Lexington Commerce-Greater Louisville Inc. Leadership Expedition

Presentation by

Debra D. Campbell, Director Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department

June 2, 2014

WELCOME TO CHARLOTTE!

“A city is not an accident but the result of coherent visions and aims.”

― Leon Krier, The Architecture of Community

A City of Great Places

A City With Great Jobs

A City That Treasures and Celebrates its Resources

Catawba River Myers Park

McDowell Nature Preserve Freedom Park

A City of Great Neighborhoods

Elizabeth Arbor Glen

Hidden Valley First Ward

A City That Helps Create Places That the Market Responds To

A City That Serves a Growing and Diverse Population

21.3

14.1

17.6 15.7

13.4

17.9

0-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

Percent of Population by Age Group

50% 35%

15%

Racial Composition

White

Black

Other

95,688

36,403

3,483

Hispanic/Latino Asian American Indian

Ethnic Population

A City that is Engaged

Metropolitan

BLE Station Area

A City That Can Compete in the 21st Century

• Jobs and job growth

• Quality of life

• Cost of living

• Housing appreciation

• Housing affordability

• Education

• Environmental quality

• Crime rates

• % with long commutes

• % that walk or bike to work

• Weather

A City of Transportation Options

Center City Southend

Little Sugar Creek Morris Field East Blvd.

MSA Commuting Patterns

MSA Commuting Patterns

153,081 Into Mecklenburg

40,264 From Mecklenburg

1 in 3 jobs held by someone who lives outside the County

Charlotte Will Grow

• Charlotte’s population is projected to grow by almost 500,000 or 66% in the next 30 years….

Charlotte grew by 35% from 2000 to 2010

Projected to grow by 25 % this decade

Population over 1 million by 2030

It’s not if we grow, but how we grow!

Land Use Integration/Transportation addresses “how we grow”

Geographic Context

Charlotte’s Growth Framework

Centers, Corridors, and Wedges:

Based on 5 primary transportation and development corridors

Focuses growth in centers and corridors

Maximizes use of transportation system, infrastructure & services

Encourages redevelopment & reuse

Concept developed in early 1990s and was basis for transit work

Update was adopted by City Council in August 2010

Charlotte’s Growth Framework

Establishes a vision for future growth and development by:

Identifying three geographic types used to categorize land in Charlotte – Activity Center, Growth Corridor and Wedge

Outlines desired characteristics of future development in each of these areas

Transportation Planning Framework

25-year locally funded comprehensive transportation plan

Describes projects, programs, and policies

The TAP supports the Centers, Corridors and Wedges

Adopted in 2006 and updated in 2011

Transportation Action Plan

Complete Streets Framework

Urban Street

Design Guidelines

Comprehensive design guidance for city streets

6-step planning and design process

Adopted by City Council in October, 2007

Revised subdivision ordinance

Reflects City’s belief in

“Complete Streets”

Fewer streets like this!

More streets like this!

Transit Planning Framework

2025 Integrated

Transit/Land Use Plan

Voter referendum on ½ cent sales use tax for public transportation on November 1998 ballot

Promoted by Chamber and paired with $100 million Road Bond

Sales tax approved 58% to 42%

Reaffirmed in 2007 referendum by 70% to 30%

Transit Planning Framework

South Corridor: 9.6 mile Light Rail Line with 15 Stations

Northeast Corridor: 9.3 mile Light Rail Line with 11 Stations (extension of the South Corridor just signed FFGA)

North Corridor: 25 mile Commuter Rail Line with 10 Stations

Southeast Corridor: 14 mile Bus Rapid Transit Line with 16 Stations (special provision on Light Rail)

West Corridor: Long Term: Streetcar Line to Charlotte Douglas International Airport Short Term: Enhanced “Rapid Bus”

Center City Corridor: Streetcar Line with 34 stops replacing Bus routes 7, 9, and Gold Rush Red Line

Expanded bus system

Metropolitan Transit Commission

Approved Plan

Transit Projects

Blue Line Characteristics Opened November 24, 2007 9.6 Miles $462.7 Million 15 Stations (7 park and rides) Operates 7 days a week,

5:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. Service Frequency

o Rush hour: 7.5 minutes o Non-rush hour: 15 minutes

Bus/Rail Integration serves Blue Line directly o 20 new and modified routes

LYNX Blue Line Extension (BLE)

9.3 miles

Revenue service in 2017

+25,000 daily riders

Connects UNC Charlotte campuses

11 Stations (7 walk-up / 4 park-and-ride)

Accommodates 3-car trains

Approximately 3,100 parking spaces

Congestion-free commute

Connecting bus services

Policy Transit Projects

Transit Projects

25

Centers, Corridors and Wedges Growth Framework Growth framework to maintain

and enhance Charlotte’s livability

2030 Transit/Land

Use Plan

Charlotte’s Land Use/Transportation Planning Framework

General Development

Policies

Area Plans

Rezonings and

Subdivision Review

Transportation

Action Plan

Urban Street

Design Guidelines

• Center City

Transportation

Study

• Pedestrian Plan

• Bicycle Plan

• CIP

• MTP

Corridor System

Plan

Countywide

Services Plan

DEIS/PE Transit

Corridor Planning

Charlotte’s Growth Framework

1. Walkable

2. Connected

3. Mixed–Use & Diverse

4. Mixed Housing

5. Quality Architecture and Design

6. Increased Density

7. Smart Transportation

8. Sustainability

9. Quality of Life

Land Use/Transportation Integration

Conclusions

Implementation of our growth and development framework (Centers, Corridors and Wedges) is key focus and goal of our transportation strategy

Adopted a multi-modal/complete street approach to transportation and street design (pedestrian trip is highest priority)

Maintaining modal choices promotes and supports economic development and regional competitiveness

Regional collaboration critical but often difficult

Transportation/Urban Planning Session

Centers, Corridors & Wedges Growth

Framework

o Provides general guidance for future growth and

development

o Is the “starting point” for developing area plans

Area Plans o Provide the specific guidance for decision

making, including guidance for type, intensity

and design of future land use and streets

Charlotte’s Growth Framework

Organizational Context

Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization

Ensure existing and future expenditures for

transportation projects and programs based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive (3-C) planning process

NCDOT has divided the state into 14 transportation divisions.

CRTPO is located within the 10th and 12th Transportation Divisions

CRTPO currently consists of 21 municipalities within

Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties, and representation from NCDOT and the Metropolitan Transit Commission

CRTPO’s regional air quality status is: Non-

Attainment.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department is the lead planning agency for CRTPO.

Iredell County

Mecklenburg County

Union County

MSA Population

2010 Census = 2,217,012

2000 Census = 1,717,372

Growth = 499,640 (29%)

MSA Population Growth

Policy Context

Acres

Rezoned for

TOD

Housing

Units

Affordable

Housing

Commercial Investment

355

6715

2005 to

Present:

2,168

Proposed:

4,547

180

2005 to

Present:

80

Proposed:

100

1.5 mill

sq. ft.

$1.4B

Policy Context

Policy Context

• TAP recommends $100M per year for (non-transit) transportation funding for:

o Bridge repairs/replacements

o 50 thoroughfare projects

o 60 miles of Farm-to-Market Roads

o 50 major intersection projects

o 250 minor roadway improvements

o Street resurfacing at 12-14 year levels

o 50 street connections and 25 stream crossings

o Signal systems maintained and upgraded

o 150 miles of new sidewalks/sidewalk repair

o Implement the Bicycle Plan network of trails, bike lanes and signed routes

Comprehensive Transportation Approach