Two For Tuesday | November 14, 2023

During the Action Review portion of last night’s Charlotte City Council meeting, Tim Porter, Charlotte’s Chief Urban Forester, and Jane Myers, Executive Director of Trees Charlotte, provided an update on the City’s overall tree canopy based on its most recent 2022 analysis.  The results were surprising considering the significant influx of population to our region over the last several years.  Highlights included the following:

• Charlotte still has a robust canopy and along with it come significant ecological benefits.
• Canopy is still declining, but is slower than previously thought
• Canopy area declined 0.5% from 47.8% in 2018 to 47.3% in 2022
• Canopy efforts are having an impact
• Not on path to achieve 50% canopy by 2050
• Would likely retain 40% coverage by 2050 without imposing any new additional regulatory requirements. 

Click this link to view the full presentation

Click this link to view the video (presentation begins at the 6:10 mark)

My take:  This is better news than most expected, something we should all keep in mind when we assume things are declining.  Data is king!  Another important thing to remember is this data was collected prior to the implementation of the new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) which contains a great number of tree preservation and planting measures.  I would hope that Council and Staff would reconsider some of the more draconian provisions contained therein as they work directly against other key City priorities such as production and delivery of attainable and affordable housing.  Also of note, and included in the presentation, is this key point:  Tree advocacy group, American Forests, no longer recommends a universal city-wide coverage goal of more than 40%.  Generally speaking, it was a pretty positive report.  The next step will be to better align current and future regulatory schemes by utilizing this new data to achieve the outcomes most want through a better balance of City priorities.

2.  Member Spotlight – Featuring Roger Manley, Principal at BB&M

Roger Manley, AIA, is the co-founder and Principal of BB+M Architecture. Upon founding BB+M with his partners Tripp Beacham and Brian Bunce in 2005, Roger has worked to create a studio that embraces the business of its customers while furthering the quality of the built environment through contextual and responsive design.  These principles have propelled BB+M to a status as the third largest architectural office in Charlotte.  He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame College of Architecture.

He served seven years as an Air Force officer culminating in Chief of Operations of a deployable heavy construction squadron participating in multiple joint task force operations throughout the western hemi-sphere.  After leaving the military, Roger developed an extensive background in architecture through his involvement with BRPH and Little working on a multitude of projects including, NASA space support facilities, Universal Studios theme park facilities, corporate headquarters, and college dormitories.

To read his entire biography, click this link:   https://rebic.com/members/roger-manley/

My take:  Roger is one of Charlotte’s original “Core Four” design professionals, as I like to call them, who actively collaborated with members of the Planning Staff to provide valuable input as the UDO was being developed.  He still gives generously of his time by providing valuable input on text amendments and participating and contributing in meetings with staff and Members of Council as improvements are regularly considered.  I’ve enjoyed my interactions with Roger and look forward to working with him for some time to come.

Rob Nanfelt