MVA Litigation

Over the course of the last several years, we have seen movement at the state and local levels to revamp land use laws to prepare North Carolina for the future. Population growth in North Carolina has outpaced the nation during the last ten years and significant portions of that growth have been centered in Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte metropolitan area. Data reflects that North Carolina “ha[s] grown 8.5% compared to the nation’s 5.8%” since 2010. “From 2017 to 2018, the combined populations of Mecklenburg and Wake Counties grew by over 37,000 people, accounting for ...

It is an exciting time to be living in Charlotte, North Carolina, whether you have deep roots here or are a recent addition to our burgeoning city. North Carolina is experiencing rapid growth, adding nearly 309 people per day, and more than one third of the State’s growth by 2035 is projected to occur in Charlotte. This expansion is one of the key factors driving a focus on planning for the future of the City, with respect to both land use and transportation. The Charlotte City Council recently approved several zoning and land use initiatives spearheaded by the Department of Planning ...

NEW TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS APPROVED, WHAT'S NEXT? (May 2019): The City of Charlotte has revamped its approach to Transit Oriented Development (TOD) as an initial step in the process of transforming the city into a liveable one that provides transportation options for all residents to access employment, services, and housing. As Chair of the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee), I was granted the opportunity to speak in support of the proposed TOD amendments at the public hearing in March 2019. After some revision

CHARLOTTE'S TOD REVISION IN FULL SWING WITH UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARING (Jan. 2019): The Charlotte Department of Planning, Design & Development (Planning Department) is facilitating the transformation of the city into “a vibrant LIVEABLE CITY where all residents of all income levels have convenient transportation access to employment[,] services and housing options.” The revision of Charlotte’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Districts is a key component of making that vision a reality and it is in full swing. A text amendment application is pending City Council review ...

DRILLING INTO CHARLOTTE'S TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (TOD) - FINAL PUBLIC DRAFT AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW (Oct. 2018): Several months ago, Charlotte’s Planning Director Taiwo Jaiyeoba charted a new course for drafting Charlotte’s Unified Development Ordinance (CLTUDO). We are now undertaking the development of a comprehensive vision plan for the City, with hopes of substantial community engagement, while work on the CLTUDO drafting process continues simultaneously. Comprehensive Plan development kicked off September 2018 with a goal of draft review beginning ...

INSIDE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLTUDO: CASTING A NEW VISION FOR CHARLOTTE (May 18, 2018) - The Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department and the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance (CLTUDO) Advisory Board have continued the meticulous work of transforming the City’s old zoning and land use ordinances into one unified ordinance, while making efforts to engage with stakeholders and the public to drive the process forward. Planning Director Jaiyeoba has discussed the need for the rewrite process to be “reset” to allow up to 18 months for the development of a new comprehensive ...

THE NEW DIRECTION OF CLTUDO DEVELOPMENT (March 23, 2018): The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department welcomed its new Director, Taiwo Jaiyeoba, in January 2018 and with him a new direction for facilitating the development of the Charlotte Unified Development Ordinance (CLTUDO). Under Director Jaiyeoba, the Advisory Committee will take a new direction to acknowledge the diverse interests of our stakeholders and to facilitate their involvement. As a complement outside of the Advisory Committee format, the Planning Department has scheduled several upcoming ...

CHARLOTTE IS MOVING ON TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (March 12, 2018): Charlotte, North Carolina is set to adopt zoning ordinance revisions to create new transit-oriented development (TOD) districts this summer. What is TOD and what does it mean for Charlotte planning, development and transportation? Read more.

A WINDOW VIEW INTO THE CLTUDO -- THE VISION & ANTICIPATED TIMELINE (May 22, 2017): The restructuring of Charlotte’s land use policies and zoning ordinance are among the most significant planning-related projects the City has undertaken. The impact of the CLTUDO will be long-lasting and will define in many ways the future of the City. The CLTUDO Advisory Board recently discussed an anticipated timeline for development of the CLTUDO and the Charlotte Place Types that will serve as a springboard for drafting the new ordinance. Read More for details.

DEFEATED NC CLASS ACTION ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN VICTORY IN MAP ACT FIGHT AGAINST NCDOT (June 16, 2016): What began several years ago as a defeated attempt at a class action against the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) ultimately resulted in a win plaintiff landowners in Kirby v. NCDOT (No. 56PA14-2). On June 10, 2016, the North Carolina Supreme Court held that the State’s restrictions placed on property owners under the Roadway Corridor Official Map Act (Map Act) constitute a taking of their property, requiring the state to compensate the landowners ...

What began several years ago as a defeated attempt at a class action against the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) ultimately resulted in a win this month for plaintiff landowners in Kirby v. NCDOT (No. 56PA14-2). On June 10, 2016, the North Carolina Supreme Court held that the State's restrictions placed on property owners under the Roadway Corridor Official Map Act (Map Act) constitute a taking of their property, requiring the state to compensate the landowners appropriately. The case was brought originally as a putative class action on behalf of nearly 800 ...