York County advances fee-in-lieu tax deal for Project Palmetto Rock

York County officials approved an amended fee-in-lieu-of-ad-valorem-tax (FILO) and incentive agreement tied to Project Palmetto Rock during a regular meeting, advancing a multi-jurisdictional economic development arrangement that speakers said could deliver substantial revenue to local schools.

The presiding official (recorded in the transcript as the Chair) opened by reading an ordinance authorizing a FILO and related special source revenue credits and said the agreement includes provisions for allocation of fees and the maintenance of a multi‑county industrial business park. A Committee member moved to approve the ordinance with amendments; the motion was seconded and taken up for discussion and a voice vote.

Supporters described the amendment as a negotiated, good‑faith compromise reached after third reading. “I am very thankful to all of the folks in this community. I'm very thankful to Octapharma,” the Chair said, thanking company representatives and community partners. A Committee member told colleagues the school district would receive what he described as “an additional $65,000,000 over the life of this thing,” characterizing the distribution to schools as a major benefit of the deal.

Members also discussed procedural and legal wrinkles that remain to be sorted. One Committee member asked for a clearer public explanation of the consent portion of the agreement; the Chair responded that the financial terms are shared among the participating entities and that any outstanding concerns — including a referenced, older agreement one member said had “popped up out of the middle of nowhere” — would be addressed by the cooperating parties and legal staff.

The meeting record shows the amendment motion carried unanimously. The panel then moved to first reading of a separate ordinance repeal related to an item identified in the transcript as Project Tomatoo Rock; the Chair explained this repeal was a parallel track and said that if the FILO is approved by the relevant parties the county would not continue with the repeal ordinance.

A Committee member moved to adjourn; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The meeting was then adjourned.

What happens next: staff will continue legal review and coordinate among the affected entities to finalize FILO terms; if and when all parties approve the FILO the county indicated it would not advance the repeal ordinance. The transcript does not record final, itemized vote tallies or a completion date for the FILO.