electrician in York, SC

A York County campground reborn could add yet another new outdoor option to the area.

The owner of 20 acres at 787 Woodland Park Road in Smyrna wants to develop the property into a 40-site campground. It would include RV camping. The site is more than a mile east of the town, off S.C. 5.

The county zoning board of appeals will hear the case Thursday. The property needs a special exception from that board to allow the campground, but it’s not the first time the site has been a camping destination.

The property was an active campground in the 1990s known as Woodlands Campground. Structures there date back to the 1970s, according to county land records. By early 2000, the campground was closed, but the site still has much of what supported 45 campsites there. There’s a concrete swimming pool, two bathhouses, an acre pond and other buildings.

Marcus Clayton acquired the property about three years ago from the late, long-time owner who ran the camp property.

“We’re just trying to get the baby back up to what she used to be,” Clayton said. “There’s a lot of memories out there. We want to get it back to something that people can enjoy like they used to.”

Clayton’s family went to the campground in its earlier years.

“Just an old diamond in the rough,” Clayton said.

In late 2020, Clayton had some friends over for camping and took some reservations but got more feedback and support than he expected. Social media blew up, Clayton said.

“We quit posting when we figured out we had more stuff to do with the county,” Clayton said.

If the decision Thursday goes his way, Clayton intends to move toward reopening and expanding the site in full. Somewhere for parents and kids to play and unplug, he said.

“There’s not a whole lot of room for that anymore,” Clayton said.

The new plan for Woodland Park Campground involves additional RV space as part of 40 total spaces. A site plan for the project shows 17 sites with a bathhouse just off Woodland Park Road before the internal drive splits in several directions to access the remaining camp sites, parking and a swimming pool. There’s a private residence on the southeast portion of the site. There’s a pond and pavilion to the southwest.

Between the residence and the pond there’s an area marked future expansion. The expansion area is 7 acres.

The Rock Hill region has long-established camping options from Ebenezer Park in Rock Hill to the Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill to state parks like Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster, Chester State Park and Landsford Canal State Park in Chester County and Kings Mountain State Park in York County.

There also are new or planned additions. There’s recent and coming work at Ebenezer to upgrade and expand its camp offerings. York County also has Allison Creek Park set to add camping on Lake Wylie and the massive Catawba Bend Preserve coming along the Catawba River.

Last fall, a property owner with 78 acres in southwestern Lancaster County, near the Chester County line, applied to build a campground with 166 sites, a dog park and more off Cedar Creek Road.

This spring, the owner of 335 acres on Kendelwood Drive in Lancaster County applied to build a Christian campground on about 20 acres. It would include an activity center with bus parking, and a chapel.

This story was originally published August 7, 2023, 12:49 PM.

YORK, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – York Recreation Complex already has everything you’d think you need — from softball and baseball fields and a playground to a walking trail. But city officials felt like it was missing something else — a place to really burn calories.

The city announced a $30,000 grant to add a new piece of equipment aimed at giving people another way to get and stay active — for free.

So, they’ve partnered with the national fitness campaign to bring a fitness court to the York Recreation Complex as part of the 2023 Healthy Cities Campaign.

The City’s Park and Recreation Director, Chris White, says the leaders were awarded a $30,000 grant to add it to the facility.

“It’s an outdoor fitness court. It’s a platform. It has seven movement stations. Basically, it’s a lot of bodyweight movement, so we won’t have a lot of free weights. It’s easy to maintain, so it’s just something for the community to come out because everybody may not be able to afford a gym membership to Planet Fitness or to the YMCA,” White told Queen City News in a phone interview.

The fitness court is listed to be at least 2,000 square feet and will be placed right here near the walking trail for easy access. It will be the first of its kind in the city — and only the second one in the state.

The first is in Aiken, South Carolina.

For Matthew Bledsoe — this is something he’s been looking for.

“I always want to go do something. But, you know, with kids and trying to find the time when to go to, you know, planet fitness or 24-hour fitness, anything like that, plus the membership, you know, we got a couple of them and sports and ball and all that jazz. So I’ll be able to go somewhere and have something like that,” Bledsoe said.

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Officials say the project was a part of the city’s strategic plan under health and wellness. It’s expected to cost around $150,000.

“We got the $30,000 grant. So we’re going to use the rest to impact. These are sponsorships, which we are. We’re about to release our sponsorship for anybody who wants to get involved and contribute and get their name put up at the fitness course,” White said.

He says with York growing so fast, people are going to be looking for things to do as far as health and wellness.

Construction is expected to start at the end of the year. As of right now, there is no timetable for it to be finished.

