Clover schools didn’t get the impact fee vote they wanted. Here’s where they go next.
Five votes and two hours into a debate on whether the Clover School District should be allowed to charge impact fees, and the York County planning commission isn’t any closer to a final call.
The commission voted a little after 9 p.m. Monday to defer a recommendation on the new fees. A planning commission recommendation is a key step in setting up the charges on new residential construction to fund capital costs for schools.
The commission doesn’t meet again until June 8. After the commission makes a recommendation, York County Council will make the final call.
A proposed rule in front of the commission Monday night would charge more than $15,000 per new home. It would charge more than $7,400 for each new apartment unit and more than $9,800 per mobile home.
“We’re asked to look at some very complex data, and approve it and do it all over Zoom,” said Commissioner Jack Kimball, referencing the virtual meeting held due to COVID-19 social distancing. “I went through it today and I sure would like to absorb more of this.”
No planning commission member spoke out against fees in general. Several had concern with the disparity in housing cost impact between the typically higher-prices in Lake Wylie compared to Clover and the more rural western side of the district. Mobile homes in particular were a concern.
“This is a very large impact on your mobile homes,” said Chairwoman Jamie Henrickson. “That $10,000 is a huge concern.”
The decision drew consistent comparison to Fort Mill, where that school district saw impact fees increase to more than $18,000 per new home and $12,000 per new apartment less than three years ago. Yet housing prices are more consistent in Fort Mill, Henrickson said, which put a similar cost on new construction throughout.
“Fort Mill was fairly homogenous,” she said. “Clover isn’t like that.”
Clover schools face growth
Sheila Quinn, Clover district superintendent, said schools there have been working for almost two years on impact fees. They’ve had growth, capacity and capital improvements studies. They’ve held more than 25 community meetings. The growth study used show 4,300 new homes in development, as of 2018, already approved for construction.
“That’s already changed,” Quinn said. “There have already been more approvals.”
The 140-square-mile district had just more than 8,000 students in 2018-19. At about 300 new students per year, the district could have more than 11,000 students in a decade.
“We can’t build a school overnight,” Quinn said. “It takes three years to get an elementary school. For something like a high school it’s a four-year time period.”
Kinard Elementary School already is at the 95% or higher capacity mark. Six others are at 80% or more. Clover High School has 2,400 students
“Our biggest concern is at the middle school level,” Quinn said. “That is where we’re going to feel the pinch the quickest.”
Much of the growth comes on the east side of the district, in Lake Wylie.
“The growth is about three times the rate as our Clover side of town,” Quinn said. “Most of the growth is happening in one area, on that Lake Wylie side.”
The district plans for its eighth elementary school to open in 2024-25. A second high school and the current ninth-grade academy transition back to a middle school would be complete a year later. Those three projects will cost $190 million. A bond referendum is expected next March. Clover High likely will have 2,800 or more students by the time a second high school opens, on that timeline.
Five planning commission votes
The commission understood Monday night how important a vacant seat can be. With eight members, a vote to recommend the original, higher numbers failed 3-5. Asked then if a lower figure might suit the district, Quinn said it would be arbitrary to pick one on the spot. She reiterated her stance to the commission, that any lessened amount on impact fees would have an impact on existing residents.
“We’re just saying to the taxpayers, ‘you can pick it up,’” Quinn said. “Instead of letting growth pay for it.”
A vote to approve impact fees with numbers reduced by two-thirds failed in a 4-4 tie. Henrickson offered to change her initial vote, based on council’s decision on the Fort Mill fees in 2017 to approve them at the full amount allowed by state law, after the planning commission recommended just a fraction of them.
“Council changed the number completely from what we said,” Henrickson said. “Council is going to take it and do what they want. They’ve already proven that with the last impact fee.”
Still, the reconsidered motion to approve Clover fees at the full amount failed at 4-4. So did a subsequent vote to approve the figures reduced by one-third. Ultimately — after a commission member momentarily dropped off the meeting with a tied vote — the commission voted 4-3 to defer its decision at least until next month.
Quinn said she preferred the group put a number in a recommendation so she could work out figures for full council consideration, but she will look at the numbers again before the planning commission reconvenes.
“We would like to move forward, but we are willing to go back and look,” Quinn said.
