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Published: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 / Updated: Monday, Jan. 14, 2013 05:34 PM

School issues get Fort Mill Planning Commission nod, head to Council

Panel helps pave way for 3 school sites

FORT MILL -- 

After working through his group’s “longest meeting in a long time” last week, town planning commission member Tom Petty wonders if an increase in activity might be a sign of things to come.

“Activity is definitely picked up,” he said.

More than a half dozen items came before the commission last week, many related to Fort Mill schools.

The advisory group moved in favor of removing 39 acres from a 300-plus acre property at Sutton Road and I-77 for a future school site and annexing more than 53 acres at Spratt Street and Fort Mill Parkway for a new Riverview Elementary School.

Approval was given to a variance plan for the Massey subdivision allowing for a school there, too.

“Everything was approved,” said commission member John Garver.

The commission is an advisory group and Garver said that official approval must come with first and second readings at Fort Mill Town Council.

Both the 39-acre Kanawha property and the 53-acre elementary school annexation were slated for first reading at Council’s Jan. 14 meeting.

Results of those votes weren’t available by press time Monday.

If Council agrees with the planning commission, there shouldn’t be many concerns. The proposals generally fit with what was planned for those properties all along.

“Kanawha always had a school site,” Petty said. “Really what they did was cut out a 30-plus acre parcel for the school.”

Additionally, the Council meeting Monday included items such as the adoption of energy conservation codes for builders and discussion of a major roadway improvement.

The planning commission hadn’t met since October, so members say it wasn’t entirely surprising that they had a full agenda last week.

But they also couldn’t remember many, if any, in recent months that were so busy.

They have set another meeting for Jan. 22 so Family Dollar can amend information presented to the commission last week.

Petty said it’s notable how much activity is coming before his group and Council, and what it might mean for the overall trend in town growth.

“It bodes well for Fort Mill,” he said.