1. UDO Advisory Committee
May 24, 2018

2. MEETING AGENDA 5:30 • Welcome & Introductions
Tony Lathrop, Chair
5:45 • Comprehensive Plan Discussion
Taiwo Jaiyeoba, Planning Director
6:15 • TOD Ordinance Administration
6:45 • Group Break-Out Exercise
7:15 • Report Back
7:25 • Wrap Up & Adjourn

3. Unified Development Ordinance
PLACE TYPES & UDO
TWO-PART PROJECT
Vision
Unified Development Ordinance
Implementation
Place Types
This is a single initiative with two major parts.
One part is the Vision and Policy Guidance. That is what we’re talking about today as it relates to Place Types – the primary element of the Charlotte Place Types Plan. This is a new classification system for Charlotte to guide growth and development. The classifications are similar to typical land use categories – for example, residential, employment, and industrial – but Place Types include design elements that guide the form and pattern of development in addition to use. They are not ordinance or law.
The second part of this project is the Unified Development Ordinance – this is the process to develop the rules that govern development, including the zoning ordinance. These projects are aligned to ensure our vision is implementable with our tools.
The Place Types vision describes the kind of places we want to create. Place Types are policy, not law.
The UDO establishes the rules that enable us to build the kinds of places described in our Place Types vision. The UDO is law, not policy.

4. PLACE TYPES & UDO What We’ve Heard
Need clearer, updated community vision
More robust community engagement
Not aspirational enough
Better understanding of Place Types content and linkage with UDO
More ownership of the process
This is a single initiative with two major parts.
One part is the Vision and Policy Guidance. That is what we’re talking about today as it relates to Place Types – the primary element of the Charlotte Place Types Plan. This is a new classification system for Charlotte to guide growth and development. The classifications are similar to typical land use categories – for example, residential, employment, and industrial – but Place Types include design elements that guide the form and pattern of development in addition to use. They are not ordinance or law.
The second part of this project is the Unified Development Ordinance – this is the process to develop the rules that govern development, including the zoning ordinance. These projects are aligned to ensure our vision is implementable with our tools.
Need better understanding of the Place Types/ UDO process
Clarify what Place Types represent versus what a Comprehensive Plan is

5. PATH FORWARD Options for moving forward:
Continue on current path with adoption of Place Types.
Rebrand the project, restructure the process and significantly increase the public engagement component.
Engage the community in developing a shared vision and comprehensive plan to guide future growth and development

6. PATH FORWARD A Shared Vision A Consolidated Ordinance Zoning Ordinance
Community
Vision + Values + Identity
Floodplain Regulations
(Chapter 9)
Types of Places
Live + Work + Play
Erosion Control
(Chapter 17)
Post-Construction Stormwater
(Chapter 18)
Unified Plan
Land Use + Transportation + Infrastructure + Environment + Economy
Streets & Sidewalks
(Chapter 19)
Subdivision
(Chapter 20)
NC law specifies that certain ordinances such as zoning ordinances, “shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan…” (G.S. 160A-383 and 153A-341).
Tree
(Chapter 21)
Driveway/Access Regulations

7. Why A New Shared Version?
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Why A New Shared Version?
Establishes a framework for the future
Provides broad guidance for managing future growth and development, and shaping the community’s appearance
Provides continuity over time (long-term)
Includes multiple components that address the community’s physical development
A community comprehensive plan serves the following functions:
The plan provides continuity. The plan provides continuity across time, and gives successive public bodies a common framework for addressing land-use issues.
It is the means by which a community can balance competing private interests. John Public may want to store oil drums on his property. Jane Citizen, his neighbor, would like to open a restaurant on her property. Planning seeks to strike a balance among the many competing demands on land by creating development patterns that are orderly and rational, provide the greatest benefits for individuals and the community as a whole and avoid nuisance conflicts between land uses.
It is the means by which a community can protect public investments. Planning is the means by which a community avoids digging up last year’s new road to lay this year’s new sewer pipe. Well-planned, orderly and phased development patterns are also less expensive for a community to provide with public services than low-density, scattered development.
It allows communities to plan development in a way that protects valued resources. Planning can identify environmental features like wetlands, agricultural lands, woods and steep slopes and suggest strategies for preserving those resources from destruction or degradation by inappropriate development.
It provides guidance for shaping the appearance of the community. A plan can set forth policies that foster a distinctive sense of place.
It promotes economic development. The plan contains valuable information that drives the location decisions of prospective firms.
It provides justification for decisions. Plans provide a factual and objective basis to support zoning decisions and can be used by communities to defend their decisions if challenged in court.
Through public dialogue, citizens express a collective vision for the future. Last, but certainly not least, the planning process provides citizens an opportunity to brainstorm, debate and discuss the future of their community. A plan developed through a robust public input process enjoys strong community support. Subsequent decisions that are consistent with the plan’s policies are less likely to become embroiled in public controversy.
Gary D. Taylor, Iowa State University

8. Why A New Shared Version?
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Why A New Shared Version?
Balances competing interests and leverages public investments
Protects valued community resources
Promotes economic, environmental and social sustainability
Provides a policy framework to guide the development, update and implementation of ordinances and other regulations
A community comprehensive plan serves the following functions:
The plan provides continuity. The plan provides continuity across time, and gives successive public bodies a common framework for addressing land-use issues.
It is the means by which a community can balance competing private interests. John Public may want to store oil drums on his property. Jane Citizen, his neighbor, would like to open a restaurant on her property. Planning seeks to strike a balance among the many competing demands on land by creating development patterns that are orderly and rational, provide the greatest benefits for individuals and the community as a whole and avoid nuisance conflicts between land uses.
It is the means by which a community can protect public investments. Planning is the means by which a community avoids digging up last year’s new road to lay this year’s new sewer pipe. Well-planned, orderly and phased development patterns are also less expensive for a community to provide with public services than low-density, scattered development.
It allows communities to plan development in a way that protects valued resources. Planning can identify environmental features like wetlands, agricultural lands, woods and steep slopes and suggest strategies for preserving those resources from destruction or degradation by inappropriate development.
It provides guidance for shaping the appearance of the community. A plan can set forth policies that foster a distinctive sense of place.
It promotes economic development. The plan contains valuable information that drives the location decisions of prospective firms.
It provides justification for decisions. Plans provide a factual and objective basis to support zoning decisions and can be used by communities to defend their decisions if challenged in court.
Through public dialogue, citizens express a collective vision for the future. Last, but certainly not least, the planning process provides citizens an opportunity to brainstorm, debate and discuss the future of their community. A plan developed through a robust public input process enjoys strong community support. Subsequent decisions that are consistent with the plan’s policies are less likely to become embroiled in public controversy.
Gary D. Taylor, Iowa State University

9. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
A framework for community consensus on future growth:
Physical plan, with a reflection on social and economic values
Long-range plan – horizon of 20 or more years with regular (5-year) updates
Comprehensive, encompassing the functions that make up a community
Unified physical design for the public and private development of land