Title
SouthPark National Technical Assistance Panel
Action
Action:
Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with the Urban Land Institute for $125,000 for a National Technical Assistance Panel to assist in identifying goals and strategies for mobility, land development, and investment in the SouthPark area.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Ron Kimble, City Manager’s Office
Debra Campbell, City Manager’s Office
Ed McKinney, Planning
Danny Pleasant, Transportation
Sarah Hazel, City Manager’s Office
Explanation
§ The Urban Land Institute (ULI) offers a Technical Assistance Program to help find creative, practical solutions for some of the most challenging issues facing today’s communities.
§ Communities convene panels to provide timely, candid, and unbiased input from national land use and real estate experts; to kick-start critical conversations and to gain fresh insights; and discover innovative solutions to the most complex real estate development challenges.
§ The ULI Technical Assistance Panel will assist the City with engaging the SouthPark community in a process to establish goals for the future. ULI will provide assistance with the following:
- Envisioning the future of SouthPark as an evolving suburban, mixed-use activity center;
- Establishing goals and expectations for future investment in the area; and
- Identifying tools and next steps for implementation of Panel recommendations.
§ The Panel will also address key opportunities in the SouthPark Area, including:
- Economic Development - supporting the evolution of suburban activity center as a place for investment;
- Community Design - shaping the transition from auto-oriented to a walkable mixed-use place;
- Mobility - providing a balanced approach to mobility that creates choices and encourages walking, cycling, and public transit; and
- Neighborhood Relationships - protecting and strengthening neighborhoods as valuable places to live on the edge of a vibrant center.
§ In a concentrated one-week effort in March, a national panel of six to eight experts, chosen and facilitated by ULI, will provide results and work with the City, community stakeholders, private developers, community development corporations, and many other organizations to address the goals and opportunities.
§ A detailed report and actionable recommendations will be prepared and published following the week-long work session.
§ The initiative is a public-private collaborative effort sponsored by the City of Charlotte; Mecklenburg County; Developers; Landowners; Property Managers; Investors; Business Owners; and Corporations.
§ Additional funds over and above the $125,000 required for the Urban Land Institute contract will be raised to create seed money for implementation of the Report’s recommendations.
§ The City will advance the entire amount of the contract; however, the City’s total share is $60,000, with partner contributions covering the additional cost.
Fiscal Note
Funding: General Community Investment Plan - Short-term Road Congestion Improvements
Attachments
Attachment
Map of SouthPark