A BETTER CHARLESTON COUNTY

 A Better Charleston County (ABCC) is a grassroots nonprofit that works to improve the quality of life of Charleston County residents.  The biggest issue impacting all of us is the hyper growth of the region.  This has led to significant traffic congestion, housing prices that are out of reach of teachers and first responders, and the destruction of our natural environment.

We can't stop people from moving here, but we can work to ensure that the things we value the most ... our culture and our environment ... are still here for future generations.

To achieve this, ABCC has three key advocacy areas:

Land Use: We advocate for zoning and land-use policies that embrace traditional settlement patterns and that don’t subsidize sprawl.  These policies must encourage transit-oriented and live-work-play developments, "missing middle" housing and walkable communities.  We also advocate to strengthen the rural zoning outside the urban growth boundary.

Transportation:  Rather than simply moving cars through communities, we advocate for transportation infrastructure that safely connects our community for everyone.  This includes focusing on the most cost effective projects our community actually needs, on safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and on adequate public transit. 

Land  Conservation:    It would be hard pressed to find a county resident who wants “paradise paved over”.  We advocate for tax funds to be used to conserve land through conservation easements and fee  simple purchases.  Charleston County's Greenbelt Program is an integral part of this effort.

Charleston County established its Greenbelt Program following passage of the County’s first ½ cent sales tax in 2004.   In just over two decades, this program has proven to be one of the most effective land conservation initiatives in the country.  It has protected more than 26,000 acres of land, including properties with exceptional ecological, historic and recreational value. 

These conserved lands support rural livelihoods , provide public water access, conserve ecologically and culturally sensitive areas, and  provide essential flood mitigation and water purification functions. 

In addition, the Greenbelt Program has removed the potential for sprawling development in the rural parts of the county, thereby lessening increases in traffic congestion and reducing the need to spend tax dollars on new and expanded roads.   

The success and efficiency of the Charleston Greenbelt Program stems from its reliance on local , regional and national land trusts working in the county to identify and negotiate land conservation deals with landowners.  These proposals are then competitively ranked by the County Greenbelt Advisory Board and submitted to the County Council for funding.  As a result, the program has achieved the most important conservation outcomes at the lowest cost to the taxpayer.

In 2024, ABCC opposed the TST referendum since it significantly underfunded conservation, public transit and roads other than the Mark Clark Extension (526).   There were also issues about past performance and the lack of transparency in developing the referendum.

For a 2026 referendum, ABCC is actively working with the various stakeholders to ensure our three focus areas are reflected in what the voters will see in November, 2026.   We look forward to a 2026 referendum that we could support.

• Charleston County voters must reject flawed half-cent sales tax (Sep 29, 2024)
• We can have a 'Better Charleston County' if we act now (Dec 11, 2024)
• How to draft a 2026 sales tax referendum that Charleston voters will support (Jun19, 2025)
• Should local governments approve upzonings? (Sep 2, 2025)