Charleston Asks Residents to Shape 'The Charleston Standard' — Plus Circa 1886 Hire and TSA Gold+ Pilot

Charleston leaders are asking residents to help shape a new, residents-first tourism strategy called The Charleston Standard. A 12-minute online survey — open through Oct. 8 — and a series of public studio sessions will gather community input as the city updates a decade-old hospitality management plan.

Residents-First Tourism Plan

The city worked with Bloomberg Associates, a municipal consulting firm that reviewed best practices, analyzed local data and interviewed more than 70 community representatives before issuing recommendations. The Bloomberg report warned that Charleston's booming visitor economy has reached a "tipping point" and urged city leaders to take steps to manage growth more deliberately.

"Bloomberg gave us an outside perspective, but our residents are the real experts," Mayor William Cogswell said. "You live here, you work here, you love this city and we want to hear what you have to say."

Key recommendations include expanding tourism activity beyond the historic peninsula, strengthening oversight of short-term rentals and nightlife, improving transportation options, and identifying new funding sources to address tourism-related impacts. City officials say the name The Charleston Standard was chosen after resident feedback during earlier outreach efforts.

City staff will host tourism-focused open studio sessions from 3:00–6:00 p.m. on Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 for residents to learn more, ask questions and give feedback. Officials expect to finalize the plan by the end of the year.

Circa 1886 Names New Executive Pastry Chef

Circa 1886 has appointed Perla Anguiano as executive pastry chef. Anguiano brings more than a decade of fine-dining and luxury-resort experience, most recently leading pastry programs at Sun Valley Resort in Idaho. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu's Baking & Pastry Arts program in San Francisco, she is known for blending classical French technique with seasonal ingredients and influences from her Hispanic heritage.

At Circa 1886 — located in the historic carriage house of the Wentworth Mansion — Anguiano will oversee the dessert program and collaborate with Executive Chef Marc Collins on seasonal desserts that complement the restaurant’s contemporary Lowcountry cuisine.

Charleston International to Pilot TSA Gold+

Charleston International Airport is one of three U.S. airports selected to pilot the Transportation Security Administration's Gold+ program next year, along with airports in Tampa, Fla., and Des Moines, Iowa. The program expands private-sector involvement in passenger screening while keeping TSA oversight and standards in place.

Airport CEO Elliott Summey said the initiative aims to "provide more for employees and enhance security — without changing established protocols and standards." National outlets including The Chicago Tribune, Business Insider and People have described Gold+ as an evolution of TSA's existing Screening Partnership Program rather than a full privatization; TSA would continue to set requirements and oversee operations while private contractors may manage staffing and technology.

"If Gold+ succeeds, we say: expand it. If it doesn't, don't. But safety has to always be the top priority over every other factor," a Chicago Tribune editorial concluded, noting how screening technology and security needs have changed since the pre-9/11 era.

Residents who want to participate can take the online 12-minute survey through Oct. 8 or attend any of the public studio sessions listed above to share feedback in person.