Manuals and Metrics
Table of contents
Community Area Mapping and Planning
It became readily apparent during the development of the Plan that detailed mapping at the neighborhood and community level would not be equitable and inclusive if conducted on a citywide scale. Thus, a first step in the implementation of the Equitable Growth Framework and the Comprehensive Plan will include mapping of Place Types and then developing Community Area Plans for the entire city.
Place Type Testing
In March 2020, the Comprehensive Plan planning team met with City and County interdepartmental staff for a focus area planning, design and visualization process to test the Place Type palette included in the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan. This was held in early March of 2020, just before the COVID-19 Stay Home Order, and included a report-out session to share the work at the conclusion of the work session.
The primary goals for the work sessions were to:
- Discuss real world application of Place Types and more significant Place Type change over time;
- Confirm feasibility of preliminary Place Type parameters and other aspirational characteristics;
- Identify types of projects necessary for more common Place Type changes expected across the community;
- Discuss policy implications of Place Type change and necessary public improvements;
- Test and refine our approach to 5-year community investment program (CIP) in the Comprehensive Plan; and
- Initial brainstorm of CIP project evaluation criteria.
- The deep dive work sessions resulted in the following:
- Adjustments to Place Type definitions and aspirational characteristics included in the Comprehensive Plan;
- Plan view diagramming and 3D visualization graphics for all Place Types using real world examples in Charlotte. Location identifiers were removed to avoid land speculation, but important prototypical features of the community are highlighted in the graphics;
- An approach to Place Type adjacencies and patterns to inform recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan and to help guide Future Place Type mapping;
- Place Type Mapping Guidance and Approach documented in the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Strategy. The final column summarizes input from the Plan’s Ambassadors and Strategic Advisors/Stakeholder group; and
- Concise set of detailed recommendations for the focus area to help understand the policy implications of the change (existing to aspirational) and investments needed to make them viable places to live, work and play.
Future Place Type Mapping
A first step in implementing the Comprehensive Plan will be using the palette of Place Types in Charlotte’s Place Typology to map the desired future of the community.
Mapping Geographies
Establishing geographies for the mapping of Future Place Types and for Community Area Planning should consider geographic size, as well as existing and future populations. An initial attempt at establishing Community Areas for the City divided Charlotte’s planning area into a set of 15 smaller geographies. These draft Community Areas should be used as a starting point to further refine the boundaries (and potentially the number of geographies) using the following considerations.
- Allow existing and projected population to drive the size of areas, but avoid creating areas that are too large. Future Place Type Mapping should be conducted at the Community Area Planning Geography or subgeography. For larger Community Areas, it may be beneficial to further divide the area into two or three smaller geographies to 1) make the geography more manageable and 2) increase the likelihood that community members are familiar with most or all of the area they are being asked to help map.
- Consider existing neighborhood and district boundaries and avoid dividing an area that generally identifies with one another into two or more Community Areas.
- Limit the use of highways, major thoroughfares and major natural features as boundaries. This practice often leads to an existing asset or potential barrier getting less attention in the planning process. Barriers can become even greater divides and opportunities may be overlooked. Also, the Community Area process can help facilitate discussion, coordination and connectivity between neighborhoods and districts that are rarely engaged in the same conversations.
- Engage community members and neighborhood representatives in the exercise of refining and finalizing Community Area boundaries.
Future Place Type Mapping
Future Place Type Mapping should be conducted at the Community Area Planning Geography or subgeography. Using a defined methodology and the Place Type guidance provided within this section, staff should create an initial starting map of Future Place Types. Inputs into the initial starting map should include direction provided in previously adopted plans, existing zoning, and development plans and entitlements. The community should be educated about the Comprehensive Plan and the Place Type palette before being asked to respond to and revise the starting Future Place Type Map. A community process with in-person and online opportunities to provide meaningful input and feedback should be organized and conducted for each mapping geography (Community Area Planning geography or subgeography). Community members should be provided with adequate time to review various iterations of the Future Place Type Map, as well as the final Public Review Draft map. After the initial Future Place Type Map is adopted as an amendment to the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, any future changes should be incorporated into the appropriate Community Area Plan or an amendment to that plan.
