North Charleston planning staff announces public launch for new unified development ordinance

Planning staff told the North Charleston Planning Commission that the city is beginning a public engagement process to replace its zoning ordinance with a new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) intended to modernize and consolidate zoning and subdivision regulations. The staff presentation noted an in-person launch set for June 2 at the North Charleston Athletic Center and a virtual follow-up on June 9, and encouraged residents to visit the project website and sign up for email updates.

"For those in the audience who don't know what that is, it's a unified development ordinance," the staff presenter said, explaining the effort is intended to produce a single, modern document that will better serve the city. The presenter added that the project website contains explanatory material and that meeting notices and materials will be posted there.

The announcement included outreach details: staff said agendas and legally required public notices will continue to appear in the local newspaper and on the city's website, and that the planning office emails neighborhood presidents to disseminate notices. Staff also distributed a flyer at the meeting and invited commissioners and the public to attend and to submit comments online.

The planning process is entering its public phase; staff urged broad participation so the final ordinance will reflect community input. The commission did not take a formal vote on the UDO at this meeting; staff said the engagement schedule and further information would be circulated to commissioners by email.