Rock Hill council was right to extend apartment ban

More people and more development can benefit a community. But we think Rock Hill officials are correct in trying to distinguish between smart growth and unrestricted growth when it comes to apartment construction.

In November, the City Council approved a nine-month moratorium on multifamily development so the city could review construction rules and standards, and try to develop an appropriate zoning strategy for the future. Last week, the council voted to extend that moratorium for at least another three months.

When the city initiated the moratorium, it made efforts to ensure that projects already underway could continue. The city also exempted projects specifically designated as “senior housing.”

But other new construction of apartments, condos and townhomes across the city was not permitted. And at the end of the new three-month extension, the city will have gone an entire year without approving a new multifamily housing unit within the city limits.

But it’s not as if that has made apartments or condos scarce. At the time the moratorium went into effect, more than 1,200 residential units already were under construction or had received city approval.

A recent study found that 10,000 multifamily units in Rock Hill constitute 40 percent of the city’s housing stock. And many of the larger complexes, with more than 225 units each, are clustered around Interstate 77, where they are convenient for commuters working in Charlotte.

Even with an abundance of rental units, the city is expecting a wave of new building with the current uptick in the economy. The point of the moratorium is to get ahead of that wave and do what’s necessary to ensure orderly growth that doesn’t overload one sector of the residential market.

Some might argue that the city should simply let the marketplace determine how development proceeds. But that could open the door to virtually unlimited new large, tightly clustered, multifamily units serving commuters who live in Rock Hill and enjoy its services but work in Charlotte and have little personal connection with the Rock Hill community.

Thousands of new residents occupying rental units also could strain Rock Hill’s public services and infrastructure.

“I usually lean toward the free market,” said Councilman John Black, who supported the moratorium extension, “but you look at what they’ve seen in Lake Wylie and Fort Mill, and we have a responsibility as a city to look at things long-range.”

We think that’s the right approach. While there always will be a market for apartments, condos and townhomes, at least some of the new units should be integrated into the city within walking distance to parks, businesses, restaurants and other amenities.

Diversity in housing is good. The new multifamily complexes envisioned by city planners might appeal to both young couples just starting their careers and to seniors seeking to downsize.

The goal is not to bar all apartment growth but to control it so that it does not discourage growth of other types of development or put a strain on city resources. This year-long ban gives the city breathing space to consider how to ensure that new construction fits in with Rock Hill’s long-term development goals.

Above all, the city wants to maintain its identity as a community distinct from greater Charlotte, not just a bedroom community for commuters. And that takes planning.

This story was originally published April 18, 2015 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Rock Hill council was right to extend apartment ban."