Key Steps in the Future Place Type Mapping Process
Key steps in the Future Place Type Mapping process include:
- Confirm and/or refine the Community Area geographies (and sub-geographies as applicable)
- Develop a starting data set of Future Place Types that reflects future land use and development expectations and desires articulated in adopted plans and approved entitlements
- Establish a process that is inclusive of residents, employees and business and property owners in the given Community Area or Community Area sub-geography
- Educate community members about the vision and key direction articulated in the Comprehensive Plan
- Educate community members about the ten Place Types in Charlotte and how the Future Place Type Mapping exercise will help to inform 1) the mapping of the Unified Development Ordinance’s new zoning districts and 2) follow on community area planning
- Share and build upon the Place Type priorities identified by the community, Ambassadors and Strategic Advisors for the Community Area in the Comprehensive Plan effort
- Review, revise and refine Future Place Type maps generated from the starting data set created by staff
- Facilitate conversations between Community Areas (and sub-geographies as applicable) to ensure that the Future Place Types mapped at the boundaries are complementary and that access to places in adjacent areas is considered in mapping new places
- Compile a citywide Future Place Types map and data set
- Provide an opportunity for the entire community to review and comment on the compiled citywide Future Place Types map
- Adopt the Future Place Types map as an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan
Mapping Guidance by Place Type
The following table summarizes mapping guidance for use by staff and the community in mapping Future Place Types. It includes general mapping guidance developed throughout Place Typology and Comprehensive Plan development, preferred adjacencies and adjacencies that should include major transitions or buffers. For many of the Place Types, the General Mapping Guidance column also includes input from the Plan Ambassadors and Strategic Advisors (ASAs) regarding priority geographies for each Place Type. The ASA members identified priority Place Types using the Equity Metrics from the Equitable Growth Framework, existing conditions, and community input from earlier phases of the project. The final column of the table outlines specific considerations for each Place Type when it is located in the Uptown area. The increased density, walkability, and activity in Uptown lead to exceptions or differences in how the Place Types are applied there.
| Place Types | General Mapping Guidance | Preferred Adjacencies | Major Transition or Buffer Suggested When Adjacent to: | Uptown Considerations (exceptions or differences in Uptown) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood 1 | Preserve existing areas of developed Neighborhood 1; look for underdeveloped or vacant areas of Neighborhood 1 to add additional density; provide a transition between Neighborhood 1 and all other Place Types; use Neighborhood 2 or Neighborhood Center around the edges of Neighborhood 1 areas to buffer from more intense uses; avoid mapping new, large areas of Neighborhood 1 without Neighborhood Centers and other complementary Place Types | » Neighborhood 2 (provide transition) » Neighborhood Center » Campus (provide transition) | » Community Activity Center » Regional Activity Center » Commercial » Innovation Mixed Use » Manufacturing and Logistics | » Attached single-family housing may be more prevalent » Neighborhood serving commercial uses should be encouraged at intersections » Front and side yards may be minimal » Parking is likely more balanced between on-street and off-street solutions » Block lengths should not exceed 500 feet » High rate of non-auto mode trips |
| Neighborhood 2 | Map Neighborhood 2 around the edges of existing Neighborhoods to transition to higher intensity uses; map larger areas of Neighborhood 2 around Activity Centers; map Neighborhood 2 near high capacity transit stations; map pockets of Neighborhood 2 along major corridors to give the corridor varied character and density Priority Geography Notes: Areas inside the 485 loop are more suitable for density, but Neighborhood 2 areas should be considered City-wide. Uptown excluded as this should be primarily Regional Activity Center. | » Neighborhood 1 (provide transition) » Neighborhood Center » Community Activity Center » Regional Activity Center » Campus » Innovation Mixed Use | » Commercial » Manufacturing and Logistics | » Ground floor non-residential uses may be more the rule than the exception » Lower intensity housing is not included » Buildings tend to be at least five stories and be as high as 20-30 stories in certain areas with benefits to the community » Outdoor community amenities tend to be shared between buildings and on rooftops » Buildings tend to be oriented along the sidewalk edge with little to no setback » Parking is typically structured » High rate of non-auto mode trips |
| Commercial | Map primarily along corridors that provide essential auto-oriented services (car shops, sales, hotels, etc.); consider all Commercial areas that can be converted to mixed use and mapped as a Center; provide a Neighborhood 2 or Neighborhood Center buffer between Commercial areas and Neighborhood 1 | » Innovation Mixed Use » Manufacturing and Logistics » Campus » Neighborhood 2 | » Neighborhood 1 » Neighborhood 2 » Neighborhood Center | NA |
| Campus | Primarily map new or expanded Campus in areas that already have this Place Type and the supporting infrastructure; add new Campuses in areas currently lacking access to diverse employment options (see Equity Framework); consider adding Campus in areas near higher density housing to provide jobs and services (medical, education, etc.); consider Campus in areas with low density housing lacking access to employment Priority Geography Notes: Prioritize geographies currently lacking a variety of employment types. Add additional area to existing Campuses as feasible. | » Neighborhood 2 » Neighborhood Center » Community Activity Center » Regional Activity Center » Innovation Mixed Use | » Neighborhood 1 » Manufacturing and Logistics | NA (integrated into Community Activity Center and/or Regional Activity Center) |