York County Council can finalize an incentive agreement Monday night for the $1 billion QTS Data Centers project. The decision would come after a scheduled public hearing.

For months the county has been working through details on the agreement. York County on Friday released it’s agenda for Monday’s meeting, which listed a final decision on the incentive agreement. That was the first time the county identified QTS Data Center, which previously been called “Project Cobra.”

The Herald had connected the project via land records and prior county decisions to the Kansas-based data center.

QTS is projecting a $1 billion investment and 12 new jobs. The proposed economic incentive deal would require a minimum $900 million investment and 10 jobs within eight years.

Property that ordinarily would be taxed at 10.5% would instead pay a fee, if the company hits promised targets, based on a 4% assessment. Millage would be adjustable. The deal would extend over 40 years.

The company also would be eligible for credits against that fee of 20% to 35% during the four-decade term. Those special source revenue credits are based on infrastructure produced by the company.

QTS owns property for the site in the Campbell Road and Hands Mill Highway area of Lake Wylie. The Herald previously reported QTS had 360 acres in that area after spending more than $10 million in July.

A $7 million purchase was for more than 230 acres at 2107 Hands Mill Property and surrounding areas, north of Paraham Road. QTS spent more than $4.3 million for another 130 acres at 5805 Campbell Road.

Also at Monday night’s council meeting, set for 6 p.m. at the county government center at 6 S. Congress St. in York, two more decisions await.

Both involve economic incentive agreements.

The county can finalize an incentive deal with Silfab Solar Cells. The Herald previously reported plans for 800 new jobs and a $150 million investment for the solar manufacturer eyeing 7149 Logistics Lane in Fort Mill. There has been citizen and council member push back on that project related to roads in that area.

The Silfab project was initially labeled Project Mountie. The incentive deal would be a similar assessment rate reduction and fee in place of a tax, this time for 30 years.

Also on Monday’s agenda, council can decide whether to convey terms from an existing economic development incentive deal for RG Baxter Lane to Exeter 7149 Logistics. The county completed a fee deal with RG Baxter Lane in 2019.

The Herald reported RG Baxter Lane bought 72 acres of farmland in the Gold Hill Road area of Fort Mill in 2019 for almost $8.5 million. The Herald also reported RG Baxter Lane applied that same year for a 1.1 million-square-foot warehouse project, Stateline 77.

Documents listed with the decision to convey the incentive agreement list the same Stateline 77 subdivision property. The property, building and incentive arrangement would transition to Pennsylvania real estate investment management company EQT Exeter.

This story was originally published September 15, 2023, 3:40 PM.

The district is rolling out its Competency Based Education program this year.

YORK COUNTY, S.C. (WBTV) - Monday is the first day of school for students in York District 1, one of four districts in the county.

District 1 has the smallest enrollment, but the largest geographic footprint, and district leaders have several new ideas that they hope will get students on the road to success this school year.

One new program within the district is Competency Based Education. Districts across South Carolina applied to be part of a new pilot program, which is said to be all about individualizing how students learn.

District leaders said it will cut down on how long students spend in a traditional classroom, and will help students interested in trades or industries not taught at their school.

Those students will be paired with an industry expert in York County and will learn the state standards of that job, while receiving credit toward graduation in the process.

“For me and for all educators, it’s exciting to do what we love and work with children,” Elissa Cox, director of secondary programs, said. “Take them where they are and hone in on what their strengths are and what their passions are. They’re not going to be confined to a certain pace, to a certain timeframe, or a certain curriculum. They can really begin to explore where their hearts are. It’ll be the intersection of their strengths and what they’re passionate about that we’ll be able to grow.”

Leaders said the goal is to expand the new program for students in all grade levels over the next three to five years.

Another program that York District 1 leaders are excited about heading into the new year involves its partnership with Affinity Health.

A few years in the making now, that partnership led to a clinic opening at York Middle School last year.

The clinic offers primary care, such as checkups, vaccinations and mental health services, as well as referrals to specialized doctors.

District leaders said families didn’t use the clinic as much as they had hoped, and this year, they want to get the word out and make sure students and families know it’s free and open to the whole district.

Any student or staff member in the district is welcome to use it.

The clinic offers primary care, such as checkups, vaccinations and mental health services, as well as referrals to specialized doctors.

The director of special services for the district said he hopes the clinic will be a big relief for families in York County.

“We’re a little bit limited in our area with public transportation and those types of things,” Bryan Greeson, director of special services said. “Sometimes our parents just have difficulty so this is just a great option for them...it can really address the shortage we have with primary care, mental health services. This can really fill in that gap for us. It’s just a great option for parents and our staff to choose.”

The site is open for in-person visits on Mondays, and students and staff can be seen through a telehealth appointment any day of the week.

