Compromise on horizon in North Charleston port rail battle (Update: Not yet)

Image by Flickr user Gord McKenna

Update January 31: Still no public compromise and The Post and Courier writes that state agencies continue to push to have North Charleston's lawsuit dismissed. 

Update December 19: A short update that no compromise has yet been struck and — if a judge does not throw out the city's lawsuit — the case would be heard in September. 

This one's by way of The Post and Courier; take a read here.

If the case that the environmental permit were issued in err isn't thrown out, it raises the incentive to bend to the city's will and nine months would leave a good bit of negotiating time on this one.

Update November 4: Although the ante has been upped by the filling of lawsuits in federal and state court, there does still appear to be hope for compromise.

The Post and Courier notes that the S.C. Division of Public Railways has dropped efforts to condemn some land, a move that is being seen as inkling of compromise — but don't expect much movement on this until after Tuesday's elections.

First reporting: After a long and public sparring, talk of compromise is finally emerging in the battle between North Charleston and the S.C. Commerce Department over the extent of rail in the redeveloping Park Circle area.

In a nutshell, in concession for more rail in the area, some state Legislators suggest that older problem lines could be removed and land could be transitioned to control by North Charleston.

The Charleston City Paper was at the recent Port Review and Oversight Commission's hearing and has a solid rundown; read it here.