The Queen City, following the lead of other cities, is considering a major zoning change that would gradually change the landscape of Charlotte.
With 84% of residential land in Charlotte zoned for single-family homes, there's an effort slowly gaining momentum that could eventually allow more affordable townhomes, duplexes, and triplexes in the city's traditional neighborhoods.
Charlotte city planners working to rewrite outdated zoning codes are exploring a controversial and bold idea of eliminating single-family zoning. Leaders are following cues from other cities like Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, which have taken the step in an effort to undo decades of racial segregation and income inequality in housing.
Charlotte has not formally proposed eliminating single-family zoning, but Charlotte Planning Director Taiwo Jaiyeoba, historian Tom Hanchett and President of Crescent Communities Brian Leary joined WFAE's Charlotte Talks to discuss the idea.
As Charlotte creates its 2040 vision, City Planner and Assistant City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba is hopeful leaders will consider a major zoning change that would challenge the longstanding premise of one home per lot.
"I truly believe that mixed-use neighborhoods, mixed-income neighborhoods are the way for us to go forward," Jaiyeoba said. "When you allow single-family residential areas to accommodate other forms of housing on it, whether they be townhomes or duplexes or triplexes or even quadplexes in some instances, what you do is you allow people who could otherwise not afford homes to buy or not rent in other areas. All of a sudden you give them that opportunity to move into neighborhoods where that will happen. A city like ours that's growing increasingly diverse over time definitely becomes better as we allow different forms of housing units throughout the city."
Jaiyeoba said those without the money to live in pricey neighborhoods are forced to live where public transportation, grocery stores, good schools, and medical care aren't nearly as accessible. He said the city's outdated zoning law has gradually segregated the city.
If Charlotte goes down this road, it wouldn't be the first city to do so. Despite opposition, Minneapolis passed a plan, which received final approval Friday, that will now allow up to three units per lot. The hope is the change will gradually increase the city's housing stock and reduce the cost of housing, while maintaining the existing curb appeal and better integrating neighborhoods with people of all backgrounds.
"Allowing up to three units per lot doesn't mean all of those lots will turn into three units," Minneapolis Long Range Planner Director Heather Worthington said. "We are not mandating more single-family lots. We are saying if you want to build another unit or two, you can do that."
