Why a major Lancaster County employer doesn’t want a Christian private school next to it

Lancaster County still doesn’t have an answer on whether a Christian private school can move into an industrial park, but opposition from one of the county’s biggest employers may factor into it.

Lancaster County Council this week again delayed a zoning decision for 1662 MacMillan Park Drive, amid concern from Continental. The tire company with its U.S. headquarters on MacMillan Park Drive is against the property owner’s plan to bring Marvin Academy to the park.

“Nobody’s opposed to a school,” Continental director of government affairs April Allen told the council at its Feb. 26 meeting. “But is Continental opposed to the school being in the industrial park? Yes.”

The county planning staff and the county planning commission oppose the zoning change that would allow the school in an industrial park because both say it doesn’t fit with businesses there.

Council alternated half a dozen times since October between deferring and moving along the decision. A final vote won’t happen now until at least March.

Why Continental tires opposes school plan

Marvin Academy, which educates students from kindergarten through 12th grade, wants to go into the former Kennametal site between Continental and Unique Loom. Kennametal worked in tungsten and titanium carbine alloys on the more than 7-acre site.

Unique Loom fronts S.C. 160, while Continental is tucked to the rear of the business park toward Sugar Creek.

Park rules don’t allow for schools, and Allen told council it should stay that way.

“A change in use creates risk,” she said. “Headquarters traffic, distribution traffic would be combined with carpool traffic and teenage drivers. It’s just not a place where someone expects there to be a child in the middle of an industrial park.”

There’s also a business concern.

Continental moved to 1830 MacMillan Park Dr. in 2009 with promises of 300 jobs and $11 million in new investment. At first the company leased space on almost 14 acres.

Continental expanded in 2011 and in 2019 the company bought 41 acres for almost $3 million to expand again. The multi-building plan to create a new campus included the announcement of a new 90,000-square-foot headquarters set to open next month.

That announcement promised 100 jobs. The company now has more than 650 employees at the county site and more than 2,000 in South Carolina. Annual tax revenue from the company tops $300,000 even before the headquarters opening, Allen said.

Because of county zoning rules that require certain land uses to be separated from others, a school in the former Kennametal site could cost Continental 12 acres on its site that would become unavailable, Allen said.

“It negatively impacts our ability to grow and expand,” she said.

Safety, tax revenue could impact school decision

Councilman Allen Blackmon thought all the other business park tenants were on board with the school plan, a key to his support for the zoning change. Hearing otherwise from Continental is significant for him.

“It just comes down to a question of, is this a good fit or not?” Blackmon said.

The council already didn’t have full details from the South Carolina Department of Revenue on what the change might mean for taxes. The industrial park has a negotiated fee agreement rather than typical taxes. Schools don’t pay the same taxes or rates that industry does.

Delaying a final decision gives the county time to get details on who would pay what taxes, but also for the property owner to meet with Continental or any other neighbors to see if an agreement is possible.

“This is a big decision, and I could see it going both ways,” Blackmon said.

Councilwoman Charlene McGriff said the tax issue is important, but not most important. For her the issue is safety. She also doesn’t see why the county should make a decision that could harm existing industry for a new school.

Councilman Jose Luis found amusement centers, vocational schools and studios for art, music and dance included in the list of possible uses at the site. “Children could now currently visit this site, attend this site and be in this site,” Luis said.

Part of the discussion in recent months for why a school might go into the industrial park is a lack of interest in recent years from industrial or manufacturing companies.

Brian Cillian with zoning change applicant Greybridge MacMillan told council the only other recent interest in the property was from an indoor amusement park, something that could be allowed without a zoning change.

“The traffic would probably be significantly more, and at all hours,” Cillian said.

Because of what else could be there, Luis sees the Marvin Academy as a better option. “I feel more comfortable having a school here,” he said.