A Comparative Analysis of Cultural Preservation Focused Land-Use Regulations within the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor of South Carolina

This thesis is an analysis of three land-use regulations: conservation easements and fee simple ownership by conservation land trust, an area specific zoning overlay, and a town-wide ordinance, all aimed at protecting cultural heritage on different islands within the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor (GGCHC) of South Carolina: Edisto Island, St. Helena Island, and Hilton Head Island. The lower sea islands of South Carolina have a unique natural and cultural landscape under threat of loss, both tangible and intangible heritage is vulnerable. This study provides an individual and comparative analysis of goals for land-use regulations. The purpose statements of the three land use regulations suggest measurements of effectiveness. This research builds on themes from the literature on sustainable development practices in areas and subjects related to vulnerable cultural heritage sites. Findings revealed that the number of partnerships the organization participated in was the most significant factor for suggesting achievement of their outlined goals and sustainable growth of impact in the community. By using the GGCHC as a case study for analyzing the effectiveness of various cultural preservation focused land-use regulation’s ability to achieve their goals within this landscape, best practices for all interested in natural and cultural landscape preservation and sustainable development are provided.