The city of Charlotte proposed modifying development rules Monday to limit new triplexes built in residential neighborhoods to corner lots only.
If the Charlotte City Council approves the change, it would be a retreat from the city’s 2040 Plan, which allows duplexes and triplexes to be built anywhere in neighborhoods that were once reserved for only single-family homes.
The 2040 Plan is meant to create more housing types throughout the city and to ultimately lower housing costs by making it easier to build. Its development guidelines have been in effect for less than a year.
But as the first triplexes are being built in single-family neighborhoods, some residents are upset that denser housing will change the character of where they live.
Charlotte Planning Director Alyson Craig discussed the proposed change as part of an overall discussion of the Unified Development Ordinance, which are the development guidelines that implement the details of the 2040 Plan.
She said triplexes would be limited to only corner lots in residential areas. That would make it easier to handle the extra parking required for the units.
Duplexes would still be allowed anywhere.
“I think (the proposed change) is really more about making some adjustments so we are getting house supply in areas that are most important,” Craig said. “And maybe recognizing that in our less intense districts that maybe that’s not the place to put the highest density.”
The 2040 Plan passed in 2022 in a narrow 6-5 vote. While most of the plan wasn’t controversial, the debate over duplexes and triplexes was one of the most intense debates council members have had in years.
Council member Tariq Bokhari, who opposed the 2040 Plan two years ago, said it had been a mistake to pass something so sweeping as eliminating single-family-only zoning by only one vote.
“I think the biggest lesson everyone learned out of this is don’t make massive city changes on a razor-thin vote,” he said. “Because a lot has to happen and be figured out. And if the foundation is not firm on that there will be a lot of problems.”
Council member Malcolm Graham, who supported the 2040 Plan, said he would likely support Craig’s recommendation.
But he said developers need consistency, and he’s concerned the city is making changes to the 2040 Plan and UDO so quickly.
Council members could vote on the changes in July.
