today and tomorrow." Two very different statements. The Aon County vision is about community, tradition, nature, and rich quality of life. The York County vision mentions none of these things. It mentions citizens without sincerity. It focuses on business and York County government actions clearly support business over citizens. Lest you think that the Aon County vision has a unique message, I refer you to Richland, Charleston, and Greenville counties, which are all similar to Aone. There is a proverb that says, "Watch your words for they become your actions." So, there you have it. Written and documented. Unfortunately, we citizens missed the message. Your county's government's words and actions are documented to promote business regardless of the impact quality of life.

Thank you, sir. Ellen Worth.

Good evening, council, and thank you for the this opportunity. My name is Ellen Worth. I live in the Baywood community in Fort Mill. Two weeks ago, I came before this council to talk about how Silfabb has upset my life. As several of you were not present, I'm going to revisit the issues. Almost two years ago, the BCA ruled solar cell manufacturing was not allowed in a light industrial zone. The hundreds who attended that meeting went to bed believing this battle was over. Weeks later, the C count said the ruling did not apply to Silab. The BCA's own attorney has admitted in court the ruling does apply to Silfab. Yet building permits continue to be issued. As a Social Security recipient who should be enjoying retirement, I spend at least half my hours canvasing neighborhoods, working fundraisers, coming to these meetings, and racking my brains wondering why you allow this to continue. I live 610 of a mile from Silab. I am in two reds, one orange, and two yellow zones. If you don't know what that means, you haven't read the USC reports previously provided. If that's the case, then shame on you. My neighbors and I will be breathing the minimum 4% of what comes out of that acid scrubber. As will those dear children at the Flint Hill schools, not to mention the seniors at High Point Living. Name one other LI facility requiring a wet acid scrubber. You can't. There isn't one. Every day I face anger and anxiety worrying about what effect Silfab will have on my health and the health of my community. You are harming Fort Mill. Why you haven't thought of the health impact 5 to 10 years down the road from now is beyond me. Drivers on I77 entering Fort Mill will shout to each other, "Hold your breath and drive faster. The air here is toxic." When a cancer cluster is discovered from exposure to the toxic chemicals, will you be paying our medical bills? You have created a nightmare for us all. I am in disbelief that you have decided this is good for our community. Heaven, help us because this council and related administrative

departments have not acted in the best interests of this community. We will not stop and this will not be forgotten. When these issues come to pass, this council will be remembered failing to act and doing nothing.

Frank Jernack. So, one of the other rules that I forgot to mention at the outset and and if someone wants to recognize folks in the in the the gallery and if they're here with you, you can do that. What we try to do is create an environment where anyone who wants to come here, and it may be an unpopular opinion, it may be a popular opinion, but we don't allow applause or booze or any any conversation back and forth. So, I'm going to ask that y'all refrain from that. But, if you have a party with you that you want to recognize, they certainly you can ask them to stand up so they can be recognized on that. But, I think it's it's important to ensure that folks have a safe place to be able to communicate their their thoughts on that. Mr. Jat,

good evening. Council members, my name is Frank Jernick. I live in Fort Mill. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you tonight. I understand that you must deal with serious issues and problems daily. And one of those serious issues is the reason I'm here tonight, specifically the concerns associated with the Sil facility in Fort Mill. But first, a little background on myself. I'm a retired engineer. Early in my career, I worked as an analytical chemist. My boss and later my mentor always expected me to go beyond what I was comfortable with. He would say to me, "A good man can always do a little bit more." What he meant was, "Are you 100% confident in the results of your investigation that are you about to present to me? Have you fully examined all the possible elements of this analysis? Did you miss something?" As I stand before you today, I want to believe that each deep down inside of you, each and every one of you is a good person. Have you fully examine all the plausible elements of this analysis, did you miss something? As I stand before you today, I want to believe that deep down inside you here lies a good person committed to doing the right thing for the citizens of Fort Mill. So I ask you, if I want to believe that each of you is a good person and you can do a little bit more, are you 100% confident the results of your investigation regarding SILAB? Did you miss something? Can you truthfully say to the citizens of Fort Mill and yourself that I did a little bit more that there was no zoning or permitting issues, no laws have been broken? I feel that the answer to that question is a definite no. You know what must be done that that it has been stated numerous times zoning and permitting

laws have been broken and now responsibility sits with you. Thank you. Thank you sir. Chuck Green.

My name is Chuck Green. I live at 1746 Witchfield Drive in Allison Acres Rock Hill. I want to uh thank the council for listening to me. I'm coming in with this with a little bit more of a personal thing. I was born and raised in Rock Hill, never lived anywhere else. When my wife and I were young, uh we lived in downtown Rockill in a little house. We sold that house and we used what little bit of equity we had to buy a piece of property out in Allison Acre subdivision where we could move out into the country uh and enjoy life and nature and peace and quiet and get away from living in the city. And we then built a house ourselves because we had no money or couldn't afford to have anybody build it. So we actually built our house. We lived there. This was in the 80s. We've been living there ever since. We raised our child and everything was was great and their life was great. Now, fast forward all the way up to about a year and a half ago. I'm sitting in my den and watching television and a documentary comes on and it's about data centers and I'm watching this thing and I'm seeing this horrible stuff about all these data centers and all the negative impacts they have and I'm thinking these poor people. And then at the same time, I'm thinking, boy, I sure glad I live in York County. I don't think that the council in York County would possibly do this to any of its residents. Then fast forward to a couple weeks ago and I see all these no data center signs everywhere that I didn't know what it was talking about. Start doing research, find out you're going to put one of the biggest data centers in the country here. But all these negative impacts on us and the residents that live around there, I mean, this was supposed to be our home forever. I I I don't understand. I really don't I don't see

how anybody could possibly agree to what this is going how devastating this is going to be to the folks that live around it. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Steve Penland.

My name is Steve Pendland and my wife Judy and I live at 6457 Campbell Road in York County. We've been a small business Christmas tree grower for over 60 years and our farm borders the planned QTS expansion on Pam Road. You and I eat lunch at the Chinese buffet in York on Saturday. My fortune cookie at the end of the meal stated on Monday, seize the opportunity to make a positive impact on others. I hope that my comments will alert you to what the residents of Allison Creek and all of York County residents are thinking. I am very much concerned about the staff of our York County Planning and Development Services Department and the Economic Development Board. These entities are supposed to supply council members of detailed facts about developments that can guide the council in making the right decisions. They have failed miserably in the QTS data center project by not show sharing the enormous negatives of data centers versus the supposed possible benefits. Do not trust or take facts from the York County Planning Development Services Department or the Economic Development Board gives you concerning QTS without verifying data through outside sources that are not connected with the data center community. QTS will tell you that they have no plans to expand the their initial project, but the facts are contrary. They just spent $26 million purchasing the adjacent 400 acres and a preliminary site plan supplied by the US Corps of Engineers as drawing showing nine plants. This initial QTS data center project has destroyed the entire community of Allison Creek and the integrity of the York County Council. Further expansion of this data center will only do irreparable harm to the Allison Creek community in the entire

York County area. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Sean Sha Donahghue.

