Map key: Blue markers – Approved zoning changes. Gray markers – Proposed zoning changes

A major Novant Health medical center was among 9 proposed developments in University City reviewed or approved by Charlotte City Council at its Sept. 21 rezoning meeting.

Altogether, the nine proposals would add nearly 2,000 housing units, 30,000 square feet of retail and offices, and Novant Health’s planned 144,000 square-foot medical center near UNC Charlotte.

Rezoning petitions approved on Sept. 21

The council unanimously approved all four of these petitions.

• Click here to watch a video of the entire 4-hour-long City Council meeting.

1. Mixed-use residential community on NC 49

• Location: University City Boulevard, north side, just west of the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus County line.
• Zoning change approved: 93.9 acres from MX-1 mixed residential to MX-2 mixed residential. This will allow more than half of the dwelling units to be multifamily.
• Petitioner: K Sade Ventures, LLC. Petition 2020-092 details
• Proposed uses: 250 single-family detached homes and 288 multifamily units.
• Other details: 8-ft planting strip and 12-ft multi-use path along University City Blvd frontage.

2. Retail center on NC 49

• Location: University City Boulevard, north side, just west of the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus County line.
• Zoning change approved: 4.56 acres from neighborhood business to general business, conditional.
• Petitioner: K Sade Ventures, LLC. Petition 2020-021 details
• Proposed uses: Up to 20,000 square feet of general business uses.
• Other details. Adjoins 92 acres also being rezoned for residential uses.

3. Mixed-use development on Mallard Creek Church Road near I-85

• Location: East side of John Adams Road, north of Mallard Creek Church Road and east of I-85
• Zoning change approved: 24.6 acres from neighborhood business and office to Mixed-Use Development (optional)
• Petitioner: Flournoy Development Group. Petition 2020-048 details
• Proposed uses: Up to 366 multifamily residential units, 56 attached townhome units, and 10,000 square feet of office and non-office commercial uses.
• Other details: Provides 8-ft planting strip and 12-foot wide sidewalk along frontage on West Mallard Creek Church Road; 8-ft planting strip and 8-ft sidewalk on John Adams Rd.; 15,000 sf open-space amenity area; commitment to building materials; provides public street to connect to Mallard Highlands Drive.

4. Residential community on Ridge Road south of I-485

• Location: Ridge Road south of I-485 and east of Cooper’s Ridge Lane
• Zoning change approved: 21.9 acres from single-family residential to R-8MF multifamily, conditional
• Petitioner: M/I Homes of Charlotte, LLC. Petition 2020-051 details
• Proposed uses: Up to 98 single-family attached dwelling units.
• Other details: Access from Ridge Road; 8-ft wide planting strip and 12-ft wide multi-use path along Ridge Road frontage; maximum height of 48 ft. each unit will have garage and covered front stoop.

Rezoning hearings

The council heard six proposals involving University City properties, including a request to allow new uses for the former Gray’s Bookstore site near campus. No one spoke in opposition to any of the petitions.

• Click here to watch a video of the entire 4-hour-long City Council meeting.

5. Townhomes and apartments on IBM Drive near Neal Road

• Location: South side of IBM Drive, west of Neal Road.
• Zoning change requested: 49 acres from single-family residential and RE-2 research to urban residential-2 and R-8MF multifamily, conditional.
• Petitioner: CCP University, LLC. Petition 2020-035 details
• Proposed uses: Up to 250 single-family attached townhomes and 50 multifamily units, plus other incidental and accessory uses.
• Other details: Maximum height of 3 stories; 6-ft wide sidewalk and 8-ft planting strip on internal public streets and frontage on Neal Road and IBM Drive; detailed architectural features.

6. New uses for former Gray’s Bookstore on University City Blvd

• Location: Southern corner of John Kirk Drive and University City Blvd
• Zoning change requested: 0.76 acre from B-1 neighborhood business, conditional, to B-1 conditional with site plan amendment.
• Petitioner: Charles and Ellen Gray (of Gray’s Bookstore). Petition 2018-034 details
• Proposed uses: The current zoning limits uses to book store and uses allowed in O-1 office zoning; the change will allow many uses permitted in neighborhood business zoning.
• Other details: Petition specifically prohibits automotive services, sales, fueling, car washes and equipment sales and leasing.

7. Novant Health medical center on North Tryon Street

• 

  Novant Health’s proposal for a medical center on North Tryon Street includes several transportation improvements

  Location: Western corner of North Tryon Street and West Mallard Creek Church Road

• Zoning change requested: 23.8 acres from mixed-use development, optional to mixed use development, optional, with site plan amendment
• Petitioner: Novant Health. Petition 2019-163 details
• Proposed uses: Up to 144,000 sf of medical and general offices uses with optional provisions for vacant land. Uses could include clinics, health institutions, surgery centers, and emergency rooms. Current zoning allows up to 1 million sf of general medical and office uses and other uses.
• Transportation improvements: Developer commits to provide numerous improvements both at the site and at the I-85 interchange with Mallard Creek Church Road.
• Other details: provide urban open space, plus 8-ft wide planting strip and 12-ft wide multi-use path along sites frontage on North Tryon St and Mallard Creek Church Rd.

8. Apartment community on IBM Drive at West W.T. Harris Blvd

• Location: East side of IBM Drive and south side of West W.T. Harris Blvd at I-85
• Zoning change requested: 30 acres from RE-2 research to R-17MF multifamily, conditional
• Petitioner: RangeWater Real Estate. Petition 2020-055 details
• Proposed uses: Up to 300 multifamily units
• Other details: Turn lane into the site from IBM Drive; 8-ft wide planting strip and 12-ft wide multi-use path along IBM Drive frontage; conveys property near Doby Creek to Mecklenburg County for future Doby Creek Greenway; detailed building materials; maximum building height of 72 feet.

9. Apartment community on Berkeley Place Drive

• Location: Berkeley Place Drive near Mallard Creek Church Road
• Zoning change requested: 11.7 acres from commercial center to urban residential-2, conditional
• Petitioner: Westplan Investors. Petition 2020-060 details
• Proposed uses: 198 multifamily units and accessory uses.
• Other details: Up to 8 principal buildings, no taller than 60 feet; 8-ft planting strip and 8-ft sidewalk along Berkeley Place Drive and Wright Hill Road; minimum of 6,000 sf of open space with landscaping, seated areas, shade structures and lighting; detailed building materials.

10. One-floor rental homes with garages on Harris Houston Road

• Location: Harris Houston Road north of University City Blvd
• Zoning change requested: 21 acres from single-family residential to R-8 MF multifamily, conditional
• Petitioner: Redwood USA, LLC. Petition 2020-074 details
• Proposed uses: 83 one-floor attached rental dwelling units with two bedrooms and two-car garage.
• Other details: Network of private internal streets and driveway connection to Harris Houston Rd; widen portion of Harris Houston Rd along property frontage and provide 8-ft wide planting strip and 12-ft wide multi use path along that frontage; numerous architectural standards; 50-foot buffer dedicated to Mecklenburg Park and Recreation for future greenway.