York County Council convened its regular meeting Monday, April 20, 2026, at the York County Government Center with Chairwoman Christi Cox presiding. The session featured a contentious debate over a golf cart ordinance for the Baxter Village community, the formal handoff of the county’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget totaling $560 million, sustained public testimony on data center impacts and accountability, and a full slate of consent agenda items covering conservation easements, road improvements, law enforcement grants, and ambulance service regulation.
The meeting opened with the swearing in of four newly appointed board and commission members: Faadia Rahaman Estes and Tom Simmons to the Bethel Lake Wylie Land Acquisition and Preservation Parks District Board, John Lowman to the Veterans Memorial Park Advisory Committee, and Ashley Schemine to the Board of Zoning Appeals for District 7.
Public Forum: Data Centers, Budget Concerns, and Library Survey
Five speakers addressed council during the public forum session, with data center impacts again dominating the conversation.
Ku Patel of York opened with a direct question to council members, asking whether they sleep well at night, then noted that the residents seated behind him do not. He described the QTS data center project, which he said could grow from a $1 billion to an $8 billion investment across 800 acres of rural York County, and raised concerns about operational noise from hundreds of cooling fans running continuously, projected power consumption of 600 megawatts, and the historical experience of residents in other states where data centers have contributed to higher electricity bills. “Why are data centers being built in residential areas?” he asked. “They need to be built where they are far away from residents.”
Brandon Langford of Fort Mill pressed council on the Silfab Solar facility, asking the one question he said still has not been answered: where is the formal zoning compliance approval for the facility that would have provided public notice and the right to appeal? He acknowledged the county’s lengthy written responses but argued that a zoning verification letter is not the same as a formal approval. He cited the example of Stokes County, North Carolina, where officials reversed their own decision when proper steps were found to be missing, and called on council to act rather than wait for court resolution. Chairwoman Cox reminded the audience that Silfab is subject to active litigation and that council has been advised to refrain from public comment on related matters, but noted that documentation is available on the county manager’s department webpage.
Carol Herring of Rock Hill spoke on behalf of the York County Library strategic planning committee, encouraging residents to complete an online survey posted to the library website before the extended deadline of May 15, 2026. She said the survey has received approximately 200 responses so far and that results will inform the work of a library consultant who will evaluate facility needs, staffing, budget, and programming across the county. Paper copies are available at each branch location.
Stacy Armstrong of Rock Hill raised questions about the cost of electrical infrastructure upgrades required to accommodate the QTS data center, citing sworn testimony from a Duke Energy Carolinas representative to the Public Service Commission indicating that transmission network upgrades are estimated at approximately $51.5 million. She also asked about a reported need for more than five acres of additional right of way related to the project and called on the county to update the FAQ document it published about data centers to include more current health impact information rather than relying on a 2016 World Health Organization reference.
Rebecca Sichi of Rock Hill told council that her family is preparing to sell their home, which sits less than a quarter mile from the QTS construction site. She described being woken at night by backup alarms, heavy equipment, graders, and lifts moving steel on the site, a situation she said was imposed on her family by council decisions rather than chosen by them. She asked council to ensure that the FAQ information distributed about the data center comes from the county rather than from QTS itself.
Brad Sims of York addressed the proposed budget, praising the county manager and staff for a comprehensive plan while urging council to view budget approval as more than a rubber stamp. He called on council to evaluate each line item for risk, identify where costs can be phased or reduced, and balance the pressure taxpayers are already feeling from rising property taxes, insurance costs, and everyday expenses against the need to invest in growing services. “This isn’t about cutting for the sake of cutting,” he said. “It’s about prioritizing.”
Consent Agenda Approved
Council approved the consent agenda unanimously, which covered a broad range of administrative, financial, and operational matters. Items included minutes from three prior meetings, third readings on two rezoning cases, second readings on five rezoning cases, and more than a dozen additional action items.
On the rezoning side, council gave final approval to a rezoning from RUD to GC for 0.611 acres on Highway 160 West in Fort Mill to facilitate a gasoline sales development at the intersection with Dam Road, consistent with the future land use map. Council also gave final approval to a rezoning from Urban Development to General Commercial for seven acres on Hands Mill Highway, where the applicant plans to develop a retail and grocery store with outparcels, consistent with the Community Center node designation.