| Manufacturing & Logistics | Primarily map or infill Manufacturing and Logistics in areas that already have this Place Type and the supporting infrastructure; add new Manufacturing and Logistics in areas currently lacking access to diverse employment options (see Equity Framework); do not add Manufacturing and Logistics in existing neighborhoods; new Manufacturing and Logistics should be mapped along major roadways or rail corridors to provide easy access to these jobs Priority Geography Notes: Prioritize geographies currently lacking a variety of employment types and those farther away from Uptown, where higher density employment types should be prioritized. | » Innovation Mixed Use » Commercial | » Neighborhood 1 » Neighborhood 2 » Neighborhood Center » Community Activity Center » Regional Activity Center » Campus | NA |
| Innovation Mixed-Use | Primarily map or infill Innovation Mixed Use in areas that already have this Place Type and the supporting infrastructure; add new Innovation Mixed Use in areas currently lacking access to diverse employment options (see Equity Framework); consider historic industrial areas for transition to Innovation Mixed Use through adaptive re-use and infill Priority Geography Notes: Prioritize geographies currently lacking a variety of employment types. Include in other geographies as a buffer around areas Manufacturing and Logistics, particularly adjacent to neighborhoods. | » Neighborhood 2 » Community Activity Center » Regional Activity Center » Manufacturing and Logistics | » Neighborhood 1 | NA (integrated into Community Activity Center and/or Regional Activity Center) |
| Neighborhood Center | Map Neighborhood Centers interspersed in all neighborhoods; map Neighborhood Centers in areas of small commercial, vacant, or underutilized land that could easily transition to mixed-use; add new Neighborhood Centers in areas currently lacking access to goods and services (see Equity Framework); map Neighborhood Centers as small nodes (at major intersections, etc.) or small-scale main streets a few parcels deep Priority Geography Notes: Neighborhoods farther from Center City are more in need of these pockets of amenities and services, the inner neighborhoods should be primarily served by Community Activity Centers. | » Neighborhood 1 » Neighborhood 2 » Campus » Innovation Mixed Use | » Regional Activity Center » Manufacturing and Logistics | NA (integrated into Neighborhood 1, Neighborhood 2, Community Activity Center, and/or Regional Activity Center) |
| Community Activity Center | Map pockets of Community Activity Center along commercial, mixed-use, or rail corridors, interspersed with lower-intensity uses to give the corridor varied character and density; add new Community Activity Centers in areas currently lacking access to goods and services (see Equity Framework); consider all single-use areas that could transition to mixed-use Community Activity Centers; avoid adding large Community Activity Centers in areas without existing or planned infrastructure or market demand to support increased density Priority Geography Notes: Community Activity Centers are encouraged City-wide, but particularly in the neighborhoods of the “arc” geography that have fewer amenities and services. Uptown excluded as this should be primarily Regional Activity Center. | » Neighborhood 2 » Campus » Innovation Mixed Use | » Manufacturing and Logistics » Neighborhood 1 | » Multi-family and office tend to be primary uses with retail, restaurant and entertainment on ground floors » Auto-oriented uses should be discouraged » Buildings should be mid- to high-rise (generally 8 stories or taller with some 5 to 7 stories) » Buildings tend to be oriented along the sidewalk edge with little to no setback except when the setback is used for outdoor seating and urban open space |
| Regional Activity Center | Map Regional Activity Centers in and around large areas of mixed-use; consider creating Regional Activity Centers from Community Activity Centers that can grow in size and intensity; map Regional Activity Centers near high-capacity transit stations; avoid adding large Regional Activity Centers in areas without existing or planned infrastructure or market demand to support increased density Priority Geography Notes: All City geographies should have access to at least one Regional Activity Center. The priorities listed above are the geographies which currently do not contain an RAC. Uptown is included because it is the center of the region and should be mapped as primarily Regional Activity Center. | » Neighborhood 2 » Campus » Innovation Mixed Use » Community Activity Center | » Manufacturing and Logistics » Neighborhood 1 » Neighborhood Center | » The predominant building type is high-rise » Buildings tend to be up to 30 stories (500’) tall and may be over 30 stories with benefits to the community » Buildings should step down in height adjacent to Neighborhood 1, but not necessarily to Neighborhood 2 |
Community Area Planning
The Benefits of a Community Area Planning Approach
Community Area Plans are intended to provide a more coordinated, efficient and effective structure for neighborhood planning. A neighborhood-based approach to more detailed planning of Charlotte presents logistical challenges related to the number of plans that would be required. This a Community Area Planning approach establishes an achievable approach to 100% coverage of the community, facilitates conversations between neighborhoods, and allows major barriers that often serve as neighborhood boundaries to be addressed in the planning process. Existing and future neighborhood planning will be integrated into the planning for Community Areas. Neighborhoods and districts will become integral sub-geographies of these sub-areas. And existing neighborhood and community plans should be respected and recommendations carried forward, as appropriate, as they are integrated into the Community Area Plans.
