Parks and rural conservation to be equally funded in Charleston County, a major shift
Urban greenspaces and rural conservation easements will now be equally funded in Charleston County, marking a major change for a program created to help offset urban sprawl.
County Council voted 5-4 on Tuesday to change the formula for how funds are distributed in the greenbelt program, transferring $40 million from the rural conservation budget to the budget for urban projects.
The county’s greenbelt program was created in 2004 when voters approved the first half-cent sales tax, and it was renewed in 2016 with the approval of another half-cent sales tax. While the tax has primarily funded traffic improvements, a portion of the proceeds was set aside for greenspace purchases to act as a check on development pressures that tend to follow the creation of new roads.
