electrician in Fort Mill, SC

FORT MILL, S.C. — A new study ranked the best elementary schools in South Carolina, and the Fort Mill School District can safely claim it’s the best in the state for youngsters.

Seven of the top 10 public elementary schools in South Carolina all stand in Fort Mill, with Gold Hill Elementary School taking the top spot overall. But the rising notoriety might also explain why the school district had to freeze enrollment at Gold Hill just a few months ago.

Channel 9′s Tina Terry spoke to district leaders who said that the freeze had to do with overcrowding at that school and others, but the new study may prove why so many people want to live in Fort Mill.

RELATED: 3 Fort Mill schools freeze enrollment for new students

“I think when you get to work with great people, success will follow,” said Josh Burris, the principal at Gold Hill Elementary School.

Burris is giving credit to the teachers and staffers at the elementary school. He says they’re the reason the school took the number one spot on the new list, which was published by Niche.

Here are the Fort Mill schools that made the top-10 list:

Niche says it considered criteria like math and reading scores, surveys from students and parents about teachers, and diversity.

“We’re a diverse school. We have 23 languages represented among all our students and families,” said Burris. “We have students who look different and come from all different places and have different experiences.”

Burris says despite their differences, kids at Gold Hill Elementary function as a family and thrive together. Terry spoke with one parent who agreed.

“He’s thriving, he’s very happy here -- I enjoy the diversity,” the parent said.

While it’s a win for Fort Mill Schools, the accolades come as the district tries desperately to manage growth and overcrowding. Since the 2002-2003 school year, the Fort Mill School District has grown from roughly 6,000 students to nearly 18,000.

“Just 10-15 years ago, a lot of those schools didn’t even exist,” said Joe Burke with the Fort Mill School District. “So to have that many on the list, in the area of growth that we have and the rapid growth that we face, is really impressive.”

Burke acknowledged that the wins will likely lead to even more growth that the district will have to juggle.

“That’s the flip side of being on a list like this. We know a lot of people look at this, and that’s how they decide where they want to live,” Burke said.

Niche also looked at the best public elementary schools in North Carolina, but just two schools in our area made the top-ten list: Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy landed at number two and Lake Norman Charter in Huntersville ranked number seven. You can see the full list of North Carolina schools at this link.

(WATCH: Nonprofit in Fort Mill surprises Monroe family with free wheelchair van)

A decade ago, Kuester Commercial Real Estate began investing in downtown Fort Mill, S.C.

The first project was called The Greens at Fort Mill, a 64-unit, new apartment complex just off Main Street. From there, Shaw Kuester renovated two older buildings, bringing restaurants, a brewery and office space. Shaw took over operations of the company started by his father and grandfather in the 1970s in Charlotte.

Smaller markets like Fort Mill and Rock Hill have been benefiting from Charlotte’s massive growth, Kuester said, and he wanted his firm to be near the action. The formula aimed to bring more people to Fort Mill’s downtown by building apartments and attracting retail.

Now, Kuester is bringing that same playbook to Chester, about 30 miles down the road.

His firm has two historic buildings under contract. The plan is to redevelop both with apartments and retail, including a coffee shop.

Like many communities near Charlotte, Chester County has seen a wave of investment in the past decade. The trend is only accelerating coming out of the pandemic, as people and companies flock south for cheaper land prices and more taxpayer incentives.

In Chester County, Kuester was closely watching as companies like E. & J. Gallo — the world’s largest privately-held winery — opened an East Coast operation two years ago. Other recent announcements include a $1.3 billion investment from Albemarle Corp. to build a lithium hydroxide processing plant, mostly to be used for electric vehicles.

Kuester also paid attention to how home builders were investing in the county, building two subdivisions with 600 homes plus others being planned.

“The industry that’s coming back is the single biggest driver to Chester County,” Kuester said. “That’s what’s bringing new people and new homes.”

Kuester’s first project in Chester will be the 11,000-square-foot Schlosburg’s building.

The retail store dates back to the 1920s. The building has been home to an array of businesses over the years but has been shuttered for an extended period of time.

The former vice president famously , in a duel in 1804. The rock’s inscription reads that in 1806, while passing through Chester as a prisoner, Burr dismounted on the rock to “appeal in vain to the citizens for help.”

One of the larger fireworks businesses off Carowinds Boulevard in Fort Mill may one day be the site of a new fast food restaurant -- or two.

The owner of House of Fireworks at 3474 U.S. Highway 21 has applied to rezone the almost three-acre site. The new zoning would allow a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru. Current zoning does not allow that use for the site, despite the property’s location among several similar restaurants. House of Fireworks sits just beside a McDonald’s.

The York County planning commission will hear the case Aug. 14.

The property up for rezoning is a 20,000-square-foot fireworks business. The large red and yellow building is prominent as one of several big firework retailers along Carowinds Boulevard. For decades that area has been a fireworks hot spot due to its close proximity to I-77 and the North Carolina border. Fireworks sales are legal in South Carolina, but not in North Carolina.

According to its website, House of Fireworks has been a family-owned business for more than 50 years.

Several other large firework retailers surround House of Fireworks.

Four years ago, a fire broke out on July 4 in a storage unit between neighboring Davey Jones Fireworks and House of Fireworks. It sent sights and sounds of fireworks exploding into the sky until fire crews were able to contain it. That fire eventually was ruled as arson.

According to the zoning information from the county, the 20,000-square-foot building, which includes firework sales along with auto repair and rental services would be demolished. The property owner proposes construction of two new quick serve restaurants, each with a drive-thru.

A site plan submitted by the property owner shows a two-restaurant layout with access off U.S. 21, and another access to the rear of the property. The site plan and other documents sent to the county don’t identify the new restaurants.

