Defines the places we want to create…

Establishes the rules to create them.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department

Creating Great Places for Our Community

Transportation & Planning Committee March 26, 2018

Presentation Outline

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1. A “Walk Thru” CharlotteUDO.org & Project Facebook Page

2. Process 3. Questions & Answers

4. Discussion - Get Your Input

CharlotteUDO.org

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Process

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Who is involved

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City Council

Transportation & Planning Committee

Community/ Neighborhoods

Ordinance Advisory

Committee

Planning Commission/

Committee

Staff

• City Council

• Transportation & Planning Committee

• Ordinance Advisory Committee

• Planning Commission/ Committee

• Community/ Neighborhoods

• Interdepartmental Staff Technical Team

What We Heard…

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500+ comments in 2012: 1. Development Review Process 2. Reliance on and Use of

Conditional Zoning 3. Relationship to City Plans 4. Suburban Development Vs.

Urban Development/ Redevelopment

5. Zoning Districts and Uses 6. Ordinance Organization,

Understanding and Accessibility

7. Development Standards

What We Heard…

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In 2016:

1. Names of Place Types are Confusing – too many names with “mixed-use”

2. Need to Address Affordable Housing

3. Importance of Green/Open Space & Walkability

Questions & Answers

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Charlotte’s Vision & Goals…

1. High quality, context sensitive design

2. Protection of established neighborhoods

3. Housing for a diverse population

4. Diligent consideration of the environment

5. Healthy and flourishing tree canopy

6. More walkable places with a variety of activities

7. Diverse, growing and adaptable economy

8. Revitalization of economically challenged areas

9. Enhanced transportation networks pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and transit users

10.Efficient infrastructure investments

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Timeline

How did we get here? • 2013 (Clarion Assessment/Approach

Report)

• 2015 (Selection of Camiros as UDO consultant)

• 2016 (Consultant contract approved and background work on UDO started)

• 2016/17 (Transportation Fair, Pop-Up Meetings, Request a Speaker, Place Types Community Workshop)

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Current Land Use Policy & Ordinance/Regulations

• Outdated, misaligned, non-user friendly

• Zoning Districts not adequate to implement Area Plans without extensive conditional rezoning notes

• Over 80% of rezoning cases are conditional, requiring a high level of scrutiny for each case

• Neighborhood input in the conditional rezoning process

• Takes times and costs more

Current Policy Current Ordinance/Regulations

• Outdated plans, non-user friendly

• Inconsistent level of detail

• Confusing – too many plans (CCW, GDP, District, Area Plans)

• Unclear expectations - Area

Plans difficult to implement with current zoning districts

• Takes times and costs more

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Place Types

What is Place Types and how important is it to the Unified Development Ordinance? • Policy document. Land use vision.

• Clearer expectations for future development – this

saves time and lessens community concerns

• Updates some older area and district plans

• Provides a way to keep plans updated to better reflect growth and change

• Addresses design of development in addition to use

• Informs the UDO and links it to our area plans and vision

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Unified Development Ordinance What is the benefit of a new ordinance/regulation? • User-friendly

• Consolidates multiple

ordinance/regulation into one document

• Streamlined process

• Changes to conventional and conditional zonings

• Reduced time for processing applications

• Transition from use-based to place-based

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Community Engagement

How will this rewrite affect the community engagement process? • Predictable. Both community and

developers know what to expect

• Sets clear urban design standards upfront

• More conventional zonings provide opportunity for more staff-led community meetings/involvement rather than all developer-led community meetings

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Council Involvement

How will the zoning ordinance rewrite impact Council’s ability to stay involved in shaping our communities?

• Fewer conditional zoning petitions and more conventional rezonings requiring decisions – Time Savings for Council

• Opportunity to update zoning for all properties, not just those requiring rezoning

• More opportunities for planning staff engagement with Council on District levels

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Council Involvement

How will the zoning ordinance rewrite impact Council’s ability to stay involved in shaping our communities?

• Council will consider amendments to Place Types every 1-2 years & comprehensive update every 5 -7 years

• Council will have opportunity to consider text amendments to UDO monthly

• Council will continue to adopt future Area Plans

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Development Community

How will this rewrite benefit the development industry? • Time Savings: Intent is that having

better standards in our conventional zoning districts will allow us to increase number of conventional zonings and have simpler conditional zonings, thus saving time for developers

• Predictability and Consistency: Place Types and UDO creates certainty of use/development as well as what is required

• Market flexibility

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Economic Development

Will this result in a better climate for economic development? The UDO and Place Types will:

• Result in a more predictable

development environment in policy and regulation.

• Provide a single source for City of Charlotte Development Ordinances.

• Include simple, illustrated development standards.

• Reduce ordinance conflict.

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Diverse Price Point (Affordable) Housing

What tools does the City currently have for increasing supply of diverse price point (affordable) housing? • “On-time” Review and Permitting

Process.

• Density Bonus Provisions.

• Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Allowances.

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Diverse Price Point (Affordable) Housing

What incentives can the City offer developers to produce more units for families earning 60-80% AMI?

• Expanded “on-time” review and permitting process

• Expedited rezoning process for diverse price point (affordable) housing

• Revised and additional density and height bonuses

• More locations where moderate and high density housing can be built

• Removal of unnecessary barriers to diverse price point (affordable) housing in existing regulations

• Housing Trust Fund

Diverse Price Point (Affordable) Housing/

Comprehensive Housing Plan

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Lessons from Elsewhere

Who else has done/is doing this?

• Denver, CO (Zoning)

• Raleigh, NC (UDO)

• Wilson, NC (UDO)

• Memphis, TN (UDO)

• Austin, TX (UDO)

What have we learned from them?

• Code updates typically take 4 to 5 years, and in some cases longer

• Need clear goals/blueprint

• Engage the community throughout the process

• Best practices and examples from other cities are helpful

• Develop an effective transition from old to new regulations

• Even with consultant assistance, project is staff intensive

• Minor updates after full adoption are common

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Neighborhood Character Overlay District - NCOD

What is the status of the NCOD? • Intent is to preserve the character of

our neighborhoods

• We consider this as a tool that can help achieve this

• Currently, we are pressing a reset button to re-evaluate how this intent can be accomplished

• Help us define the outcome

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March 24 Summit

Impressions from Summit: • Turnout • Work sessions • Participation • Takeaways • Next Steps

Discussion

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