The Town of Fort Mill is excited to announce the next chapter of its plans to expand parking for our vibrant downtown business district with construction on a new municipal parking lot, which began the week of Jan. 27.

Located at the intersection of Tom Hall and Springs streets, the property was formerly the home of Hardee’s restaurant. The parking lot will be closed to the public, with perimeter fencing, security measures and signage placed around the lot. Construction is expected to take approximately five months, depending on weather.

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling near the construction area and to find alternative parking until the project is completed. Once finished, the new lot will offer 67 new parking spaces and will feature new lighting and landscaping. See the rendering at left for full details about the new project.

“The town continues to push forward with completing our new parking option downtown,” said Fort Mill Mayor Guynn Savage. “Many are using our free parking to access the great restaurants and businesses in our Main Street corridor and we look forward to finishing this project for our community.”

Sidewalk Construction Begins on Whites Road

Work has begun on the installation of sidewalks from the Pecan Ridge neighborhood to the Fort Mill Parkway on the east side of Whites Road.

In 2021, the Town of Fort Mill and York County submitted for a CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality) grant for sidewalks along Whites Road. This was in response to concerns from residents in the Waterside, Pecan Ridge and Dominion Bridge neighborhoods that students couldn’t safely walk to nearby Forest Creek Middle and Catawba Ridge High schools. Town of Fort Mill Planning Director Penelope G. Karagounis said the project is a collaborative effort between local governments and their residents.

“This is a true example of the positive impact a local advocacy group can have on their community,” Karagounis said. “By working together, we were able to provide current and future generations of students the ability to safely walk to school.”

The overall cost of the project is $1 million. Though both the Town and County contributed money, this is a state project being coordinated by the S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT).

Once complete, the new 5-foot-wide sidewalk will begin with a half-mile stretch from Fort Mill Parkway/Whites Road to Forest Creek Middle School, will connect to already existing sidewalks at that school, will connect again from the school to the Pecan Ridge neighborhood and finally will connect to existing sidewalks linking the Pecan Ridge and Waterside neighborhoods. The project is tentatively scheduled to be complete by the end of April, though that date is dependent on the weather. 

With their arms piled high with paper towels and packs of bottled water, a large group of volunteers helped carry and sort a variety of donated items outside Fort Mill Town Hall on Jan. 20, 2025.

The group of almost 50 volunteers was on hand to support the Town’s annual MLK Call to Service Day, where the community is invited to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said that “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Volunteers this year included the Fort Mill Saints, previous and current South Carolina Strawberry Festival Queens and members of the Banks Trail Middle School seventh-grade basketball team.

Each year the Town chooses several local charitable organizations who need critical items for the populations they serve. This year, the Town spotlighted four organizations, including: Classroom Ready, Fort Mill Care Center, Historic Paradise Foundation and York County Council on Aging.

"In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, our community came together on MLK Call to Service Day to make a meaningful impact,” said Fort Mill Events Coordinator Jacona Hester. “Through generous donations, we supported local organizations that serve those in need, turning Dr. King’s vision of unity and service into action. This day is a reminder that even small acts of kindness can create lasting change. We appreciate our community for supporting this annual event that benefits very valuable organizations.”

Residents dropped off hundreds of items at Town Hall between 9 and 11 a.m. day, including the following items for our various organizations:



-For Fort Mill Care Center, we received laundry detergent, disinfectant wipes, dish soap, toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, shampoo, deodorant, and soap

-For Historic Paradise Community, we received 15 cases of water and numerous gift cards

-For York County Council on Aging, we received 10 large boxes of non-perishable food, canned goods, laundry detergent, and paper towels

-For Classroom Ready, we received two large boxes of spiral and composition notebooks and miscellaneous school supplies

If you missed the recent collection drive and are still interested in donating to these organizations, visit their respective websites, included below:

Classroom Ready: https://www.foundationforfortmillschools.org/programs/school-supply-drive.html

Fort Mill Care Center: https://www.fortmillcarecenter.org/

Historic Paradise Foundation: https://www.fmhpf.org/

York County Council on Aging: https://www.yccoa.com/

Fort Mill Stormwater Department Receives State Watershed Award

Congratulations to the Fort Mill Stormwater Department for being one of several local government departments and groups to receive the Power of Partnership Award from S.C. Department of Environmental Services (SC DES) and S.C. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette on Jan. 24.

