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City releases 2nd draft of Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan

After receiving input from the public and various Charlotte City Council committees, City staff have released a revised version of the Charlotte Future 2040 Plan that they are recommending for adoption by Council.

The public — that’s YOU!– is invited to submit feedback on this revised draft until June 3rd. The final Council vote on the plan is scheduled for Monday, June 21st.

City releases 2nd draft of Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan

Image: City of Charlotte, www.cltfuture2040.com

WHERE CAN I VIEW THE REVISED PLAN?

The Recommended Draft of the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which includes revisions based on feedback from City Council, the community and other stakeholders can be found at  https://www.cltfuture2040plan.com/.  The three volumes can be found under the “Print” drop-down and also at the web links below.

HOW CAN I GIVE MY INPUT ON THE PLAN?

You can share your comments with the City at: https://publicinput.com/2040feedback or by emailing comments to: [email protected]

WHAT DOES SUSTAIN CHARLOTTE THINK OF THE REVISED PLAN?

Below are the major comments that Sustain Charlotte plans to submit to the City. Please note that we’re commenting on a very detailed plan, so we’ve chosen to focus our comments for this final draft on elements of the plan that have been changed since the first draft and those that have been under attack by opponents. We support the rest of the plan and are providing more detailed comments to the City. The points below are our high-level comments that we invite you to share, too.

Want to view our fully detailed comments on the plan? Read them here.

Sustain Charlotte encourages you to submit comments to the City that reflect your concerns and priorities. Feel free to echo ours, add your own, or just use these as a starting point to develop your own thoughts.

  • We support the clear definition of ‘equity’ that has been added to the Equitable Growth Framework: “We choose to define equity as an active principle, a tool for recognizing and remedying inequality and injustice. Equity is, in a sense, what we owe to each other: a fundamental part of our social contract that recognizes the inherent value of every Charlotte resident, actively works for justice and equality of opportunity in our City, and treats every person with dignity.” (Vol. 1, p. 19)

 

  • We support Goal 1 to increase the percentage of households that can access daily needs without requiring a car, also known as “10-Minute Neighborhoods”: “All Charlotte households should have access to essential amenities, goods, and services within a comfortable, tree-shaded 10-minute walk, bike, or transit trip by 2040.” (Vol. 1, p. 70)

 

  • We support the establishment of a Community Benefits Coalition to “further study and champion community benefits” and for the City fo “work with the Community Benefits Coalition to develop a menu or playbook of community benefits that may be supported with incentives or Community Benefit Agreements if included or addressed within development projects. Align desired benefits with the type of incentive (e.g. regulatory vs. financial). Utilize direction from the Plan and subsequent small area plans to develop priority ranking of desired benefits to seek through incentives.” (Vol. 1, p. 73)

 

  • We support the modified language of Policy 2.1 to legalize the building of houses for 2, 3, and 4 families: “Allow duplex and triplex housing units in all place types where single-family housing is allowed (subject to mapping of Future Place Types (Volume 2, Section V2.3), as well as metrics and measures in the Equitable Growth Framework (Section 1.2)) and site development standards specified within the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) including residential lot size, setbacks, scale, height, parking, and others.” (Vol. 1, p. 75)

 

  • We support the addition of three ‘Recommended Projects and Programs’ to Goal 2 that are focused on addressing displacement of residents and businesses: 
    • 2.23 “The Mayor and City Council should commission an Anti-Displacement Stakeholder Group. This group shall be composed of neighborhood leaders, housing advocates, community organizers, developers and residents threatened by housing displacement.”
    • 2.24 “The Commission will launch an anti-displacement study and recommend tools and strategies for protecting residents of moderate to high vulnerability of displacement. Using Commission recommendations, adopt an Anti-Displacement Strategy focusing on vulnerable neighborhoods.”
    • 2.25 “Continue and establish programs to provide support for inclusion of affordable housing units when single family units are removed, particularly in neighborhoods vulnerable to displacement.” (Vol. 1, p. 77)

 

  • We support the greater focus on the importance of trees in Goal 4 “Transit- and Trail-Oriented Development”:
    • 4.17 “Ensure all 2T-OD development prioritizes tree-shaded and safe sidewalks, trails, and bike routes using trees to maximize comfort and safety.”
    • 4.18 “Locate high-performance transit stations to maximize accessibility to neighborhoods with low-income households while avoiding direct displacement of existing residents.” (Vol. 1, p. 84)

 

  • We support Goal 7 “Integrated Natural and Built Environments” and urge that clear mechanisms should be developed to ensure more intentional cooperation between City and County staff in order to implement the objectives of Goal 7 to ensure that a healthy environment is maintained and parks access for all residents (10-minute walk, bike ride, or transit ride to a park) is supported as neighborhoods grow. (Vol. 1, p. 94-95)
    • 7.10 “Ensure sufficient resources for City staff to enforce policies and codes, monitor progress, educate and review environmental performance against targets and objectives on a regular basis. Ensure all projects include funding to assess environmental impacts and ensure compliance with applicable environmental legislation.”
    • 7.11 “Fully fund a proactive care program and strategic tree planting program for all public trees to ensure safety, longevity and maximum community benefit.” (Vol. 1, p. 95)

 

  • We emphasize the importance of Community Benefits Agreements in Goal 10 “Fiscally Responsible”:
    • 10.6 “Fees and funding tools, including Community Benefits Agreements, to ‘support the funding and construction of new infrastructure and services needed to support the new infrastructure’ should include making investments to support a healthy environment and increased public access to parks and green spaces.” (Vol. 1, p. 107)

How can I learn more about neighborhood perspectives on the plan?

Join us on Wednesday, June 9th for Grow Smart CLT! This free in-person outdoor event (also will be streamed on Facebook Live) will feature a short introduction to the plan followed by leaders of community and neighborhood organizations sharing their perspectives on why they support the plan. Register now.

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