Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting – August 18, 2026
Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting – August 18, 2026
The Goose Creek Board of Zoning Appeals met on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 6:00 PM to consider one administrative appeal regarding the non-conforming use status of a property at 129 Red Bank Road. The board voted to affirm the zoning administrator's decision that the automotive repair use had been discontinued for more than 12 consecutive months, thereby losing its non-conforming status.
Consent Calendar
- The board approved the minutes of the June 16, 2026 meeting with a correction to the applicant's name spelling. The motion passed unanimously.
Discussion Items
- 2026-004-AP – Administrative Appeal of Nonconforming Use Status at 129 Red Bank Road
- Applicant's Position: Stephanie Cinco and Darcy Prussack, representing property owner Janice Scott, argued that the automotive repair use had never been abandoned. They presented a chronological timeline showing continuous ownership, a problematic tenant, eviction proceedings in early 2025, immediate recovery of the property, extensive cleanup (over 80,000 pounds of debris removed, $80,000+ in repairs including a new roof), and multiple attempts to lease to new automotive businesses. They emphasized that the owner did not voluntarily surrender the use and that the 12-month abandonment standard should not apply because the property was being rehabilitated and actively marketed. They also noted that the building was constructed as a garage in 1977 and had always operated as such.
- Zoning Administrator's Position: Jen Wise, the zoning administrator, explained that she denied the business license application submitted on July 1, 2026, because the non-conforming use had been discontinued for more than 12 consecutive months. She cited code enforcement records showing maintenance violations in 2024, a photograph from March 2025 confirming vacancy, and the lack of building permits for major reconstruction. She stated that the property did not meet the criteria for tolling the 12-month period, as the damage exception requires a building permit for reconstruction within six months, which was not obtained.
- Board Deliberation: Board members questioned the timeline. The tenant vacated in February 2025, and the eviction filing was January 27, 2025. The business license application was submitted July 1, 2026, resulting in over 18 months of non-use. The applicants stated they had made continuous efforts to re-lease the property but all prospective tenants were denied licenses. The board asked about the extent of repairs and the lack of permits; the applicants explained that most work was minor and did not require permits beyond those obtained (roof, fence, dumpster, exterior paint).
Key Outcomes
- Motion: Robert Smith moved to affirm the zoning administrator's decision, citing the 18-month period of non-conforming use. Dan Guzman seconded.
- Vote: The board voted unanimously (all ayes) to affirm the decision.
- Result: The zoning administrator's denial of the business license was upheld, and the non-conforming use status for automotive repair at 129 Red Bank Road was not reinstated.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. I would like to welcome everyone to tonight's City of Goose Creek Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. May I have a roll call, please? Lisa present. And isn't it? Present. John Me. Smith. Present. Thank you. Just like to remind everybody to speak into the mics tonight, please. Let's see. First order of business tonight is to review and approve our minutes from our previous meeting dated June 16th of 2026. Are there any corrections to the minutes? I actually have a possible correction. Um it appears that uh the applicant's name is spelled a couple different ways, so we're just need to double check the actual spelling of that. And uh anybody else has any. I will entertain a motion to approve the minutes with the possible corrections. So moved. We have a motion for Mr. Smith. Is there a second? We have a second from Miss Lisa. Sorry. It's fine. Um call for a vote. All in favor signify by saying aye. All of those by saying move. All right. That motion passes. The minutes are approved. We have a possible corrections. All right, moving on. Can you all hear me okay? Okay. All right. The procedure for participation in tonight's meeting will be as follows. The statement of the manner to be heard will be presented first. After that, the applicant will be allowed 10 minutes to present their case, followed by a 10-minute presentation from the official who is being appealed. Five-minute rebuttal period for the applicant will then be allowed. Board members may ask questions at any time during the presentations. Following all presentations, board members will discuss merits of the application and any other necessary questions. After the question and discussion period, the board will ask for any input from staff. Finally, the chairperson will ask the board for a motion on the application. The motion may either affirm or reverse the decision of the zoning administrator. Everyone present this evening who is going to be giving testimony. Please stand and raise your right hand for the oath. Okay. Please respond yes or no to the following statement. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are going to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
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