Moore County towns are running out gas.

• Author: Moriarty, Matthew
• Position: TAR HEEL TATTLER, gas stations

Aberdeen officials gave a simple reason in September for rejecting a developer's plans for two gas stations: They didn't meet city ordinances. But the bigger picture is not that simple, which explains why the city spent two months changing its rules before saying no.

Officials of the Moore County town say they were about to get a case of excess gas stations. Blame it, they say, on neighboring Southern Pines and Pinehurst, so concerned about maintaining their village atmospheres that their stringent rules drive gas-station developers elsewhere. The Aberdeen Board of Commissioners had four plans for gas stations on its agenda for review in July.

Two were from Pat Molamphy, owner of Albemarle Oil. He failed in 2001 to get one in Southern Pines, then lost a court challenge. Now, he says, he might be headed toward a similar confrontation with Aberdeen. "It's frustrating because I applied and they held it up so they can change it."

Molamphy approached the town in January, asking to build two convenience stores that would sell gasoline. Aberdeen went along, even agreeing to rezone one of the properties for him. He filed the paperwork in July, but the town board kept postponing action. Meanwhile...