The City of Charleston is a progressive and energetic city and our goal is to grant our residents with the best service a city can provide and our visitors with the best vacation or business trip that a city can provide. Charleston is a special and unique city. The combination of our unequaled beauty, warm hospitality, and exceptional public spaces provide a wonderful backdrop for residents and visitors. Through careful conservation, creative and innovative financing, and meticulous planning, Charleston is a city that celebrates a rich history. Charleston was the first city in the country to enact a preservation ordinance. We have an active and ongoing interest in the protection and restoration of our buildings, which tell the story of our past. Keeping an eye to the future, we have set goals that make the livability and quality of life in Charleston the best in the nation. We work diligently to keep our city the best place in the country to work, to live and to play.