Good evening, council. My name is Shawn Donahghue. I live at 1542 Farmstead Road in the Alson Acres subdivision. My neighbors are here with us in red. My daughter's the one ignoring being loud in the back. I apologize, but I felt it was important that she was here so I can help put a face to this. Last time I spoke from the heart. This time I wrote something down to try to beat the clock. I appreciate you all taking the time to listen to me. I'm a lifelong York County resident. I grew up under the lights and smell of bow water. I understand what industrial development looks like. York County has already seen what can happen when industrial facilities impact residential communities. A paper mill site eventually became the subject of major lawsuits and settlements affecting thousands of nearby residents. That history should not be should remind us why it is so important to place industrial developments in the right locations. Like many others in this community, we are raising our children here. Even though many of us are not related by blood, we are a close community. We consider each other family. I am here tonight to speak about the QTS data center that is being built in reality in reality a residential community. I understand that on paper zoning may have allowed this project, but anyone who lives in the area knows that this is not an industrial zone. It is a neighborhood where families live, where people invested their futures and their homes. We live we live adjacent to this property and a reality of having this industrial scale development so close to where our children live and grow up is deeply concerning. Our children deserve to grow up in a safe, stable residential environment, not next to a massive industrial facility. This project creates a real concern about noise, traffic, safety, and long-term impact on their quality of life. It has created stress and uncertainty for my families and the families around me who simply wanted to build their lives in a

quiet residential area. There has also been a lack of transparency and true scale of this project. Multiple council members have stated there was just one building. We want to know we are not against growth. We're for responsible growth and growth that puts the right projects in the right places. Thank you sir. Thank you all. Rebecca Sichi.

Good evening. My name is Rebecca Sichi and my family lives in Allison Acres community in Rock Hill next to the little Allison Creek. I'm here coordinating with the York County Citizens for Responsible Growth Group, all wearing red. All right. I've reviewed the official York County data centers FAQ online. It addressed questions about tax revenue, zoning, infrastructure, and economic development. But there's one major omission. There's no meaningful discussion about human or animal health impacts. There's no section addressing long-term exposure to continuous mechanical noise. No analysis of low frequency vibration. No modeling of air quality impacts from diesel backup generators or systems while used during self-regulated emergencies. No discussion of light pollution and sleep disruption. No acknowledgement of long-term stress placed on families living nearby. This project is not in a remote industrial corridor. It's being built in a residential proximity in our backyard. You often speak about the financial benefits to the York to the school district. Strong schools matter deeply to all of us. But what message are we sending if we prioritize projected revenue while failing to fully examine potential health consequences for every for every family that those schools are actually serving? Econ economic growth that overlooks community well-being is not responsible growth. If this project is truly safe, then an independent, comprehensive health impact assessment should not be controversial. It should be expected before we move any further. Our community deserves clear, transparent answers about long-term health impacts, not just revenue projections. Protecting the people of

York County must come first. Thank you for your time. Thank you, ma'am. Um, Peter Sh has signed up. It looks like that's related to the Saluda Road resoning. So, I'll ask that you wait for the public hearing. Um, Julie Ferraro, council, just want to thank you for your time. My name is Julie Ferraro, Vanderlakes in York, uh, York County. Um my comments are generally about my concern for the additional 400 acres newly acquired by QTS on Parham Road. In case some do not know, QTS closed on an additional several parcels consisting of more than 400 acres located on Parahham Road in December of 2025. In looking further into this new site through some foyer requests, it was discovered there was a site plan submitted from the developer in November of 2025 for an additional nine more data center buildings. At the QTS public meeting on February 10th, 2026, there was no mention of the new parcels. At the breakout session for questions, the QTS acquisition reps were questioned several times about the new parcels, and they said they have no knowledge about any plans for the site and yet seemed shocked that we even had the information. They were shown a permit request, an email from ACOE to QTS, where QTS was approved a project name called CLT Providence site. They were also shown the actual conceptual site plans with the nine buildings that QTS submitted and potential plans to reszone the existing parcels to expand their site and the ACE expressed no objections to QTS proceeding with the res resoning. QTS continues to state they have no knowledge despite being provided this proof. The same information was provided to council members at the meeting who attended and they appear to have no knowledge as well. We implore the Council on Planning and Development to deny any further expansion of the current site and to deny resoning that would be required to build on most of the new lots that also have RUD and AGC zoning. We have thousands of new homes being built as well as a 93,000 foot

high school holding about 2600 students and a new elementary with about 900 students within a mile of the project. And for those abuing the project, their lives are a living hell, especially during many years of construction. Neighboring projects are are and will continue experience layers of dust loaded with unknown contaminants coming their homes, vehicles burnishing so bad they can't go outside without a mask. These contaminants will seep into the soil and water sources, vibration from blasting causing cracking foundation, structural issues, constant noise starting before sunrise, blinding lights so bad they need black out curtains. This is just a tiny picture of what the impacts of the years and years of construction. You cannot even turn on the news or look in social media and not see the continuing ma'am concerns. Thank you for your time.

Jerry and Judy Craig, it looks like that is the Highway 324 reszoning. So, I'm going to ask that you wait for the public hearing as well. Uh Scott Cookenower. Hey everybody. Scott Cooker now 122 West Oak Street in beautiful Whiteville Park neighborhood in downtown Fort Mill. So anyway, thanks for letting me speak in front of you tonight. The library was on there. So uh in district 7 in York County, we do not have a public library. So anyway, we are hopefully in the budget we can start anticipating a library in district 7. And as your planners will tell you, libraries deserve to be placed in the downtown district. So anyway, that's where we'd like to see a library placed in district 7 is in the downtown district of Fort Mill. Uh I saw some things from your workshop about the water. Um maybe looking at that in district 7, district 1. Um so that water line that runs up 21, y'all don't know this first two or three miles of it, there's supposed to be fire hydrants on that. There's not fire hydrants on it. So when we do update that system, let's make sure we get our fire hydrants placed uh where they're supposed to be along that line. And then if you look at the um town of Fort Mill uh map, we actually annexed a 15 foot strip down to the river. Uh Springs Industry, Springs Corporate used to draw water from you're heading south on 21 on the right hand side. So um town of Fort Mill annexed that. We looked into processing our own water. Uh this was 15 years ago. We ended up cutting a deal with Rockill Water Systems. So, um, just an FYI, I think it would be a nice opportunity to, uh, maybe, uh, uh, look at that again. I think that's a legal matter that's in one of those contracts that goes on and on and on forever, though. But anyway, there is, uh, there is access there to that water. If you look at the town of Port Mills map, that's on there for you. Um,

we did, uh, have a, um, continue education meeting the other night and Carolina thread trail was on there for us. So anyway, good discussion on the Carolina Thread Trail in District 7. We need a railroad bridge across the railroad tracks at Nation Ford, Carolina Lakes. Um that was something we tried 20 years ago, couldn't get it on. I think we are going to bring the Carolina Thread Trail through downtown Fort Mill because we already crossed railroad tracks there. And as of right now, TDK does not um participate in Carolina Thread Trail, but we did have discussions with Nick Coffin and Brett. They're going to talk about that for us and everything. So hey, thank you for your time. Thank you for everything you do.

