The latest on a Rock Hill homebuilding moratorium, and what comes next
A residential building moratorium in Rock Hill is past another step, a month ahead of the big one.
The city planning commission voted Tuesday night to recommend the new home moratorium to Rock Hill City Council. Council gave initial approval last month, which treats the moratorium as if it’s already in place. A second Council vote, set for Jan. 10, would finalize it.
“The moratorium would be in effect from then until six months after that,” said Leah Youngblood, city planning and development director.
Youngblood offered two reasons for the moratorium on Tuesday night. There have been many home and townhome subdivision requests in recent months, she said. Some of the existing standards for development, she said, don’t reflect the intent of Council.
The planning commission held a public hearing, but no one from the community spoke.
The intent of the home moratorium is to allow city staff time to review and potentially change any development standards that steer growth in the city.
“It makes sense, as fast as we’re growing, to kind of take a breath and make sure we’re all on the same page about what our development standards need to be,” said planning commission member Keith Martens.
The moratorium does allow a developer to bring a sketch plan to Council, and Council the ability to allow projects to move forward if members desire.
“I also like that they’ve given themselves the opportunity to still review things while the moratorium is in place, so we’re not missing out on big development opportunities,” said planning commission member Shelly Goodner.
Planning commission member Nathan Mallard said parts of the moratorium could be a bit of an overreach by council, but perhaps it’s a necessary move. He had initial concern with which projects, and why, council could choose to take up while others had to wait.
“Maybe I’m reading too far into it,” he said.
He did note no one spoke against the plan Tuesday night, in factoring his decision.
The moratorium wouldn’t impact projects approved prior to it, additions to an existing residence, accessory buildings on an existing residence or remaining lots on a largely built-out subdivision.
