City of Charleston · Committee on Real Estate
🏗️ Three-party MOU sets up new public alleyway near Meeting Street hotel site
The committee approved a memorandum of understanding among the city, the Charleston Housing Authority, and Grace Hotel owner Sanju Patel to construct a southbound public alleyway connecting Lee Street to Cooper Street at no cost to the city, with the developer funding all design, permitting, and construction. The new alleyway will also provide pedestrian access to a planned Lowline Rapid Transit stop and enable rear valet and delivery operations for the hotel rather than activity directly on Meeting Street. A detailed purchase and sale agreement is to be executed within 30 days.

City of Charleston · Committee on Real Estate
🏠 Lease term extended to 2085 to unlock I-526 underpass affordable housing project
The committee approved a first amendment to the city's SC DOT lease covering the I-526 underpass area, extending the term to December 18, 2085 to satisfy lender requirements for the Lowline affordable housing development on adjacent city-owned land. The Charleston Housing Authority is also granting easements through its property to enable road improvements and site access. A Section 13A clarification confirms the city has not abandoned the leased area.

City of Charleston · Committee on Real Estate
🏠 City pays $475,000 for nuisance property to expand Project 3500 affordable housing site
The committee approved increasing the authorized acquisition amount to $475,000 for a boarded-up house at 74 Stewart Street, adjacent to the Project 3500 affordable housing development site at 899 Morrison Drive. The owner had originally demanded $940,000; the negotiated price of $475,000 falls below the $659,000 midpoint between the competing appraisals. The mayor noted the property is a well-documented nuisance address with frequent police activity, making its acquisition a dual public safety and housing benefit.

City of Charleston · Committee on Real Estate
🏗️ City licenses Lowline parcel for hotel construction staging at $2,000 per month
The committee approved a month-to-month license of a city-owned fee-simple Lowline parcel between Columbus Street and Spring Street to the developer of a new hotel at 131 Columbus for construction laydown at $2,000 per month. Before laydown operations begin, the developer must relocate 25 Hyatt employee parking spaces to an improved Spring Street dead-end area with no loss of city parking revenue. The agreement is terminable at any time and requires council re-authorization if it extends beyond one year.

City of Charleston · Committee on Real Estate
🚧 Three-party MOU clears path for Clemens Ferry marina while road issues remain unresolved
The committee approved a memorandum of understanding among the City of Charleston, Berkeley County, and Clater Creek Reserve LLC allowing marina construction to begin on Clemens Ferry Road once Berkeley County issues an encroachment permit, with the city set to annex the relevant road parcel and assume the permit. Residential development tied to the site cannot receive any permits until encroachments on Clements Ferry Road are cleared and the road is widened to city standards — a matter Berkeley County is expected to re-pursue through municipal court after a prior proceeding was dismissed based on a false claim of resolution. The annexation application for the Clemens Ferry road parcel is also on this agenda.

City of Charleston · City Council
💬 MUSC–Cigna dispute threatens healthcare access for 2,000 city employees
The HR committee flagged an active contract dispute between MUSC and Cigna that could push MUSC out of network for city employees. Mayor Cogswell confirmed he personally met with MUSC's Dr. Cole to convey the urgency, and multiple council members called on both parties to resolve the matter. With approximately 2,000 city employees potentially affected, the situation was described as actively monitored with cautious optimism for resolution.

City of Charleston · Committee on Ways and Means
🌊 City seeks $1.5 million federal grant to repair Maritime Center docks
The committee approved applying for a US Fish and Wildlife Service BIG Grant through SCDNR for $1.5 million toward the Maritime Center renovation, with a matching city contribution up to $1.5 million funded by the municipal accommodations tax. The project addresses deferred dock maintenance and will expand available transit slips to generate new revenue. The committee passed the item unanimously.

City of Charleston · Committee on Ways and Means
🏗️ City commits $1.475 million for historic fire station design services
The committee approved a professional services contract for $1,475,000 to advance design work on the historical retrofit of Fire Stations 2 and 3 at 262 Meeting Street. A council member described the project as a major capital improvement that is long overdue. The item passed unanimously and will proceed toward full construction.

City of Charleston · Board of Zoning Appeals
🏙️ 175-unit hotel special exception deferred amid dispute over which zoning standards apply
A proposal to build a 175-unit hotel at 194 Cannon Street as part of a 2017 PUD was deferred after the Preservation Society of Charleston argued the current accommodations overlay standards — not the 2017 version — should govern the review. Staff had recommended approval under the older standards, but the board found a legal question unresolved. The matter was sent back to July with direction to obtain a formal opinion from Corporation Counsel.

Charleston County · County Council – Planning & Public Works Committee
🏙️ Split vote extends 24-month moratorium on major subdivisions in historic settlement communities
After a failed first motion that would have excluded Ten Mile community, council passed a 4-3 vote to extend the moratorium on major subdivisions for 24 months across all covered historic districts, excluding only the Tisdale family property. The Ten Mile community, which had already secured an overlay district and historic preservation designation, remained subject to the moratorium over the objection of Chair Boykin and others who argued the community's goals had been achieved. Covered areas include Phillips, Hamlin Beach, the Ashley River Road Historic District, and others, with Red Top expected to apply in the near future.

At the June 16, 2026, committee meeting, Vice Chair Brady walked through three infrastructure and franchise items in detail: a planned redesign of a segment of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, a new traffic signal at a misaligned Johns Island intersection, and an extension of the city's pedicab franchise agreements.

The city's planned changes to Sam Rittenberg Boulevard are limited to a specific stretch of the corridor, running from Savannah Highway to Ashley River Road.

The current configuration along that segment includes three lanes of travel in each direction. Brady's stated rationale for reducing that capacity is that the road is "underutilized in terms of the volume" of traffic it carries.

The planned redesign follows a "road diet" approach, which involves reducing the space allocated to motor vehicles on the boulevard. Brady indicated the reclaimed space would go toward "pedestrian and bike improvements there as well as some streetscape improvements."

Brady noted that presentation slides with visual plans for the project are available, and he directed anyone who wants to review them to contact Mr. Pullman.

A separate item later in the same meeting addressed a different matter on the same boulevard: a request to amend restrictive covenants at 1025 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, the former Boy Scouts headquarters, to permit use of the site as a wedding event space near the neighborhood marsh. That request was the subject of a public hearing and is distinct from the road redesign described above.

The committee considered a Memorandum of Understanding for a new traffic signal at the Maybank Highway intersection near Southwick Drive on Johns Island.

Brady described the project as "near and dear to Council Member McBride's heart." He characterized the current intersection as highly problematic, specifically noting the difficulty for drivers "if you've ever tried to navigate that intersection where the roads are not aligned."

The new signal is being installed in coordination with a development going in at the location, and Brady stated it will physically help realign the intersection. He described a signal at that location as "desperately needed in that part of John's Island."

The committee voted to extend franchise agreements for the city's current 30 general pedicab decals. Brady noted that he and Council Member Greg have been involved in the pedicab agreements "for quite some time."

The 30 decals are divided equally among three franchise operators, with each receiving 10 decals. The extension covers one additional five-year term at a rate of $65,884.63 for 10 decals. The agreement also includes one five-year renewal option at $75,767.33 for an additional 10 decals.

In a related committee discussion, the pedicab decal system was compared to a taxi medallion structure, in that it functions as a regulatory cap on the total number of active operators permitted on city streets.

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