Reacting to reports that the Beach Company has now escalated its dispute with residents and preservationists in the neighborhoods near the Sgt. Jasper property by challenging the very existence of Charleston's Board of Architectural Review in the courts, Charleston businessman and mayoral candidate John Tecklenburg is calling on the Beach Company to "cease and desist" in its "stunningly counter-productive" legal gambit.

"For almost one hundred years, the BAR has been Charleston's first line of defense against inappropriate development in the Historic District and beyond," Tecklenburg said. "And while I myself have proposed reasonable BAR reforms along the lines of those recently recommended by city architectural consultant Andres Duany, I am fully committed to protecting the BAR and its mission as Mayor of our city."

Tecklenburg, a West Ashley resident himself, went on to explain that his concern is not just for the Historic District, but also for other areas of the city where citizens deserve to have a say in their own neighborhoods' future development.

"If these reports are accurate, this court challenge is a stunningly counter-productive act that directly threatens the quality of life of every resident in every area of the city of Charleston. After all, if we cannot shape future development in even the most historic neighborhoods of our city, how can we possibly hope to place reasonable limits on new developments in areas like James Island, John's Island, Daniel Island and West Ashley?" Tecklenburg said.

Tecklenburg is calling on the Beach Company and other involved parties to take three steps to resolve the dispute.

"First, the Beach Company should cease and desist in any legal efforts to challenge the existence and authority of the Board of Architectural Review. Second, the City of Charleston should act without further delay to bring the Sgt. Jasper property into conformance with the already-passed Century V Plan, which calls for lower heights and density in that area of the city. And, third, after those reasonable steps have been taken, all parties should then come back to the table and work to find a solution that everyone can accept," Tecklenburg said.

"That will not be easy," Tecklenburg said in conclusion. "But the city of Charleston is a uniquely special place with a uniquely special way of life -- and our residents deserve the extra effort that's sometimes required to preserve and protect it."

READ JOHN TECKLENBURG'S FULL STATEMENT

About John Tecklenburg

For more than 25 years, Charleston native John Tecklenburg has served our city as a businessman, a civic leader, and a city government executive with a clear record of success.

A graduate of Georgetown University, John was the founder and president of Southern Oil Company until he sold the business in 1995. Next, John served as Charleston's Director of Economic Development under Mayor Joe Riley, where he led the city's nationally acclaimed initiative to revitalize and redevelop Upper King Street. Over the years, John has also served on the boards of many local charities and nonprofits, including Crisis Ministries, the Rotary Club, the Palmetto Project, and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League.

Today, John works with commercial clients at Clement, Crawford & Thornhill, and serves as the president of SC Strong, which in 2011 was recognized by the SC Secretary of State's office as one of South Carolina's Top Ten Nonprofits. He is the proud father of five grown children – Melissa, Suzanne, Paula, Joseph and John Henry – and lives in West Ashley with his wife, Sandy.

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