Historic Phillips-area church cleared to add gravel parking and signage with condition to move freestanding sign

The Charleston County Historic Preservation Commission on Sept. 17 approved a certificate of historic appropriateness allowing a church on Bennett Charles Road in the Phillips Community Historic District to convert a grass area to a gravel parking lot, add a 615-square-foot ADA concrete parking pad and install one wall sign and one freestanding sign, conditioned on relocating the freestanding sign away from the church’s primary view and in compliance with vision‑clearance rules. Staff said the building is a contributing resource to the Phillips Community National Register listing and recommended approval with two conditions: move the freestanding sign to the opposite side of the vehicular access to avoid obstructing the view of the historic church, and require any major changes to return to the commission.

The application proposed wheel stops for a gravel area, a concrete ADA parking pad tied into existing sidewalk and minimal wall signage mounted in the pediment above the church’s front entry. Staff’s presentation noted the church building is a one‑story concrete block contributing resource with a pedimented portico and historic plaques and that the freestanding sign placement as proposed would impede views of the church from Bennett Charles Road. Emily Pickett, the planning staff presenter, said the applicant had minimized exterior changes to preserve the church’s historic context and that the wall sign could be removed in the future without damaging historic fabric.

Public comment at the meeting came from members of the congregation and neighbors. Wasim Rafla identified himself as a church board member and said, "We bought this church in June... our intention is to keep it as a church." Ibrahim Caldas, the church treasurer, said the congregation planned to work with the Phillips community and would “bend backwards” to accommodate neighbors. Richard Habersham, who lives across the street, said the congregation had engaged with the neighborhood and that he welcomed the church as an asset.

Commission discussion focused on the sign placement and materials. Pickett confirmed the freestanding sign materials would be a combination of aluminum and PVC and that the wall sign options were either PVC letters painted or an aluminum composite panel with printed vinyl. Commissioners accepted staff’s recommendation that the freestanding sign be relocated to the opposite side of the vehicular access so it would not obstruct the view of the contributing resource and so it would comply with Article 9.7 (vision clearance and sight distance) of the ZLDR (Zoning and Land Development Regulations).

Commissioner Amy Johnson moved approval incorporating staff conditions and Commissioner Donna Gardner offered an amendment making the relocation condition explicit; the motion passed unanimously. Chair English Hertel announced the approval and reminded the public that an appeal of the commission’s final decision to Circuit Court must be filed within 30 calendar days.

The commission’s action was limited to whether the proposed changes were compatible with the historic district and did not approve any other site alterations beyond those shown in the application.