AR_Archive

Challenges:

Coping with a 5.3% increase in the loan delinquency rate due to the economic downturn.
Implementing Smart Growth strategies while continuing to develop and offer citizens a variety of housing and lifestyle options.
Finding compromise in conflicts among development interests and those of citizens and environmentalists.

Successes:

Developed and adopted land use strategies for the following areas: Washington Heights, Optimist Park, Charlotte's Eastside, Brookshire Boulevard/I-485, West Morehead and Statesville Avenue Corridor. Each strategy focuses on the community's individual character, its existing facilities and also serves as a guide for development to meet each area's future needs.

Investigated 27 fair housing complaints and provided fair housing training for 260 citizens.
Assisted 541 families and individuals to purchase homes, a 44% increase over the past year.

Ensured that 100% of all new subdivisions constructed since October 2001 contained interconnected streets and pedestrian amenities.
Adopted a tree ordinance that limits the clear cutting of trees in single-family developments and encourages the planting of trees in future projects.
Adopted an ordinance that holds developers and contractors responsible for maintaining erosion control on their projects and protects environmentally sensitive areas from sediment damage.

Charlotte's Seven Areas of Focus:

Completed a neighborhood action plan for the Seversville Community and initiated work on plans for Optimist Park and Washington Heights. A neighborhood action plan is a strategy to revitalize targeted fragile neighborhoods by providing a range of services from infrastructure improvements to transit services enhancement.
Completed neighborhood improvements that included installation of street lights, sidewalks, water/sewer lines, curb and gutter for Druid Hills, Wilora Lake, Grier Heights, Moore's Chapel and Orchard Park communities.