Evette and S.C. DES Interim Director Myra Reece presented representatives of the Watershed Evaluation Team (WET) with awards for their effective collaboration on watershed planning and protection. WET is a working group with stakeholders from several groups in York County, including City of York, York County, Rock Hill, Catawba Regional Council of Governments, Catawba Indian Nation, Fort Mill, and Tega Cay. Formed in 2022, the group focuses on ways to manage York County’s water resources and implement ways to protect water quality.

On hand to accept the award for the Town of Fort Mill were Stormwater Management Coordinator Mina McLean MacDonald and Stormwater Manager LeeAnn Clark. 

Get Ready for Family Fun Day

Join us for the most exciting family event in Fort Mill- Family Fun Day from 3 to 7 p.m. on March 1, 2025! The event will be held at Walter Y. Elisha Park, 345 N. White St. 

This exciting event will feature:



 🎉 Delicious food and engaging activities

 🎭 The Kids Celebration Game Show, America’s #1 Family Game Show, live on the Amphitheater Stage

 🎥 A cozy Movie in the Park to close out the evening

Calling All Family & Kid-Friendly Vendors!

If you offer products, activities, or experiences that families and kids will enjoy, learn from, or explore, then this is the perfect event for you. 

To join, please complete your vendor application by Feb. 7, 2025. Click here to apply!

Applicants will be notified of their status (Approved or Wait List) by Feb. 12, 2025. We can’t wait to see what you bring to Family Fun Day!

Movie Vote

The Town of Fort Mill asked for your help deciding which movie to show during Family Fun Day and you answered. The winner of the Town of Fort Mill’s Movie Vote is (drum roll please)….Despicable Me 4! 



Thank you to everyone who voted in our contest. Despicable Me 4 won hands down with 34.05 % of the vote! Encanto was second place with 24.32% of the vote. The other three movies in descending order were Moana with 20%, Jumanji: The Next Level with 12.43% and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World with 9.19%. 

How to Pay Your Bill Online

Looking for an easy way to pay your Town utility bill? The Town of Fort Mill has several options that can make paying more convenient.

A new and simple option is the Town’s customer payment portal. The My Gov Hub portal is accessible from the "Online Bill Pay" tab found at https://www.fortmillsc.gov/414/Billing-Customer-Service or under the "How Do I" tab at the top of the Town’s website: www.fortmillsc.gov. Instructions for using the portal are included on the website. 

In addition to high processing speeds, the portal offers a variety of features for customers, including the ability to set up a profile and access billing history. Customers can also set up recurring payments, pay for multiple properties and print statements, among other features. 

There are also several other ways you can pay your utility bill:

1. By Mail: Always enclose the top portion of your bill with your check or money order.
2. In Person: Bring your bill and payment with you to Town Hall, 200 Tom Hall St.
3. By Phone: Call (803) 752-3021 and choose Option 2. You will need your Utility Account number. You can pay by credit card, but please remember there is a 3% fee.
4. Night Drop-off: Drop your payment in the slot in our drive through at Town Hall.
5. Bank Draft: Complete the information on your bill, attach a voided check and return to the Business Office at Town Hall.

Remember, in order to avoid late fees, utility bills must be received by the Town on or before the 16th of each month.

Have questions? Contact our Billing Department at (803) 835-5712 or visit our Billing & Customer Service webpage at https://www.fortmillsc.gov/414/Billing-Customer-Service.

Interested in showing off your Town of Fort Mill spirit wherever you go? Then make sure to visit Town Hall lobby, 200 Tom Hall St., anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to purchase one of four limited Town-branded items.

Items available for sale include: Town-branded yard flags ($15), tumblers ($12), campfire mugs ($8), and canvas tote bags ($15). Only credit cards and Apple Pay will be accepted (no cash). 

Click the photo & links above or visit www.fortmillsc.gov/TownEvents to learn more.

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