YORK COUNTY, S.C. — York County Council has taken a preliminary vote to increase impact fees on new homes within the Clover School District from $4,000 to $15,000, aiming to fund new school construction.
The fee increase, approved this week, applies to new homes within the urban service boundary, which includes areas with county water and sewer services.
School leaders cite a 2020 study and inflation-driven construction costs as justification for the hike.
Councilman William Bump Roddey expressed opposition to the fee increase, stating, “I don’t think the Clover area housing market can support adding 11 more thousand to the existing $4,000 impact fee, taking it to $15,000.”
The Clover School District has collected over $5.6 million in impact fees from January 2021 to September 2025. With the new fee, the district estimates it could have collected over $21 million in the same period.
Some residents support the higher fee, arguing it is necessary to avoid a tax increase for everyone within the district.
However, there is debate over whether the area should be classified as urban, given its mix with older areas.
Kevin Barber, a resident of a new subdivision in Clover, expressed concerns about the proposed impact fee increase, stating, “I think it’s overpriced.”
The urban service boundary, marked in pink on a map provided by county leaders, includes Clover and most of the Lake Wylie area, where residents have access to county utilities.
The proposed fee increase is set for a third vote next month, with ongoing discussions about its impact on the housing market and community taxes.
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