York County approves $30 million infrastructure credit for proposed Costco depot amid traffic and transparency concerns

York County Council approved a $30 million infrastructure credit agreement to support construction of a proposed Costco distribution center (identified in meeting materials as "Project Sample") after a multi-hour presentation by county staff and Costco consultants and a prolonged council debate over the size and scope of the credit.

Economic development staff presented the proposal, saying the full suite of improvements for the site and adjacent parcels totals roughly $44 million (including on-site grading, drainage and building work, off-site roadway and stormwater improvements, and a proposed electrical substation). Costco representatives said the initial build (phase 1) would be about 541,000 square feet with approximately 125 jobs in year one and about 165 positions by year five, and that the company offers benefits and average hourly wages around $26.66 in the early years. County and consultant traffic models projected trucks and cars associated with the depot; staff described design features (a roundabout and interconnect drive, internal truck check-in, and on-site "bulldog" areas) intended to keep trucks off surrounding local roads.

Council debated several amendments to the proposed credit, including a motion (defeated in amendment form) to limit the credit to $17 million that would exclude on-site improvements from the credit calculation and instead cover only off-site public infrastructure. Opponents and some residents argued the $30 million request effectively reimburses private, on-site work and questioned why the county would credit on-site developer costs. Cindy Helms, who later addressed the council, said county records supplied to her showed about $18 million of the improvements would be on-site for Costco, about $8 million inside the industrial park, and roughly $14 million in direct public infrastructure (roundabout and an Oak Pond turn lane), and urged a no vote on the $30 million credit.

Supporters, including several council members, argued the county must be competitive with neighboring North Carolina jurisdictions that offer larger tax incentives or abatements and that the proposed credit is performance-based and tied to job creation, capital investment and agreed deliverables. During deliberations councilmembers also discussed cost-sharing among the county, the city of Rock Hill and the school district and asked staff to refine allocation scenarios for subsequent steps.

Council ultimately approved the requested $30,000,000 infrastructure credit agreement by a 4-3 vote. The agreement as discussed was performance-based: if Costco does not meet agreed investment or job targets, the county could withhold credits.

What happens next: staff will finalize the terms of the infrastructure-credit agreement, coordinate intergovernmental arrangements with Rock Hill and local school stakeholders about contributions and long-term maintenance of donated property (the presentation said some property and an electrical-substation parcel could be dedicated to Rock Hill), and bring final documents back to council for signature.