May 2024: Advocacy Updates

Local Level 

• Did you see? The City of Charleston has joined the ‘gram. Follow along for updates! Stay up to date with what's happening in the city by signing up here to receive e-mail updates on policy changes, announcements, events and more.

• Did you know? The City of Charleston’s Planning Division has open office hours on Fridays, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the permit center at 2 George St. Chat with a City Planner and learn more about plans, mobility and more. 

• Hungry? South Carolina's first "food forest" is coming to West Ashley. Food forests are "edible landscapes in urban environments that mimic healthy, natural forests." The food forest that is now being referred to as "Mulberry Pond Park" was envisioned in both Plan West Ashley and the Climate Action Plan; and is made possible through a partnership with the Charleston Parks Conservancy and the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Read more in this Post and Courier article. 

• Are you a zone code nerd? The City of Charleston is updating its outdated zoning code, a tedious process that will impact every resident and business owner in the city. The initial code assessment is now available for review, which proposes that the City adopt “elevation-based” development regulations that "better address development and redevelopment in the context of the rising water environment, which will cause an increased risk of flooding on lands at lower elevations." The new code, which will likely go up for a council vote in 2025, promises to be more user-friendly and easier to understand, reduce parking minimums, encourage and incentivize more affordable housing and diverse housing types — and more. Follow the rewrite process here and let your voice be heard!

State Level 

• Local Voice: LLF Member Toni Reale, owner of Roadside Blooms, recently had an opinion piece published in The State, sharing her thoughts and potential impacts that the Credit Card Competition Act could have on her small business. "...For a small business, every dollar paid in swipe fees is money that would have supported other areas of the business. My small business, for example, paid nearly $30,000 in swipe fees last year, which could have supported a new part-time employee to help us grow. ..." Read more.

Federal Level 

• Have employees? You should know: New FTC rule bars companies from forcing ‘noncompete’ agreements on employees (AP News). U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by the FTC today. The rule may be challenged in court.