An age-targeted subdivision planned in one of Fort Mill’s established neighborhoods
More age-targeted homes could be built between several long-time Fort Mill neighborhoods and subdivisions.
Developers Design Resource Group and Land Investment Resources want to build a 19-house “age-targeted” subdivision called Patterson Pond on West Hensley Road, according to plans submitted to the town. The 8-acre site is just off North Dobys Bridge Road, filings show.
The town planning commission will review the developer’s plans Tuesday.
Age-restricted homes limit home ownership to seniors. Age-targeted homes are meant to appeal to seniors, but don’t have specific rules against younger owners.
There are several changes from the initial sketch plan submitted last year. The number of homes has been reduced from 24 to 19 and open space has more than doubled to about 3 acres. The new plan combines also combines an existing field pond and a new runoff pond into one large pond, according to the filings.
The June 2020 sketch plan also showed one entrance off Hensley, with a road that split into two cul-de-sacs. That setup remains largely unchanged. About half of one of the cul-de-sacs will front the larger pond area.
More neighbors
Infill projects, or building a subdivision on property between established neighborhoods, have become popular in Fort Mill. For example, what was once one home on about 30 acres is now a 100-home subdivision at Kimbrell and North Dobys.
Patterson Pond, documents show, is between homes on Heritage Court, and the Friendfield and Savannah Place subdivisions.
Fort Mill has more than four times the residents today than it did when Heritage Court and Friendfield homes were built in the 1970s.
Homes in McKendry, just across Dobys from the site were built in the early 2000s, about the same time as Savannah Place.
Some homes along Hensley are even older. Many don’t show a year of construction on county records. At least one home on Hensley, at the entrance to the new project, was built in 1940.
Homes on Heritage, many on Hensley and some along the edges of Friendfield are still unincorporated York County.
Age-targeted subdivisions
In addition to providing more homes for seniors, age-restricted or age-targeted neighborhoods also have gained popularity in recent years in high-growth areas of York County. It’s one way developers are trying to limit growth impacts. Seniors typically don’t have children enrolled in the school district.Retirees also are less likely to contribute to rush hour traffic.
Fort Mill has had to manage residential growth in the Dobys Bridge corridor due to traffic problems. In April, town council voted against a plan for 267 homes on 195 acres on South Dobys Bridge Road because of traffic congestion issues.
Council initially turned down Crossroads project, a large residential and commercial development, at Dobys and Williams Road. The residential piece is now for seniors, a key selling point for developers during the approval process this fall.
This story was originally published November 16, 2021 at 1:22 PM.
