Charleston, South Carolina Holds Zoning Code Rewrite Open Studio: First Full Rewrite Since 1966
The City of Charleston, South Carolina, held a zoning code rewrite Open Studio on October 22 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the City of Charleston Design Division, 85 Calhoun Street, where residents could drop in, view work in progress and speak directly with project staff. It is the city's first full rewrite of its zoning code since 1966, intended to simplify decades of layered amendments, make development and preservation rules easier for the public to understand, and make the approval process more predictable.
The new framework is also being developed with pedestrian connectivity and traffic in mind, and proposes a Low Elevation Overlay for the city's lowest-lying, most flood-prone properties, as the Peninsula faces continued development pressure along with flooding and sea-level challenges. The demolition of the Emma Abbott Memorial Chapel exposed gaps in the approval process, which city officials say the rewrite is an opportunity to clarify.
The city says the Open Studio comes before the complete Peninsula Plan draft is presented in November, and the rewritten code is expected to be finalized in early 2027.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Charleston 的 Rainbow Row 历史建筑街景，Thomson200 摄，CC0，Wikimedia Commons / Rainbow Row in Charleston, by Thomson200, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
