City of Charleston Committee on Traffic and Transportation 11/10/26

The City of Charleston Committee on Traffic and Transportation met on November 10, 2026. The committee unanimously approved a proposed amendment to the special events ordinance, including film and photography permit guidelines, and will forward it to City Council. The rules would define permit-triggering and high-impact activity, restrict permitted activity in residential areas on Sundays, require event parking plans and a complaint contact, and adjust application timelines. The committee also discussed proposed increases to parking violation fines as part of the budget process; no vote was taken, and the chair said the matter would be reported to Council. The current $14 fine for meter overtime was cited, and the proposed $500 fine for parking in a disabled space without a valid placard would align with state law. The traffic director would retain discretion in cases such as an inadvertently expired placard, and the city is separately exploring a resident parking discount that would not apply to violations such as blocking bus zones or disabled spaces.

Staff outlined a potential requirement to expand development traffic studies beyond project size to include traffic impacts, level-of-service thresholds, and multimodal considerations. The proposal is still under development, will receive public and Planning Commission input, and is tentatively expected to return for committee and Council consideration in February 2027; no action was taken. Members also received an update on ongoing mini-roundabout construction and related tree removal to support adding a lane from Johns Island; no contract, vendor, or project cost was identified. No procurement award or purchasing decision was reported.