CHARLOTTE – The City of Charlotte has identified 2.6 acres next to the new police station on Providence Road West that could yield affordable housing.
The Charlotte City Council rezoned the city-owned site Nov. 15 from single-family to multi-family residential uses. This increased the number of allowable dwelling units per acre from three to 22.
City staff noted that houses were not appropriate for the location due to the surrounding development and being on a major thoroughfare connecting to Johnston Road and Lancaster Highway. Staff added the site provides a transition between multi-family to the west and commercial uses to the east.
The city plans to put out a Request for Proposal for an affordable housing development. The proposal didn’t require a community meeting because it was a conventional rezoning.
Councilman Ed Driggs said during the Sept. 20 public hearing that he was supportive of the city’s intention with the property, but the Ballantyne representative wanted to engage more with neighbors.
“I see the advantages,” he said at the time. “I just don’t want a situation where they feel like they were ambushed by this whole thing.”
City staff did hold a meeting about the proposal, Driggs said, but only one person showed up.
“I appreciate that the staff did that and we were able to offer that opportunity to residents to learn about this,” Driggs said Nov. 15. “We will be reaching out to residents again as the RFP responses come in and we have a better idea of what is going to happen at that location.”