Title
Adopt the Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map
Action
Action:
Adopt the final recommended draft of the Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Alyson Craig, Planning, Design, and Development
Alysia Osborne, Planning, Design, and Development
Explanation
§ This action requests approval of the final recommended draft of the Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map (Policy Map).
§ The Policy Map is a companion document to the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan (Comprehensive Plan), which was adopted by City Council on June 21, 2021.
§ The Policy Map translates the Comprehensive Plan’s place-based policies to specific geographies throughout the community and provides guidance for the type and intensity of development that is appropriate.
§ The City of Charlotte released the first draft of the Policy Map on October 13, 2021, a second draft on January 18, 2022, and a third draft on February 21, 2022.
§ Public input was received on the first and second drafts of the Policy Map, and City Council held a public comment period, which consisted of five speakers, on February 28, 2022 following the release of the third draft.
§ The final recommended draft of the Policy Map with all associated revisions based on incorporated comments will be live and available on Friday, March 25th at: https://charlotte.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4dc02a1a85974085af7b36c33474efe0
Background
§ The Comprehensive Plan addresses how future growth and development will shape the Charlotte community and how the built city can better reflect and advance community values around topics like equity, transportation, quality of life, economic development, jobs, affordable housing, health, safety, and sustainability.
§ The Policy Map, a companion document to the Comprehensive Plan, provides citywide direction for how to align projected growth with infrastructure capacity, distribute opportunities to underserved areas, and protect established neighborhoods.
§ The Comprehensive Plan and Policy Map are the guiding documents that direct the City’s long-range planning efforts. After adoption of the Policy Map, the Planning, Design, and Development Department will kick off the Community Area Planning process to provide more refined and neighborhood-specific planning guidance.
§ The Policy Map was developed using a new land use classification system called Place Types and a three-step process which evaluated existing land uses and building form, approved entitlements, and recommended future land use.
§ Development of the Policy Map included three phases of engagement. Throughout the project, there have been over 2,000 interactions and over 6,000 voices shared through approximately 15 different methods of engagement.
− The first phase of engagement focused on understanding which Place Types were most and least desirable where residents live, work, and play. Staff attended 99 events, received 4,750 survey responses, and had 1,939 interactions with community members.
− In the second phase of engagement, the first draft of the Policy Map was released in an online informational meeting, watched by 833 viewers. Staff conducted 37 virtual community conversations and held 40 in-person office hours to collect over 960 comments on the first draft Policy Map.
− In the third phase of engagement, the second draft of the Policy Map was released online. Staff conducted 23 Listening Sessions with individual community members, totaling 18 hours, and two Community Conversations attended by 35 participants. 412 comments were received on the second draft Policy Map through the online comment application and other available methods such as email, phone, and library comment forms.
− On February 28, 2022, City Council held a public comment period on the recommended draft of the Policy Map and five speakers spoke on the Policy Map.
§ The Policy Map will be updated and revised on a bi-annual basis. Minor amendments, which are changes that are considered to be consistent with the mapping approach, will be proposed to City Council by staff and processed every six months. Major amendments, which are changes that are considered to not be consistent with the mapping approach, can be proposed by the public and processed bi-annually. The Policy Map may also be updated by approved rezonings.
§ Additional information can be found on the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan website at: https://cltfuture2040.com/.