Passing an expensive ordinance certainly doesn’t come without any pushback as was the case Monday night at Rock Hill’s City Council meeting, where the council passed a 10-year 350-million dollar ordinance to improve Rock Hill utilities.
The utilities included in the plan are water, wastewater and electric.
A 105-million dollar bond was approved in order to jumpstart the project, but the real debate was sparked by the raising of impact fees.
Dale Dove, a Rock Hill attorney, Jacque Days, President of the NAACP of Rock Hill and 2 citizens spoke opposing the raise in impact fees. Days and Dove spoke on behalf of the housing industry saying a raise in impact fees would hurt the rate of those able to purchase a home.
City council, however, after researching their options for months decided their two best options were to increase impact fees or charge more to the residents who use the utilities. They decided the former would be the better option of the two.
The need for expansion comes after the water plant almost reached full capacity on multiple occasions last year. Under the new plan the plant would be able to handle 48 million gallons per day compared to the previous 36 million gallons per day.
According to the City of Rock Hill, the city provides water to about 90 thousand people throughout Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Rock Hill, River Hills and the Catawba Indian Nation.
The plan also sets aside 6 million dollars to move Rock Hill power lines underground on Cherry Road. The project has already been completed from the interstate to Cherry Park, but now it will extend all the way to Winthrop University and the soon to be built Knowledge Park area. The move to underground will make the city more aesthetically pleasing and cause less power outages on Cherry Road.
Matt Dosch, Executive Vice President of Comporium, Charlie Ruffalo, owner of Sub Station II and Jeffery Perez, Vice President of Relations at Winthrop University all spoke on behalf of moving the power lines underground.