Proposed Townhome Development Moves to Rock Hill City Council
Almost 100 concerned citizens filled a Rock Hill Planning Commission meeting to express their worries about a proposed rezoning that might result in the construction of over 200 townhomes near their neighborhoods. Halpern Properties LLC is petitioning city officials to rezone around 40 acres along Rawlinson Road, West Main Street and Meadowlark Drive in Rock Hill, and annex property for a mixed used development which would consist of commercial space and just over 200 townhomes.
The Planning Commission on Tuesday night gave its approval to the plan with a 3-2 vote. The proposal will now move to the city council for a vote as soon as January 8th, 2024.
Concerned Citizens Voice Their Opposition
York County’s Bob Kneeland, a resident of the Rawlinson Acres One neighborhood for the past 23 years, has been gathering signatures on a petition against the proposed development which he says will be right across from his home. He expressed concerns about a potential increase in crime and decrease in property values. “Crime increase, property value decrease, there’s no advantage to anyone living here”, says Kneeland.
After engaging with residents at a neighborhood meeting a couple of weeks ago, officials from Halpern Properties acknowledged their concerns about traffic and indicated their willingness to revise their plan. However, for neighbor Chad Gerrald, the issue is not just about traffic, but also safety. While he’s not against growth in principle, he staunchly opposes this proposed type of development. “I think we are okay if they do single family homes. But to come in and put something that makes us look commercialized across the street is disgusting to me”, says Gerrald.
Developer Reaction and Next Steps
Halpern Properties claims it has collaborated with the City of Rock Hill for over a year to devise a development plan that meets the city’s objectives. The developer also pointed to a traffic study that shows a reduced traffic impact compared to a larger scale commercial development. Previously, in 2016, a Neighborhood Walmart grocery store was slated to move into this area, but Wal-Mart decided to pull out.
The proposed townhomes would be priced anywhere from the mid to high 300’s to 400 thousand dollars. The project is currently working its way through the development process. “The public process is designed to bring the City, developer, and neighbors together to help improve the project and address those concerns,” said City Councilman, John Black who represents the area. He expressed an openness to evaluating the project and examining the final plans once they’re concluded.