A more than 2,800-square-foot restaurant at the center of the site would have two full drive-thru lanes with two ordering stands, according to the site plan. That would be similar to how a Cook Out or Chick-fil-A might be oriented.

The smaller restaurant would be about 2,300 square feet on the side facing McDonald’s. It would have one drive-thru lane that splits into two ordering stands, according to a site plan, the way a McDonald’s might be oriented.

The Carowinds Boulevard area near I-77 has grown in recent years and has a variety of fast food options. Near the main entrance to Carowinds at Regent Parkway there are a Wendys, Moe’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Bojangles, Zaxbys, Culvers, Starbucks, Jimmy Johns and two Subways.

The two proposed new restaurants would start their drive-thrus toward the rear of the property and exit on the U.S. 21 side. There is a planned Pennies for Progress road improvement in the area. It will realign U.S. Highways 21 and 51. As part of that work, access points to properties in the area will be evaluated to fit the new road layout.

The county has other rezoning proposals to consider when the planning commission meets. One would bring back a convenience station at S.C. 160 and Gold Hill Road, between Fort Mill and Tega Cay. Another would allow for a veterinarian beside a popular Lake Wylie attraction.

Here is a preview:

The original plat for the since-closed gas station dates back to 1979 when Gold Hill Road was listed as Tega Cay Road. A new site plan shows an almost 2,400-square-foot metal building with three gas pumps. According to the application, existing structures will remain on-site as part of the reopening. A specific gas station company isn’t named.

The zoning change wouldn’t impact the ability of existing businesses in the 51,000-square-foot shopping center.

All of the zoning requests must go to the county planning commission for a recommendation. That recommendation then goes to York County Council, which will have final say. Council would need three votes and a public hearing to change any property zoning.

This story was originally published August 8, 2023, 12:11 PM.

A 2-mile stretch of Sutton Road near Interstate 77 in Fort Mill will be widened to five lanes, relieving congestion in the area.

FORT MILL, S.C. — A busy road in Fort Mill is set to get some much-needed relief thanks to a project that was approved by voters.

York County government leaders say a stretch of Sutton Road to the Fort Mill Parkway, just east of Interstate 77, will be widened from two lanes to five lanes. It's part of the fourth round of projects funded by the Pennies for Progress initiative, the name for the county's Capital Projects Sales and Use Tax Programs.

The design process is almost complete, so county leaders are now focused on getting the word out to nearby property owners about what to expect. That includes families like Brenda and Tedd Stegall, who built their home off Sutton Road more than 30 years ago.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app.

"Fort Mill is not the little, small town it once was," Brenda Stegall told WCNC Charlotte, reminiscing on watching her daughter grow up and grandchildren play from her front porch.

That all was before a development boom brought in more new faces and traffic with it. But York County leaders say expanding Sutton Road should offer some relief.

That 2-mile stretch of Sutton Road turns into the Fort Mill Parkway, which also intersects with Spratt Street in the southwestern part of town. All of it will be expanded to five lanes, spanning from the east side of I-77 to the railroad bridge just near the U.S. Foods.

Credit: York County

Sutton Road development area

Tedd Stegall thinks the widening is a welcome project for the community. Still, he hopes most of the busy traffic stays away from his house.

"I look forward to them widening the road. It needs it," he said. "They don't have any houses on the other side of the road. I hope they go that way instead of our way."

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Brenda also added the family would learn to adapt to the new developments.

"Just change with growth, I understand that," she said. "I guess we just sit back and see what happens."

County leaders assure that the project is necessary. Patrick Hamilton, an assistant engineer with the county government, said about 19,000 vehicles per day make the drive on it, making it a heavily traveled road. And it's set to become even more popular soon.

"There's a large residential, commercial, mixed-use development that's under construction now," Hamilton said. "Compounded with these schools and other growth in the area, there's way too much traffic on that road for it to only be a two-lane road."

Hamilton also said the road widening will be a largely symmetrical one "due to having to tie it into I-77 and then down at [U.S. Highway] 21".

York County government leaders hope to see the work begin by late 2025.

FORT MILL, S.C. — Leaders with the Fort Mill School District in February froze new enrollment at three schools to limit overcrowding, but that freeze is over for now.

The district was originally going to prevent new enrollment at Gold Hill Elementary School, Gold Hill Middle School, and Pleasant Knoll Middle School. It was because the number of students enrolled in the district has been increasing for years now.

RELATED: 3 Fort Mill schools freeze enrollment for new students

But there’s good news for parents who were impacted.

“This week, we’re starting to contact all 41 students impacted and say if you want to come back to your home school, you can. It’s your choice,” said Joe Burke, a spokesperson with Fort Mill Schools.

Students who left those three schools have made room for more students. But it may not stay that way for long.

“I would say there’s probably going to be some additional freezes during the school year,” Burke said. “We may see them early, or we may just have to put them in later in the semester depending on whenever they actually come.”

Enrollment increased by 5.4% in the 2021-2022 school year, and last year it increased by about 2%. Burke says he expects that trend to continue this coming school year.

“I think we’re going to see a higher student enrollment than we’ve had in previous years,” Burke said.

ALSO READ: Popularity, overcrowding forcing Fort Mill to rezone schools

Elizabeth Haen told Channel 9′s Tina Terry she’s happy the freeze is over for parents hoping to get their kids into her child’s school. But she said she hopes the district won’t hesitate to freeze enrollment if it gets too high.

“I appreciate that my kids are at that school and they aren’t trying to push more kids into that classroom,” Haen said. “I do appreciate that it protects the kids that are already there.”

District leaders told Channel 9 they will use impact fee funds to build a new elementary school. The school is slated to open in the 2025-2026 school year.

(WATCH: Fort Mill’s elementary schools named the best in South Carolina)