The Community Area Planning Process
Community Area Plans should protect and enhance Charlotte’s neighborhoods. They are plans intended to provide detailed strategies for places, transportation, infrastructure and community facilities and amenities. These plans should catalog and celebrate community character and develop and enhance places through the designation of Place Types and community assets. As described in the previous section, the city’s corridors often serve as focal places within and between neighborhoods. The Community Area Plans should drive the creation of place along these corridors and focus on the scale and design of public spaces.
The Community Area Plans should integrate previous neighborhood plans and community plans. The purpose of the Community Area Plans is to develop actionable strategies for the city’s neighborhoods at a manageable and implementable scale. In addition, developing a single plan that represents multiple neighborhoods is a more effective way to elevate neighborhood-level issues for consideration of policy changes and funding priorities. These plans can also serve to protect specific communities within or adjacent to larger Community and Regional Activity Centers.
The planning process for Community Area Plans will generally range from nine to twelve months and should include a robust community engagement strategy. They should be updated approximately every 10-12 years. Criteria for determining prioritization will take into account the Community Area’s proximity to regional centers; degree of change reflected in Future Place Type mapping; Equity Metrics; existence and age of existing subarea plans; new large scale development planned, underway or recently completed; new large scale infrastructure planned, underway or completed; and amount and type of public investments recently made in the Community Area.
The Key Components of a Community Area Plan
The following provides the major plan components and steps for a Community Area Plan.
Project Team and Initiation
- Organize Planning Team and Key Stakeholders
- Refine boundary of the Community Plan Area with Planning Team
- Develop community engagement strategy
- Review and confirm community engagement strategy with Planning Team
- Community Area Vision and Goals
- Interpret the Comprehensive Plan’s Vision Elements and Goals for the Community Area
- Identify additional unique goals for the Community Area
- Detailed Place Type Review and Focus Area Planning
- Review adopted Future Place Type mapping
- Identify community focus areas
- Identify neighborhood opportunities and public benefits for focus areas
- Identify more detailed land use guidance (as applicable)
- Identify transition and buffer strategies for applicable Place Types and focus areas
- Infrastructure and Amenities
- Identify neighborhood assets and amenities
- Develop list of desired assets and amenities
- Identify planned and needed infrastructure improvements
- Coordination with project partners in infrastructure improvement identification, design and implementation
- Implementation
- Key Investments
- Prioritization of needed improvements
- Phasing strategy and CIP coordination
Prioritization of Community Plan Areas
While establishing 15 Community Plan Area geographies will help to ensure that neighborhood level and place specific planning can occur within a timely manner, it will likely be impossible to initiate all 15 planning processes at once. Prioritization criteria should be established to better understand each area and establish groupings for phased implementation of the Community Plan Area planning processes.
