Iredell County
Iredell County Commissioners Table UDO Text Amendment – In a victory for property rights, the Iredell County Commission last Tuesday tabled a text amendment to its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would have, among other things, capped density at one unit per 5-acre parcel in a significant portion of northern Iredell County. Many members of the community came forward to present their concerns about the adverse impact the provision would have on housing affordability, not to mention property values. The 5-acre provision along with another proposal seeking 200-foot setbacks in some instances will be stripped from the amendment and dealt with separately at a later date. The remainder of the language will remain intact and be presented to the Board in September for a final vote.
Mooresville to Consider Amendments to Comprehensive Plan – The Town of Mooresville is engaging in a public process to determine which conceptual scenario it will adopt as it moves forward with the implementation of its comprehensive plan, known as Mooresville Tomorrow. Growth Choices Office Hours are being held this Thursday, August 29th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the West Branch Library, 614 Brawley School Road, Mooresville, NC. We strongly urge you to stop in to learn about the process and offer your feedback.
Statesville Commencing Year-Long Process to Update UDO – The City of Statesville has retained a consultant and launched a process to update its UDO. Several stakeholder meetings have already taken place, and broader public engagement is expected in the coming months. The 2045 Land Development Plan was adopted just over two years ago and serves as the guide for future land use decisions. More to come as this progresses.
Mecklenburg County
Cornelius Board of Commissioners Adopts Resolution Supporting Transportation Agreement – A resolution of support endorsing initial steps toward a more comprehensive transportation plan was adopted by the Cornelius Town Board during last week’s Commissioner’s Meeting. An initial agreement had been reached earlier by the Managers of Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, and the Towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mint Hill, and Pineville. In the coming weeks, Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte and the remaining towns are likely to adopt resolutions of support.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Mecklenburg County Commissioner Leigh Altman publicly endorsed the plan with an opinion piece in Sunday’s Charlotte Observer. The City of Charlotte has until September 9th to close its deal with Norfolk Southern Railroad to purchase the O-line. This would eventually become the Red Line commuter railway from Uptown Charlotte to points north, terminating in Mooresville.
Charlotte Planning Staff Seeking Community Input with Area Planning Process Events – Last year City of Charlotte Planning Staff held 20 Community Area Planning meetings in each sector of the city. Staff reports indicate those meetings were not well attended. These events are designed to inform the community about the planning process and to gain input regarding future growth and development. Please visit the Charlotte Future 2040 Community Area Planning website to learn more details and to sign up for a workshop. Yes. Please sign up.
Matthews Planning Board to Review Short Term Rentals – Here’s the current situation: The Planning Board for the Town of Matthews will consider recommending restrictions for Short Term Rentals (STRs) in certain areas of town at its regularly scheduled 7:00 pm meeting. A revised text amendment and presentation was included in the meeting materials. Further consideration at the Town Board level is likely in September.
Union County
Monroe Considering Restrictions on Future Housing Options – The City of Monroe’s Planning Board recently met to consider changes to its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would reduce the threshold requiring a residential rezoning from 50 lots to 25 lots. A public hearing for the City Council has been scheduled for September 10th.
My take: First, the good news. Not listed above, but equally as important, REBIC, along with many of our industry members that are on board are supportive of several referred ballot measures destined for the November ballot. The Cities of Belmont and Charlotte are promoting bond measures aimed at improving public infrastructure and addressing affordable housing needs.
Now, for the downer. What could be the resulting action and potential outcome of several of the items mentioned above? For one, higher housing costs, not to mention policy creep. When you restrict (or ignore) property rights, and you artificially lengthen the approval process, you add to the cost of a home. It’s basic economics. For now, it appears a majority of Iredell County Commissioners heard our concerns and acted accordingly, but we must remain vigilant as other fronts are developing. (See Monroe above, because we believe this is just the beginning of more restrictive policymaking).
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