Muphy Oil -- "News" from 2012

On July 5, 2012, I was copied on an email from Dan Pennick to County Councilman Joe Qualey.   Pennick, Director of Charleston County Planning, wrote Councilman Qualey:

Dear Joe:

An application for a zoning change at 1182 Folly Road (TMS# 4251300024) from Residential Office (OR) to Neighborhood Commercial (CN) was submitted by the attorney for the property owners on May 25, 2012 for the July Planning Commission meeting. Shortly thereafter, the engineers for Murphy Oil Express gas station and the attorney for the property owners, Randolph Cooper, informed us that they would like to pursue a Planned Development because their proposed site design was hindered by the required land use buffers. Members of their project team have indicated that they would prefer to have the rezoning completed with Charleston County.

On that same day, I emailed Dan Pennick the following:

Dear Dan:

It seems that this property is in the Town of James Island.

While I don't officially have any authority until after August 2 (and only then on the assumption I don't get beat by a write in campaign) I don't think that the planned development to allow a gas station, or even a rezoning from office residential, would be appropriate.  

The effort to complete this rezoning before the Town opened failed.   I believe that the primary reason was the good relations between Charleston County and the Town and between Councilman Joe Qualey and myself. He and I have worked closely together on many issues since he took office in January of 2011.  His help was essential during the period the Town was closed and for the last two years as the Town has rebuilt its strength.   If I am reelected, we can build upon this strong relationship for the next four years.