Public Hearing TONIGHT on Park-Woodlawn Area Plan

Posted on May 13, 2013 by REBIC
The Park Road Shopping Center

The Park Road Shopping Center

A draft land use plan for the Park Road corridor (see map HERE) will have its first public hearing before City Council TONIGHT at 7 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. This could be your last chance to speak out on a proposal that will have lasting impacts on the value of thousands of commercial and residential properties in one of Charlotte’s most densely populated areas — once the plan is adopted, the land use and architectural design policies it contains could permanently affect your development rights.

While area plans like this one don’t necessarily change the zoning of property, they serve as a guide for how the City will respond to development and rezoning requests. So if an area plan calls for densities of no more than 10 units per acre on a particular site, the property owner will face an uphill battle in trying to make the case for a high-density apartment project.

At a public meeting earlier this year to discuss the draft plan, planners heard area residents and business owners voice concerns ranging from the lack of any proposed traffic calming measures along Park Road to the height restrictions imposed on new development abutting single-family residential uses.

REBIC was closely involved in the yearlong stakeholder process that produced the draft plan, and most of our initial concerns with the proposed land use policies have been addressed by staff. We support the higher densities the plan calls for along the corridor and in the central activity center where Park and Woodlawn roads meet.

However, if you own or represent property in the plan area, we strongly encourage you to look at the proposed future land use and design guidelines recommended in the document!

Filed under: Commercial Issues, Home Builder Issues, MultiFamily Issues, Realtor® Issues | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Your Input Needed on Regional Housing Issues!

Posted on May 11, 2013 by REBIC

Connect Banner

The CONNECT Our Future project, a fourteen county area of North and South Carolina and led by the Centralina Council of Governments (CCOG), is embarking on an effort to prepare a regional growth framework, one that grows jobs and the economy, improves quality of life and controls the cost of government. The project is supported by a substantial US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sustainable Communities Grant and local in-kind public and private matching resources.  As part of this effort, the CCOG is creating a Comprehensive Regional Housing Strategy.

A critical piece of the housing evaluation is a survey to identify whether barriers to fair housing choice exist, such as limitations in available choice in rental markets, public and private policies and practices that inadvertently lead to housing discrimination, or poor practices in mortgage lending, insurance, or appraisal industries.

A second survey seeks feedback on the overall Housing Needs in the Charlotte Region.

We hope that you will take advantage of the opportunity to take part in this important research effort.  Each of the online surveys should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Fair Housing Survey

Regional Housing Needs Survey


Please feel free to forward this post and the online survey link to anyone else you feel would like to participate in this research!

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NC Senate Leaders Unveil Yet Another Tax Reform Plan, But Offer Few Details

Posted on May 8, 2013 by REBIC

BergerYet another Tax Reform plan has been unveiled in Raleigh, but with few details on how it will pay for a proposed $1 billion tax cut for state residents and businesses.

Before a packed press room at the State Legislative Building, Senate President Pro-Tem Phil Berger (R-Eden) joined Senators Bob Rucho (R-Matthews) and Bill Rabon (R-Southport) to outline the Tax Fairness Act, their vision for achieving a more than 3-point reduction in North Carolina’s personal income tax rate, along with a nearly 1 percent cut in the corporate rate. The reductions would occur over 3 years, and be largely funded through a dramatic expansion of the state sales tax to more than 100 services that are presently exempt. Which services specifically would be taxed is unclear, and likely to remain that way until actual legislation is filed sometime before the end of May.

The absence of a bill also leaves everyone guessing as to the other provisions in the proposal, but here’s what we could surmise from the press conference:

  • The personal income tax would drop from a top rate of 7.75% to a flat rate of 4.5% in 3 years. AGIs below $15,000 would be exempt by year 3 of the plan.
  • The corporate tax rate would drop from 6.9% to 6.0%, and the calculation for multi-state corporations would change to a “Single Sales Factor” would tax only those sales in North Carolina.
  • The state portion of the sales tax would expand, but the rate would drop from 6.75% to 6.5%.
  • The state’s Franchise Tax will be expanded to all business entities, including LLCs and sole proprietorships. No mention of what the rate would be, but similar proposals have Franchise Taxes ranging from 0.125% to 0.135%, with a minimum annual fee of $500 and a maximum of $5,000 (except for holding companies, which would pay more).
  • Businesses that pay the Franchise Tax would enjoy an exemption from the sales tax on all Business-to-Business transactions.
  • Berger mentioned that all federal tax deductions are protected — which is nice, since the State of North Carolina has no authority to repeal them. There was no mention of protecting any state tax deductions, such as the Mortgage Interest and Property Tax deductions, which might lead one to assume they are NOT protected in the proposal.

