Last week, NAIOP members met with City Council Candidates Dimple Ajmera and Marjorie Molina to discuss important issues impacting Charlotte’s CRE industry.
The Lunch with a Leader series provides NAIOP Charlotte members an exclusive opportunity to meet and interact with key leaders in our community. Look for upcoming NAIOP Charlotte fall events here.
Compiled from REBIC, staff reports
REBIC’s Rob Nanfelt reported Tuesday that the City’s Planning Committee is taking up the matter of the proposed Unified Development Ordinance. Next month, committee members will take any additional recommendations before the third/final draft.
Last week, the Charlotte City Council received comments from the community during a public hearing on the proposed UDO. Click here to view the resolution. The entire hearing is available to view here – beginning approximately at the 2:51:30 mark.
Next is a review and recommendation from the City’s Planning Committee scheduled to begin Tuesday, July 19, at 5 p.m. Those interested can view it on the City’s Planning Department YouTube Channel. The complete agenda and meeting packet is available here.
On Monday, Charlotte's proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) public hearing took place in the City Council Chambers.
Many in the audience turned out for the Public Forum portion of the plan, but several neighborhood activists were also on hand. That group mainly wanted to challenge the ordinance provision allowing for higher-density dwellings in single-family neighborhoods. REBIC supports a wide range of housing types and believes the development of additional units is necessary to meet current and future demand.
The Charlotte City Council received comments from the community on Monday at a scheduled public hearing on the proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Click here to view the resolution. The entire hearing is available here - beginning approximately at the 2:51:30 mark.
The Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map took effect on July 1. This map will replace the current Future Land Use tool. The city thanked all who participated and provided input.
To give some history about the plan, the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan was adopted in June 2021. Charlotte City Council adopted the Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map on March 28. 
To access the map, go to here. To see the 2040 Comprehensive plan, go here.
Have more questions about the Policy Map?
Planning Department staff will host virtual and in-person office hours each month
for the rest of the year to answer additional questions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left America’s retail districts pockmarked with empty storefronts, but there is a creative solution. These vacant spaces, which often can be purchased or rented at reduced prices, are prime targets for conversion into retail incubators.
Retail incubators, like business incubators, nurture new or small-scale entrepreneurs during the startup phase. They mitigate some of the challenges of opening a business by providing financial and technical assistance, such as the basics of marketing and business plans. Tenants typically share space, ideas and operating expenses in locations that they could not otherwise afford. Many spaces have flexible or temporary lease terms. Some allow for small-scale manufacturing and hold community events, such as product demonstrations, fashion shows and art openings.
In addition to real estate, retail incubators provide fledgling businesses with valuable resources such as technical and financial assistance.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, new business applications in the United States set an all-time record of 5.1 million in 2021. At the same time, the pandemic has led to consolidation of space and locations by major retail brands, which reduced the prospect of attracting businesses. The challenge for small businesses is they can’t immediately fill the footprints of major store closings. However, they can make temporary use of retail space to establish their businesses, and occupying formerly abandoned stores can help energize struggling downtowns.
Do you have questions about all the development you see in CLT? Do you want to know more about how CLT plans for its future? Are you interested in influencing the future of your neighborhood?
The 2040 Planning Academy, formerly the Community Planning Academy, is a free 5-class program aimed at helping residents better understand the role planning plays in building communities. Through group discussions, presentations, and interactive activities, participants will learn when and how they can be involved in planning processes and help influence the future of their community.
The application window is open starting today, Tuesday, June 21, 2022, and will close on Sunday, July 17, 2022, at midnight.
Members from NAIOP’s three chapters in North Carolina traveled to Raleigh last week to advance the priorities of the commercial real estate development industry in meetings with state lawmakers. The top priority for NAIOP of North Carolina, the state alliance of NAIOP chapters, is the passage and enactment of House Bill 291, permit reform legislation sponsored by State Representative Jeff Zenger.
Local building permits are an essential and fundamental requirement for the development and improvement of commercial and residential properties. However, the processes for obtaining these permits can vary by city and county in North Carolina. These variations lead to uncertainties and delays in projects moving forward, which can impact the costs, financing and contractional relationships with contractors and providers of construction equipment and materials.
