Statewide Vision
Mobilize statewide and community leaders to address the Top 5 Most Critical
Design Issues Facing South Carolina.
2. Safeguarding Environmental Quality
3. Responsible Growth & Curbing Sprawl
4. Eliminating Legal Barriers to Good Design
5. Design of Streets, Roads, and Highways
What is being done about these issues?
There are many groups and organizations across the state already working on these important issues, but more can be done. Raising public awareness, distributing important information, and collaborating on solutions is the key to success!
Some of these groups include the:
AIA (American Institute of Architects)
www.aiasc.org/
APA (American Planning Association)
www.scapa.org/
ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects)
www.scasla.org/
ULI (Urban Land Institute)
USGBC (US Green Building Council)
www.usgbcsc.org/
SC Design Arts Partnership
For more information, please call (803) 734-8898
Issue #1
Design Education and Leadership Development
The SC Design Arts Partnership (SCDAP) conducts design
education activities with community leaders from
cities and towns with populations of 20,000 or less and the general
public. Their flagship program, the South Carolina Mayors Institute,
has trained more than 30 Mayors from across the state to embrace
the best practices of community design and understand the impact
that local public policy has on the built environment. For more
information or to have your Mayor participate in this program,
please visit
www.southcarolinaarts.com/design/mayors.shtml.
SCDAP can also create a custom design education experience for your
town through our partners, the South Carolina Arts Commission and
Clemson University. Please call (803) 734-8898 to learn more.
The South Carolina District Council of the Urban Land Institute has recently started its new Center for Sustainable Leadership program with classes running September through May. To learn more about this and other public education opportunities, contact ULI South Carolina at (843) 303-4095 or visit www.southcarolina.uli.org
Issue #2
Safeguarding Environmental Quality
In order to safeguard South Carolina’s environmental quality,
we must protect and preserve our natural resources including the
air we breathe, the water we drink, our ecosystems, and more.
South Carolina has a number of conservation groups in the state
who are working to achieve this through the conservation of privately
owned lands and by offering learning opportunities for the public.
Some of these include:
The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League
www.coastalconservationleague.org
Palmetto Conservation Foundation
www.palmettoconservation.org
Upstate Forever
www.upstateforever.org
The South Carolina Information Highway provides a complete list
of environmental organizations and resources across the state:
www.sciway.net/org/environmental.html#sc-environment
Decisions that we make about the built environment can have a profound
impact on environmental quality.
The following AIA fact sheet notes that “Buildings and their construction account for nearly half of all the greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumed in this country each year.”
www.aia.org/SiteObjects/files/architectsandclimatechange.pdf
The local South Carolina chapters of the American Institute of Architects
and the US Green Building Council are participating in national initiatives
aimed at sustainable design.
AIA’s Sustainability 2030 program seeks to create communities and buildings that advance enduring public and environmental well-being.
The US Green Building Council has a number of resources available to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible and healthy places to live and work.
www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=291&
Issue #3
Responsible Growth & Curbing Sprawl
The South Carolina District Council of the Urban Land Institute
has developed a statewide plan for responsible growth and curbing
sprawl and have already begun implementation of some of the
core recommendations.
Access this full report, Growing
by Choice or Chance
The Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson University has conducted
a number of studies to analyze the effects of sprawl in South
Carolina. These can be accessed by visiting www.strom.clemson.edu and
searching the site for “sprawl.”
www.strom.clemson.edu/publications/london/conversion.pdf.
Issue #4
Eliminating Legal Barriers to Good Design
Often times when designers and developers attempt to create environmentally
and socially responsible places they encounter a number of political
roadblocks at both the state and local levels. Local zoning and building
codes that promote low density, automobile-oriented development are
a prime culprit. Thinking outside of the box and innovating new forms
of development can cost the builders time and money, especially if
they are subject to a burdensome administrative process to get their
plans approved.
Public policies can also force bad decisions in the civic realm. For
example, a minimum acreage requirement for schools prohibits the construction
and retention of neighborhood-based educational centers.
Local and state government authorities need to evaluate and review
the existing public policies that shape the physical environment and
update them to encourage smarter growth principles. Citizens can encourage
their public officials to support policies and legislation that promote
good design.
Examining model codes from around the nation and seeking technical
assistance from national and statewide organizations are the best resources
available to address this issue at this time.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm
The American Planning Association
Smart Growth Model Codes
www.planning.org/smartgrowthcodes/
SC Dept. of Health & Environmental Control
Model Ordinances
www.dhec.sc.gov/environment/baq/modelord.aspx
The SC Counties Association and the SC Municipal Associate may also
be able to offer technical assistance with reviewing and updating public
policies and codes.
www.sccounties.org/
www.masc.sc/
Issue #5
Design of Streets, Roads, and Highways
Many of South Carolina’s streets, roads, and highways are designed
to maximize the experience of the automobile. Put simply, this issue
addresses the fact that our world should not be designed to accommodate
automobiles, it should be designed to accommodate people.
Many of today’s roads were designed to meet uniform standards
that give little or no consideration to the local culture and landscape.
While these standards are often put in place to expedite the process
and save on design costs, ignoring the unique needs and requirements
of each road costs us all more in the end.
Poor road design can contribute to urban sprawl, destroy commerce
on Main Street, and cause us to rely on the automobile for all of our
daily needs. Good road design can create more pedestrian-friendly communities,
improve and enhance business, and encourage people to live a more active
and healthy lifestyle.
In South Carolina, local communities need to have more influence on
how their roads are designed. Much work needs to be done to promote
pedestrian-friendly communities and understand the importance of road
design.
Walkable Communities provides high quality information on this topic.
www.walkablecommunities.org/
