MoRA has a mission to do what’s best for the community, and that includes ensuring rezoning is the best fit for our residents. We’ve heard from countless people regarding the rezoning and proposed development at Monroe Road and Idlewild Road.
Below is the handout we will give to city council for tonight’s rezoning hearing. The Selwyn Property Group has made a number of improvements to the site, including improved and additional access, lighting, and services for pedestrians and cyclists, moving structures for better and more appealing frontage, improved building materials, and additional screening for parking and mechanical equipment.
We surveyed everyone who came out to our development update in January, and found that nearly everyone wanted the old office park replaced. The current property owners told us they are unable to improve the existing buildings, and are struggling to keep the property secure. A former city council member worried that if the rezoning failed, it could be years or decades until someone invests in the property.
Our MoRA volunteers have worked tirelessly on this project for months and are happy with the results. Access the updated rezoning plans here.
Please find the full letter that will be presented in support of the rezoning.
TO: Mayor Roberts and members of the Charlotte City Council
And the Zoning Committee of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission
After working with the petitioner, consulting with City staff and engaging in ongoing dialogue with area stakeholders, MoRA endorses Selwyn’s 2017-016 project.
This list should give you an idea of the five-month effort that led us to support the petition:
- In addition to e mails, MoRA had six in-person meetings with Selwyn Property Group and its representatives, beginning before the case was filed and including reviews of the development notes, site plan and renderings. We found Selwyn to be open to our views and thank them for the changes they made to make the project more appropriate both for that key intersection and for Charlotte’s changing development patterns.
- MoRA either met with, or were in communication with, a number of City Departments to understand issues impacting the project. Those externals included the proposed path of CATS’ Silver Line and the still-being-designed intersection project. We are grateful to those departments as well as to the Planning staff for their time ensuring we understood both the process and how existing, and, in some cases, evolving plans were affecting the site.
- Throughout the process, area stakeholders, the MoRA board and its Land Use Committee were in constant communication including holding a second MoRA-sponsored community meeting where attendees were surveyed as well as repeated Facebook, MoRA website and NextDoor postings inviting input.
MoRA asks both City Council and the Zoning Committee to approve 2017-016.
