York County residents speak at Fort Mill planning meeting

Residents in and around Fort Mill want public infrastructure to keep up with the residential growth they’re seeing – if the growth has to continue.

About 70 people added their voices March 25 to a county comprehensive plan update. Planners are putting together the latest form of a document that helps guide land use, zoning, transportation and other decisions. Issues arising at the Springfield Middle School public meeting last Wednesday weren’t surprises to planners. High traffic and increased residential building were common issues, but residents also offered input on specific issues like which hospital should build in Fort Mill.

Charles Garrison and his son Chuck were among many concerned with traffic. Charles is a resident just outside town limits for more than seven decades.

“They need to put a moratorium on building,” Garrison said.

His home on U.S. 21 can bottleneck easily, and more building isn’t going to help, he said.

“Too much traffic already,” Garrison said. “You can’t get out unless somebody lets you out.”

Resident Linda Ferrel said there wasn’t any one issue like traffic or utility service that brought her to the meeting. It was the common denominator behind all of them.

“It’s just growth – unbridled growth,” she said. “It’s overall because it’s all over the county.”

Ferrel said she’s not sure county decision-makers listen to residents when growth decisions are made. Several town and county leaders joined planners Wednesday at the meeting to discuss issues with residents. A common concern, and one elected and public officials say is being addressed, is the relationship between Fort Mill, Tega Cay and York County.

The municipalities don’t have jurisdiction over one another, but face similar issues that cross borders like school enrollment, fire protection and utility service.

Tega Cay resident Michael Kazak serves on a committee part of the comprehensive plan update. Kazak said parts of the county have unique interests – the Fort Mill hospital didn’t come up at a Lake Wylie meeting, and a Clover rock quarry never came up in Fort Mill – but there are themes in feedback from residents.

The comprehensive plan applies to all of York County, so residents may have differing opinions on development and other issues based on what their communities are experiencing. Allison Love, transportation manager, said the update is a good opportunity to say what is or isn’t wanted in specific spots of York County.

“This allows you to say, if you want density, where do you want it?” she said. “If you want commercial development, where do you want it?”

Ben Hudgins and Chris Wolfe, both members of the planning commission in Fort Mill, looked over resident input last Wednesday. There are limitations on what either the town or county can do to limit growth, as leaders also have to maintain property rights for landowners. But a consensus like the one presented Wednesday is helpful.

“Get involved,” Wolfe said. “We need that.”

Kazak works in land planning, in addition to his role on the committee. He’s seen efforts in other areas where communities beg for public input. Residents here don’t need arm-twisting, which Kazak sees as a strength of the area. And reason why future planning is so important.

“They genuinely care about the place where we live,” Kazak said. “They genuinely care about where we are and where we’re going.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2015 at 3:22 PM with the headline "York County residents speak at Fort Mill planning meeting."