Opinion
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.
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Would Charlotte be better off with less planning?
Charlotte has a lot of ambitious, master-planned efforts underway right now, but it is the more spontaneous, less-planned areas that have seen truly explosive growth. Consider six areas: Brooklyn Village, Eastland Mall, North Tryon, South End, NoDa and Stonewall Street. -
Accepting change when you can’t stop it in a “tear-down” neighborhood
HunterWood is fast approaching a tipping point, as new houses replace old. A quick walk around the neighborhood found 76 old houses (built before 2007) and 50 post-2007 houses. On my walk, I found long-time neighbor Jane Stout walking her dog. “The neighborhood is simply recycling. I get it. That happens,” she said. “I just wish the builders could be more sensitive to the surroundings. They seem to be so callous to what a lot of us like about the neighborhood.” -
Charlotte has 56 “tear-down” neighborhoods: Here’s a portrait of one
The Walters-brand piano held a commanding spot for decades in Sue and Dale Riley’s den, on Charlotte’s Wonderwood Drive. They bought it for $75, used, for their daughter Megan to learn on when she was 4 or 5 (she’s 47 now). Even when she was grown and came home on weekends or holidays, the piano, ever in need of tuning, came alive again. Until recently. One bright afternoon on my daily walk, I found the aging upright kicked to the curb. -
A builder’s perspective: Housing affordability is about more than subsidies
Charlotte has a problem with housing affordability for many of its citizens. But the solution is more complicated and nuanced than just putting more money into subsidies. The housing affordability problem is primarily a result of the combination of two basic factors: It is getting more and more expensive to develop and operate housing, while at the same time, many families don’t have enough income to meet the required prices associated with these higher costs. -
Mecklenburg parks’ big budget boost isn’t all it’s cracked up to be
At first glance, the proposed fiscal 2020 budget for Mecklenburg Park and Recreation looks like a slam dunk. With the clarity of a slow-mo replay, however, stripped of its glitter and pizzazz, the budget looks a lot more like a mediocre layup. -
Here’s what Charlotte really, really needs from its 2040 plan
We asked a dozen Charlotte community leaders from different walks of life one question: What does the city need more than anything in its new vision for growth? From designing for people instead of cars to building more equitably to not imposing too many regulations, here’s what they had to say. -
Don’t design the church for Easter Sunday - and other ways to reduce our impact
Responsible and thoughtful design entails understanding the relationship between the built environment and its impact on ecological systems. With 6.7 billion people projected to live in urban areas worldwide by 2050, there are many achievable strategies that should resonate with architects, developers and local governments to sustain the natural environment even as growth and development continue. -
Uber and Lyft are clogging cities, hurting transit
Despite rosy predictions, it seems ride-hailing companies are displacing trips by transit, bike and on foot. Cities like Charlotte need to work actively to keep them from worsening congestion. Commentary. -
Can we revive real meaning of ‘affordable housing’?
Does using the term “affordable housing” to mean subsidized housing lead us to stop considering housing affordability across the community? Commentary. -
Parks not keeping pace with Charlotte growth
Moving back to Charlotte after 10 years away, I noticed changes in Latta Park. Were my memories idealized? Had it always looked like this? Or had it been neglected in my absence? Commentary.
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