What are your top three priorities and why?

My priorities are addressing development, aging infrastructure, and the sense of community that has been lost as Charleston struggles to balance growth, tourism, and residents’ needs. With so much focus Downtown, we see new restaurants and businesses open across the Ashley River, while storefronts remain vacant and parking lots remain empty in the heart of West Ashley. But West Ashley’s schools and recreational programs are bursting at the seams. By repurposing blighted shopping centers as mixed-use properties, revamping neighborhood parks to host recreational programs again, and safely connecting our neighborhoods, we can reduce road travel and enjoy West Ashley.

Taxpayers complain a lot about too much development changing the character and nature of Charleston.  What specifically would you do to make sure overbuilding stops and doesn’t kill the tourism goose that laid our golden egg? Or would you continue things as usual, and why?

I have lived in West Ashley my entire life and witnessed the rapid increase in development and growth. Our City’s development trajectory cannot continue. With its forthcoming zoning code, the City must use its land-use and project-review authorities proactively to ensure a proper balance of density and charm, and that new development is fairly distributed throughout Charleston. Focusing on the Sam Rittenberg corridor, which is plagued by blight, by facilitating the construction of mixed-used properties will restore West Ashley’s charm, enable beautification and streetscaping, and help preserve the character and nature of other parts of Charleston that attract tourists.

Seas are rising.  What specifically would you do about flooding to protect property throughout the whole city?

The City must address the threat of water comprehensively, incorporating the lessons learned from our history and the recommendations that came out of the Dutch Dialogues. The City created an opportunity when it engaged the Army Corps of Engineers to leverage federal resources, build necessary infrastructure, and ensure the continued resiliency of Charleston and the region. I support the expansion of this effort to build infrastructure citywide. Along with this opportunity, the City must continue updating its policies, including its zoning code, to make it easier for property owners to protect their property and to discourage development in flood-prone elevations.

What will Union Pier look like in five years and how will you work to make it fit in with Charleston and not become an overdeveloped monstrosity?

Whether it takes five years or more to get it right, I envision Union Pier as a balance of residential and commercial properties, as well as outdoor features the public can enjoy on the waterfront. The Ports Authority’s association with the Riley Center was the right move, allowing it to build trust in the process and to engage stakeholders to achieve consensus and a community-driven plan. The plan that emerges must be in line with the City’s resiliency plan and Charleston’s existing skyline. It must include workforce housing and incorporate the architectural and design features that are characteristic of Charleston.