Shirley Oats. Good afternoon. My name is Shirley Oats at 291 South Param Road and I've never spoken so I hope I can do this right. My main concern is with the data center. There's no information on how far that electromagnetic field goes. And there are people in the area that does contain and does have pacemakers, including myself. I'm also concerned with the pollution of people with asthma, lung problems and everything. It doesn't clear that up. It also does not give information on um how the electro electro magnetic field will interfere with other uh like emergency vehicles and what else will it bother because it can block if it can block a pacemaker and cause blink out with a pacemaker which I have and I'm not ready to go out of this world. I mean, I got a family, but uh it can cause it to stop. And that concerns me very much because there's a lot of people who do have pacemakers in the area, and there's a lot of people who have uh issues with lung problems and asthma, and I'm real kind of concerned. And then it's taking the animals homes and stuff, but um this is my main concern. What will it do with pacemakers and the health of the people in the community with the pollution with the asthma people and the people with COPD and lung issues where they can't breathe. So, uh just think about this and maybe put a stop on some of it. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Uh Amy Craig, Jonathan Williams, Brian Craig, um Teresa and Crystal Titchnel um all appear to be here to speak about the reasonzoning. So I'm going ask that you but we'll get to that shortly. I'll ask that you wait until then to speak and you won't we won't be limited in your time. Um, Carrie Bishop, Gary Bishop, Bonray Drive, Rock Hill. This is exactly like New Indie and Resolute. Industrial growth, residential growth, industrial not done correctly, whether zoning applies, I don't care. We don't have an smell for 20 years and then have it smell and think it's okay. I think it's some people's karma for QTS. That's all I'm going to say. But I think it's absurd to believe that QTS is getting a FO and turning around and paying it back in less than 10 years. That doesn't sound right. Exactly what you did with New Indie. No receipts for it, no nothing. Um, you know, I'm not surprised though when we have prominent local families like John Gettys Jr., Kathern Price, David Norman being welfare recipients of the county tax assessor and receiving discounts on the back end for rental properties and personal properties. and Christy Cox. Stay out of my taxes. Okay. I don't

Thank you, ma'am. Um, Jerry Wed, I know I'm I know I massacred that one. That's all right. I I didn't plan to talk. I didn't realize it was a list for speaking, but I will say since I have the opportunity, and I apologize. I have a little bit of pausy right now.

Uh, it's temporary, not catchable. Uh, wanted to say thank you to all the council people here tonight. I hope you're listening to everybody about the data center. I'm a veteran. First, let me just tell you I live at the Kmir Drive in um Summerhouse Paddler's Cove in Lake Wy and I've been a resident since 2018. Um, and all I like to say is as a veteran, a father, grandfather, and a concerned citizen of South Carolina that I don't feel like transparency or your upfront discussions with us have been open and fully transparent. And uh, I didn't know about a lot of things until just in the past couple months. And um that in itself lacks trust and confidence. And I hope uh all of you take a look at each other, our fa your families, our families, our community, and think about the actions. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, sir. Um the last individual to speak, Allison Ziggler, is here for the Highway 324. So we'll get to that public hearing in just a minute. That concludes our public forum session. We appreciate folks coming out and sharing um their concerns with the community and with the council. Uh we move now to our consent agenda items. Do we have a motion on that? Motion to approve. Second.

Motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Consent agenda is approved. And I'll I'll wait just a few minutes. We'll let the crowd clear out before we start with public hearing. All right, we'll move to our first public hearing item. This is a resoning action and hold a public hearing and consider first reading case number 25-48 tax map number 6520000006 through 22 to reszone from RUD to GC 611 acres in district 1.

Nulan long range planner. Good evening council. Uh so this property is off of Highway 160 and Dam Road. The intention is to reszone from RUD to GC. And the area in blue you saw was total partial area and red is what is actually being reszoned and it's to be commensurate with the uh zone at that corner there that's already been zoned GC. So uh the applicant's requesting to reszone this little sliver uh to improve the layout and function of proposed feeling station, convenience store, and car wash they intend to develop there. Uh this was also part of a resoning from January 2025 uh case 2454 um that got approval. So you can see there are lots of commercial zones and uses all along Highway 160. Again here in the hatched space is what is intended to be reszoned added to that GC space that's already approved. Again, lots of non-residential uses along Highway 160 and into TK's jurisdiction. Reach land use has this area for single family residential and neighborhood residential. Uh both of these designations uh have language for commercial uses at major intersections to help support neighborhood uses and the community. So, we recommend approval of this request with the condition that the property is uh properly subdivided so that there's no split zone created within 90 days of approval. Um, we see this is consistent as the with comp plan future land use map as again those non-residential uses are expected at major intersections when they serve the nearby community and residences. Um, and there are other commercial and non-residential uses along Highway 160. Planning Commission unanially voted for approval.

Thank you, sir. Any questions for staff before we open public hearing? Yeah, one quick question again. This was already um that section was already approved back you said in middle of 2025 correct in January 25. January 2025. And so I just so for my knowledge as I'm looking at this what is the difference? Is it just that sleeve of prop that additional sleeve? Yes. So that area in red would just be added to the GC zone. Okay. Which is highlighted in like drawn out in red. Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. Any other questions?

Uh just one question. I thought it was um is the condition necessary? I thought it was uh against ordinance now to subdivide a property and have split zoning occur. This condition is to amilarate that. Right. But I thought it was already against is it not in our ordinance? So if you mean the original language that says that you know we can't create split zone parcels, right? Yes. But this is part of that. This is part of that condition. This is part of that language. So this is how it's resolved within the resoning. Any other questions for staff?

Thank you, sir. Is there anyone here who wishes to speak against this resoning? Is there anyone who wishes to speak in favor? Move to close. Second. Motion and a second to close public hearing. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The public hearing is closed. Do we have a motion? Motion to approve. Second. Motion and a second. Any discussion? I'm sorry. Oh. Uh, do you do you need to add the condition to it? Isn't that written?

What's the condition? with a condition to add in the additional U sleeve or shield or piece of property next to it. Is the condition required? All right. It is. Okay. All right. Do we have a second to to amend the motion to approve as as conditioned? Second. Motion and a second. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed?

Hearing none. Motion carries unanimously. Our second public hearing item is resoning action. Hold a public hearing and consider first reading case number 26-01 tax map number 52800 047 to reszone from AGC to NC 2.2 acres in district 5.

So this project is near the intersection of Saluda and Highway 324. Again going to neighborhood commercial. Uh you can see this area is mostly pasture lands, halens, and otherwise homesteads. There is a commercial property that is centered right at the intersection. Uh here's the concept of what they were intending. Uh you can see it's a general retailer um with parking along the front and along the side of the building. So when we look at the zoning map, uh we see a lot of this area is zoned for AGC. Uh and again the area in blue is the total paral area and red is what is asked to be reszoned. See that small commercial property right at the intersection of 324 and Saluda. And this whole area is real residential according to the future land use map. So staff recommends denial of this request. Uh it's not consistent with the comprehensive plan future land use map. While there is language um to allow commercial districts to be placed at major intersections, this uh property is not contiguous with that commercial property at the corner. Um this kind of commercial development is not expected here among single family homes. If this is approved um or is recommended, staff recommends that following condition that the property must again be subdivided so as not to create a split parcel uh recorded within 90 days of approval. By unanimous vote, planning commission recommended denial.