“Make no mistake,” Berger said, “there are a variety of special interests who would prefer to preserve the status quo, and the special treatment that they’ve been accustomed to for decades, at the expense of the average family. It’s not our role as elected officials to pick the winners and losers in our economy.”

The Berger/Rucho plan is already feeling heat over its proposed sales tax expansion, which would effectively be a tax increase on those families that don’t currently pay any income tax in North Carolina. Berger directed anyone with questions to try out the Tax Calculator on his Tax Fairness Act website, but a day later, the Civitas Institute, a pro-Tax Reform group, was calling that same Calculator “misleading,” after press reports showed that lower-income households would pay more.

Another indication of the uphill battle facing the proposal is the decidedly lukewarm reception it received by House Speaker Thom Tillis and Governor Pat McCrory. Neither were represented at yesterday’s press conference, and Tillis could muster no greater compliment than calling the proposal a “positive first step.”

REBIC will continue to track this proposal, along with the others that are slowly winding their way through the General Assembly. We’ll let you know as soon as actual legislation is produced, but until then, you can watch a video of yesterday’s press conference HERE.

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Register Now: An Evening with Charlotte’s Mayors

Posted on May 7, 2013 by REBIC

You are invited to an historic event on May 21: A public forum featuring four decades of Charlotte mayors. Current Mayor Anthony Foxx and former mayors Pat McCrory, Richard Vinroot, Sue Myrick, Harvey Gantt and Eddie Knox will come together on one stage to discuss their hopes and dreams for the future of Charlotte in this public event sponsored by the Charlotte Observer, PNC Bank and Central Piedmont Community College.

This historic discussion comes at an intriguing time in Charlotte’s history. A crucial mayoral election looms while concerns swirl over the city’s future: growth without annexation, the widening gap between the affluent and poor and rising tensions over control of the airport and a persistently high unemployment rate.

Award-winning documentarian and TV journalist Steve Crump will moderate the evening. Audience members will be allowed to ask questions. The free forum begins at 7 p.m. at CPCC’s Dale F. Halton Theater in the Overcash Building, 1206 Elizabeth Ave. Complimentary parking is available in the adjacent parking deck. See map here.

Doors will open at 6, and a dessert, wine and coffee reception will follow the forum. Registration is encouraged. Audience questions will be taken prior to the forum, using the registration form below.

Any questions? Contact Observer editor Jen Rothacker, 704-358-5081, or jrothacker@charlotteobserver.com.

The Details:

What: Public forum: An Evening with Charlotte’s Mayors
Sponsors: The Charlotte Observer, PNC Bank and Central Piedmont Community College.
When: 7-9 p.m. May 21.
Where: CPCC’s Dale F. Halton Theater in the Overcash Building, 1206 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte.
Cost: Free, but registration required.
Parking: Free in the Overcash parking deck, located off Fourth Street. See map here.
Seating: Doors open at 6 p.m.
For more information: Observer editor Jen Rothacker, 704-358-5081 or jrothacker@charlotteobserver.com

TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE.

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Restaurant, Bar, Nightclub CAG Reconvenes This Thursday (Not, Regrettably, at a Bar)

Posted on May 3, 2013 by REBIC

Maverick Rock TacoDid you know that, under Charlotte’s current regulations, a restaurant that does nothing more than provide live piano music for its guests could run afoul of its zoning provisions? Or that a restaurant owner who hires a balloon artist to entertain children during dinner could have his establishment classified as a nightclub?

With its vague definitions of restaurants and nightclubs, the City’s existing zoning code creates a great deal of confusion for owners and operators of dining establishments, as well as for the commercial brokers who need clarity to understand whether or not a particular use will be allowed on a client’s property. But an effort is underway to change that.

