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Berkeley County BZA denies Hammond appeal; tow-yard use not grandfathered
Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals denied an administrative appeal from Bob Hammond Construction Inc., upholding the zoning administrator's finding that Elite Towing's operations at 123 Lisa Ann Lane exceed the site's grandfathered uses and that a tow yard is not permitted under the county's grandfather clause.
The Berkeley County Board of Zoning Appeals on the February agenda denied an administrative appeal by Bob Hammond Construction Inc., upholding the county planning department's determination that Elite Towing's operations at 123 Lisa Ann Lane are not covered by grandfathered rights and that a tow yard does not fall within the grandfather clause.
Attorney John West, representing Bob Hammond Construction, told the board the company and its tenant, Elite Towing, relied on county staff communications before leasing the site. West said the lease was signed June 4, 2024, operations began in August 2024, and his clients spent roughly $140,000 in renovations based on representations that the property's historic use would allow continuation. "The record is overwhelming" that the use is consistent with past activity, West told the board.
Zoning Administrator Allison Lisonbee and planning staff presented a different reading. Staff's review found…
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