Potential criteria include:
- Age of Existing Plan Guidance (District and Community Plans)
- Coverage of Existing Guidance (District and Community Plans)
- Rate and Direction of Population Change
- Rate and Direction of Employment Change
- Access to Amenities, Goods and Services Equity Metric
- Access to Housing Opportunity Equity Metric
- Access to Employment Opportunity Equity Metric
- Environmental Justice Equity Metric
- Populations Vulnerable to Displacement Equity Metric
- Market Readiness/Pressure
- Presence of Major Planned or Current Development/Redevelopment
- Presence of Major Public Infrastructure Investment
- Development Capacity
- Degree of Future Place Type Change (comparison of Existing Place Type Map to Future Place Type Map)
It is often helpful to look at both ends of the spectrum for several prioritization criteria. One potential example is market readiness. A neighborhood that has little development and/or investment activity may suffer from a lack of housing diversity, a lack of access to nearby or quality amenities, etc. Initiating a Community Area Plan for this the area that includes this neighborhood may help to 1) ignite some market interest and 2) allow the community to plan ahead and prepare for potential gentrification and displacement. On the other hand, a neighborhood that is market ready to the extent that it is experiencing rapid transactions and investments is likely experiencing dramatic increases in land values, property values and rents and change in mobility, culture and character. Initiating a Community Area Plan for this area can help to provide more detailed guidance for future development, identify infrastructure to support recent and impending growth, and help to ensure that public benefits are communicated and achieved.
Community Area Toolkit
The Community Area Planning approach sets out a framework to provide an area plan for every area in Charlotte within the next 5 to 10 years, with multiple areas of the city undergoing a planning process at a time. As the new planning approach makes its way around Charlotte, Community Areas that want to get a head start on the planning process can lay the groundwork by taking advantage of one or more tools that will help them establish valuable resources to guide planning and decision making.
These tools provide ways to connect to existing community resources as well as self-guided activities, some of which are intended for groups or organizations. None of the activities are required for a successful planning process and completing the activities does not mean a Community Area planning process will be scheduled sooner. The activities will help individual and groups to think about and document the Community Area’s unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. This can help residents begin to identify, articulate and research ideas before planning begins.
Existing and potential tools include:
- Connect with your City Council representative/s;
- Identify key stakeholders, including residents, businesses, employees, students and others in the Community Area;
- Develop a facility and/or venue inventory;
- Perform a sidewalk inventory to determine the presence, character and conditions of sidewalks in the Community Area;
- Identify and map public and private art installations throughout Community Area;
- Complete or collect a photo inventory of public spaces throughout the Community Area;
- Participate in one or more Housing & Neighborhood Services Training Programs;
- Apply for a Neighborhood Matching Grant or other City grant program;
- Organize one or more neighborhood clean-ups throughout the Community Area;
- Document important and/or unique architectural and design characteristics in the Community Area;
- Identify and map potential opportunity sites or areas;
- Participate in the City’s Planning Academy;
- Collect an oral and/or visual history of the Community Area; and
- Conduct a safety audit of a particular corridor, center or other subarea within the Community Area
Updates to Community Area Plans
Depending on staffing availability and capacity, it is feasible to complete the Community Area Plans for all 15 geographies within approximately three to five years from when they are initiated. With that said, it may take five to ten years to complete all of the plans depending on the length of individual planning processes and resources available. It is important to note that Community Area Plans should not be initiated until Future Place Type Mapping is completed for all parts of the City. Once adopted, Community Area Plans should be updated every seven to ten years. Prioritization criteria should be updated annually for all Community Area Plans. The order of updates can be adjusted and the timeline for initiating an update can be accelerated if there are significant changes in one or more prioritization criteria.
Case Study: SA Tomorrow Regional Centers
The City of San Antonio’s Comprehensive Plan, SA Tomorrow, identified 13 regional activity centers. These Centers are a major building block of the plan and were designed to organize the economic geography of the community and to provide direction and vision for the City’s major employment and activity hubs. The centers were identified based on the presence of major economic, civic, and cultural assets (e.g. large employers, major education institutions, cultural attractions/facilities) and the existing density of employment. Three regional center types were identified including Activity Centers (e.g. downtown), Logistics/Service Centers (e.g. airport area), and special purpose centers (e.g. military bases). Each type identifies the desired mixture of uses and the associated land use strategy. The City has worked to organize its economic development tax incentive policies and affordable housing policies to focus efforts and resources towards the Centers. A set of seven elements needed in a regional center were identified to guide planning efforts in these areas: anchor institutions, enhanced urban planning/design, area identify/brand, partner organizations, enhanced mobility network, capital investments in to place-making and community amenities, and funding/incentive tools.
Image source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2019/12/06/city-council-approves-downtown-development-plan.html