Public engagement sought for final phase of Charleston City Plan

Charleston residents are invited to participate in the upcoming final round of community engagement for the Charleston City Plan, where they will have the opportunity to review segments of the draft plan and provide feedback before a full version is presented to the Planning Commission and City Council in May.

The Charleston City Plan is the city’s new comprehensive plan, which is required by the state to be revised every 10 years. The drafting process is steered by the Planning Commission and a final plan is ultimately presented to City Council for consideration.

Why it matters: The Charleston City Plan presents an opportunity for the city to confront some of its greatest challenges, such as the availability of affordable housing and the adverse impacts of flooding and sea level rise. Recommendations included in the Charleston City Plan will guide planning decisions and policies for the next 10 years, and shape communities for generations to come.

The first round of public engagement for the plan took place in fall 2020, and more than 3,000 residents participated either in group settings or by taking the City Plan survey.

How to participate: Charleston residents can choose from a variety of opportunities to get involved – both virtually and in-person – between March 24 and the end of April. These include:

• March 24^th and March 25^th from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom: Community orientations for those new to the City Plan
• March 29^th from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom: Special topic feedback session about the City Plan Housing Analysis and related recommendations
• March 31^st from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom: Special topic feedback session about the City Plan Water and Land Use Analysis and related recommendations
• Opportunities throughout April:

–   Pop-Ups: In-person drop-by opportunities for each major geographic area of the city

• • Date, time and location varies depending on geographic area

–   Virtual Feedback Sessions: Online meetings for each major geographic area of the city

• • Date and time varies depending on geographic area

–   Open House Fridays: In-person drop-by opportunities every Friday in April

• • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the first floor Public Meeting Room at the Gaillard Center (2 George Street)

–   Online review & comments: Opportunity for online review of materials and comment submission via the City Plan website

Visit www.charlestoncityplan.com/calendar to see the full list of events and registration details, or contact [email protected] for more information.

What they’re saying: City of Charleston Planning Manager Christopher Morgan said, “We are excited to be entering the final stages of the plan and are very interested to hear citizens’ feedback. We are hopeful that there will be broad participation from the public, as there’s no question that the plan will be strengthened by input from those who call Charleston home.”