Charleston Green Plan

In 2007, over 100 Charleston experts met dozens of time to create a roadmap to sustainability for Charleston called the CHARLESTON GREEN PLAN, presented to City Council in 2009. This 162 page plan clearly and deftly outlined how Charleston could move forward as leaders in environmental stewardship critical for our community to thrive.The response by City Council was that the guidelines crafted were accepted as recommendations but not passed into law.

If I were mayor, I’d vow to update and enact the Charleston Green Plan as the roadmap to sustainability for Charleston.

If you want a copy of the Green Plan, they are for sale at the Department of Planning and Sustainability for $35 (75 Calhoun) or it can be downloaded here. Prepare to be astounded by the hard work of the volunteer Green Committee, and heartbroken by the unfortunate curtailing of this community effort by a very small but very loud (and well-connected) opposition. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.

Charleston needs a mandated green plan that creates more green space, improved public transit, bicycling opportunities, sidewalks and better walkability, solar and wind energy, stricter building standards and more responsibility to developers to substantially support community infrastructure.

Let’s make sure the new Mayor is pro-Green Plan and committed to leading our City Council (and community) forward to adopt an updated plan.

Cathryn 1