Planning commission recommends approval of rezoning for car-dealership parcel near Moncks Corner

Berkeley County Planning Commission on Aug. 26 voted to recommend rezoning roughly 1.6 acres on North Highway 17A (TMS 123-00-02-026) from Flex/Lehi 1 to General Commercial to allow a portion of the parcel to be used as a car-sales lot.

Planning staff told the commission the parcel sits within a commercial node and is consistent with the county’s future land-use designation of rural living as applied in that corridor. Staff said surrounding parcels include single-family properties in the Lehi 1 district and commercial parcels developed in GC; staff recommended approval because the rezoning aligns with the comprehensive plan and the parcel’s proximity to complementary commercial uses.

Applicant Carl Washington told the commission he intends to use part of the site for a used-car sales lot and said there would be no vehicle maintenance or repair on the site. "Yes, sir," Washington said when asked if the site would be for sales only. Planning staff flagged that a traffic-impact analysis has not been required for this case to date and that engineering review would be part of subsequent entitlement steps.

With a motion by Planning Commission member Turner and a second from another commissioner, the commission approved the recommendation to rezone the parcel to GC. The approval allows the applicant to move forward with entitlement steps under GC zoning standards; if the rezoning were denied, the parcel would remain subject to Lehi 1 requirements.