Opinion | Page 3 | PlanCharlotte.org

The PlanCharlotte.org Opinion page is open to a wide range of views. Opinion pieces are labeled as commentary and are the opinions of the writers, not necessarily those of PlanCharlotte.org, the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute or the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A PlanCharlotte link to another website does not mean we or the university endorse the opinions expressed or take any responsibility for content on outside websites.

Want to submit? PlanCharlotte.org is open to considering content from outside writers. We require factual accuracy and civil discourse. To learn more, contact Mary Newsom, mnewsom@uncc.edu or 704-687-1203, or mail to Mary Newsom, UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte NC 28223.

The Charlotte streetcar: Y’all have got it wrong

Erin Chantry - Jul 28, 2015
Since I celebrated the launch of Charlotte’s streetcar I’ve cringed as the news media got it wrong and people made fun of it. If more people understood its value to neglected areas and to the whole city’s future, more people would support it. Commentary.
I-77 toll debate is missing the most important question

Craig Lewis - Jun 19, 2015
When asked whether I support the I-77 toll lane, my response is yes, but it won’t make a difference. Extra lanes will fill with more cars. We should be discussing mobility, not just highways. Commentary.
2015 explorer finds different Charlotte than Lawson’s 1701 journey

Mary Newsom - Jun 18, 2015
A 21st-century writer is walking the route explorer John Lawson took in 1700-01 through the Carolinas, including now-much-altered Charlotte.
How zoning reveals our deeper cultural values

David Walters - Jun 02, 2015
Although originating in British and European concepts, U.S. land use zoning today differs markedly from other countries. A new book explores how zoning codes reveal American values and prompts concern about coming challenges. Book review/commentary.
Protest petitions: Valuable or harmful? A pro/con package

Jill Walker & Joe Padilla - Apr 28, 2015
A bill in the General Assembly would end a decades-old provision for rezonings, the protest petition. It lets nearby property owners force a supermajority City Council vote on a rezoning. Read two opposing views: Dilworth resident Jill Walker opposes the bill; Joe Padilla of the Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition supports it.
State should end protest petitions; they distort the public good

Joe Padilla - Apr 28, 2015
A handful of neighboring property owners could no longer defeat proposed development project that is supported by, and in the best interest of, the larger community. Joe Padilla argues for a proposal to scrap protest petitions.
Don’t scrap protest petitions, a vital tool against harmful rezonings

Jill Walker - Apr 28, 2015
Development in North Carolina is doing just fine. Maintaining the protest petition helps ensure that the few projects that are grossly inconsistent with zoning regulations will be properly vetted. Jill Walker argues against a proposal to scrap protest petition.
Will tactical urbanism find a home in Charlotte?

Martin Zimmerman - Feb 24, 2015
Is tactical urbanism gaining a toehold in Charlotte? Recent events bode well. (Commentary)
A new kind of zoning ordinance could help - or hurt - development

Collin Brown - Dec 11, 2014
A new kind of zoning code, called a form-based code, can stimulate development or deter it. Will it make approvals even more onerous, or streamline them? Commentary.
Charlotte needs bike metrics: If you don't count it, it doesn't count

Martin Zimmerman - Nov 13, 2014
Charlotte's bicycling community has seen indications of an evolving bicycle culture and strong public support. It is time for the city to collect the data needed to understand and build on these trends. (Commentary)