Steven Kopelman and Donald

Rakestraw's plans to turn their home at 511 Toombs Street into a special

events center were withdrawn Monday night before the Palmetto City Council's

regular monthly meeting. Although they had the consent of their neighbors

for the rezoning from R-2 residential to C-2 Highway Commercial, parking

problems proved to be their undoing.

An agreement had been established

with the neighboring Palmetto Baptist Church to share use of their parking

lot when it was vacant. Even so, this did not seem feasible to the Zoning

Board who recommended denial of the project.

The home, built in 1885 was

to be used for wedding receptions, showers, family gatherings and other

upscale special events. Kopelman and Rakestraw ran a bed and breakfast

in the home for several years but decided to put more energy into their

regular jobs and closed it to the public. The house is currently up for

sale. The two homeowners have plans to build a "new old house"

on acreage along Hutchenson Ferry Road, Kopelman said. For now, the two

are regrouping and keeping their options open.