The enactment of House Bill 291 would bring reforms to the permitting process similar to those advocated by our local chapter in Georgia which were ultimately enacted into law in that state. These reforms to the local permitting process bring more predictability and accountability, reducing uncertainty and unnecessary delays. Core elements of the bill include:
The North Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 291 in May of 2021 on bipartisan vote of 79-33, sending the bill to the state Senate. The legislation was eventually sent to the commerce and insurance committee in March for their consideration. Our meetings last week focused on urging Senate leadership and the committee chairs to move this important legislation forward before adjourning for the year as early as the end of June. NAIOP of North Carolina’s advocacy played a key role in HB 291 being scheduled the following day for a hearing before the insurance committee the subsequent week.
As part of an annual visit, NAIOP members visited elected North Carolina's elected officials today in Raleigh. Representing the commercial real estate industry’s perspective is critical to cultivate future relationships when challenges arise in the state legislature.
Phase 3 Real Estate Partners’ Genesis Marina, a 550,000-square-foot life science development south of San Francisco, is the nation’s first precertified TRUE zero-waste project. Photo courtesy of Phase 3 Real Estate Partners
By NAIOP Development writer Alice Devine
New buildings can create architecturally pleasing skylines and yet leave construction debris in their wakes. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that construction and demolition debris accounts for more than twice the amount of generated municipal solid waste in the U.S.
The SMP’s goal is to shape the mobility future for the City of Charlotte and expand on the “Safe and Equitable Mobility” goal of the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan (2040 Plan). The SMP dives deeper into the mobility policies of 2040 Plan to achieve a safe, connected, equitable, sustainable, prosperous, and innovative mobility vision for Charlotte. To learn more, follow this link to the Strategic Mobility Plan homepage.
SMP Virtual Engagement Sessions will be live on Thursday, May 26 (6 p.m.) and Tuesday, May 31 (noon). Meeting links will be available by visiting charlottenc.gov/smp.
Additionally, you can sign up to share input during the public comment portion of the City Council Business Meeting on Monday, June 13, at 6 p.m.
On Wednesday, there will be a presentation on the findings related to the Economic Analysis of the draft UDO.
originally published by KATHRYN HAMILTON, CAE for NAIOP National with permission to share:
How we think about work and the workplace going forward has changed, explains Kristin Jensen, AIA, principal, and co-managing director, Gensler, in a new video. “Work” and “place” have been decoupled, and work can happen anywhere. Cubicle rows and private offices are replaced by open spaces and shared workstations used by different employees depending on the day of the week.
originally published by IRINA LUPA for NAIOP National with permission to share:
Now that pandemic regulations have expired across the U.S., many companies are calling employees back to work. In the meantime, return-to-office techniques have changed dramatically in the last year, thereby ushering in a new era for the sector. In particular, the emergence of hybrid work arrangements has contributed to an increase in demand for high-quality office assets and has already widened the rate difference across classes in several markets.
originally published by KATHRYN HAMILTON, CAE for NAIOP National with permission to share:
In the Spring issue of Development magazine, I shared some of my views on NAIOP’s value to our members and what I’m looking forward to as the 2022 Chair. As I wrote that column, I found I had much more to say than space allowed! So, I’m sharing a bit more of the conversation with our Market Share blog readers. If you already haven’t, I’d invite you to read the At Closing column in the Spring issue of the magazine.
originally published by BRIELLE SCOTT for NAIOP National with permission to share
Environmental, Social, and Governance mandates (ESG) are becoming a reality not only in large enterprise businesses but also in their entire supply chains. Forces from upstream as well as downstream, combined with pressure from stockholders, stakeholders, employees, and customers, are ushering in a new era where ESG practices are no longer considered optional.
originally published by JANET POGUE MCLAURIN, AIA, FIIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP for NAIOP National with permission to share:
originally published by Mark Rivers for NAIOP National
The future was bleak for Park Center, a 566,000-square-foot, three-building Class B- office park in Alexandria, Virginia, when it came to market in 2016. The property consisted of two 14-story office towers and one four-story building, half of which was occupied by a full-service fitness center.
originally published for NAIOP National
The challenges of the pandemic are changing how we think about work and the workplace going forward. "Work" and "place" have been decoupled, and work can happen anywhere.
originally published by TOBY BURKE for NAIOP National with permission to repost.
Governments at every level are considering polices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both stationary and mobile sources as part of efforts to address climate change. Some of these efforts have centered on initiatives to lowering domestic use on fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum, natural gas and oil, by moving towards electric vehicles within our transportation system. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the transportation sector is one of the highest sources of greenhouse gas emissions (29%) followed by electricity (25%).
