The future of development in Charlotte could be decided by a narrow Council vote

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City leaders on Monday once again sharply clashed over a master planning document that will influence Charlotte’s growth for the next two decades — and they’re running out of time to build consensus ahead of a pivotal June vote.

Mayor Vi Lyles told City Council members that maintaining the status quo is “not acceptable” within the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which strives to envision an equitable future across neighborhoods, affordable housing, transit and workforce development, among other considerations for everyday life in Charlotte.

Her comments came after another bout of sparring among Council members, who last week narrowly cast straw votes to preserve one of the most controversial components of the plan: allowing duplexes and triplexes in single-family areas.

Invoking the trauma of urban renewal and Brooklyn, Lyles said many residents still do not trust the government — and they deserve to see clear housing policies under this City Council.

Proponents say more housing types — and greater density — can bolster the number of affordable units in Charlotte, though critics fear this could accelerate gentrification and upend neighborhood character.

“We have a city that has been built and steeped in redlining, steeped in housing discrimination,” Council member Victoria Watlington said. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to try put a blanket policy in place where we know it is going to disproportionately impact the very vulnerable neighborhoods we’re trying to help.”

Council member Matt Newton agreed the “all-or-nothing” approach felt reckless.

But Council member Dimple Ajmera reminded her colleagues the new draft of the plan, which was released last Thursday, calls for creating an anti-displacement group to protect vulnerable residents.

New wording, based on hours of tense discussion, also permits multifamily units on every “place type,” rather than on every lot. Similar to zoning districts, place types guide land use in a particular areas, including neighborhoods, commercial and manufacturing.

Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt said the City Council has to “stop saying we are asking to keep” zoning designations that only allows for single-family homes.

“We don’t have it now,” Eiselt said of the designation.

“Let’s not say we have to retain what we have, because that’s what’s making the community’s hair on fire. They think we’re taking something away from them that they currently have now...What we’re really talking about is how do you take those predominantly single-family zones and find a way to add more duplexes and triplexes?”

Group work

As it stands now, Council members could adopt the plan on June 21 on a tight 6-5 margin.

“Minds are not changing and thoughts are not getting where we need to,” Lyles said.

Some leaders lamented the changes they’ve suggested in recent meetings, ranging from minor word changes to big-picture goals for affordable housing, still do not appear in the revised 120-page document. Council member Renee Johnson said Monday’s deliberations felt like Groundhog Day.

Council member Larken Egleston offered a solution — later backed by the mayor — to rally support for the plan, even among those adamantly opposed to it.

Egleston asked his colleagues to meet with the city manager and planning director to discuss what specific edits are needed to sway their votes, not to reiterate “very clear objections.”

“I do think this plan will be more widely accepted and embraced by the community if there are more than just six people voting on it,” Egleston said.

Council member Tariq Bokhari, who blasted the efforts of city staffers, said using small group discussions was a “bad tactic.”

“We get managed by staff...” Bokhari said. “They divide and conquer us, and we are being managed.”

Lyles has urged residents to submit feedback at cltfuture2040.com through June 3. The city is also hosting a virtual community meeting on Thursday.

The plan’s final draft is slated to be published on June 7, with City Council members discussing the revisions during a strategy session that day.