Below is a brief recap of what we covered and learned during the community kick-off meetings.
As part of the first phase of public engagement, City staff and the consultant team welcomed more than 100 community members to two community kick-off meetings. Through a combination of presentations and interactive activities, participants learned about the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and explored how it will help shape future neighborhoods, building design, land use, transportation, and other aspects of growth and development in North Charleston.
Through a series of visioning prompts, participants were also welcome to share what they value most about North Charleston and what they hope to see as the City continues to grow and evolve. The insights gathered will help inform the rewrite of the City’s zoning and subdivision regulations, ensuring they better reflect community priorities and the long-term vision for North Charleston.
Check out the meeting materials below to learn more.
105 people attended the community kick-off meetings, from the following North Charleston neighborhoods:
Neighborhoods and communities from outside of City-limits included:
Based on a review of participants’ responses to the discussion questions and interactive exercises, the consultant team identified the following key takeaways from the first phase of public engagement:
1. Public understanding of zoning and the UDO varies widely.
2. Residents are eager to stay informed and involved throughout the UDO process.
3. Residents are generally supportive of expanding housing options, including missing middle housing, when provided with clear information and context.
4. Compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods matters as much as density.
5. Housing affordability is closely tied to support for new development.
6. Residents see value in neighborhood-serving businesses and walkable destinations.
7. Traffic and infrastructure are major concerns.
8. Parks, open space, and community amenities are widely supported priorities.
At the end of the June 9th community meeting, participants were invited to respond to the following poll questions:
The same questions were asked at the June 2nd community meeting using a simple thumbs up, thumbs to the side, or thumbs down exercise. While it was not possible to record the exact number of responses from the more than 70 attendees, the overall response pattern closely mirrored the June 9 poll results. Most participants indicated they understood the purpose of the UDO and were motivated to stay involved, while a smaller number were unsure about one or both of the questions.
At the conclusion of each community meeting, participants were also invited to share one word describing how they were feeling. The word cloud on the left combines responses from both meetings.
See more photos on the City’s Flickr album.