The Agenda: First Gaillard vote, Promenade shift

It was rough going last week as the city unveiled proposed changes to the Gaillard Auditorium, including expanded exhibition space and a large addition for city offices. The city’s Board of Architectural Review will weigh in on the concept plan Thursday. This is a key vote that will likely determine the scope of the project going forward. The meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. in the auditorium’s exhibition hall.

A while back, Promenade development plans in our own East Central neighborhood unofficially began shifting from a residential haven to more industrial purposes (with at least one proposal for a rail yard at the south end of the site). The City of Charleston’s Planning Commission will weigh a request Wednesday to rezone 70 acres, referred to as Promenade North, from residential zoning to heavy industrial. Also up for review, the city’s Bed and Breakfast ordinance. As we reported earlier this fall, proposed changes could bring new life to some old dusty mansions in the Elliottborough/Cannonborough neighborhood. It’s part of a larger, community-driven effort to revive the district’s commercial potential. Completely unrelated, there’s also a proposed amendment to the city’s definition of an "adult use," we’ll updated when we have the language on that one. The meeting will be at 5 p.m. in the third floor meeting room at 75 Calhoun St.

The last round of prefiled bills will be coming from the Statehouse this week, the House offers its batch on Tuesday and the Senate follows on Wednesday. Most of the legislation that’s expected to drive this year’s session has already been introduced (immigration, election, and spending reforms), so its hard to say what we’ll see this week.

Any other meetings locally that you’ve got your eye on? School board? Mt. P.? County Council? Share the details in the comments section.