Charlotte’s unified development ordinance goes into effect

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - After years in the making, Charlotte’s unified development ordinance officially goes into effect Thursday.

The UDO spells out how the city will grow into the future but there are parts of it that still need to be worked out.

Related: Charlotte City Council votes to pass Unified Development Ordinance

It is designed to support affordable housing in Charlotte by creating a mix of housing options. However, one thing in the ordinance has stood out and caused some controversy - a rule that would allow duplexes and triplexes on lots that are now zoned for single-family homes.

The thought behind this was to make the city more affordable. Just as recently as last week, however, the city council started pumping the brakes on this part of the plan.

Council members pointed out that home prices just aren’t where they need them to be in order for this plan to work.

Some members also spoke up, saying this could hurt neighborhoods that don’t have active homeowners’ associations.

The worry is that new developments could end up in communities that are already at risk of pricing people out, speeding up gentrification.

“There are places, there are urban areas where duplexes and triplexes are appropriate, but implanted in single-family subdivisions is not appropriate,” Renee Perkins, who represents District 4, previously said. “We cannot just plop down development and pray that it works.”

Last week the council narrowly passed a motion to get city staff to create alternative options to the duplex-triplex rules.

The city council will hear those options on Monday during the Transportation and Development committee meeting.

Until then, other parts of the UDO are now in place as of June 1.

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