The number of zoning permits the city of Charleston issued last year was the lowest in the past decade, a planning department report shows.
Neighborhood Planner Lori Brannon shared the highlights of the Planning Department's annual report at Wednesday's Municipal Planning Commission meeting, which showed that it signed off on 550 permits in 2015, a 22-percent decrease from the year before.
"It's a pretty big deal," Brannon said. In contrast, the number of permits peaked at the height of the recession in 2010, with more than 800 issued.
The vast majority of zoning permit requests fall under "miscellaneous," which includes projects such as "clearing and grading, steps and sidewalk modifications for accessibility, construction of retaining walls and gutter replacements," according to the report.
Others include permits for new residential construction and signs for businesses.
It's difficult to pinpoint what caused the slump in issued permits last year; it may have been a result of fewer permit requests and a struggling economy, said Dan Vriendt, city planning director.
"I think construction is down - Charleston doesn't have the booms and busts that other cities have," Vriendt said. "We tend to stay more even, but I think with that, we're a little behind on the trends."
Permits issued for new residential construction showed 16 single family dwellings built last year, compared to 19 the year prior, and 27 built in 2013. Brannon noted that nearly 50 single family homes were demolished last year, far outnumbering the new homes built.
"Other areas of the country are really starting to pick up steam, and I don't think we've done that yet," Vriendt said.
Commissioners also determined a bill to amend the East End Community Renewal Plan is compliant with the city's comprehensive plan. Councilwoman Keeley Steele introduced a bill at the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority's January meeting that would modify the East End Renewal Plan to permit tattoo studios in that district as a conditional use.
It closely mirrors a bill City Council passed in December that revised the zoning ordinance to accommodate such businesses in downtown Charleston. The only discernible difference is that the pending bill calls for 500 feet between two tattoo or piercing studios, compared to the 1,500-foot buffer required in the central business district.
Brannon said she thinks that gives "plenty of space to prevent clustering," since most lots that line Washington Street East are roughly 50 feet wide. The bill now goes back to the urban renewal authority for a vote. If it passes, the bill must also clear City Council's Urban Renewal Committee before Council votes on it.
Also on Wednesday, Municipal Planning Commission:
n Recommended approval of a street name change petition submitted by the Charleston-Kanawha Housing Authority, to name a private drive at Littlepage Terrace located off of Rebecca Street as Nesmith Court.
n Established a task force of volunteers to determine necessary changes to the city's comprehensive rezoning, which was last updated in 1983. The group will submit their suggestions to the planning commission.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051, or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.