PLAN REVIEW C H A R L E S T O N C O U N T Y P L A N N I N G C O M - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2013 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW C H A R L E S T O N C O U N T Y P L A N N I N G C O M M I S S I O N M E E T I N G A U G U S T 1 9 , 2 0 1 3

TODAY’S AGENDA: REVIEW OF GOALS, NEEDS, AND STRATEGIES • Natural Resources Element • Cultural Resources Element • Energy Element

NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT REVIEW OF GOAL, NEEDS, AND STRATEGIES

NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT GOAL Unique Lowcountry natural resources, such as rivers, creeks, wetlands, aquatic and wildlife habitat, beaches and dunes, groundwater, forests, farmland soils, and air quality will be preserved, mitigated from any potential negative impacts of growth and development, and/or enhanced.

NATURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT NEEDS • Protecting and enhancing natural resources; • Sustaining natural environments, habitats and wildlife; • Promoting sustainable development practices; and • Allowing compact land use patterns to help minimize the fragmentation of natural resources.

NATURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS NR NR 1. Maintain or adopt additional amendments to the Zoning and Land Development Regulations Ordinance to ensure that sensitive and important natural resources are protected prior prior to, o, during, and after development activities. NR NR 3. Promote sustainable , lo low impac pact development practices, including but not limited to stormwater management, maintenance of vegetative cover , and agricultural uses, maintenance of non-disturbance zones in Critical areas Lin Line buf buffer ers and and se setbac tbacks , and and conservation set-asides, in development plans and others through special area plans and th the Zoning ing and Land Development Regulations Ordin Ordinance ance.

NATURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS (CONT’D) NR NR 4. Promote sustainable development patterns by concentrating high intensity development in th the Urb rban/ n/Su Subu burb rban an Ar Area ea where where pu publ blic ic facil facilities ities and and infras infrastru truct cture ure exis xist and and encouraging encouraging lo low int ntensity ensity de developmen elopment in in the the Rural ural Area Area to to pr protect ect sensitiv sensitive and and uniq unique ue natural natural re resou source rces. areas with existing public facilities where transportation and related services are available where transportation and related services are available (the Urban/Suburban Area) and protecting sensitive or unique natural resources, permitting only limited low intensity uses in the Rural Area.

NATURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS (CONT’D) NR NR 5. Work with the Charleston County Greenbelt Plan Pr Program ogram and participating non-profit agencies to implement plement the the Comprehen prehensiv ive Green Greenbel belt Plan Plan and and provide incentives for protection of natural resources using methods such as conservation easements to place land into permanent protection and provide development incentives such as density bonuses for land set-asides through land development regulations.

NATURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS (CONT’D) NR NR 9. Continue to to suppor upport local local agricul agricultural tural and and ti timber mber oper operations ations th throu ough gh in incentiv entives es suc uch as as tax relief initiatives to owners who keep their property in agricultural or timber production through methods such as the Present Use Value Program and voluntar untary agric ricultural ultural and fores estal tal distr trict cts . NR NR 11 11. Charleston County should w W ork with applicable jurisdictions in the Region, the BCDCOG, and SCDHEC to adopt and implement a regional groundwater management plan.

NATURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS (CONT’D) NR NR 12 12. Encourage sustainable landscaping including tha that incl include udes attractive environments that are in balance with the local climate and require minimal use of fertilizers and pesticides, wh while le at the same time conserving water. NR NR 13 13. Adopt innovative planning and zoning techniques such as Form-Based Zoning an and Mul Multi tiple ple-Use Use Floating Floating Zo Zone ne District regulations to authorize the combination of land uses in compact development patterns.

NATURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES NR NR 14 14. Co Continue ntinue the the effor orts ts of of th the Charle Charleston on Co Count unty Co Council uncil Agricultu gricultural ral Issu sues Advi dvisor sory Co Comm mmit ittee ee to to id identify ntify ways to to foster er agri agricult culture, ure, agri agri-business, business, and and fore orestr try in in the the Cou ounty nty and and acr across oss Sou South th Car arol olin ina inc ncludi luding ng but but no not lim limited ed to to su suppor porting ting stat tate and and local local enab enablin ing leg legislation islation for or the the Tou ouri rist Orient Oriented ed Di Directional rectional Si Signag nage Pro rogram gram and Volun unta tary Agric ricult ultural ral and Fores esta tal Area eas. NR NR 15 15. Adm dmin inis ister er and and im imple plement ment th the Ch Char arle leston on Co County unty Local Local Comprehen prehensiv ive Beac Beach Manag Managem ement ent Plan Plan as as appr approved ed by by Charl harleston on Co County unty Cou Counc ncil il and and SC SC DHE HEC-OCR OCRM, M, adop adoption tion pendi nding.

CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT REVIEW OF GOAL, NEEDS, AND STRATEGIES

CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT GOAL Cultural, historic and archeological resources, unique settlement patterns of traditional Lowcountry communities (such as historically African-American communities and family settlements), and traditional activities su such as as Sw Sweetgrass tgrass Ba Bask sket Ma Makin ing will be preserved and protected from potential negative impacts of growth and development.

CULTURAL RESOURCES ELEMENT NEEDS • Preserving the County’s significant historic and archaeological resources and cultural heritage; • Increasing public awareness of the historic character of the County; and • Promoting public and private partnerships to preserve and protect cultural resources.

CULTURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS CR 1. 1. Review and update where appropriate the existing Support t policie icies, s, incentiv ives, s, and p d plans s that t encourage historic preservation , and prot rotectio ction of cultural ral and d archaeological resource s such as the Gullah ah Geechee Cultural al Heritag age Corrid idor protection ordinances. CR 4. Require a historic and archaeological survey for all Planned Development and Form-Base ased d Zoning Distric trict t requests. CR 7. Periodically review Maintai ain and u d upda date de developme ment t standa dards ds that preserve scenic and historic roadways and vistas . to make sure they are consistent with adopted ordinances.

CULTURAL RESOURCES STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS (CONT’D) CR 8. Uti tilize lize planni anning g and d zoning ing techniq niques ues to protect family historic oric settlement areas communities unities and d or neighborhoods and other areas of cultural significance. utilizing zoning techniques that protect the unique built character of these areas.

ENERGY ELEMENT REVIEW OF GOAL, NEEDS, AND STRATEGIES

ENERGY ELEMENT GOAL Promote use of alternative energy sources and energy conservation measures that benefit our communities.

ENERGY ELEMENT NEEDS • Promoting conservation of resources; • Investing in renewable energies; • Educating the public on alternative energy sources and energy conservation; and • Encouraging public and private partnerships to facilitate alternative energy sources and energy conservation.

ENERGY ELEMENT STRATEGIES PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ES 9. Develop a Coun unty ty policy icy on telecommuting policy for County employees when it is a viable management work option to reduce VMTs by employees commuting to and from work. ES 19. Monitor and support planning efforts that are exploring explore ore the feasibility of commuter rail service, light rail service, and bus rapid transit service within the uUrban /Su Suburban burban Area ea areas of the County.