The Fort Mill Town Council on Monday advanced plans for a new Atrium Health hospital campus near Interstate 77 and Sutton Road, giving first reading to the annexation of about 10.986 acres and to an amendment of the development agreement that covers the site.
The action moves ahead a project that would bring a hospital, medical offices and emergency services to a growing corner of York County, and it drew comment from a nearby resident worried about traffic. The meeting, held July 27, was the first in the town’s newly refurbished council chambers at 205 N. White Street, and it opened with a ribbon cutting for the restored space.
Rock Hill attorney Ben Johnson, representing the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, which operates as Atrium Health, asked the council to annex two parcels and rezone them from general commercial to mixed use. One is a 0.05 acre sliver on Sutton Road that Johnson said was left out of an earlier annexation because of a 2008 survey error. The other is part of the Scott property along the interstate that Atrium acquired in March.
Johnson said Atrium already owns about 83 acres at the site, including 20.5 acres purchased in 2011 and additional land bought from Crescent in 2018. He said the annexation would not increase building entitlements but would let the health system shift development closer to the interstate and add a second access point on Sutton Road. He said Atrium committed to connecting the property to the Carolina Thread Trail and that a traffic study for the project is being updated.
Alicia Campbell, president of Atrium Health Pineville, told the council that more than a third of that hospital’s patients come from York County and that the new campus would expand access to primary care, specialty care, emergency services and inpatient care closer to where patients live.
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the annexation 6 to 0 at its May 19 meeting. Both the annexation ordinance and a fourth amendment to the development agreement passed first reading. The amendment folds the annexed parcels into the existing mixed use plan, extends the agreement’s term, which was set to expire at the end of the year, and updates the development schedule.
Residents raise traffic and street concerns
During public comment, a resident of the Mason’s Bend neighborhood said he was concerned about adding traffic to Sutton Road and Mason’s Bend Drive, which he said already back up at multiple times of day. He asked whether a traffic impact analysis had been completed for the hospital property and requested information on where buildings would be placed on the site. Town staff said an earlier traffic study is being updated as part of the project.
A resident of the Milbank neighborhood asked the town to install a trash can along a sidewalk behind her home where people leave litter. Mayor Guynn Savage said the sidewalk appeared to be private property and directed the resident to her homeowners association. The resident also complained about the condition of Academy Street, where a water line repair left a gravel patch. Staff said the patch would be addressed and noted that Academy Street is scheduled for repaving in 2028.
YMCA renovation moves ahead
The council approved a $6,865,000 contract with Edison Foard LLC for a renovation of the Fort Mill YMCA. Town Manager Cary Vargo said the work includes replacing the building’s roof and storefront curtain wall systems, cleaning and coating the natatorium steel and gymnasium trusses, installing acoustic wall panels in the gymnasium, exterior drainage and grading work, and a new natatorium heating and cooling system with electrical upgrades. The contract requires substantial completion within 300 calendar days of a notice to proceed.
On second reading, the council also adopted a budget amendment for the YMCA complex. Staff said the council had directed at a June 8 work session that the roughly $7 million project be funded through a debt issuance at a future date. One council member recused from both YMCA votes, citing a conflict of interest with the general contractor.
Savage said the facility, the former recreational complex built by the Springs family and now more than 35 years old, was donated to the town and serves many of the county’s senior residents.
Academy Street utilities and election signs
The council gave first reading to a budget amendment for Academy Street, where the South Carolina Department of Transportation plans to resurface the road in 2028. Eric Davis said the town wants to repair underground utilities in the right of way first and had secured a $1,320,000 grant from the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority, which it will match with $2.8 million in utility cash reserves.
In a separate first reading, the council moved to shorten the window for placing election signs from 60 days before an election to 30 days. Assistant Town Manager Chris Pettit said letters would go to candidates upon adoption so the change applies to the coming election. The council amended the ordinance to raise the maximum size for election signs to eight square feet, up from six.
The council adopted a second reading of an ordinance creating an encroachment permit fee for contractors working in town rights of way, and it approved the removal of two inactive members from the accommodations tax advisory committee while setting staggered terms for the remaining members.
Youth recognized at meeting’s start
Earlier in the evening, the council recognized the Fort Mill Parks and Recreation 8U flag football all stars, honored by proclamation as state champions in the South Carolina Recreation and Park Association athletic program division after an undefeated season. Brown Simpson presented for the parks department. Youth ambassador Hannah Dean recapped a Palmetto Pride litter cleanup, and Mina MacDonald introduced six area high school students who spent the summer as stormwater interns, removing more than 3,000 pounds of trash from Sugar Creek with volunteers and building an educational website.
The council went into executive session to discuss personnel matters and took no vote. The annexation, development agreement, election sign and Academy Street ordinances each passed first reading and return for a second reading at a future meeting.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
