CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Community advocates are speaking out ahead of Tuesday night’s meeting of the City of Charleston Board of Zoning Appeals, where members will consider a zoning variance tied to a proposed 12-story apartment building on Morrison Drive.
The project site sits along Newmarket Creek on Charleston’s Upper Peninsula, a tidal waterway advocates describe as critical to stormwater management and long-term flood resilience in Charleston.
At issue is a variance request that would remove the city’s requirement for active ground-floor use on the property at 989 Morrison Drive. While Upper Peninsula zoning calls for activated space at street level, updated FEMA flood maps now restrict habitable ground floors in high-risk flood zones. The parcel is bisected by the LiMWA line, the “limited to moderate wave action” zone, updated in 2024. The designation means waves greater than 1.5 feet during a major storm could cause structural damage.
Preservation Advocates Raise Flooding, Livability Concerns
Lisa Jones, Director of Advocacy at the Historic Charleston Foundation, says the organization views the case as part of a broader challenge facing the city…