Norman, R-Rock Hill, says no. But some at City Hall aren't so sure.

The developer and candidate for the U.S. House made an unscheduled appearance before the City Council this week to protest landscaping work the city is planning at the Interstate 77/Dave Lyle Boulevard interchange. He threatened to lobby state officials to cancel the project if the council doesn't reconsider.

The city wants to cut down a portion of the pine trees that line the interstate, leaving a few but replacing most with smaller trees and shrubbery. The goal is to create a cleaner, more inviting entryway into the city.

Norman, however, is asking the city to go further. He wants to get rid of all the foliage and leave the area open so that I-77 drivers -- and potential shoppers -- can get a clear view of businesses as they drive by.

Here's the issue: Many of the businesses, from an O'Charley's restaurant to a Clinton Family Ford car dealership to a Hampton Inn, were built on land once owned by the Norman family's development company. The company still owns about 15 acres of prime real estate along I-77 that has become more valuable because of those businesses.

At Monday's meeting, Norman passed out a letter in which he threatened to ask the state Department of Transportation to pull funding for the project if the city doesn't change its plans.

Now, some city leaders are questioning whether Norman is unfairly using his sway as a legislator.

"It's disappointing to me, and I would think disappointing to our citizens, that Rep. Norman would threaten in writing to use his political influence with S.C. DOT to kill a positive community and state project, when, as a private citizen, he didn't get his way," Mayor Doug Echols said Wednesday.

Norman, meanwhile, says he's not backing off his stance -- and insists there's no conflict of interest.

"It's a wasteful use of money," Norman said. "That's all I'm saying. I'm just stating my view. There's no influence. The highway department has the final say. They can do what they want to do."

The landscaping work would be paid for with $1.2 million from the DOT, which is offering the money because the Dave Lyle interchange has been deemed a "gateway entrance" into South Carolina. The state has set aside money to spruce up these entrances, hoping a snazzier look will lure shoppers and ultimately boost the economy.

To be eligible, the City Council must vote to put up $300,000 of its own money, which would come not from the general fund but an existing tax district in the Manchester Village area. The council has not yet voted.

Norman has no official say in the DOT's decision but says he will urge the agency not to spend money on a plan that would leave too many pine trees -- and thus provide little help to I-77 businesses. The DOT did not return phone calls Wednesday.

As an alternative, Norman said his company offered roughly $20,000 to help take down all the trees.

"It would be a conflict of interest if I was trying to get money for my project," Norman said. "I'm offering to give them money. They're saying they don't want it."

Leaving some pine trees while replacing others with smaller trees, Echols says, provides a higher-quality look that still allows drivers to see off the highway.

Was Norman justified?

At least one City Council member says Norman had a right to share his opinion with the council -- because he did so as a concerned businessman, not a politician.

"Any other property owner could write a letter to DOT and there wouldn't be an issue," said Councilman Kevin Sutton. "Did Ralph lose that ability when he went into the legislature?"

Sutton says the reaction to Norman's threat goes beyond a policy disagreement. "This is more about politics than it is about whether to cut down trees," Sutton said. "There are those that would like to make more out of this than it really is."

Norman was handpicked by the White House to challenge longtime U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-York, in a race that could draw national attention.

Echols has endorsed Spratt in the past, but says his stance on the project is based on what's best for the city.

A spokesperson for Spratt declined to comment Wednesday.

Ethics under scrutiny

The controversy comes at a time when ethics in the political and business worlds are under scrutiny.

"If you're going to be a potential U.S. Congressman, issues of conflict of interest will be magnified even greater," said York Technical College professor Rick Whisonant, who studies local politics. "I find it unbelievable he (Norman) would put himself in this situation, when there are many ways he could have dealt with this.

"To have a letter that is that strongly worded, it's not just words that an average public citizen would've written. It carries an enormous amount of weight."

Meanwhile, Sutton regrets that a compromise couldn't be reached before Monday's unexpected confrontation. "I guess I thought we were still at a point where we could work things out," he said. "I hate it came down to that."

Matt Garfield • 329-4063