Second reading was approved on the Sand Tar Road rezoning in York reducing density from RMX10 to RUD, the Highway 160 drive-through businesses rezoning from a 2008 Planned Development to General Commercial near Fort Mill, the Eubanks family property rezoning from Light Industrial to General Commercial at Gold Hill Road and Highway 21, the age-restricted condominium condition amendment on multiple parcels along Highway 160 in Fort Mill, and the Charlotte Highway commercial property rezoning from Urban Development to General Commercial near Clover.
Among other consent items, council approved a contract amendment with JD Goodrum Inc. adding $325,996 to the Catawba Bend Preserve Greenway and Dams construction project due to unexpectedly large volumes of unsuitable soil material below dam keyways requiring excavation and replacement to prevent water seepage. Council authorized declaring a 1988 Ford fire pumper truck surplus and donating it to the Cherokee Kings Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Two conservation easements were approved using York County Forever Commission funds, totaling $147,515 to protect approximately 152 acres in separate projects in the Sharon and McConnells area and adjacent to Catawba Bend Preserve.
Council also approved a nearly $8 million contract with Blythe Construction of Charlotte for the Pennies for Progress road improvement project at the US 21 and Springdale Road intersection, an area handling more than 24,000 vehicles per day on US 21 and over 11,000 on Springdale Road. Annual software maintenance for the county’s property assessment system was renewed at $112,782. The Sheriff’s Office was authorized to pursue three law enforcement grants covering body worn cameras valued at $254,308, in-car video cameras valued at $162,784, and a Justice Assistance Grant of $148,455 to purchase a mass spectrometer for the controlled substances laboratory. Solid waste recycling grants totaling $58,475, a Victims of Crime Act continuation grant of $97,632 for the Solicitor’s Office, and a $50,550 software licensing renewal for evidence management were also approved. A technology equipment purchase of $162,118 covering computers, monitors, and laptops for multiple departments was authorized, as was a $75,000 increase to the detention center’s inmate pharmacy purchase order, bringing the total to $200,000 for the fiscal year due to higher inmate population. Second reading of an ordinance establishing a formal franchise requirement for ambulance service providers operating within the county’s 911 EMS system was also approved as part of the consent package.
Golf Cart Ordinance Debate Highlights Council Divisions
The most contentious discussion of the evening came during old business, when council took up the second reading of an ordinance allowing golf carts to operate at night on public streets within the Baxter Village Traditional Neighborhood District. The ordinance grew out of state legislation that permits golf cart use on roads posted at 35 miles per hour or less. The Baxter Village HOA had reviewed the proposal extensively and supported it, and a county committee had crafted the ordinance specifically for Baxter.
Before council could vote on the main motion, Council Member Linton moved to amend the ordinance to apply it to all unincorporated York County rather than just Baxter Village. He argued that if Baxter Village can benefit from the ordinance, other communities such as Paddler’s Cove, the Landing, and Harper’s Green should receive the same opportunity, and that the amendment would simplify enforcement for the Sheriff’s Office, which had expressed concern about knowing where the geographic limits of the Baxter-specific ordinance begin and end.
The interim county attorney cautioned that expanding the ordinance countywide would at a minimum require another public hearing and likely a return to committee, since the original public notice was specific to Baxter Village. That advice effectively raised the procedural cost of the amendment significantly. The amendment received a second for purposes of discussion but failed 6 to 1.
The debate that surrounded the amendment drew out some of the sharpest disagreements of the evening. Council Member Roddey said he does not support the underlying state law and is not willing to enhance it at the county level. He cited a tragic golf cart fatality involving a teenager in Rock Hill and said he did not want to put anything in place that contributes to additional harm. “I don’t want that to be on my conscience,” he said. “If you think about Hilton Head or the beaches, that’s probably appropriate. But when you start putting them out on roads, we are asking for more situations like what we saw in Rock Hill.”
Council Member Audette pushed back, arguing that the ordinance actually adds structure and safety to a situation where golf carts are already freely operating throughout Baxter Village, including crossing Sutton Road at multiple uncontrolled points. Under the ordinance, crossing would be limited to one designated location at Market Street, creating a more predictable and enforceable pattern. He also said he does not support extending the ordinance countywide, seeing the Baxter application as a suitable small-scale trial. Chairwoman Cox noted she was open to supporting second reading for Baxter specifically but wanted to hear from the sheriff before third reading to understand his enforcement concerns more directly.