In Charlotte today, a restaurant is defined as, “An establishment designed, in whole or in part, to accommodate the consumption of food and/or beverages.”  The only other recognized use for a dining establishment is a nightclub, which is defined as, “Any commercial establishment serving alcoholic beverages and providing entertainment for patrons including bars, lounges and cabarets.” Nowhere in the current zoning ordinance is the word “entertainment” defined.

As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between restaurants, nightclubs and bars, and between 2010 and 2011, the city issued more than 29 notices of violation to establishments that failed to comply with their zoning conditions (most were for separation requirements). So in 2011, the City began the process of developing new definitions for restaurants, bars and nightclubs, to eliminate confusion and provide greater flexibility for property owners. The process was put on hold in 2012 while the Noise Ordinance was updated, and got underway again late last year.

The stakeholder group is currently considering whether to create a zoning definition for an “Eating, Drinking and Entertainment Establishment,” which would replace the current definitions for restaurants, nightclubs and bars. REBIC is evaluating the proposed language, which is summarized HERE. We welcome any input from our broker and commercial developer members on this important subject.

The next Stakeholder Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 9 at 6 p.m. at the Government Center. Anyone interested in the issue is encouraged to attend. For more information on the City’s Restaurant/Bar/Nightclub stakeholder group, click HERE.

Filed under: Commercial Issues | 1 Comment »

Regulatory Reform Bill Passes State Senate

Posted on May 3, 2013 by REBIC

nc-state-legislature-building-legislative-branchThe North Carolina Senate approved legislation this week that would make big changes to environmental permitting, and could roll back portions of local regulations that exceed state mandates, including Charlotte’s Post- Construction Controls Stormwater Ordinance (PCCO).

SB 612, the Regulatory Reform Act of 2013, was approved 36 – 11 in a Thursday afternoon vote, and now heads to the House for consideration. This legislation would provide regulatory relief to the citizens of North Carolina by:

  • Prohibiting cities and counties from enacting ordinances that are more stringent that existing state or federal regulations;
  • Creating a fast-track permitting process for stormwater and erosion control plans when certain minimum standards have been met and certified by the applicant’s engineer;
  • Allowing third-parties to a request a review of existing state rules through the NC Rules Review Commission;
  • No longer defining gravel as an impervious surface or “Built-Upon Area;”
  • Allowing brick and wood debris to be used as fill on development sites;
  • Clarifying the laws relating to groundwater compliance boundaries; and
  • Amending the prohibition on master metering to permit an all inclusive lease in a multi-family property.

Language that would have eliminated riparian buffer requirements on property in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River basins was removed by amendment during the floor debate, but could re-emerge in more limited form when the bill reaches the House. While this language would not affect the Charlotte area, both the North Carolina Association of REALTORS (NCAR) and the North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA) have been advocating for a provision to grandfather lots platted prior to the effective date of the basin rules.

One such local ordinance that could be impacted by the passage of SB 612 would be the Charlotte PCCO, which was adopted with stricter redevelopment standards than are called for in state law. This one amendment, which REBIC has long advocated for, could save developers millions in infrastructure costs and substantially open the market for redevelopment of long-neglected intown sites. However, existing federal stormwater law may prevent any significant changes to the PCCO.

REBIC and members of the Charlotte Chamber Land Use Committee are meeting with City of Charlotte officials on May 13 to discuss how SB 612 may affect local regulation. We’ll continue to track the progress of this bill and other regulatory reform legislation, and advocate for their passage in the General Assembly.

Filed under: Commercial Issues, Home Builder Issues, MultiFamily Issues, Realtor® Issues | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

CMS Task Forces Want Your Input!

Posted on May 3, 2013 by REBIC

CMSLogo

The 22 task forces charged with providing recommendations to support the strategic goals of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) began meeting in January.  The task forces, comprised of both CMS employees and community members (including REBIC executive director Joe Padilla), will share their recommendations in June.  To produce the most comprehensive recommendations it will take the best thinking of our employees and our community partners.  That’s why each task force is seeking your input on a few questions to further inform their work.

To participate in the stakeholder survey, click HERE. When you select a task force from the list, you will see a few questions specific to that group.  You may select as many task forces as you would like.  The length of your survey will depend on the number of task forces you choose.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this important survey!

 

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

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