Golf cart path not sitting well with residents
Springfield residents want a road less traveled. At least when it comes to golf carts.
About half of the 40 people who attended the Oct. 12 Fort Mill Town Council meeting were there to support an issue that wasn’t on the agenda. Randy Wilke, a Springfield resident, said the group is opposed to a plan that would connect the new Pulte Home Corp. development nearby to the golf course in Springfield via a 10-foot-wide path.
“We would love to have a pedestrian path,” he said. “We’re not crazy at all about a 10-foot path where we’d have to compete with golf carts.”
Wilke said neighbors are fine with the development itself. There have been meetings between the developer and town on a path since August. Wilke said maybe 30 or 40 Springfield residents have golf carts, but streets are narrow and safety is a concern. He fears people using carts to cross major roadways or cause wrecks with cars in the neighborhood.
“We have problems,” Wilke said. “We’re not really a community that’s set up for their use.”
Matt Levesque, with ESP Associates, said the developer would continue working to see if a solution can be reached.
“We understand the concern from the Springfield neighbors,” he said. “We are working with them to see if there’s a possibility of a shared use path.”
The path decision wasn’t part of several decisions that did impact Pulte, all receiving favorable votes Oct. 12.
“That’s a separate issue,” said Joe Cronin, town planning director.
Council members finalized an annexation of almost 31 acres at 111 Hunter Oaks Lane. There, Pulte wants to put 90 homes on property beside its Carolina Orchards project already under construction. Both the new annexation and ongoing project will be age-restricted.
“The total plan is up to 722,” Levesque said, “but the part we’re voting on tonight is up to 90 units.”
Council members also finalized a rezoning that will make way for a Harris Teeter shopping center. The 32-acre site at Fort Mill Parkway and South Dobys Bridge Road switches from a residential to commercial zoning.
“This is a positive way to make changes in our zoning,” said Councilwoman Lisa McCarley.
John Marks: 803-831-8166, @JohnFMTimes
This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Golf cart path not sitting well with residents."