Charleston City Council Meeting – July 15, 2025

The Charleston City Council met on July 15, 2025, to address public hearings, committee reports, and various ordinances. Key actions included approval of the Pioneer Alley Planned Unit Development (PUD) with architectural guidelines, first readings of animal control and watercraft ordinances, the renaming of the Charleston Tennis Center after longtime employee Peggy Bone, and settlements in two legal matters. An item regarding a Folly Road PUD was deferred at the applicant's request.

Consent Calendar

• Items E1, E3, E4 (as a group): Approved unanimously. E1 was a height change for Pioneer Alley (105 Cannon St) from 2.5–3 stories to 3.5 stories. E3 amended the SR6 zoning district to reduce minimum lot width from 35 to 27 feet, lot area from 4,000 to 2,700 sq ft, and increase lot occupancy from 50% to 65% to promote affordable housing. E4 was an annexation and zoning of 1812 Devonshire Drive as SR-1.
• Petitions & communications appointments: Approved unanimously.
• Miscellaneous business: Approved authorization to respond to Charleston County on the purchase of 993/995 Morrison Street with a 120-day due diligence period (instead of 90 days). Approved settlement agreement in Board of Field Officers of the Fourth Brigade v. City of Charleston.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Anthony G. Bryant (former Garden Hill Neighborhood Association president) voiced opposition to unspecified applications, alleging interference in his mother’s medical care and harassment by city officials. His comments were personal and not directed at specific agenda items.
• Todd Richardson (applicant for Pioneer Alley items E1 and E2) expressed gratitude to council, the Canamora LA Borough Neighborhood Association, and neighbors for collaboration, highlighting that 20% of the 25 residential units would be workforce housing.
• Queen Quet (of the Gullah Geechee Nation) traveled from St. Helena Island to receive a proclamation for Gullah Geechee Nation Appreciation Week, but it was not on the agenda due to a clerical error. She requested the proclamation be mailed or presented at the July 26 event.
• During Citizens Participation: Former Councilman Bill Moody spoke in favor of honoring Peggy Bone for 50 years of service at the tennis center. Zach Besiti criticized the city’s pedicab contracting process, urging open bidding and transparency. John Baker (Charleston Firefighters Association Local 61) reported that a recent cancer screening of 67 firefighters found one confirmed thyroid cancer case, and called for continued funding for screenings. Mohammed Idris expressed dissatisfaction with the Mayor’s promised help and praised Councilmembers Gregory, Waring, and Seekings.
• Online comments: 24 comments requested transparent pedicab bidding; 51 opposed the Folly Road PUD; 1 supported it; 1 supported annexation consistency; 1 opposed annexation of Zero Folly Road; 1 call expressed outrage at ICE and asked for sanctuary city status; 3 comments from Anthony Bryant were forwarded to council.

Discussion Items

• Item E2 – Pioneer Alley PUD: After removing from consent, Councilmember (District 6) offered an amendment to Appendix 7, adding architectural guidelines to protect the design. The amendment requires that if architect Steve Remus can no longer serve, the neighborhood association would appoint a successor. This was to preserve the design if the property is sold. Motion passed with Councilmember Brady voting no, citing last-minute materials. The PUD itself (25 residential/short-term rental units, up to 5,000 sq ft commercial, mixed-use) was then approved as amended.
• Committee on Recreation: Councilmember Parker reported that the committee approved naming the Charleston Tennis Center the “City of Charleston Peggy Bone Tennis Center.” After speeches from Councilmembers Waring, Sheeley, and others praising her 50 years of service, the full council voted unanimously to rename the center.
• Committee on Public Safety: Councilmember Sheeley reported first readings for an animal control ordinance (modernizing regulations) and a watercraft ordinance (aligning with state law on abandoned/derelict vessels, prohibiting mooring within 500 ft of a public dock during named storm emergencies). Both passed first reading – the watercraft ordinance by roll call (unanimous).
• Committee on Public Works: Councilmember Waring highlighted the Forest Acres Phase II drainage project, which won the SC American Public Works Association Project of the Year (Environment). He also noted the small projects program, which has grown from $500,000 to $1 million and funded 27 drainage projects citywide, reducing flooding in neighborhoods.
• Committee on Transportation & Traffic (TNT): Councilmember Seekings reported updates on the Low Line (IC River Crossing), approval to request SCDOT to take back portions of Romney, Cypress, and UG Streets for accelerated crosswalk construction, and approval of three parking lots along the Low Line corridor (120 spaces at about one-third the cost of the original plan). A deferral of a portion of the pedicab ordinance regarding renewal periods was moved and approved.
• Executive Session: Council voted 7-0 to go into executive session to discuss four legal matters: the Fourth Brigade lawsuit, counteroffer on Morrison Street, Pemberton Park appeal, and advice on purchasing 676 Stewart Street. No action was taken; upon return, two motions were approved (see Key Outcomes).

Key Outcomes

• Pioneer Alley PUD (E2) approved as amended with architectural guidelines protecting design. Vote: voice vote, one nay (Councilmember Brady).
• Pioneer Alley height change (E1) and other consent items (E3, E4) approved unanimously.
• Charleston Tennis Center renamed the City of Charleston Peggy Bone Tennis Center (unanimous).
• First reading of animal control ordinance and watercraft ordinance passed; watercraft ordinance passed by roll call (all ayes).
• Pedicab ordinance partially deferred: The deferral applies only to the renewal period portion, allowing other provisions to move forward.
• Low Line parking lots approved (design and construction) at about one-third the original cost.
• Settlement in Fourth Brigade lawsuit approved, with Mayor authorized to execute.
• Morrison Street purchase response authorized with condition of extended due diligence (120 days).
• Item E5 (Folly Road PUD) and Item M8 (second reading bill) deferred at applicant’s request.
• Proclamation for Gullah Geechee Nation Appreciation Week to be issued after clerical error; Mayor apologized and promised to mail it.