Two For Tuesday | April 2, 2024

Just 3 days after the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) announced an agreement that would end litigation of claims brought on behalf of home sellers related to broker commissions, Anne Marie DeCatsye, Esq., and CEO of Canopy Realtor® Association joined us in the podcast booth.  She shared her insight regarding the impact the settlement has on our region and gave us a preview of Canopy’s upcoming Members Value Campaign, intended to unify the voice of the Canopy membership to all buyers and sellers.  She mentioned that unlike other states that are scrambling, NC has always had mandatory buyer agency agreements.  What many may not know is that Anne Marie served as a deputy executive director for REBIC from 1995 to 2000.

As our conversation ran the gamut from macro to micro, including encouraging everyone in the REBIC membership to do their homework about the inherent value of a Realtor®, she shared her opinions about how essential it is to keep in check policy-overreach that prevents builders from being able to build attainable and affordable housing.  She also commented passionately on the collaborative value of homebuilders, commercial real estate professionals, and the Realtor® community who commit to work together.  We cannot leave out how strongly she admonished us all to register to vote!  Listen now.

My take:  Consummate professional.  That’s our AMD.  She’s guided the organization through peaks and valleys with the current issues of buyer agency standing as maybe the most significant yet.  My money’s on her to shine and bring the whole industry together.  That’s what she does.  I hope you enjoy the podcast and learn maybe one or two additional things you may not have known about Anne Marie DeCatsye, Esq. that help you see the facts in a clear and understandable way.   
  

All four standing committees of the Charlotte City Council met yesterday.  Here’s a quick outline of what was covered with links to agendas and presentations.

Transportation, Planning, & Development

Planning Director Alyson Craig provided an update to the committee and referenced three text amendments that are currently working their way through the process:

• Conservation Residential Development Standards – This amendment would limit the future utility of Conservation Subdivisions.  If you are developing and building future subdivisions and hoping to maximize your density to provide an attainable or affordable product, you need to pay attention to this one.  A virtual information session has been scheduled for April 9th at 6:00 pm and you are strongly encouraged to participate.  The public hearing for this amendment is scheduled for April 15th with a vote to follow on May 20th.

• Campus Zoning Districts – This amendment adds uses to several zoning districts and creates a new General Office district.

• Clean Up Text Amendment #3 – This one addresses a number of the issues raised by REBIC members over the course of the last year related to such items as “contiguous tree save area,” the use of EX provisions, street maps/NCDOT conflicts, fencing materials, ADU flexibility, transparency requirements, buffers, and N-2 layout standards.

Agenda – Planning Presentation, Mobility Presentation

Jobs & Economic Development

Agenda – Hospitality Presentation

Budget, Governance, & Intergovernmental Relations

Agenda – CLT Water Presentation

Housing, Safety, & Community

Agenda – Safety Presentation

My take:  The timeline established for the first proposed text amendment mentioned above is interesting.  We have submitted comments, proposed changes, and offered actual language recommendations for numerous sections of the UDO.  Our suggestions span the last year and even go back into 2022 before the UDO was effective.  We were told it would take a while to get to everything.  Fair point.  But to quickly force an amendment that eliminates an option currently allowing attainable and affordable products to enter the market is misguided, especially when the potential solution is still only an idea.  What about all of those folks who have invested time, money, and effort to come up with a plan that establishes the best use for their properties?  If they haven’t submitted a completed application by May 20th, are they out of luck?  If the amendment is approved, the City Council at a minimum should provide an effective date far enough in the future to provide more certainty for investments already made.  Otherwise, the potential risk factor of doing business in Charlotte will deter future projects, ones that are sorely needed to achieve some semblance of balance between supply and demand.  Clear your calendars for April 15th.  We have some work to do!