York County Council Approves Multiple Rezonings, Recreation Funding Agreement, and Discusses Water Main Break

The York County Council met on September 2, 2025, addressing a wide range of issues from rezoning requests to public safety concerns. Key outcomes included the swearing-in of new board and commission members, several contentious rezonings, approval of intergovernmental agreements for recreation funding, and discussions on communication failures during a recent water main break. The meeting concluded with executive session actions on opioid settlements and Aspen Business Park negotiations.

High-Level Summary of Key Actions

New Members Sworn In: Volunteers appointed to fire tax district boards, cultural and workforce commissions, and Keep York County Beautiful.
Public Forum: Residents raised concerns about Silfab Solar’s operations near Flint Hill Elementary and repeated fire alarms, as well as traffic safety at a proposed service station.
Rezonings: Council denied a trucking operation rezoning request, but approved multiple others including residential subdivisions and a mixed-use commercial development near Lake Wylie.
Recreation Funding: Approved intergovernmental agreements with municipalities to share hospitality/accommodation tax revenues for recreation services.
Committee Reports: Updates from the Justice & Public Safety Committee on fire service planning and hotel ordinance changes; Economic Development Committee highlighted corridor growth concerns and Fort Mill’s microtransit proposal.
Water Main Break: Staff addressed failures in communication during the Fort Mill/Tega Cay outage, promising improvements to notification systems.
Executive Session: Council authorized opioid settlement agreements and staff negotiations for Aspen Business Park contingent on investment commitments.

Detailed Agenda Item Breakdown

Opening Ceremonies

Invocation and Pledge led by Councilman Andy Litton (District 2).
Recognition of a large public turnout.

Oath of Office

New members sworn in:
- Billy Hair – Bethesda Fire Tax District Board
- Steven Ballinger – Keep York County Beautiful (District 3)
- Mickey Peak – Culture & Heritage Commission (District 3)
- Ryan Johnson, Sandra Goodman, Lindsay Edgner – Catawba Regional Workforce Investment Board
- Michael Knight – Flint Hill Fire Tax District Board

Public Forum

Silfab Solar Concerns: Residents cited whistleblower allegations, unlawful operations, hazardous chemicals, and repeated fire alarms near Flint Hill Elementary.
Traffic Impact Worries: Citizens objected to a proposed convenience center at Hwy 274 & 161 due to already failing traffic conditions.
Neighborhood Opposition: Rock Hill residents opposed a proposed storage facility rezoning, citing over-concentration in their community.

Consent Agenda

Approved unanimously, except Item 26 (recreation funding agreements) pulled for separate discussion.

Public Hearings on Rezonings

Case 25-9 (District 5, Saluda/Craig Rd.) – Request to rezone 2.8 acres from RUD to LI for a trucking operation.
- Staff & Planning Commission recommended denial (not consistent with comp plan).
- Council denied the request unanimously.
Case 25-33 (District 5, Benson Rd.) – Request to rezone 5.88 acres from UD to RSF-30 for three residential lots.
- Staff & Planning Commission recommended approval.
- Council approved unanimously.
Case 25-34 (District 1, Carowinds area) – Rezone 0.7 acres from UD to LI to support warehouse development.
- Staff & Planning Commission recommended approval.
- Council approved unanimously.
Case 25-35 (District 2, Hwy 274/Concord Rd. near Lake Wylie) – Rezone 5.4 acres from RMX-10 to GC for mixed-use commercial (restaurants, daycare, retail).
- Public support voiced by residents and landowners.
- Staff & Planning Commission recommended approval.
- Council approved 4-1.
Case 25-36 (District 2, Garrett’s Landing subdivision) – Second reading to rezone 302 acres from RSF-40 to RMX-20 to complete a 2003-approved subdivision.
- Residents opposed citing Tom Joy Rd. traffic.
- Staff & Planning Commission recommended approval.
- Council approved on second reading.

Old Business

Case 25-24 (District 4, West Main St., Rock Hill) – Rezoning request deferred at applicant’s request.

New Business

Recreation Funding Agreements (Item 26) – Council approved agreements with municipalities to use hospitality/accommodation tax revenues for recreation projects. Some council members voiced concerns about future funding sources and pledged to revisit in FY 2026–27.
Councilman Watts Huckabee stated, “I still don’t think this is the right use of the funds, but we’re too far into the 2025-2026 year. So, obviously we’ll proceed as is, but I would hope that this council, as we look at our 2026, 2027 budget, we wouldn’t allocate H Tax or A Tax funds to something that did not demonstrate a strong opportunity to bring tourists into York County that are going to stay in hotels, that are going to eat at our restaurants, and they’re going to attend and take part in other activities around the county with our attractions.”

Committee Reports

Justice & Public Safety (Chairman Atkins):
- Discussed hotel ordinance revisions.
- Reviewed sheriff’s request for EMS response planning.
- Approved monthly coordination on One York Fire service plan (target 2035).
Economic Development (Chairman Huckabe):
- Reviewed 2028 strategic plan.
- Heard Fort Mill Economic Partners’ microtransit proposal (Uber-like shuttle).
- Discussed extending International Drive through Aspen Business Park.
- Called for small area/corridor plans to manage growth in unincorporated areas.

Staff & Council Comments

Lake Wylie Overlay: Referred back to Planning & Zoning for re-evaluation.
Water Main Break (Fort Mill/Tega Cay): Staff admitted major communication failures; software limits delayed notifications. Improvements promised, test results from DHEC expected by Sept. 3. Emergency phone number provided for residents: 803-628-3211.