Thank you, sir. Any questions for staff before we open public hearing? Rody, so we just saw the last property that had some residential and we're looking to make put some commercial close by that residential. This is pretty much the same. Go back to the the diagram, just it's just a little further from the intersection. So is the blue already commercial same as the last one? I'm sorry. So the blue is just showing the total parcel area. The request is only to reszone a sliver or a portion of the parcel that already exists.

Once that area is reszoned, they intend to bisect the parcel along the zoning lines. Okay, I'm good. Any other questions? Yeah, I have a quick question. This is Go ahead. Um, I know it's not zoned for commercial, but that uh those trailer storage and the little uh center block build I guess not a little center block building, but center block building that uh that's tied into the parking lot of the gas station. Is that not What is that? Is that commercial? Is that some storage yard neighborhood commercial?

It is. I don't know exactly what it is. Um certainly, you know, we are a complaint based uh community and county. If there it needs to be a code enforcement case to assess what's going on there, then you know because I know that it's fenced off from the property is attached to on the on the maps. So yes, it's it's Yeah. Okay. Anyway, I was just curious uh what we considered that. So if I'm looking at this right though, this is divided by rural development property, correct? Because it is not continuous. That's right. It's not contiguous. So that that little RUD kind of L-shaped one

sits between what is otherwise the neighbor commercial point right at that intersection and then yeah it's based out by that RUD. Thank you. What was staff's recommendation denial and it was a unanimous denial from the planning commission? Yes ma'am. Okay. Hearing no other questions we'll open public hearing. Um, is there anyone here who wishes to speak against this resoning? If if you're here to speak against the resoning, if you'll come forward and give your name and address um before you speak.

Good evening. My my name is John Craig. I live at 316 East Highway 324, which is directly across the street from the proposed property. Uh, and I do stand in opposition. I'm actually speaking for my uh aunt and uncle Jerry and Judy Craig whose name is listed. Uh we do stand against it. This is our residence. We've lived here. I've lived in this this place for 37 years. Um not quite ready for a any kind of a store right there. We have a convenience store right on the corner. We have another Dollar General that's 5 minutes down the road. Um we've seen some crime increased in the area because of those two things being placed. Um I've been in this again in this neighborhood. I know a lot of folks in this neighborhood. We've never experienced some of the things that's gone on with the added traffic because of it. Um, now the store on the corner is a commercial property. Uh, that's my uncle's store. Well, we weren't opposed to it. It's family property. It was actually built by my grandfather many, many years ago as his store. So, this was returned to family. This is all family land. So, bringing in something like this, a commercial residence, a commercial business building in there like this feels kind of like a violation. But we do stand opposed to it. We're not ready for this growth in our neighborhood. We're not ready for the added traffic. Our kids are here. My grandchildren are here. It's all I have to say about it. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Is there anyone anyone who wishes to speak against this? If you'll just come forward.

Good evening. Thanks for letting me come up here and talk. Uh my name is Peter Shance. I actually live right next door my home um where my wife and I and our three children live. Could you pull that tax map back up for me for a second if that's possible? So if you look directly to the left of that blue square, that home is ours. We bought it nine years ago. Um the neighbor right there, it's just a field when we When we bought the house, it was a AGC zoned. Um, which, uh, according to York County, uh, the land use promise, um, that's supposed to be for residential. It's not supposed to be for commercial. Um, we already have a commercial, uh, as the previous speaker said, we already have a commercial store right there at the intersection of 324 and Slooh Road. That's the High Cotton Convenience Store. Um, and that's been there for a long time. That's been there, I'm sure someone in this room knows better than I do, but that's been there over 50 years. So, AGC, you need a minimum of five acres. You you can't you can't subdivide AGC to less than five acres. So, I completely agree with this council's decision to deny to unanimously just deny this uh reszoning request because it just violates the zoning law because AGC uh 5 acres or less. That whole parcel right there is 7.5 acres. And I feel like the owner of that property is kind of trying to bypass zoning laws and try to trying to subdivide his land in kind of like a uh a clever way by saying, "Okay, well, we'll just zone it off and and you know, or we'll subdivide it off and try to reszone it in the process."

Anyways, I'm completely opposed to any sort of commercial business being right there. As you can see, my home directly to the left, a commercial driveway in a in a commercial parking lot, uh, is going to bring in, you know, it's going to bring in the public. It's going to bring in strangers. They're going to be having a direct line of sight into my backyard. Um, I work, uh, my wife and three children. They play in the backyard. I don't know who's going to be driving in into this proposed store that's and and looking and seeing my wife and kids back there and the way the world's getting. I just don't I don't want that. So, um I'm really thankful for the uh initial decision to deny uh the plans to reszone that commercial. And um it would also I know for a fact adversely affect the property values of my home and my neighbor's home. Um, according to a 2019 Clemson study, anytime you build, anytime you do a a switcheroo and turn residential into commercial, uh, especially for what I know that they what they want to build right there, it will the the direct the properties right next to it, all around it, like my home, it'll drop those uh, it'll drop the appeal of the property. Um, the real estate's not it's not as appealing when you have of a commercial center right next to it because everyone's thinking the same thing that I'm thinking. The public coming in out of there at night, you got headlights. It's if it's a store sitting right there, it's going to be headlights shining in our windows at night. We trying to put the kids to bed. You got all these windows honking, loud music thumping right next door. That's not a long distance away from my home. Like you can see the imprint of the of my actual home on that map. Um just imagine a little store that close to to

your house just popping up out of nowhere like that. Um litter, all sorts of litter probably flying out all over into my yard and the neighbor's yards. Um we do not want it and and again we're thankful for the uh the denial of reszoning this thing. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak against this resoning?

Yes. My name is Jonathan Williams. I'm at uh 283 East Highway 324. I'm one parcel over from where the proposed store building is. And I am opposed to this uh development happening there. Lived out there for 20 years. Uh, I love the country life. I like it the way it is as agriculture and I would love to see it stay that way. And uh, my grandfather, as my cousin said, had bought that land back in, I think, 1932 and he raised his family there. I'm enjoying the privilege of raising my family there free and clear of uh, any developments and everything. So, I would appreciate if y'all would keep that request as being against them building thing there. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Anyone else against? Is there anyone who wishes to speak in favor?

