Charlotte City Council approves contentious rezoning plan for 900+ new houses, apartments
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte City Council members voted 10-1 Monday evening to approve the rezoning petition for the Cato Trails project, a development that aims to bring more than 900 housing units and a new middle school to south Charlotte.
The project includes 124 acres of land north of Ardrey Kell Road, south of 485 and both sides of Providence Road.
The plan calls for 211 townhomes, 24 single-family homes, and 670 apartments. Developers and Charlotte Mecklenburg School officials intend to build a new middle school.
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Area residents said city leaders did not address all their concerns about logistics before clearing the way for the major development to begin, despite expressing their objections for months.
“We’re not resistant to change, but change without logic, without planning,” said Himanshu Bhatnagar.
Existing residents said their primary issues with the plan center on population density, traffic, safety, school resources and flooding. They said their roadways are becoming far too busy, citing multiple Charlotte Department of Transportation studies.
“Four of our neighborhood intersections are among the top ten most congested intersections in all of Charlotte, even without all of this development,” Bhatnagar said.
Council Member Ed Driggs represents the area in question. He voted in favor of the rezoning petition but explained his final decision was not easily reached.
“I’m between a bit of a rock and a hard place here,” Driggs said. “But the fact is this petition is very much in line with others we have approved and offers very significant benefits.”
He said if the Cato Trails project is shut down, it’s likely another, similar request would end up before the council soon. Driggs said the petition aligns with the city’s Unified Development Ordinance by accommodating the rapid growth of Charlotte and rising housing costs.
“I would note I voted against that plan as I anticipated we would have tension like we are experiencing now. But the plan was adopted and those are the rules by which we’re playing by today,” Driggs said.
Driggs and other council members acknowledged not all issues brought to their attention are fully resolved, but are prepared to move forward with approving the petition.
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At-large council member Dimple Ajmera was the lone vote against the petition.
“Just from looking at the opposition, over 3,500 signatures that were against this rezoning petition and the number of issues that have been brought up around quality-of-life issues, I think those are very valid concerns,” she said.
Ajmera said the purpose of the UDO was to allow for gradual housing density increase, not quickly and dramatically change a neighborhood’s character.
Several other district representatives explained they voted in favor of the Cato Trails project because they felt bound by policies and goals outlined in the UDO.
Residents said they worry about what the project may do for the financial future of their neighbors.
“The biggest challenge in this country is the lack of single-family homes for people to purchase, and providing lots and lots of rental units does nothing here to give people homeownership opportunities,” said Glen Danziger.
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