CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A vision plan entitled "Connecting: People. Places. Nature." was released Monday for Charlotte's University City in an effort to make the area a more urban and walkable community.
The plan has four focus areas: transit-oriented development, a greenbelt to support mobility and recreation, "building character and culture," and bringing mobility to meet today's needs.
“Moving University City to something that is more auto-centric today to something much different in the future especially as e-bikes and scooters become more of a reality," University City Partners interim executive director Tobe Holmes said.
It calls for the development of a town center around the JW Clay Blvd Station for the LYNX Blue Line. Additionally, the plan calls for smaller hubs around North Tryon Street so residents can easily walk to shops, restaurants and grocery stores.
“We took great time and care to capture community interests and needs in developing the vision plan,” University City Partners executive director Darlene Heater said in a statement. “Through many meetings and thoughtful research, we have a plan that recognizes existing assets and calls us to leverage those strengths through targeted investments that will yield amazing results for this special part of Charlotte.”
Some who live in the area say they look forward to the development change.
“Anytime you can walk to things instead of drive that’s a good thing," resident Jim Bauman said.
Others worry once the development moves in it could force the wildlife out.
“Walkable would be better, but the thing I have noticed is they’re throwing out all the wildlife so they don’t know where to go," resident Kristen Rizzo said.
Another key part of the plan is a greenbelt of parks including an expansion of the Reedy Creek Nature Preserve.
Developers hope the balance between people, places, and nature will provide something everyone can connect to.
"As that town center urbanizes you’ll be able to be in the center of it all and then walk into an isolated place of nature in about 10 mins," Holmes said.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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