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Base it entirely on the most recent test score data, and there’s no arguing York County has the top performing school district in South Carolina. There’s a pretty strong argument that it also could have the second best.

The South Carolina Department of Education recently released SCPASS and SC READY scores for elementary and middle school students. The results focused on three subjects. The scores from tests last school year cover English language arts and math for grades 3-8, and science in grades 4-6. Combined, that data scores 14 grade and subject combinations.

The Fort Mill School District performed best among all 76 South Carolina districts in 13 of those 14 metrics. In the lone exception, third grade math, Fort Mill students scored second best.

Fort Mill scores improved from this time last year, when the district performed best across the state in 11 of 14 grade and subject combinations. English language arts scores are now ahead of where they were in Fort Mill prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very proud of the work being done by our teachers and staff in the district,” Superintendent Chuck Epps said. “This data shows that the district has made great strides in all areas and we will continue our efforts to provide a quality education for all students.”

Fort Mill is on top, but it isn’t alone.

Again like last year, the Clover School District performed well above state averages. Of the 14 metrics in the most recent data, Clover never ranked lower than fifth. In three areas (sixth grade science and math, plus eighth grade math), Clover was second only to Fort Mill.

Clover scores are in tight contention with two Anderson County districts for second best statewide. Clover scored better than Anderson School District One and Anderson School District 4 in both math and science testing. Clover trailed both districts in English language arts. Across grade levels, Clover tested about three times more students than Anderson 4 and slightly fewer than Anderson One.

Clover and Anderson One scored second best three times each, while Anderson 4 was best in third grade math and second best four times. Both Anderson districts had a seventh place score, and Anderson 4 also had a sixth and two fifth-place results. Clover never scored worse than fifth, which it did four times — all in English language arts.

Combining all three score sets, Anderson One finished in an average position of 3.38 for the various grade and subject combinations. Anderson 4 finished with a 3.64 average, followed by Clover at 3.79.

Like Fort Mill, Clover recognized considerable gains even against its own high scores from recent years in an announcement of the new data.

“Our mission in the Clover School District is to prepare each child for a successful, productive and responsible future,” Superintendent Sheila Quinn said. “These test scores demonstrate the commitment our school board, staff, families and students have made to this mission.”

Statewide, almost 54% of students met or exceeded expectations in English language arts testing. That number is up from 47% the prior year and 42% during 2020-21. The final full year before the COVID-19 pandemic of 2018-19 saw 45% of students meet or exceed expectations.

“Reading is the foundation of all other learning,” said Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver in a recent data release. “For the first time in recent history, at least half of our students in each grade level tested as proficient in English language arts.”

Math scores are up, but are not yet back to pre-pandemic levels. The new data shows 41% of students met or exceeded expectations in math, compared to 39% the prior year. Before COVID, the state saw 45% of students meet or exceed expectations.

“The most recent math results underscore the need for us to dig as deep into evidence-based practices like high-dose tutoring to help turn the tide,” Weaver said. “The state is now working to prioritize and simplify standards and learn from effective strategies other states are using (to) propel student achievement forward.”

Scores vary in the Rock Hill, York, Lancaster County and Chester County school districts.

Lancaster County students ranked in the top 12 districts statewide for fifth grade English (No. 12) and math (No. 8), third grade math (No. 9) and fourth grade math (No. 11). Lancaster County schools trailed Fort Mill and Clover but most often finished ahead of other Rock Hill region districts.

Rock Hill ranked as high as No. 20 (fourth grade English) statewide and as low as No. 49 (sixth grade math) in the 14 course and grade metrics. York was No. 24 in sixth grade math and No. 59 in fifth grade English, at opposite ends of its spectrum. Chester County ranged from No. 39 in fourth grade English to No. 64 in sixth grade science.

At the high end, 80% or more of Fort Mill sixth- and fourth-graders met or exceeded standards in English. Fort Mill had almost 62% of its seventh grade math students meet or exceed standards, at the lowest figure for that district. Clover had just below 50% on its seventh grade math students who met or exceeded standards, up to more than 74% for fourth grade English.

On the opposite end, Chester County didn’t have a grade subject combination where at least half the students met or exceeded expectations. The 49% mark for fourth grade English was the high mark, down to just more than 16% of seventh grade math students. York scores ranged from more than 21% (eighth grade math) to almost 50% (fourth grade English).

Almost 26% of seventh grade math students in Rock Hill met or exceeded standards, up to almost 58% of fourth grade English students who met or exceeded, in that district.

For a full, sortable and searchable list of the numbers by district, use the link below:

This story was originally published September 12, 2023, 11:39 AM.