Preservation groups, bike advocates urge City Council to back Low Line Phase 1 funding

Historic Charleston Foundation, preservation groups and bike advocates told the City of Charleston City Council they support funding a phase 1 contract for the Low Line and urged the council to use planning tools to protect neighborhood benefits.

The Low Line is a proposed linear public-space and green-infrastructure project intended to provide stormwater storage and treatment, active recreation and pedestrian and bicycle connections between the Upper Peninsula and downtown. Lisa Jones of the Historic Charleston Foundation said the project “not only enhances green space and biodiversity, but it provides needed storage and treatment of stormwater, flood abatement, active recreation, and alternative transportation opportunities.”

Sam Spence of the Preservation Society of Charleston said the Low Line should be paired with regulatory tools to ensure surrounding redevelopment returns public value to residents: “Why not consider similar kinds of overlays for this new pedestrian corridor?” He urged the council to consider city tools such as overlay districts to guide design and development along the corridor.

Advocates for active transportation also voiced support. Savannah Brennan of Charleston Moves said the project will “connect to many valuable projects,” including planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and recommended the phase 1 work include engineering and cost estimates for mid-block crossings and neighborhood street connections.

Council members who serve on transportation and related committees described the project as a focus of recent committee work. Councilman Peter Seekings, chair of the traffic and transportation committee, said the council “have now firmly gotten behind the Low Line, committed lots of resources, and we look forward to working with you in partnership to make this project go.” He also said the committee supports moving the project forward to more detailed engineering and cost-estimating work.

Those who spoke in favor tied the Low Line to resilience and multimodal goals already on the council’s agenda. Supporters asked the council to consider complementary planning actions — such as overlay districts or incentives — to ensure adjacent development generates civic and economic benefit for nearby neighborhoods and returns value to residents.

No formal contract award or ordinance tied to the Low Line appeared as a final vote on the council agenda in the transcript; council discussion indicated further public and committee-level review and standard permitting and design steps would follow.

Speakers during public comment and committee reports who addressed the Low Line included Lisa Jones (Historic Charleston Foundation), Jason Wilson (Bridal Spot Skatepark), Sam Spence (Preservation Society of Charleston), and Savannah Brennan (Charleston Moves). Council members who commented in committee or council discussion included Councilman Peter Seekings and Councilwoman Parker, among others.