Camp cabins, water tower, driver training expansion? All could come to York County.

The holidays aren’t slowing development plans in York County, with everything from camp cabins to road training to church and home projects on the table:

▪ Camp Thunderbird leaders met with county staff in November to discuss possible improvements at the Lake Wylie camp. Talks included the replacement of three cabins and building both a pool house and small conference center. Camp Thunderbird sits on Lake Wylie just beside the River Hills subdivision, offering year-round camps and outdoor education classes.

▪ A new training facility is proposed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation at 289 Hands Mill Highway. The almost 14-acre site is right beside one of two Department of Motor Vehicles sites in York County, at 305 Hands Mill in Newport. State transportation officials met with York County planners Nov. 17 to discuss a site and building plan, along with permitting. The existing DMV is a little more than six acres.

▪ Tega Cay asked for and received a public service use zoning from York County for almost 13 acres off New Grey Rock Road. It’s part of the planned Catawba Park. Clear Springs Baxter owns the property where multipurpose fields will be built. The larger park will be 61 acres and include a variety of sports fields and courts, trails and some access to the Catawba River.

▪ York County leaders are looking for a deal at Ross Dress for Less, which could have a big impact on water service in Fort Mill. The county wants to build a 1.5 million gallon elevated water storage tank. It’s needed, per the county staff recommendation to York County Council, “to meet future storage and pressure demands” in the area.

Council approved a right of entry agreement with the Fort Mill area company allowing county staff and consultants to survey an almost five-acre portion of the nearly 30 acres Ross owns along Central Carolinas Parkway.

“Once the site is proven viable, the county will enter into a purchase agreement,” reads the county recommendation.

The survey work will be complete by the end of January.

▪ The owners of Fort Mill Ford are looking to rezone their almost 10 acres at Gold Hill Road and I-77 from light industrial to business district. The current zoning doesn’t allow for auto sales and service, though the company can continue operating since it predates the zoning. Any future expansion of the business wouldn’t be allowed. The new zoning gives the business that flexibility. No plans for expansion were presented to the county as part of the request.

▪ Crescent Communities is ready to move forward with a slightly larger plan for Summerhouse at Paddlers Cove. The owner is asking for 170 homes in the first two phases, two more than were approved back in 2014. Lots will average .22 acres, with more than 13 acres of tree conservation and almost 24 acres of open space. Internal connections within the Lake Wylie development will be improved to connect to sites nearby. Paddlers Cove sits along Crowders Creek, beside where plans are underway for a new community sports park.

▪ Forest Hill Church at 2099 Carolina Place in Fort Mill is looking to add a new storage building on site. The church site, purchased in 2012, is about nine acres between I-77 and Pleasant Road.

▪ A townhome development is proposed south of Regent Parkway in Fort Mill, just before the county line. B&C Land Holdings bought more than 15 acres there almost two years ago for $855,000. The site is bordered by Regent Parkway and Sugar Creek, across from the Stafford Oaks subdivision.

Separately, the third phase of Catawba Village Townhomes in the Fort Mill area is in the works. The project is southwest of Altura and Elders Story roads.

▪ Village at Ivy Ridge and Ivy Ridge are still working through their approvals for townhome developments in Lake Wylie. Five parcels are involved at 4545 Charlotte Hwy. and 174 Bonum Road. Salisbury, N.C.-based Rameses Development bought all but three of almost 35 acres on Nov. 23. The site is just east of Hamiltons Bay.

▪ A used car lot is proposed at 3008 Hwy. 21 in the Fort Mill area. The property was purchased in May for $475,000. It sits east of the highway, at Garrison Farm Road.

▪ Lakemont Property Investors wants to build a new commercial road and extend county utilities within Lakemont Business Park. Less than an acre of right-of-way is needed at Lakemont Boulevard and at the end of Steel Point Drive. The proposed road would be called Kings Ridge Drive. It could allow for “future parcel creation and development” within the business park, according to county documents.

▪ The county zoning board of appeals recently deferred a request for a public service use at 14 Cove Road in the River Hills subdivision of Lake Wylie. Carolina Water Service owns the property and wants to construct a submersible wastewater pumping station to replace a failing lift station on site. The current lift station was built in 1971 and serves 99 homes. The property is surrounded by homes and the River Hills golf course. Setback and planting variances are being requested, too.

▪ The Lidl grocery store coming to 1740 Pleasant Road will have 60 fewer parking spaces than initially planned. The property owners asked for and received a variance from the county to provide 180 spaces, instead of the 240 the county typically requires for a store its size. The planned store between Pleasant, RPC, Coltharp and Isom roads will be 35,962 square feet.

▪ The owners of 3519 Pleasant Road are looking for a county variance to split two land parcels allowing them to demolish one home and construct two new ones. The overall site is less than four acres.

▪ The county zoning board of appeals denied a request by TitleMax in Fort Mill for a 25-foot high sign. County code only allows signs 8.5 feet high. The site at 3672 Foothills Way sits just went of the southbound on ramp at I-77 and is surrounded by commercial uses.

▪ Other county proposals include a used car lot at 520 N. Anderson Road, athletics buildings at 320 Springdale Road West and a self-storage facility at India Hook and Mt. Gallant roads, all in the Rock Hill area. A proposed print shop with storage buildings is in discussion at Southbend and West Old Limestone roads in the Filbert area.

This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 11:47 AM with the headline "Camp cabins, water tower, driver training expansion? All could come to York County.."