Good evening. My name is Greg Guger. I'm the applicant uh for this application. Um I'm uh my offices are located in Spartanberg, South Carolina. Uh we uh develop rural retail across the state of South Carolina and this has uh become a target area just like a lot of York County that you guys are experienc so so much growth um especially in your rural areas um that you continue to approve a lot of uh residential and you need services in those areas so that people aren't having to drive back into city centers back and forth. um and and increase traffic and and things. Um this will not increase a lot of traffic in this area though because we find that people don't drive out of their way to get to these stores. It services a local community immediately in this area. And we agree with your planning department. We target uh rural intersections to service the local community right there just like uh he was talking about. Um, we targeted this the intersection uh at on Saluda Road and found of course there's already already a gas station on one on one corner. Uh, Stony Fork uh creek goes right by this intersection uh I guess you'd say to the east um which makes most of the rest of that wetlands um and uh topo issues and not buildable. And so, uh, we start working our way, uh, you know, close to trying to stay close to that intersection and the commercial development that's right there. And so, we went, uh, west and, um, uh, the aerial was skipped over, but, um, one, we we found a site that does not have wetlands.

This is the this is the barrier of the site now. That would be the site. Everybody that's that's talked about it has been correct. It's field now. And we're taking just a couple hundred feet of it and hundreds of feet uh to the west would stay field. We're not asking for that to be reszoned. Um, but certainly I'll agree when you look at your zoning map, it does say residential, but I believe the house was built originally or the the it was a residence there that was the convenience store owner. And so it it the person that has that had that residence had a financial interest in the convenience store. And this is a picture of an aerial of what's right next to our site. This would be right here. These are the 18 trailers backed up against the fence that is already there and remain service. Looks like they service 18 here. Store is here on the corner. The residential house that is on the property is actually the house here that is furthest away um from our property line commercial use currently all the way around the site our site on that side. We try real hard to be good neighbors whenever we're a budding residential. Um and so even though it's a field to our west um now certainly a residential house could be built there in the future because of your zoning as well as we want to protect the gentleman that spoke and um we would do uh uh proper buffing um including a fence on our property to screen uh uh visibility as well as as uh

um a shopping bag that might get away or anything else that those types of things would stay on our property, but we want to be good neighbors. Um, directly across from the site is wooded. Um, I do recognize that there's some other residential houses um close to the site, but we'd like to service this community and um certainly we'll we'll work with the neighbors to mitigate anything that that that they have issues with. Um, my only other board here is to kind of show our site overlay the field. And this is this is the industrial or commercial or whatever you want to call it, the trucks um that were there when the historical aerial was done. The other picture that I took was done with a drone uh within the last three months. So all all of that uh truck activity is still there. I'm available for any questions.

Thank you, sir. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak before we close public hearing? Motion to close public hearing. Have somebody standing up.

Good evening, council. My name is Amy Craig and I live at 22 South Drive, York. And um some of y'all may know that I work in a similar field as y'all. So, I do not envy the position that you're in and the decisions that you guys have to make. But I am thankful that you're willing to serve your community. With that said, I'm here to speak in favor of the reasonzoning for the land because this is my husband's family that I've been a part of for many, many years, over three decades. And um with the passing of my father-in-law, which was already difficult, we would like to honor what he would want for our family. And um I have a child that will have to have assistance the rest of his life. And um as a mama, I just have to ask that y'all consider that too. And um that this is creating jobs and helping people that are along that main road. I know when I used to travel with I have five children. I know that it's hard, you know, when you don't have a place to stop and um you know, Dollar General, they have everything, you know, so um it would just be very convenient and just the fact that um this is what my father-in-law would want and um for his grandchild.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. My name is Allison Ziggler. I live at 1345 Methodist Park Road in West Columbia. My father was Edward Craig, the owner of the partial that's shown now. Um, when he passed away, all of that passed down to me and my siblings. Um, we didn't take this lightly whenever we decided to sub out this and sell two acres of the land. um still leaving five acres which would qualify for the agricultural um farmland that still would be remaining there. Um it's you know it was really a decision made so that we could help maintain the remaining part of the land. None of us live down there currently and we all have houses of our own. We all have our own upkeep that we have to do and the revenue that we would generate from this sale of this portion of land would help us maintain the land that's already there. Um, my father also has different things that are still out there that we're still responsible for and it's hard for us to get down there. So, this u would create that buffer that we would need to do that. And you know the other option is I have three other siblings. So, we all inherited this land. So, we could divide it up by four and make it residential and then that would be even less than the five acres that we're leaving remaining for agricultural land. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. My name is Brian Craig and I live at 22 Southbrook Drive and uh I come to speak tonight about this property like my sister who was just up here said uh this was my dad's inheritance of that land right there and he gave it to us and there there's there's four of us siblings and once you start splitting it up or trying to do this or that or whatever and then Like she said, the the decor general came to us and asked us about purchasing two acres of land. And we sat down and we talked about it and we discussed it and this that and the other. And for us and and my immediate family, it seems like that was our best option to reserve the other five acres of land. You know, to sell this portion and then we'd still have the other five acres to do whatever we needed and hopefully the revenue to do something with it. Thank you.

Thanks, sir.

Yeah, my name is uh Vince Amos. I live at 312 Skyway 324. Uh this my father-in-law here. And uh like they just said a minute ago. Uh none of them live there. And the revenue will help them. But I live there. He lives there. They have property there. He lives over there. That gentleman lives over there. He lives over there. He lives there. Uh, none of us are going to get any revenue from it. It's not helping any of us. We could drive four minutes down the road to the other Dollar General or six minutes into town to the other Dollar General. So, it just doesn't seem to make sense.

Thank you. Thank you, sir. Seeing no one come forward. Do we have a motion to close? Motion to close. Second. Motion and a second to close public hearing. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Okay. Give us another. Is there somebody else that wants to speak? Did I speak? Do we need to reopen? We need do we need to do anything procedurally to allow speaker? It would be best to reopen the public hearing. Do we have a motion to reopen? Motion to reopen. Second. Motion and second. All in favor of reopening say I. I.

All right folks, if anybody wants to speak, I don't mean to be rude. Let's let's make it happen this time. So, we aren't in the midst of closing the public hearing.

My name is Jay Craig. That property to the right of this belongs to me. my house and residence there. I rebuilt that convenience store back in 2000. And when I rebuilt that convenience store, I was told that uh when we got the land next to it, we had to have a 300 ft frontage, put anything on. Now, I understand the council's requiring 300 foot frontage. How are they putting it there without 300 foot? That's against the words, I would think. Right beside it, those trailers and all of some trailers that I had there doing my farming and material for the rebuilding of the store, there's never any commercial work done there. And behind it, that 7.38, that's my property, too, going up 324. See the one to the end of the blue and the red? That's mine. And I don't understand how they can put a commercial piece of property less than 300 foot of road frontage. I thought that was county. That's uh that's squeezing it in pretty close. So I I mean what's left from the red mark to the blue mark to my neighbor on the other side that looks to be 300 foot and he's got 300 foot. We all had to do 300 foot frontage to the road according to York County Council. Now, what happened to that roof? And how can he put this commercial right there? And he's probably about 85 foot short. So, I don't want to see it come because

they're going to take the money out of the community that my dad built that store back in 1934 according to Kerwood Chapel. That's a little bit before my time. And during the depression, he sold that and bought that farm up behind it to 125 acres, had four homes on it, and raised 16 kids. And I'm next to the youngest. This is one of the brothers here, and there's five of us left. And I don't think we'd like to see this right now. So, if you would, according to the ordinance of York County and the road frontage, I would ask that you turn this down.

