Articles

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Charlotte to take a new look at its aging code
   April 4, 2012
Mary Newsom
Twenty years after the last revamp of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s zoning ordinance, a politically fractious episode, the city planning department is preparing to study whether – and how – to update it again. Read more


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A region by many other names
   April 3, 2012

Recent headlines have trumpeted the U.S. Census finding that between 2000 and 2010, the Charlotte “urbanized area” was the nation’s fastest growing among areas with 1 million or more people. But it also highlighted the inconsistent, even chaotic, differences in how the so-called Charlotte region is defined. Read more


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City neighborhoods win thousands for energy projects
   April 3, 2012

Eleven Charlotte neighborhoods have won grants of as much as $10,000 from the City of Charlotte’s for projects aimed at cutting residents' energy use by 15 percent. Ten focus on energy efficiency, one on alternative transportation. Read more


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Ex-Pittsburgh mayor and APA leader to speak uptown
   April 2, 2012
Mary Newsom

The former mayor of Pittsburgh and the current president of the American Planning Association – who happens to be Raleigh’s planning director – are keynote speakers Thursday at a symposium in uptown Charlotte for urban design and planning professionals.

Read more


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Local business leaders’ positive outlook continues
   April 2, 2012

As Mecklenburg County business leaders look ahead to the second quarter, their optimism about the economic outlook has improved. Read more


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UNC Charlotte’s Institute for Social Capital and Urban Institute to merge
   March 28, 2012

Two of UNC Charlotte’s most visible institutes are merging to create a combined center with unparalleled research capacity to address social issues in the Charlotte region. On March 8, the Institute for Social Capital (ISC) board of directors and UNC Charlotte agreed to merge the ISC staff and operations into the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, the university’s oldest applied research center. Read more


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Gastonia, New York, Jane Jacobs and me
   March 27, 2012

New York City and Gastonia don’t, at first glance, appear to have much in common. Yet both can offer an example of “urbanism.” And both suffered harm from well-intentioned “progress.” Charlotte architect Terry Shook reminisces ... Read more


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Stick to basics in affordable housing strategy
   March 22, 2012

A city task force looking to expand housing opportunities for the less affluent is on the right track with the idea of a voluntary density bonus. Read more


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Hum's the word
   March 21, 2012
Crystal Cockman
One of my fondest childhood memories is sitting on the front porch of my grandparents’ house, gentle breeze blowing, sweet tea in hand, listening to the buzz and flight of hummingbirds as they gracefully sipped sugar water from bright red feeders. Read more


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The Charlotte region's data encyclopedia
   March 20, 2012

Whether you need to know what county in the Charlotte region grew the fastest last year, or where in the region support for the arts is strongest, a new interactive tool can answer your questions. Table Explorer, available through the Charlotte Regional Indicators Project contains a wide range of data for the Charlotte region as well as comparative data between the Charlotte metro area and... Read more