Vision

One of the most beloved cities in the world — a national and international treasure — is disappearing before our eyes. Charleston is being swamped by a relentless increase in tourists, ever larger cruise ships, poorly planned new developments, and rising waters. The Preservation Society of Charleston — America’s first grassroots preservation group — has worked tirelessly for 100 years to protect and preserve the unique character and culture of this city. We have identified key values as an organization: we value partnerships, we are solution-oriented; we ensure integrity in land-use planning; and we champion diverse perspectives. These are reflected in our communications with our members, our attendance and participation in city planning and architectural review meetings, and our work on various preservation research initiatives throughout the community.

Goals

1. 1.Charleston needs to develop a robust, resident-focused, long-term strategic vision for tourism that emphasizes tourism management and de-emphasizes tourism promotion.
2. 2.The PSC would like to see a community-supported vision for growth, revised ordinances, and policies that support that vision, better review processes, more accountability for developers.
3. 3.We need a transparent process to set priorities and implement solutions and a citywide planning process that incorporates flooding as a major factor in considering new development.