Thank you. Thank you, sir. At this time, do we have a motion to close? Motion to close. Second. Motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carries. Do we have a new motion? Motion to deny. Second. We have a motion and a second to deny. Any discussion? Yes. I have a question. Um, sure.

Yeah. Um, since the gentleman mentioned the 300 foot road frontage, I want to get some clarification from staff. Is is that accurate that that would be required or is the current proposed location within or how does that the proposed location fall for the 300? Well, uh, as part of the rural zoning project last summer, council did reduce that road frontage requirement down, though, uh, that's a very recent change. So, the the so the current road frontage now that he's showing us, does that meet our new current requirements? Yes, as the proposed subdivision shows. Yes.

Okay. All right. I wanted to get that point out first. Uh, another thing that I wrote down was that I've been up here for quite a while. I've seen neighborhood commercial come. I've seen Dollar General's come in locations that neighbors say, "I live next to it. I live behind it. I don't think it'll work. It's a bad business decision." And I'll be the first to say we're not up here to decide what's the best business decision to make. And I always say um if it's not the right business decision, people won't stop in. People won't patronize it. People won't spend their money there. And the one of the most recent controversial Dollar General decisions we made was right on 161. We had a neighborhood subdivision come out right behind it. We don't want it there. We would like something a little more upscale. People not going to shop there. They shopping there. Plenty of people from the rural areas shopping at the Dollar General so they don't have to drive whichever directions to get to whatever the next location is. So I I I'll go on record and say my vote is not whether this is the best location for a dollar general. And I served up here with somebody who was for property rights for people who own the property. Because in my family, we have land that's going to be passed on. And we already know when parents or grandparents leave property, it's part of a investment package. It's part of an insurance situation. It's part of a financial contribution to kids, grandkids. And I'll assure you, if Mr. Chapel was sitting up here, he would say, "I'm not going to stand in the way of a family who is set to receive revenue or whatever they're going to get from it." And you know, we always hear

when someone's building a residential area or apartments or commercial, first thing people always say is traffic, crime, you know, but they're not legal experts. They're not financial analysts. They're not those type of, you know, it's emotional and these kind of decisions do split communities when you have people that whether they live there or own property there. But the individual who left this land to the family, I'm sure if he was still living, he would probably say, "I like to sell this to help sustain my family." And we've had several people come here that whether we oblige that request, but we don't want to I don't want to turn down a request based off somebody's emotion that we're going to see more crime. But just as the picture show, and I'm familiar with this area, the gas station on the corner, if those trailers are not being used, let's remove the trailers. If things are going on in the area now and we see commercial is not too far away from it and breaking off two acres for a Dollar General to go there and still having five acres to still meet possibly putting a home on there down the road makes perfectly good sense. Um Dollar General, whether you like it or not, they're popular stores in the rural areas. They have a rural area concept that I think is working well in York County. We've approved on my time here, I know we've approved at least eight Dollar Generals throughout York County in the rural areas. I'm not a particular Dollar General shopper, but somebody's shopping there because if they weren't, they wouldn't

be in business. And and as much as I like to support voting for this, supporting this family because there, like they mentioned, there are other properties that's left probably to the estate that they got to take care of and this can help that family. you know, how can we how can I sit here and say no, I don't want to allow a family a way to continue whether it's their dad's legacy, a family legacy to support their ongoing effort to sustain whatever it is they got to sustain. So, and I I don't think there's going to be enough support to do it, but I want to go on record to say I'll support it because I think the reasons that some of the neighbors have stated doesn't really hold weight in our decision making process. Um, I I I wish there was a opportunity because we've seen people work with the community and residential neighbors to make it a nice fit. But just because there's a Dollar General 5 minutes one way, 6 minutes the other way, that doesn't say we shouldn't approve it. Um, there's commercial on the corner. We just approved a property just in front of this. It was on the corner. commercial was in the area, but it was just contiguous. It was buted up against a piece of commercial. And I don't think it's a stretch to have a piece of commercial on on Saluda Road because there's passes. There's other commercial entities that we've heard of up and down Sal. I've traveled Chester Highway several times. I see it. And there's and if you pass this property going south towards us, there's a nicesized residential development that is sprung up that I guarantee you if they're not Dollar General shoppers now, if it's a Dollar General there, they'll be stopping in because they don't want to drive all the way to Chester. They don't want to drive all the way to Rock Hill. But like I

said, we're not here to decide what's the best business model for any company. I think our job is to to make sure that it's not invasive on other neighbors. And I don't say I don't see how we can say a Dollar General would be invasive to the neighbors here when that gas station was has been on the corner. I've stopped in that gas station. I've gotten gas there. So to say that commercial doesn't fit the area, I don't think that will hold water because we see a gas station there. U we see other commercial along Chester Highway. And and to the family, I I wish you well, but I don't think there's going to be enough votes to to get it. But I'll say it's not being turned down because it's not a it's not right. It's being turned down for other reasons that uh I wouldn't support, but I I will support with a yes vote, even though I don't think it's going to pass. So,

Madam Chair, I'll try not to state what's already been stated. Karen, can you go back one slide, please?

Thank you. So, I'm for property rights as well. Um, but I also also have to be consistent with how I vote and how I assess situations. So, what I've tried to do consistently, I think all the way back to 2023, I've done this. But you see you've got neighborhood commercial in pink and then right beside it, you have the light color, which is rural development. Rural development has some defined uses, right? And I I'd have to go out there and look at this. I'm just looking at the aerial like everybody else. But next door is AGC. So what I haven't done is I haven't been inconsistent to my knowledge in voting to reszone something that doesn't touch what you're trying to resone. So to me, the L-shaped rural development, you see the light green, whoever owns that might ought to try to get that one neighborhood commercial. And then the one next to it might get voted neighborhood commercial as well. But I can't I can't hop over RUD because I haven't voted that way and I want to be consistent and I am a big believer in property rights. I'll just leave it at that. But I I can't support it tonight either.

You discuss Go ahead. I support a Dollar General there. I think it it makes sense. It's near the uh commercial facility, you know, the gas station and store that's on that corner. I drive this road several times a week. I mean, I don't But, you know, Dollar Generals, they, as it's been said, they get a lot of use. And I bet this one would get a lot of uh shoppers in there.

I'm looking at this map. They're talking about uh, you know, skipping over zoning or whatever. I mean, I see light industrial all over the place. This RUD is just in the middle of a whole bunch of AGC. You know, I really think it would be a good spot. It's near to the intersection. I think I would be okay with it. Um, but as we've already discussed, it's not going to make it tonight. Um, but I don't have a problem with it.

So, I also do support property rights, but I think in this situation, again, being consistent, you've got um with uh rural development in between here, the continuous, if this was continuous, I think there's another discussion that would occur here. But again, because this is rural development. Again, you're also butdding up against AGC2. This is a very country area. So, I think that um in this case here, again, I'm not going to support it tonight, but those are my reasons behind it. And so, thank you.

Another discussion. I'll just make a brief statement in that um I also believe in property rights but we also have to um abide by our current comprehensive plan which um we will be making some changes to that. uh this is not covered in uh AGC and it's very important that we maintain that um uh it's just it it's hard to not vote for this for the family but um I have to stay with the comprehensive plan.

