The Charleston County Historic Preservation Commission voted May 21 to approve a certificate of historic appropriateness for a 1,500-square-foot Take 5 Oil Change facility proposed at 3675 Savannah Highway, a property that falls partially within a 300-foot buffer of Saint Mark’s Union Methodist Episcopal Church.

Staff presented the application and recommended approval with a condition that any major changes be processed under section 21-5(m) (modifications to approved certificates). Staff noted that only a small sliver of the site — 2,770 square feet (about 0.06 acre) — lies inside the 300-foot buffer around the church, and that most construction would be sited closer to Savannah Highway where it would not be visible from the church. Staff also reported the parcel is in flood zones AE and shaded X and that prior related approvals for the parcel include a Board of Zoning Appeals action to remove two grand trees on Jan. 6, 2025; a site-plan review was listed as in an approvable state.

Several residents opposed the proposal at the meeting. Claudia Lawton described ownership and tax-history concerns for nearby parcels and sought clarity on which properties were under discussion; Reverend Doris Johnson, a former pastor of Saint Mark’s, said she opposed the project on grounds of traffic, potential oil contamination and impacts to the church and surrounding marshes. Applicant Chris Orman, the development manager, said the project team had adjusted the driveway and site layout to avoid the buffer and that only landscaping and minor underground utilities would occur inside the 300-foot radius.

Commission discussion included questions about visibility from the church, the amount of the site inside the buffer and the potential for contamination. A commissioner asked whether the church uses municipal water or a well; staff answered they believed the church is served by municipal water. On regulatory responsibility for oil containment and spills, staff explained that state agencies (including the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control) regulate on-site handling and cleanup and that the county does not regulate those containment standards.

After discussion, the commission moved to approve the certificate of historic appropriateness and voted to grant the CHA. The recorded votes were: Chair English Hertel — Aye; Commissioner Joseph Dukes — Aye; Commissioner Brent Halverson — Aye; Commissioner Michael German — Aye; Commissioner Anna Johnson — No; Vice Chair Donna Gardner — Aye; Commissioner Amy Gerard — Aye; Commissioner Pat Jones — Aye; Commissioner (second recorded as Pat Jones earlier in the proceeding) — (see vote_record). The motion passed with eight ayes and one no. The commission’s action is a final decision of the Historic Preservation Commission; the chair read notice that any person with a substantial interest may appeal the decision to the Circuit Court of Charleston County within 30 calendar days.

The commission also discussed but did not change the ordinance-based approval criteria: because the subject parcel has no identifiable contributing resources, staff recommended applying section 21-5(h)(0.3) of the ordinance in the analysis. Staff concluded the proposed improvements would not diminish the historic integrity of Saint Mark’s based on visibility and the limited area within the buffer; commissioners who voted in favor cited those staff findings in supporting the approval.