Council waives one-year waiting period on rezoning after hours of public comment from Red Top community

Charleston County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to waive a one-year waiting period so a developer can return to the community and seek a potential compromise on a contested rezoning near Bees Ferry Road.

The decision followed extended public comment from residents of the nearby Red Top settlement and neighbors who said a proposed 100-unit townhome development would strain local roads, increase flooding risk and accelerate displacement of long-time residents. Danielle Mitchell, speaking for the historic Black settlement community, argued the proposal "threatens the survival of a community that has already endured decades of displacement pressure." Park Page and other neighbors cited growing traffic and recent nearby development.

Joseph Tecklenberg, the listing agent for the property owners, told council the owners had recorded restrictive covenants with the register of deeds to limit the property to 100 units regardless of zoning. Will Jenkinson, a local broker, said the project is consistent with the county’s Housing Our Future plan and cited recent examples of helping families achieve homeownership.

Council members debated options including deferral to allow developers to work with neighbors and a procedural path that would either hold the item or allow a waiver. A motion to waive the one-year waiting period was made and carried in a roll-call vote recorded in the meeting transcript as 9 ayes and 0 nays. The roll call in the transcript named the following members voting aye: Mister Darby, Missus Honeycutt, Mister Kobrovski, Mister Middleton, Mister Moody, Mister Pryor, Mister Sachs, Mister Werman, and Mister Boykin.

Separately, council completed second readings on a set of zoning amendments (ordinance 4b) and an ordinance authorizing conveyance of 0.09 acres at 3565 Dorchester Road (ordinance 4c); those measures passed second reading by recorded ayes in the transcript. Council also adopted consent-agenda items before moving into general council comments.

Next steps: With the waiver in place, the developer may meet with community members and county staff under the timeline discussed; council did not adopt a final zoning change during the meeting and further procedural steps remain possible.