Editor’s Note: Due to my inability to click the right button, this column failed to publish on its regular Wednesday run date. With apologies, here it is, better late than never.
I’ve heard of people talking out of both sides of their mouth, but Mr. Sharif Abdehalim, the owner of the Beacon Light property, talks out of both sides, the top, and the bottom of his mouth.
He is one smooth operator.
Under very direct and pointed questions from City Attorney John Zollicoffer and members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment at yesterday’s hearing to grant a variance and special use permit for the Beacon Light complex’s 9.27 acres, Mr. Abdehalim was an artful dodger.
The citizens of Henderson should be very gratified to know that he was no match for the very intelligent and insightful group of citizens that make up the city’s board, not to mention the perceptive and well-spoken residents of the neighborhood who opposed his request.
Mr. Abdehalim acted out his part in front of the eleven-member board and a very full audience of 31 citizens, three council people, two members of the press, and over six city employees. And what a show it was.
He let us know that he was a doctor and an engineer with over 20 years of education, but, on the other hand, he could not remember how much insurance he had received when three of the units burned. He let us know that he is of Arab decent, and that he took great exception to having read that his property was compared to Beirut.
I think Baghdad would be a better comparison.
He vowed [his organization] “did everything we’ve been asked to do,” but later followed this up by saying the city did not want to be “a little bit patient” with him. When confronted about the covenants in his deed that require him to repair any damage, he hedged even more. When asked directly if he had written HUD a letter about the fire damage, he replied, “They know about it.”
When Ruxton Bobbitt asked him what he was specifically was going to do about certain buildings if the variance was granted, he deflected the question. When Rick Brand asked who was going to care for the streets, he answered that he was going to hire a management team. When pinned down by Tom Badger, who wanted to be sure that he had said he was going to care for the property even after he sold it, again he deflected.
Mr. Zollicoffer made it clear that the city wanted a letter of credit or a cash bond for the city so “we won’t be here in eight months.” He told the Beacon Light owner, “You’ve had two years to remedy the property and nothing has been done.” It really doesn’t get much clearer than that, but Mr. Abdehalim had already said that if the city wanted good intentions then “you have it on our side.”
He will have to forgive us if we find nothing credible in what he said.
On the other hand, the neighborhood citizens who spoke were extremely credible. Sewage, rats, snakes, fires, vagrants, wetlands, and depreciating home values — none of the speakers were doubted when they very deliberately and calmly spoke about conditions around the Beacon Light property.
Unfortunately, Mr. Zollicoffer had to leave the meeting early for a legitimate reason, and the board did not feel it could proceed without legal advice. So the saga will continue for a little longer, as the vote was tabled by necessity. But even if the Zoning Board of Adjustment grants a variance to modify setback requirements and allows a unified residential development to be established at 318 Boddie Street, that still does not nullify the city’s order to demolish the property. Let’s hope that the city sticks to its guns and lets the citizens who live around Beacon Light know that they count as much as the rest of us.
Stay tuned.