The director of South Carolina’s coastal protection agency has quit his job, telling staff members he was leaving “more quickly than I would have liked.”

Chris Brooks’ departure from the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management left some people, including agency staff, perplexed.

Brooks, who has drawn fire from environmentalists and legislators, told employees of his retirement in an Oct. 19 e-mail. Brooks left last week after about 20 years with the agency and nearly 30 in state government.

A 53-year-old Greenville native, Brooks is only the second director of the coastal regulatory agency, an arm of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. He replaced Wayne Beam in 1996.

The coastal division considers permits to build on beaches, in wetlands and along waterways on the state’s booming coast.

Brooks said he had to leave on short notice to take advantage of an early retirement incentive, as his e-mail stated. Brooks said he is not sure what line of work he will go into.

When asked if he was forced to resign, the Mount Pleasant resident said “No.” But Brooks said he and Earl Hunter, his boss at DHEC, agreed it was time for him to leave.

“It was just time to close this chapter,’’ Brooks said. “I probably did catch some people off guard.’’

Keith Kinard, who heads the OCRM’s appeals panel, said he was shocked to learn of Brooks’ decision and he “got the impression it wasn’t voluntary.’’

Under the soft-spoken Brooks, the coastal management office has faced major changes. Once an independent agency that regulated coastal development, it came under DHEC’s authority in the mid-1990s after government restructuring.

That frustrated many conservationists, who said the coastal department became less aggressive in regulating development.

DHEC and its divisions have faced renewed scrutiny from Gov. Mark Sanford in the past two years as he seeks to further restructure and pare down state government. Sanford spokesman Will Folks would not comment about Brooks, but said the governor is looking at all agencies closely.

Environmental groups, such as the influential S.C. Coastal Conservation League, have criticized Brooks for what some say is a lack of vision and a failure to enforce existing laws. Brooks said his agency never had the authority to regulate some development, including in certain types of wetlands.

“Chris is a nice guy, and he always tried to do the right thing,’’ said Jimmy Chandler, an environmental lawyer who often represents the conservation league. “But I’ve had some concerns.’’

In one instance, the OCRM found evidence of extensive wetlands damage along a freeway in Horry County about two years ago. But it did not penalize the state Department of Transportation for digging up the freshwater bogs.

Hunter said he hoped to fill Brooks’ position sometime next year. Hunter said that while Brooks has left OCRM, he will remain with DHEC until the end of the year, working on a special project. He declined further comment.

Reach Fretwell at (803) 771-8537 or sfretwell@thestate.com.