Streamlining the build: Optimizing the technical review committee process in Charleston

The City of Charleston, South Carolina, utilized a Technical Review Committee (TRC) to serve as a coordinated “one-stop-shop” model for site design and subdivision review. While applicants valued the collaborative intent of the TRC structure, the process faced challenges with leadership authority, inconsistent deadlines, quality control of intake, resubmission protocols, meeting efficiency, and workload management. This created burdens on both applicants and staff. 

Through staff interviews, customer engagement, direct observation, and a structured process improvement exercise, we identified structural gaps limiting timely decision-making and workload management. 

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We delivered a structured roadmap of 23 actionable recommendations. Key structural shifts included: 

• Appointing an empowered TRC Chair with the authority to resolve interdepartmental conflicts 

• Implementing formal completeness of review standards to reject deficient applications at intake 

• Establishing measurable cycle-time performance targets and standardizing review of comment formats 

• Instituting workload monitoring, labor-hour tracking, and requiring reviewer attendance at TRC meetings 

This framework positions Charleston to manage growth while maintaining development quality, regulatory integrity, and an improved customer experience.