By Greg Rickabaugh & Michael Harrison
FORT MILL – CVS Pharmacy will anchor a new development across from Capt. Steve’s Family Seafood Restaurant on U.S. Highway 21 if the town council approves the plan, which also includes up to 200 new single-family or town homes on the property, officials said.
On Monday, the Fort Mill Town Council voted 4-2 to approve a first reading on the plan, with council members Lisa Cook and Chris Moody voting no. Council member Ronald Helms was absent. A second reading and vote is required.
The new mixed use development is scheduled for land at the intersection of U.S. 21 and Springfield Parkway. The commercial component could include up to 50,000 square feet of the project, town Planning Director Penelope Karagounis said.
The amendment approved Monday lowers the number of proposed new homes, the types of homes and the density of the residential component. The plan discussed in previous years called for up to 240 new homes, including apartments and condos. Under the amendment, only single family and town homes will be allowed and density was lowered from five to 4.1 units per acre.
The commercial aspect originally called for 50,000 to 175,000 square feet and was lowered to between 20,000 and 50,000.
CVS Pharmacy has always been a part of the project, said Bill Moseley with Moseley Real Estate Advisors, who is handling the commercial side of the development.
Councilman Chris Moody said he is excited to have a commercial addition of a new CVS in the area, especially since it is near Carolina Orchards. But he voted against the project because of his concern over traffic.
“I voted against this project because an updated TIA (traffic impact analysis) was not provided to council at the time of the vote,” Moody said by email. “I wanted to see what the overall impact on our roads would be before I voted on this project.”
Originally the plan for the property was brought to the council back in 2014 and revisited again in 2017, Mayor Guynn Savage said.
“Here we are again in 2019, and it’s fewer homes, fewer disruption to the property acreage,” the mayor said. “I think it’s important to note that we can amend any type of agreement.”
The town requires that a minimum of 20 percent of the total site be maintained as open space, officials said. A 2016 traffic impact analysis identified a number of roadway improvements that would be required to be installed by the developer.
Michael Harrison is editor of The Milltown News (fort-mill-news.com), a partner with FortMillSun.com in reporting local news.
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