Charleston Trident REALTORS® Seek to Increase Quality of Life for Area

The Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® has more than 4,000 members in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkley counties in South Carolina. In an area composed of suburban, downtown and industrial selling markets, the Association focuses on improving the quality of life, whether economically, socially or environmentally.

Charleston has always been a port town, with much of its economy related to the importation and exportation of goods. The increase in ship sizes and capacities, and competition from nearby ports for manufactured goods, has Charleston in a dilemma of whether to create a deeper and bigger port and harbor. How land purchases and the need to encourage competitive commercial growth, such as the recently located Boeing Co., compete with the property rights of homeowners and business owners are concerns as well.

Meeting housing demand in some localities, such as Mt. Pleasant — the fastest growing city in the nation — can be challenging. City ordinances implemented to restrict growth in these fast-growing suburban areas force housing costs to rise and affordable housing to become even more strained.

Other areas dramatically impacted by housing shortages are the island communities, where the focus is on the conservation and preservation of public lands, and the maintenance of green and open space. Communities and homeowners step up to this challenge to protect their environment, understanding the importance of the low-lying estuaries and Atlantic coastal areas.

Zoning is a major issue for the Association, which advocates for property owners to be free from unlawful zoning variations that restrict their property rights. The Association supports zoning that allows homeowners to use their land to the best of its capabilities; and the Association opposes the devaluation of property due to restrictive zoning ordinances.

Other issues the Association is monitoring are:

• Impact fees: A common requirement for developers, who are charged as much as $700,000 for a study showing the impact of a proposed project on the community’s economy, infrastructure and environment.
• Moratoriums: Restrictions on building for at least a year in the downtown Charleston area, which impact revitalization in the restaurant, club and entertainment districts.

The Charleston Trident Association of REATORS® is a unique association with unique property issues, driven by Charleston Harbor trade, the protection of shorelines and estuaries, the development and revitalization of the downtown area, the history that surrounds the tri-county region, and the intense protection of the rights of property owners, developers and incoming mega-businesses.