New development rules approach the finish line (Charlotte Ledger)
Nobody’s happy with everything in Charlotte’s 685-page overhaul of planning rules. But odds seem to favor a ‘yes’ vote in August anyway.
At a public hearing this week, representatives of the Housing Justice Coalition, Charlotte Community Benefits Coalition, Sustain Charlotte, DreamKey Partners and Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region expressed broad support for the plan.
Eric Zaverl of Sustain Charlotte, which advocates for smart growth and has the ear of several council members, suggested that the group might not support the UDO unless changes are made to require less parking at certain developments:
“We are disappointed to see Charlotte move backwards by requiring more parking in this draft than we currently require,” he said. He added that it’s not a perfect document but an important step in meeting environmental and climate goals. He later told The Ledger that he foresees a compromise on the issue.