Development Ordinance Update
Benesch was engaged in updating and reimagining the Land Use Plan (LUP) for the second-largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area. The goals included engaging the community in the planning process in a variety of ways, refocusing the LUP to address future growth challenges and simplifying the plan structure to make it more accessible to the public and decision-makers.
The work effort included assessing existing conditions, updating data and analysis, developing a new growth vision and simplifying the future land use map and categories. Amendments to the City’s Land Development Code (Concord Development Ordinance) followed.
Prior to this project, Benesch had experience working with City’s Transit Department (Rider Transit) in the development of a Transit Development Plan (TDP), an understanding of land use planning and land development code work in North Carolina, and expertise in innovative public engagement/consensus-building strategies designed to gather input from a variety of local populations with different needs.
Benesch designed a multifaceted public involvement program to address diverse populations and created/engaged a Planning Technical Team that included City department heads and elected/appointed officials to guide the plan development process.
Outcomes include a completed growth scenario exercise and Growth Concept map graphic that clearly illustrates areas where growth is desired, identified character areas, simplified Future Land Use categories and an updated land use map.
Additionally, Benesch developed goals, objectives, policy direction, and an implementation matrix to guide future planning efforts during the life of the plan while supporting a growth vision with complementary land development code updates.