All right. Um so this is my district and Yes, there are times where making these decisions is no fun because I know that the owner of the property, Amy and Brian, I know them personally. They are very good people. I I think the world of them. Um and and I think what I'm sympathize with the position that they're in. Um, I have I struggle with these decisions, but what I have to do is to go back to to what I promised the people when I ran, and that is when when I'm making decisions to be consistent. In this particular case, um, the thing that does distinguish this, and I'm very much pro property rights, too. But under this situation, the property is not allowed to put that use there. It would have to be reszoned to allow it. And the question then becomes under what circumstances is a reasonzoning uh make sense. And the way that I've approached these decisions is to look at the comprehensive plan and the other the one that was before us it was not consistent with the comprehensive plan. I mean it was consistent with the comprehensive plan. This one is not. And the reason why the comprehensive plan is important to me is because that's the time when the community comes out and says hey this is this is the input we're giving you. This is when we make the decisions. This is where we think a neighborhood commercial area should go. This is where we think it shouldn't go. Um I will say that um comprehensive plan is coming up for a 10y year review. I think we're actually kicking it off this year. Um and it will be happening next year. And what I would encourage folks like this to do is to talk with the community to get out there because it does there is some you know potential for a greater neighborhood commercial. But at that point um the community would have some say. So at this point um I cannot support the resoning and support the motion for um denial. All those in favor of the motion to deny say I.

I. Those opposed. I. Motion carries 5 to two. Uh we do have a third public hearing tonight. Uh reszoning action. and hold a public hearing and consider first reading case number 26-2 tax map number 54300 00004 5 and 18 to a reasonzoning request to reszone from UD to GC 7 acres in district 6.

Yeah. So these properties at the intersection of Old York Road and Hinsmill Highway. Uh again, it's these three separate properties, these two parcels that are directly associated with the highway and then one parcel behind both of them just outside Rock Hill. Uh so proposes to build a commercial development including a grocery store retail and two commercial out parcels again utilizing the larger parcel that's off the roads uh for the larger retail space. Uh this area sees a lot of commercial development centered along the intersection. Um, in fact, the two properties just to the south of it were recently reszoned to general commercial with case 2528. U, that was September of 2025. And our feature land use map reflects this. You see this is all within the community center um with that those underlying uh residential designations that are looking for neighborhood servicing commercial businesses to support the neighborhoods around them. So given that it's consistent um and it's contiguous with the neighbor neighboring commercial property um we'll see it'll remove some residential access points from the highway and remove instances of the legacy UD district by unanimous vote. Planning commissioner recommended approval.

Thank you sir. Any questions for staff before we open public hearing. Can you go back to the um map? Yeah. If y'all got a question I just wanted to have to look at this again. Any other questions? All right, we will open the public hearing now. Is there anyone here who wishes to speak against this resoning? Is there anyone who wishes to speak in favor? Motion to close public hearing. Second. Motion and a second to close public hearing. Do we have any discussion on that?

All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? No. Public hearing is closed. Do we have a new motion? Motion to approve. Second. Motion and a second. Any discussion?

Yeah, I'll start this one off. You know, there's a lot of traffic issues in this area. Um during the previous reasoning, we talked about curb cuts and uh what that will do in this with the traffic and the turns. So, while I agree with the reasonzoning, I am hesitant about it just because of the curb cuts and uh that's my hesitation with that. Um I'll chime in right quick since this is in my district. Um so, you do have general commercial next to this. So, makes sense for all three properties to reszone. As a result of the conversation you just mentioned a few minutes ago and the developments taking place on 161 uh where the neighborhood targets going in, um we in economic development committee initiated small area corridor and collector road study to be done specifically in this area. Um so, and we're doing that for this reason because there is a lot of development taking place in this area. the horse has kind of gotten out of the barn and we feel like we need to get ahead of it quickly so that we can control some of this traffic. Uh so that work staff has already completed some of this preliminary work and hopefully we're going to have in the budget some funding to really get serious about uh visionary planning in York County, not just 161274 or the south side of Rock Hill, but in all of our districts.

C can I ask just one question? I know you you just mentioned and you motioned for an approval, but is all of this going to get ahead of your small area plan and mess it up? It's my understanding that this is years out, so I think we may be okay. Okay.

But, you know, not to talk out of school, but what we've somewhat talked about on council is um attempting to get infrastructure in place before the development comes. And so what I'd like to do, and this impacts Tommy as well because this is somewhat it's across the street from his district, is that those that are creating the development should probably help pay for some of the infrastructure that needs to go in place for the development. Right? So I think those are the pieces we'll be dealing with as we look ahead at the consequences of development so that we can develop unincorporated York County in a very intentional and mature way, I guess. And just just to jump in there in terms of the timing of a plan, you always wish you would have done a plan five years ago and I and I think there's a continuum, but at some point you actually got to go do the plan.

And so we at the point where we need to go do the plan. There is some development that's coming in, but but I would not say hold off or or or make any drastic decisions because there's not a plan. I would just said this is why we do plans and we got to do more planning. Good point. Thank you. I just had a quick question. Is I see in in our executive summary it says grow grocery store. Is that uh food line I believe. Okay. So proposal grocery store. Okay. Gotcha. Any other questions, comments? All those in favor of the motion say I. Post.

Motion carries. We do not have any old business tonight. We do have some new business. counts to consider initiating a resoning pursuant to York County Code ordinances 1551 1137A1 to reszone 184 parcels located within three existing town home communities within council district 7 as listed in exhibit A from the residential mixed 20 RMX 20 to the residential mixed six RMX6 zoning district in order to eliminate their existing use nonconformity. We have a motion. Motion to approve. Second. Motion in a second. Any discussion?

So, the purpose of this is to Did RECODE put this out of compliance and and Yeah, I'll let I'll let our planning director speak to that.

Uh, yes, Madam Chair. So with the changes from the code update 2022, uh council put all uh town homes and uh multif family properties allowed by right in RMX6 only, but there of course uh properties out there that were already developed with those uses that were not in the correct zone. Uh so this is part of the long-term project to bring all of those properties into the new RMX6 district. Uh there is some uh limitations for folks that uh if they want to put accessory structures in that not having the correct zoning district might complicate for them or um if there's a financial interest they might some parties might have a concern that they not in the correct zoning district. So that's the reason

how many properties are we talking about? Uh, so this list is 184, but I mean the So these are town homes, so that's why the number is so high because they're all sublots, right? So it's really just three town home communities, but Okay. Yeah, I got you. I I misstated. I wanted to know exactly where this was located. So that was Do you have the locations?

