Summary and Update

Like all healthy cities, Charleston continues to grow and evolve.  In doing so, Charleston has taken great care to preserve its historic structures and neighborhoods.  These neighborhoods were designed before cars and allow residents the option of walking, biking or hopping on a bus to get around. Charleston also contains some of the most beautiful open spaces in the world.  But the Charleston region is fourth in the nation for its speedy conversion of rural land to urban uses and fifth in the nation, per capita, for the amount of gasoline consumed.  Community design has a powerful impact on clean air, clean water and the rural areas and natural habitats that surround the city.  The Charleston Green Plan calls for future growth plans to consider ways to grow responsibly and to reduce our dependence on the automobile.

Although Charleston has experienced sprawl, most of our population growth has occurred in the urban core.  Between 1973 and 1994 the population of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester Counties grew 41%, whereas the urbanized areas grew 244% -- six times faster. Achieving our goal of a sustainable community that protects our air, water and natural lands will require smart planning. 

The Charleston Green Plan recommends the following actions be taken toward creating more sustainable communities:

1. Plan future growth to reduce vehicle emissions
2. Decide first where growth should occur, then plan transportation accordingly
3. Require sustainable site design
4. Create a sea level rise adaption plan
5. Raise public awareness

Getting beyond sprawl to redefine our sense of community and improve our quality of life is a challenge for Charleston in the 21st century. The City’s goal is to build on its innate pedestrian network and provide alternatives to driving through increased connectivity with greenways, bike paths and sidewalks to areas throughout the City.  This will help us to preserve our city and our way of life for future generations to enjoy.

To read the detailed recommendations of the Sustainable Communities Section of the Charleston Green Plan, click here.