York County offers communities with a plan

So this is what the recession looks like in northern York County?

The neighborhood states of Springfield and Baxter Village continue to draw new inhabitants from around the country, to the extent that in my neighborhood, Ohio State license plates trail only those of Clemson and (South) Carolina.

While school districts across the Charlotte region report slowing enrollment, the much-celebrated Fort Mill system has closed off one school to new students, even as it opened two new elementary campuses this fall.

Despite the faltering economy, the Fort Mill-Tega Cay crescent remains the fastest-growing part of one of South Carolina's fastest-growing counties. Lower taxes and housing prices, along with a strong and stable school system, has made York County's so-called northern tier highly attractive to newbies.

There's undeniable evidence that Fort Mill hopes to do a smarter and better job with this growth thing. Baxter and Springfield are being built around new urbanist principles. Sure, there are too many strip malls and dueling drug store chains on opposite corners, but Fort Mill appears set on not repeating all the mistakes of other places.

There's the natural beauty. Thousands of acres have been set aside for greenways, park and trails by the Close Family, whose descendants helped turn Fort Mill into a textile hub after the Civil War and have controlled the future of the place ever since. Lake Wylie and the free-flowing stretches of the Catawba River also are close by.

There's the access to Interstates 77 and 485, which makes for a quick commute to most of the job centers of Charlotte and Rock Hill. The airport, Charlotte's best shopping areas, and uptown's restaurants and entertainment spots are all within a 25-minute drive.

At the same time, Fort Mill is offering more and more reasons to stay on its side of the line. Baxter offers a host of restaurants, coffee shops and its own wine and beer bar, the Grapevine.

Homes may not be going up as they were two years ago. Yet northern York County is part of an emerging state-line, suburban megalopolis stretching from the Palisades near Lake Wylie, east through Tega Cay and Fort Mill and all the way to Indian Land and the sprawling Del Webb retirement center in Lancaster County.

Not that the area has escaped growing pains. The heralded Fort Mill school system is fighting to keep test scores high even as its classrooms fill, costs rise and tax dollars are stretched to the breaking point.

Fort Mill has long been a town divided among natives and newcomers, its own Mason-Dixon line: the eight lanes of I-77. As the population has doubled to more than 10,000 since 1990, the longtime residents are more and more outnumbered.

Over the long haul, however, Fort Mill residents have ample grounds for optimism. Recession aside, this appears to be a community with a plan, and the will to stick with it. Or make it better.

Here are some things to see and do around the area:

Glencairn Gardens: Rock Hill's gorgeous little jewel box on Charlotte Avenue is undergoing a facelift. Approaching its 50th birthday, the gardens' rolling and water-filled landscape remains the perfect spot to begin or end the day.

Winthrop University: The campus along Oakland Avenue continues to spread its influence.

Downtown: No longer the center of evolving Fort Mill, Main Street still offers a funky collection of small antique shops and eateries.

Market Street in Baxter: Once you get past the instant “small-town charm” of the place, the entertainment/business district of the Baxter Village development off at S.C. 160 and I-77 is quickly becoming a top attraction in northern York County. www.villageofbaxter.com.

Anne Springs Close Greenway: Instead of getting even richer, the Springs Family set aside 2,300 prime development acres into one of the recreational highlights of the Carolinas. www.leroysprings.com.

York: Simply one of the prettiest little towns anywhere. Once known primarily for South Carolina's second-largest historic district, “The Charleston of the Upstate” now offers improved dining and entertainment options drawing visitors uptown.

Lake Wylie and the Catawba River: The lake dominates the western stretch of the state line, and continues to draw thousands to its shores throughout the summer.

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