Support Us
Our Supporters Helped Us..
Block construction of a mega-high school in rural Beaufort County in 2005..
Donate NowWhat is the issue?
In 1999, Charleston County passed the most progressive Comprehensive Plan for land use in SC. The Comprehensive Plan lays out a road map for economic and population growth for the region. Whereas many Comprehensive Plans lack foresight to identify both locations for growth and locations for land conservation, Charleston County’s plan effectively allows for both.
The Comprehensive Plan is implemented through a set of regulations called the “Zoning and Land Development Regulations” (ZLDR). The ZLDR is the document to which county residents turn to learn the “rules of the game” when it comes to knowing what kind of development is possible on their land and within their community. Requirements for sidewalks, street connectivity, and architectural design are spelled out in the ZLDR. Similarly, the ZLDR identifies the locations for uses such as agriculture, landfills, churches, restaurants, etc.
How would it affect South Carolina?
In 1999, Charleston County passed the most progressive Comprehensive Plan for land use in SC. The Comprehensive Plan lays out a road map for economic and population growth for the region. Whereas many Comprehensive Plans lack foresight to identify both locations for growth and locations for land conservation, Charleston County’s plan effectively allows for both.
The Comprehensive Plan is implemented through a set of regulations called the “Zoning and Land Development Regulations” (ZLDR). The ZLDR is the document to which county residents turn to learn the “rules of the game” when it comes to knowing what kind of development is possible on their land and within their community. Requirements for sidewalks, street connectivity, and architectural design are spelled out in the ZLDR. Similarly, the ZLDR identifies the locations for uses such as agriculture, landfills, churches, restaurants, etc.
Every five years the ZLDR is revised to come into compliance with a newly revised Comprehensive Plan.
What can you do about it?
The revision of the ZLDR is scheduled to begin in September of 2009. The League will be following the county through this process. We will be keeping our members and activists involved along the way. Sign up to receive email updates about this very important issue.
- We need to ensure that the ZLDR maintains the zoning that protects rural lands in Charleston County.
- Working through the ZLDR revision will provide us with better community design standards that will improve the quality of life in our urban and suburban areas.
- The ZLDR must be revised to require street connectivity and facilities that are easily accessible by multiple modes of transportation.
- If we do not become involved in the revision of the ZLDR, we will lose the opportunities to improve the county’s community design standards to allow for pedestrians.
- Over the past 2 revisions of the ZLDR, opponents of rural land protection have launched attacks on the rural zoning standards. If we do not remain involved in the revision process, these attacks may be successful.
