Board of Zoning Appeal approves special exception for small liquor retail unit at 1701 Rosewood Drive

The City of Columbia Board of Zoning Appeal on July 2 approved a special exception permitting a small, package-only liquor retail unit at 1701 Rosewood Drive, unit A, after concluding the application met the zoning decision standards in staff materials and oral testimony. Chair Katherine Fenner presided.

Larry March, an attorney representing the convenience-store operator Mr. Singh, told the board the proposed liquor outlet would be contained within an existing commercial unit and would involve no new building construction. March said the unit would be small (occupying a fraction of the store’s footprint), would be for package sales only (no on-premises consumption), and that the operator had obtained a temporary retail liquor license from the South Carolina Department of Revenue. March added the operator voluntarily closes late-night business at midnight and offered to make operational restrictions permanent if the board required conditions.

William Lynn Shirley, speaking for the Hollywood Rose Hill Neighborhood Association in place of president Guy Jones, urged caution. Shirley said the neighborhood’s concern was driven by the broader “situation” around the site: he reported that adjacent vacant land under related ownership is proposed for student apartments (approximately 15 bedrooms, as noted by residents), and he warned a higher student population could amplify parking pressure and create more walkable access to alcohol. Shirley acknowledged some neighbors sympathized with the owner’s need for a viable business plan but said long-term single-family residents worried the change would erode neighborhood balance.

Board members questioned the applicant about the size and layout of the proposed retail unit, delivery and loading logistics, and whether the applicant had coordinated with neighbors. March said the liquor unit would occupy significantly less than one-fourth of the existing convenience-store footprint, have a separate entrance, and use existing on-site areas for loading. He also said the operator circulated a petition of support and provided a copy to the board; the petition was accepted into the record.

Staff clarified a jurisdictional limit: the hours of sale for liquor retailers are set by state licensing rules administered by the South Carolina Department of Revenue/ABC and therefore cannot be altered by the zoning approval. Staff stated that liquor-store licenses are subject to state requirements, including specified hours of operation; the board may not condition state licensing provisions through zoning action.

After discussion the board made findings that the proposal satisfied each of the special-exception decision standards cited in the staff packet (items 1–12). A motion to approve the special exception for 1701 Rosewood Drive, unit A was moved and seconded, and the motion carried. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally or individual yes/no votes.

The board also noted that a prior denial in January 2025 related to a previous owner did not, in the attorney’s view, control consideration of the current owner’s new application; the applicant asked the board to treat the filing on its present merits. The applicant clarified that the store operator does not own adjacent vacant land but operates under a ground lease.

The board closed the meeting after approving the motion. No specific enforcement conditions or follow-up assignments were recorded in the transcript.