August 2024: Advocacy Updates

Local Level: 

• Johns Island, It's Your Turn to Engage in the City of Charleston Zoning Code Rewrite: The City of Charleston is undertaking an update to its Zoning Code called Setting New Standards. The purpose is to modernize the regulations that govern development in the City, to make them more user-friendly, address the goals of the recently adopted Charleston City Plan, address rising water levels that impact current and future development, and ensure the updated regulations treat all members of the community equitably. The next round of public input is August 26-29, which will focus on the consideration of form-based districts for a stretch of Maybank Highway from River Road to Bohicket Road. Dig in.

• Town of Mount Pleasant's Environmentally Acceptable Packaging Ordinance Takes Effect: The ordinance mandates the use of environmentally acceptable packaging for all products distributed within Mount Pleasant. The ordinance becomes fully effective on August 14, 2024. See details and resources.

• Digital Local Self-Reliance Matters: LLF member business Home Telecom was recently awarded $4 million for internet expansion in rural Berkeley, Dorchester counties – via WCBD News 2  // View the “Why Local Matters” fact sheet produced by Institute for Local Self Reliance to better understand why this is such a victory. 

• Mobility Safety Matters: SCDOT announced a safety enhancement project for Morrison Drive. Precipitated by the horrific, premature and preventable deaths of Arianna Gamber and Lizzy Zito in April of this year, the state audited the corridor to determine if improvements needed to be made. Shared via Charleston Moves.
  
• I-526 Extension Environmental Impacts: The Coastal Conservation League recently shared an updated look at the proposed project's environmental impacts and residential/commercial displacement will look like. Dig in.
  

• Resilience Guide: A new, first-of-its-kind report released by the Preservation Society of Charleston guides residents on how they can increase the resilience of their properties in the face of flood, wind, heat, and even earthquakes. Dig in.
  

• Move Your Money: In celebration of Invest Local Season (July-Sept) and our upcoming Move Your Money Week, enjoy these relevant reads: "Why People Are Switching to their Hometown Banks" in Wall Street Journal (see here if you don't have a subscription) //  Also see: Banking for the People, an e-book published by Next City  + CommonFuture in March 2024.

State Level:

• State Primary Election Results: Thanks to our partners at TogetherSC for sharing a great recap of the state primary election results from June. Dig in.
• AI at the State: The SC Department of Administration (which oversees 6,000+ state employees and various departments) released its report on how Artificial Intelligence will play a role in state government work. Their vision? "South Carolina state agencies will responsibly harness the power and potential of AI to drive an era of greater prosperity for all citizens."

Federal Level:  

• Good News for Our Local Pharmacies: F.T.C. Slams Middlemen for High Drug Prices, Reversing Hands-Off Approach, via NYTimes.com.