Charleston County Council has approved nearly $5 million in Transportation Sales Tax funding for 10 new Greenbelt projects, protecting 1,781+ acres across the county.
These FY26 projects preserve greenspace, strengthen wildlife habitats, mitigate flooding risks, and safeguard the region’s natural character.

🏘️ Infrastructure Amendments & Growth Management
The Charleston County Planning Commission discussed significant proposed zoning amendments that would require more infrastructure coordination for higher-density developments. Applications to rezone, change land use, or develop planned districts would now need letters from transportation, water/sewer, the school district, and emergency services. Public input highlighted concerns that these requirements might burden small property owners, delay processes, or potentially discourage affordable housing projects due to bureaucracy.

🛣️ County Public Works Earns Prestigious Reaccreditation

Charleston County’s Facilities, Fleet, and Public Works departments were recognized for successfully achieving reaccreditation from the American Public Works Association. This marks the third time since 2013 the county has met rigorous national standards across 227 best practices. The accreditation places Charleston County Public Works among only 225 agencies nationwide to hold this distinction, underscoring the county’s commitment to excellence in local government services.

🚧 Council approves major parks and infrastructure renovations
Charleston City Council allocated tourism and hospitality funds for the replacement of Brittlebank Park’s boardwalk, repairs to Brag Square’s walls, and Waterfront Park’s hardscape renovation. Substantial funding of $2.6 million was committed to the Lockwood Drive knee wall flood barrier as part of a two-year, $5 million construction plan, with hopes for partial federal reimbursement. These investments underscore the council’s focus on maintaining public spaces and advancing storm resiliency projects citywide.

💰 Employee Compensation & City Staffing
Charleston City Council engaged in a detailed debate over increasing the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for city employees from the proposed 2% to 3%, which would require an additional $1.7 million in funding. Approaches discussed included targeted program cuts, one-time revenues from external settlements, and using recurring revenue sources to prioritize employee morale. Council agreed to advertise a 2% COLA draft ahead of first reading, with strategies to reach the 3% goal discussed for final adoption.

Address -

4 Bed | 5 Bath | 4637 sqft | $6,980,000

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5325 Helene Drive, North Charleston, SC 29418

3 beds | 2 baths | 1770 sqft

$449,000

If you’ve been watching the North Charleston market, this is the kind of listing that gets snapped up fast. 5325 Helene Drive is a fully updated, move-in ready home in the super convenient 29418 zip—close to Boeing, Bosch, Joint Base Charleston, Tanger, Northwoods Mall, and top-rated Dorchester Two schools.

Inside, the home features a bright, open layout with fresh paint, updated flooring, modern appliances, and a functional kitchen with plenty of storage. All three bedrooms are generously sized, and both bathrooms have been tastefully updated. The primary suite gets its own private full bath.

But the real standout is outside: a large, fully fenced backyard—rare for this price point and perfect for pets, gardening, entertaining, or future outdoor upgrades. No HOA means flexibility.

Notable features include:

If you’re looking for an affordable, centrally located North Charleston home with a big yard and updates throughout, this one checks the boxes. Homes under $450K in this area go quickly—worth a look if you're in the market.

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My goal with this newsletter has always been to make it easy to skim and read. And with the new format for the information snippets, I wanted to expand on that. However, I also want to keep this email newsletter short and to the point, which is why, in the coming weeks, I’m going to be adding a bi-weekly edition called the TL;DR. Every other week, it will consist of just these meeting snippets as a recap of what went on in city and county council meetings that you need to know. That keeps this email short every Saturday, and then some extra information mid-week twice a month.

As we head into 2026, this is just one of the exciting additions I have in the works for this newsletter. So stay tuned as we roll these out over the next few weeks and months. I have big goals and I’m excited to bring you along for the ride.

So don’t forget to share this with your friends who want to keep up to speed with what’s happening around Charleston, so we can build the most informed community there is.

-Bill Olson

If you're looking to buy or sell a home in Charleston, Bill Olson & Pirate Properties can help you. We’re fast, friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to work with. We’ve helped hundreds of clients in real estate. Click below and start viewing what's available in Charleston today, calculate your home’s value, or schedule a no-obligation, no-pressure discovery call.

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