Mike Cockram wasn't worried when he heard about plans in spring
2001 for a subdivision next to his rural York County home.
He saw no chance of the county council approving the 50-home
development a few miles outside Rock Hill.
Then he hit a setback: Cockram and his neighbors learned that
more than 41 acres were already zoned for the project. That meant
the developers could move forward -- and there was nothing local
government leaders could do.
Cockram, a Fort Mill native who had never been politically
active, and others considered their strategy.
They started to organize. Cockram served sodas and water one
evening around his pool deck to 61 people. They hired an attorney to
research any deed restrictions. They called county council members.
Cockram considered selling his house and moving farther away from
the city.
"I didn't want to sit here on my pool deck and look at the
backyard of 20 homes and have them looking at me," he said.
Cockram called the Southern Development Group of Rock Hill, which
had a contract to buy the land, every two weeks to push his case.
Neighbors called their friends. Ultimately, facing heavy community
pressure, the firm dropped its plans.
The residents didn't stop. They organized to rezone more than
1,000 acres along Falls Road to a lower-density use. That would
prevent another similar subdivision from being built without council
approval.
The same 61 residents showed up for three council meetings to
consider the rezoning. Cockram passed out maps to the council
members along with his written remarks.
In January 2002, the council approved the rezoning.
"It's people taking action to protect themselves," said
council member Curwood Chappell. "Government can't do it
all."
An official with Southern Development Group did not return
repeated telephone calls.
The developers ended up buying the land anyway and donating most
of it to the county. A member of the development firm bought a shop
and the house next to the Cockrams.
"We have a nice couple living next door," Cockram said.
"We never hear a peep out of them."