Another council member raised the question of whether the county should simply rely on state law as written and avoid passing local ordinances that go beyond it in either direction. Staff clarified that the state law as written already allows daytime golf cart use on roads posted at 35 miles per hour or less anywhere in the county. The proposed ordinance would only add nighttime operation in Baxter Village, with the additional requirement of proper headlights, tail lights, and seat belts. Following the defeat of the amendment, the main motion to approve second reading for Baxter Village passed 5 to 2.
$560 Million Budget Formally Presented to Council
County Manager Josh Edwards formally presented the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget to council, the first time it has been offered in a fully digital format available to the public in real time through the county website. He noted the 300-page document is designed to be read online rather than printed and encouraged residents to access it directly.
The proposed budget totals $560 million, with $109 million attributed to the general fund. Edwards said the budget is built around the county’s strategic plan and focused on planning for future growth, investing in existing infrastructure, and supporting county employees. The county is proposing a 3.5 percent merit-based salary increase for staff and requesting 22 new positions across departments.
The budget proposes no millage rate increase for general fund operations, the general fund sheriff, or the general fund solicitor. However, two millage increases are recommended. The capital projects reserve fund millage would increase by 6 mills to fund road resurfacing, infrastructure updates, and maintenance of public buildings including HVAC systems and roofs. The rural fire fund millage would increase by 1 mill to invest in a sustainable countywide fire service aligned with the county’s One York fire vision. Utility rate increases are also proposed for fiscal year 2027 due to rising operational costs and capital project needs, with details to be discussed at the May 12 workshop.
Edwards highlighted an in-house road resurfacing program that he said saves approximately $400,000 per mile compared to contracted paving, with a commitment to $4 million per year in paving through 2032. He thanked Budget Director Trish Startup, Budget and Grants Manager Emily Drummond, Interim Finance Director Becky Esper, and Controller Beth Zamorski for their work assembling the document.
The budget timeline calls for first reading at the May 4 council meeting, a public hearing and workshop on May 12, second reading on May 18, and third reading on June 1. Chairwoman Cox encouraged residents to read the document online and share feedback with their council representatives ahead of the public hearing.
Council Member Roddey offered an extended defense of the council’s record on fiscal restraint, presenting data showing the county’s portion of the tax bill on a $300,000 home has risen from $97 in 2010 to $955 in 2025, an increase of less than $50 per year on average. He argued that residents who see large increases in their overall tax bills should look at school district and municipal portions rather than the county share. “We are a conservative council,” he said. “We take care of the taxpayers’ dollars.”
Council Member Graham added that running lean for years has created deferred needs that must now be addressed, pointing particularly to the county’s fire service transition away from an all-volunteer model. He also raised the question of how the county determines which nonprofit agencies receive budget allocations and suggested directing the Economic Development Board to develop language that would define expectations for corporate partners coming into York County, with the aim of eventually securing voluntary contributions from incentive-receiving businesses to help fund local nonprofits. That discussion was tabled to the next council meeting for further input before any referral is made.
Council Member Comments and Construction Noise Concerns
During closing comments, Council Member Roddey requested that staff pull and redistribute the county’s existing construction hours ordinance, which establishes limits on when construction can take place and what decibel levels are permitted at various hours. He said given the ongoing complaints from residents near the QTS data center construction site, it would be useful for both council and the public to know exactly what rules apply and whether the site is operating within them. County Manager Edwards confirmed he would send that information to council within the week and noted that the main difference between day and night construction standards involves permitted decibel levels rather than an outright prohibition on nighttime work.
Council Member Cloninger thanked law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel present in the chamber for their around-the-clock service to the community.
Chairwoman Cox invited the community to attend the Fort Mill Strawberry Festival, scheduled for the first weekend of May, noting the event features strawberries that are, in her opinion, bigger, juicier, and tastier than those found elsewhere.
Executive Session and Post-Session Action
Council entered executive session to receive legal advice on general litigation matters, discuss a personnel and contractual matter related to the interim county attorney, and consider a settlement in Project 17228-003, Tract 97. Upon returning to open session, council voted unanimously to authorize the interim county attorney contract as discussed in closed session. No other post-session actions were taken and council then adjourned.
Sign up for our Sunday Spectator. Delivered to your inbox every Sunday, with all the news from the week.
