Preservation Society of Charleston

Charleston Comprehensive Plan – Community Engagement Update

—

by

preservation-admin
in ,
Since early spring, the PSC has closely monitored and kept our membership informed on the 2020 rewrite of the City of Charleston Comprehensive Plan, our city’s most important long-range planning document. This year is residents’ opportunity to frame a better vision for Charleston’s next decade of growth, and with the state-mandated February, 2021 deadline for completion of the plan update fast-approaching, it is imperative for the public engagement process to begin in earnest. 

Over the past several months, the PSC has been in consistent communication with the City Planning Department and is committed to offering strong support to promote maximum public involvement in the plan update process. Read below for an overview of recent progress and engagement opportunities planned for this summer.
Comp Plan update schedule as presented by City Planning Staff at the June 10 Special Meeting of the Planning Commission
In June, the City announced the selection of consultant groups to advise four key areas of the Comprehensive Plan update: Water Impact and Land Use (Waggoner & Ball), Housing (Community Data Platforms), Engagement and Outreach (Community Solutions Consulting, LLC, Asiko, and Civic Communications), and Design (Mary Mac Wilson). 

Spearheaded by the Engagement and Outreach team and City Staff, online engagement is set to begin in the coming weeks with the launch of a website and story map dedicated to the Comp Plan. Additional opportunities for education and input will include online listening sessions and speaker series by topic. Each regularly-scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission will also begin with discussion of the Comp Plan update process. While the City is hopeful some degree of in-person engagement will be possible later this fall, the PSC continues to feel an extension of the State government’s February, 2021 deadline may be necessary to achieve the best possible plan for Charleston. Please stay tuned for more specific information on how to make your voice heard in this important planning process.

Tune in to this week’s Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday, July 15 at 5:00 PM to hear an update on upcoming public engagement opportunities from City Planning Staff.