Advancing a Progressive Vision through the Implementation of Recent/Upcoming Plans

Historic Charleston Foundation has been working with the city of Charleston and other community partners on several key plans that should shape the priorities for a new mayoral administration. These plans include the Peninsula Mobility Report prepared in November of 2014 by transportation expert Gabe Klein, the proposed updates to the Tourism Management Plan that resulted from a large community effort, and the upcoming report concerning the design review process and the Board of Architectural Review that will be prepared by Andres Duany in the summer of 2015. Transportation, tourism management, and quality architectural design are keystones to the future livability and sustainability of this city. These three important projects will require the focus of the entire community in order to implement them properly. Gabe Klein’s report, for example, states simply: “Charleston must decrease driving and parking while increasing use of public transit, cycling and walking.” This will require a very significant outlay of public investment in transit infrastructure and the creation of complete streets for all modes of mobility. As is typical with any plan, these are only as valuable as our commitment to bringing them to fruition. Their implementation will require a combination of non-profit advocacy, private sector engagement, and the political will of our leaders. Ordinances must be adopted and realistic time frames must be established so that the appropriate level of funding can be raised and allocated for specific projects. Obviously, this will require consensus and hard work to lay the groundwork for success. Plans that merely sit on the shelf reflect a lack of ambition and vision in a community, and Charleston cannot afford that. We have a strong tradition of proactive engagement and community foresight, so we all need to step up to the plate to turn the progressive vision represented in these plans into a reality.