Traffic chief among concerns cited with huge Fort Mill development

Residents point to traffic — existing and expected — as the main reason why Fort Mill Town Council shouldn’t approve a development agreement for more than 700 acres at Spratt Street and Fort Mill Parkway.

But, said the property developer, it could be worse.

“It’s hard to argue with emotion,” said Hank Burney, representing former U.S. Rep. John Spratt who owns the land. “If you take emotion out of it, the fact is you’ll have less traffic.”

Burney argues the property, largely zoned light industrial now, would support 9,000 jobs if it isn’t rezoned or annexed into Fort Mill. Those 9,000 jobs would create more than 27,000 daily one-way trips on local roads. Because there would be no homes, all those new trips would be to and from work at greater distances than what he and Spratt propose.

“You can guess what kind of vehicles it’s going to be,” Burney said. “It’s going to be 18-wheel trucks.”

If the property is annexed into Fort Mill and rezoned for mixed use, it would become a blend of homes, multifamily residences and commercial space. Up to 2,900 new residences would create more than 24,000 new one-way trips. With shops and places to work within the development, many of those trips wouldn’t leave the overall development.

Residents, though, had a different take.

Joey Bates, at the corner of Brickyard Road and Spratt Street, doesn’t need new traffic projections to create concern.

“It’s not built to handle the cars that it gets now,” he said.

Resident Will Head, here 14 years, agreed.

“Traffic on Spratt Street has gotten out of control,” he said.

Residents speaking out against the plan at a June 13 hearing ranged from those generations deep in Fort Mill, to others like Steve Goudy who recently moved from northern Virginia. Almost all of them bought up traffic impacts with the proposal.

“I know what traffic is like, and I don’t want to see it happen here,” Goudy said.

Bobby Woodson, a Fort Mill resident more than three decades, called the proposal “irresponsible.” He and others argue the impacts to existing Fort Mill residents should carry weight in the decision.

“We don’t owe anything to developers or to influential politicians, but we do to our existing constituents,” he said.

Chris Bott said traffic, demand on schools and overall quality of life are important factors. Approving so many new homes there would be “reckless and obtuse,” he said.

“Since when did the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many?” Bott said.

Not all comments were specifically related to traffic.

Al Rogat of Fort Mill focused on the existing zoning for much of the property, which allows for business rather than residential use. Town leaders say they want more business, and the property already allows it.

“This town needs more light industrial than it needs houses,” Rogat said.

Mike Maynard wanted to see bicycle and pedestrian lanes as part of any new approval, while Michael O’Brien was most concerned with what type of homes would be built if the town approves the plan.

“It’s more so what those homes will look like and how it will define the community,” O’Brien said.

Beyond traffic, Burney said light industrial land use would involve mass grading and flattening of much of the land to allow for warehouses and large trucks. Homes and businesses placed strategically throughout, he said, could avoid those issues.

“You’re looking at a mass graded, denuded site,” Burney said.

Council, the developer and residents all agreed on one point — the property is critical to Fort Mill both historically and moving forward. The Spratt family has ties to the land dating back past the Revolutionary War.

“Historically,” said Mayor Guynn Savage, “you might consider this land the birthplace of Fort Mill.”

Some Council members stressed they, too, are long-time residents of Fort Mill. While their vote Monday to give initial approval to the plan isn’t what many residents wanted, Council members believe all involved are looking toward the same prize — what they believe is best for Fort Mill.

“We are being asked to make decisions that affect us, too,” Savage said.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Traffic chief among concerns cited with huge Fort Mill development."