Community Character
Community Character refers to the distinct qualities and features of a place and may encompass aspects from the physical environment or the people who live in the community. For the Community Area Plans, community character is focused on placemaking, which includes common characteristics and distinctive elements and amenities within the public realm that contribute to vibrant and unique neighborhoods and destinations. As mixed-use Place Types are expected to accommodate the most change and growth, it is important that they provide a high-quality public realm to support higher population and visitation levels, for which specific aspirations are outlined in the Placemaking Aspirations Table. The CAP placemaking assessment for South Inner (illustrated in the Placemaking Assessment Map and Table) documents how well these mixed-use Place Type geographies (Neighborhood Center, Community Activity Center, Regional Activity Center, and Innovation Mixed-Use) align with their placemaking aspirations based on current conditions. This information helps to identify each geography’s greatest placemaking needs and will help guide placemaking-related decisions as development and redevelopment occur in these places, including through private and public investment.
Placemaking Trends
South Inner’s placemaking is notably concentrated along South Boulevard and the Rail Trail, with a few other existing public spaces in the surrounding areas. Public art is seen in the form of murals and sculptures, and different amenities including bike lanes, bike racks, unique bus shelters, and traffic calming measures are seen throughout. There are also a few public plazas.
Table 7: Placemaking Aspirational Elements
| Placemaking Aspirational Elements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed-Use Place Type | Public Spaces | Public Play Areas | Amenities & Furnishings | Branding | Public Art | Signage | Property Ownership Patterns |
| Neighborhood Center (NC) | Active and passive community gathering spaces are provided, including plazas, patios, courtyards, and parks. | Formal and informal amenities that encourage multi-generational play or physical activity are provided, including playgrounds, climbable sculptures, sports facilities, etc. | The public realm is highly amenitized, with frequent provision of benches, planters, tables, waste receptacles, lighting, bike racks, and bus stops with shelters. | Public and/or private branding contributes to the unique character and identity of the hub. These features help people remember and reference the hub, and often helps to establish hub boundaries. | Public art is present to support vibrant spaces and contributes to the unique character and identity of the hub. | Wayfinding is provided to support a well-connected, walkable, and easily navigable environment. | A diversity of property owners allows for a greater array of business and building types and provides greater opportunity for the creation and operation of a Special District to support local placemaking efforts. |
| Community Activity Center (CAC) | |||||||
| Regional Activity Center (RAC) | |||||||
| Innovation Mixed-Use (IMU) | |||||||
Table 8: Placemaking Assessment
| Placemaking Elements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed-Use Geography | Public Spaces | Public Play Area | Amenities/Furnishings | Branding | Public Art | Signage | Property Ownership Pattern |
| C1) RAC* - Wilson Park |  |  | | | | | Multiple |
| C2) NC - S Mint & W Summit | | |  | | | | Multiple |
| C3) RAC/NC - South End Rail Trail | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C4) RAC/CAC/NC - E Morehead St | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C5) CAC/NC - S Kings Dr | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C6) NC - Providence Rd | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C7) NC - East Blvd | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C8) NC - Park Rd & Ideal Way | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C9) CAC/IMU/RAC/NC - South Blvd | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C10) NC - N Tryon & W Peterson | | | | | | | Few |
| C11) CAC - Park Rd | | | | | | | Multiple |
| C12) NC - Selwyn Ave | | | | | | | Multiple |
* These geographies are within a Corridor of Opportunity.
Community Character Recommendations
CC-1
To reduce the loss of historically and culturally significant structures and spaces and to advance the City’s sustainability and affordability goals, Charlotte should prioritize the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic or pre-1970s structures. When demolition is necessary, the City should encourage deconstruction practices to maximize material reuse.
CC-2
To encourage the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic or pre-1970s structures and to protect existing affordable housing units, Charlotte should explore incentives such as tax credits, revolving loan funds, zoning or permitting exceptions, and other innovative strategies to minimize demolition. Additionally, the City should discourage the demolition or conversion of multiplex structures, such as duplexes and quadruplexes, into single-family units.
CC-3
To encourage the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic or pre-1970s structures, Charlotte should survey Community Area Plan geographies with pre-1970s development to identify key resources and implement appropriate preservation strategies.
CC-4
To ensure major redevelopment projects adjacent to established neighborhoods are compatible with their surroundings, Charlotte should develop an Urban Design Standards Manual to guide the integration and transition of new development in a manner that respects the scale, character, and context of existing communities.
CC-5
To retain neighborhood culture and identity, Charlotte should use pattern books and regulatory tools such as neighborhood character overlays, historic districts, and other community-driven strategies to guide residential infill development.
CC-6
To celebrate neighborhood identity and strengthen the sense of place, Charlotte should support placemaking efforts such as customized crosswalks, wayfinding signage, public art, and gateway elements at key intersections. Additionally, the City should integrate art and design into infrastructure and public spaces whenever possible. When feasible, local artists should be commissioned to design the improvements. Priority should be given to placemaking efforts in mixed-use areas classified as “Not Aligned” or “Somewhat Aligned” in the CAP Placemaking Assessment Tables or identified in the Corridors of Opportunity Playbooks. (Cross reference with OS-5).
CC-7
To create vibrant public spaces that foster community gatherings, Charlotte should explore partnerships with private property owners to temporarily or permanently transform underutilized areas, such as vacant lots or parking lots, into active public spaces. These spaces should be programmed with community-driven activities, including community gardens, parks, festivals, and pop-up events.
CC-8
To create vibrant public spaces that foster community gatherings, Charlotte should repurpose underutilized rights-of-way and City-owned land into active public spaces. Additionally, the City should establish a long-term strategy for the maintenance, funding, and programming of all City-owned public spaces and complete the Urban Arboretum Trail. (Cross reference with OS-5).
CC-9
To enhance public realm amenities in mixed-use places, Charlotte should explore the creation of a fund that supports community-driven improvements that further the goals of the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan and Community Area Plans.
CC-10
To support and enhance community character within areas recommended to evolve, Charlotte should survey various aspects of the physical environment beyond placemaking elements—such as lot size and block structure—within mixed-use areas. The findings should inform land-use decisions.