'Jived' Turky's

Saturday was supposed to be an opportunity to release some of the pressure that has built up, to give cooler heads a chance to weigh in on the proposed Turky’s Towing property and to create a better sense of community.
City Councilman Bill Moody had arranged a meeting between representatives from three West Ashley neighborhoods and the Burky clan to discuss the proposed annexation and development of three parcels of land along Savannah Highway.
Werner “Turky” Burky had purchased the parcels next door to the fallen Charleston 9 memorial park to become the new home of the towing company that bears his nickname and is owned and now run by his daughter, Allison B. Boone.
Boone, who lives a few streets away and walks her dogs in the affected area, would be taking time away from celebrating her 32nd birthday with her husband, friends, and beloved boxers.
Neighborhood activists, spearheaded by former NOAA official and stay-at-home mom Carmen Nash, were supposed to be able to air their concerns about the proposed Turky’s site — increased traffic along Pebble Drive parallel to the highway, lighting, the appropriateness of the zoning and usage so close to a memorial.
But then, late Friday night, Moody said he received notice the neighborhoods were backing out, canceling the meeting. At about 11 p.m., Moody had had enough, texting, “I’m finished with this project. Good night.”
Nash, who had been so forthcoming didn’t return calls for comment Saturday morning.
Boone felt confused about what else she and her father were supposed to do. Already, they had paid an attorney to draw up a covenant where they agreed to shutter the Pebble Drive side of the property, install inward-facing lighting, and maintain a high grade of landscaping.
It was as if she and her dad were jumping through all the hoops they had to jump through, but people kept setting the hoops on fire.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m in kindergarten, but that’s not fair,” said Boone, whose future site had already been turned down for annexation into the city a few weeks ago by the planning commission. And not to sound too-middle school-y, she said she also felt a little “jived” by the meeting cancellation.
Nash had termed the meeting a “fact-finding mission” for the neighborhoods concerned they were about to be impacted by what some were terming a junkyard.
Boone said if there were any facts that hadn’t been covered in public hearings or in the media, then Saturday would have been the perfect opportunity to ask her directly.
“I don’t have ulterior motives here,” said Boone, who added that she wasn’t going to “put up anything junky.”
“I can’t make them talk to me, I just wish somebody would give me the courtesy of speaking to me face-to-face, as neighbors, as human beings,” said Boone. “But obviously, I’m not able to make anybody do anything.”
On Friday, Nash said that everyone — the city, the Burkys, the neighborhoods — was “under pressure and frustrated.” Nash said the situation went beyond just a handful of concerned neighborhoods and a local business, that it was a tough “balancing” act between protecting interests of all three parties.
“There is a need for a master plan,” said Nash, and a task force that could represent the interests of the city, of West Ashley residents, and of the business community.
Down Savannah Highway, the Avondale Point area has seen commercial growth negatively impact three other neighborhoods — Avondale, Ashley Forest, and Byrnes Downs — via parking, crime, and bar litter.
On the back side of Avondale, a resurgent restaurant site has led to homeowners to post signs in their yards to keep revelers’ cars off their grass.
Across St. Andrews Boulevard from there an enormous storage facility is in the finishing stages of construction that city and county officials were so caught off-guard about in terms of size and use, an overlay zoning district was cobbled together to make sure something like that couldn’t happen again.
“If we were spiteful, we could just keep our property zoned in the county and use the heck out of Pebble Drive, but we’re not going to do that,” said Boone, adding she would still sit down with the neighborhoods to discuss their plans.