New houses in Fort Mill could cost more to fund local schools

FORT MILL, S.C. — If you’re looking at buying a home in Fort Mill, act quickly -- impact fees on new houses could increase by about 63%.

That’s according to a draft report obtained by Channel 9. York County leaders want to extend impact fees, which are charged on new construction to help pay for the cost of new schools.

While it rained Tuesday, construction crews worked on Fort Mill’s newest elementary school. The multi-million dollar facility was paid for by impact fees.

“We were able to build a whole elementary school and save the taxpayers almost 70 million in money they would have had to pay back as part of a bond,” said a spokesperson with Fort Mill Schools.

During a meeting Monday night, Fort Mill Schools told the York County Planning Commission that it wants to extend impact fees on new homes for another five years.

A draft report is being worked on by the company Tischlerbise, and it says the maximum new impact fee for a new house could be $29,640, which is an increase of more than 64% over the current fee. That fee would be passed on to new homeowners.

“I think it’s a pretty accurate concept,” said Katie Allison, a neighbor in Fort Mill.

But other people who just moved to the area oppose the push to extend and increase impact fees.

Austin Campbell says everyone in the district benefits from growth.

“I don’t think the fee should be put on newcomers; they’re going to reap the benefit of those new people coming in and the value of their homes increasing,” Campbell told Channel 9.

We’re keeping an eye on when the planning commission might vote on the proposal.

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