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Published: Tuesday, Sep. 16, 2008 / Updated: Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2008 10:44 AM

Property owners want to be brought into Fort Mill's town limits

Town limits could be redrawn again in the near future if two annexations covering more than 270 acres are approved in the coming months.

A public hearing on the smaller of the two proposals - 74.5 acres on three properties on Whites Road north of J.W. Wilson and Sam White roads - closed without comment Monday night. Clearview Development is seeking planned neighborhood development zoning for the land, and intends to build a single-family residential neighborhood there, according to its annexation request.

The larger annexation request met with some opposition during a public hearing. It covers approximately 196 acres along Vista and Pleasant roads owned by C. Cooper Willis, and includes a 15-foot wide easement covering less than an acre across two other parcels owned by David Coltharp. The easement is necessary to make the larger parcels contiguous with existing town limits.

"I'm concerned we'll have a hodgepodge of city limits [and] serving the area with fire and police services," resident Doug Chapman said. "I wonder why we're going in this direction."

Chapman said he grew up on Pleasant Road and always expected it would remain a rural stretch of road. Several council members said the "hodgepodge" nature of expanding city limits in South Carolina is due to state annexation laws. Property owners have to request annexation in this state, which means cities and towns cannot unilaterally incorporate property.

"Any town in South Carolina that is growing deals with the same thing, Councilman Tom Adams said.

Willis included a letter with his annexation application in which he pleads his case for inclusion in the city. He notes the property is already served by York County Water and Sewer and said he intends to build homes on the property with enough tax value to offset the cost of town services. He intends to seek annexation for a 10.5-acre commercial property he owns at the corner of Gold Hill and Pleasant roads. Also, the property is adjacent to the Pleasant Knoll Elementary school site, which would allow for its annexation if the school district wanted to pursue it. Also, Willis wrote that he intends to donate some of the land to the Nation Ford Land Trust for the Nation Ford Greenway/Carolina Thread Trail project.

Willis also said he hopes the annexation would bring a police presence to the Vista Road area. Three bodies have been found in that area in the last few years.

Both annexation requests will require two council votes and must also be reviewed by the planning commission. The council did not vote on either request Monday.