Yeah. Uh you should in in your your packet have uh the map the vicinity. So it's three town home communities. Don't know what the names of those are but they're on Hill Road, Chel Chelton Road, Hton Lane, Alderman Lane, Heritage Parkway. Those three uh town home communities in close proximity to one another. Okay. Any other questions or discussion? All right. Um the motion to approve obviously needs to go forward. We can't have the all of these parcels, you know, in non-conformity. It still uh concerns me that we're four years out of recode and we're just now getting parcels realigned with what they should have been and that by doing the recode, we've put them out of out of compliance. That continues to bother me and um not sure how many more of these to go. I

I would like to ask a question. Have have the property owners been notified specifically about the need to do this? Are they aware of this? So by ordinance this uh vote of initiation is the first step in the process. The next step in the process is to notify by certified mail all the affected addresses. Right. Um I would say please make sure you

provide very detailed explanation. Otherwise we're going to have 184 people here asking what's going on when it's really an innocuous thing. And that's another problem I have with Rico. Please make sure that y'all communicate that have a community meeting because I'm sure folks aren't they're going to want to know what's going on and that be spelled out in a way they can understand. Can I just ask one question quickly? So, does this count as a first reading or is this just initiating it and then we're going to do three more readings for this? That's right. So, it's initiation expressing council's interested in reszoning the properties and then I'll start the normal process. Planning commission three readings. Okay. Yeah. We've gone through this and my district a few different spots.

That's right. All those in favor of the motion say I.

I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carries unanimously. Item number two, a new business council to consider first reading of an ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of a development agreement by and between York County, South Carolina and Clover School District. Number two, both political subdivisions of the state of South Carolina for the development of two schools and a pertinent facilities and for mitigation of traffic impacts derived there from on tax map parcel 4880011 comprised of 172.42 42 acres on Cannibal Run and Liberty Hill Road West pursuant to the South Carolina local government local government development agreement act to provide for public hearings and to provide for other matters relating there too. Is there anything that that management or staff wants to talk say before we move? I would just say, you know, thanks to staff. I know assistant county manager Tom Couch, our county attorney, Michael Kendry, and our plan director, Jonathan Bono, have worked hard with Clover School District to to work this this through the process. I think it's been a good process. We've we've worked hard with Clover School District as they've developed their two new schools, whether that be connecting the water and sewer lines, whether that be through the development agreement or just helping uh helping address barriers as we face them. So, it's it's been it's been good work from staff and I wanted to recognize that. Uh we're here to answer any questions y'all might have about this agreement, but this really is to to finalize uh the last pieces of of what the school district is working on.

Motion to approve. Second. Motion, a second. Any discussion?

All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carries unanimously. We do have one committee um justice and public safety committee uh to have a report out from Chairman Tommy Atkins. All right, let's see. Justice and Public Safety Committee meeting was held on Wednesday, February 25th, 2016. Myself and Council Member Wattsby were present. After final review, we referred the EMS ordinance to the full council for consideration. We reviewed the recommendation from staff on boards and commission. Members conduct required a proposed ordinance should be on the March 16th count council agenda for consideration. The committee will readress the term limits and appointment process of the boards and commission members at the next JPS committee meeting. That's all. Thank you, sir. We do not have any citizen concerns. Do we have any council member new non-aggenda comments before we go into executive session?

Is that my cue? Go ahead. I just want to say real quick, congratulations to South Point High School on winning the upper state championship on Saturday. The boys advanced to the uh state championship with a win over Langster. uh remind everybody Langster beat them last year to go on to the state and so they kind of uh avenged that loss from last year. So u South Point's playing in Colombia at at one of my great schools USC this weekend. Um they're playing North Augusta. So wished them well. Um I'll do the announcement over there, the sports announcement for football and basketball. So I'm kind of joined at the hip with the Stallions now even though I went to Northwestern but I'm I'm all in with the Stallions. So congratulations. Anyone else?

Sure. Real quickly, um I want to thank the staff for putting the FAQ out Friday night on QTS. I'm not on social media, but somebody sent me your post, uh kind of the summary of what took place. That was interesting to read. It was a good reminder of what had taken place. So, I just encourage the public to go online, go to the county's website and look at the FAQ associated with QTS because that will answer some of the questions that you may not be aware of based on the comments that were shared tonight. Um, other than that, thank you. Um, go ahead.

I just want to quickly thank staff, um, especially at the convenience centers, uh, say how good they are, um, how friendly they are. They do a great job out there. I don't get to interact with very many county staff, but every time I go to a convenience center, they are great. They're out there helping and uh I just want to to thank all those uh hardworking people that are out there when it's cold and rainy and every other time and they're uh they're always doing a great job of it and uh I hope to interact with more county staff so I can keep giving accolades. So excellent.

Okay. Um, so as we have new businesses coming in, new types of businesses, um, or existing businesses, again, our due diligence is critical for the safety of our our public. So, as we move forward, again, safety first, no matter whether it's a new business or existing business, and we keep our due diligence there. Just a general statement. Um, the second thing is I do want to do a shout out also to for the safety of our military um, as they're going through what's happening at this point. So, thank you.

Okay. We had um some issues in the Regent Park area on water and I did want to u make the statement so that uh folks will know that it truly was not a water main issue that there was a power failure that impacted a York County server that controls the flow of water at a booster station. Uh this caused a water tank to empty in the Regent Park neighborhood of unincorporated Fort Mill. Once the server resumed communication to the booster station, the issue was resolved. The water quality and safety were never impacted and so no boiled water advisory was needed. Um I just want to say that uh the staff uh as soon as this they were made aware of it. What it was just they did a great job of um reacting to this and getting uh this resolved. the um the only thing that we're having a bit of a breakdown on is the communication where people are notified of okay it's going to be fixed in an hour or whatever and there was a no water boil issued on this. So, if anyone's listening out there, and I will place this on uh Regent Park Facebook page, please get uh your information in um you should have been given a number on your in your water bill and so go there and put all your information in and that goes for anybody in the county because therefore you will be notified when there's an issue. So that's very very important and I think we're getting

a new update on the system pretty soon. We we've bought a new system to notify we're in the process of moving people's contact information from one system to the new system.

Uh so yes uh we're we're excited about the new system. It is it is much better and more consistent. And so in some instances we found that the current system is not pushing the messages through to everybody. U some of it's due to phone numbers as you shared as well as some inconsistencies. So that's why we went out and bought a new system and we're excited about using that but we're still transitioning phone numbers over. So we should be ready. Uh again I I appreciate you uh and appreciate you sharing that. Uh I think it's important uh that we we continue to communicate better and I'm committed to doing that. And in this instance, we tried and not everybody heard and and I apologize and this new system will help with that. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Um I'd like to end right on what Tom said there for a military, but like take it a little further in the fact that really no matter what stress and whatnot we think we under, there's always somebody a lot worse on. And we need to pray for a lot of folks. Exactly. All right. Thank you'all. Do we have a motion for executive session?

Uh yes, we do. uh receipt of legal advice, legal matters, litigation update, personal matter, uh chief financial officer, uh personal matter, contractual matter, county attorney, and then lastly, receipt of legal advice, contractual matter, retention of special legal counsel, advice council. Second motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. We will move straight into executive session.

We are out of executive session. No action was taken. Do we have any motions? Yeah, one motion. Uh motion to create and fund a full-time employee position entitled chief financial officer/financial director as discussed in executive session. Second. Motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carries. I'm sorry. Any other motions? Motion to journ. Second. Motion in a second. All in favor say I. I. We. We. We. We. We. We. We. We. We. We. We arejourned.