Expedited Commercial Plan Review

​Program Guidelines:

​The Expedited Commercial Plan Review process is offered to give premium service for complete, accurate, and straightforward development plans.  Eligible review types and project scope are commercial grading, landscape, tree preservation, and tree ordinance.  Exclusions from the program are listed below.  After plans are accepted through the gateway, the standard review cycle is five (5) business days.  The reviewers' goal is to approve all plans within 2.5 submittals on average.

​Submittal Requirements:

**Before submitting, please contact the Land Development senior engineer for the project area to determine if your project is eligible.  View Charlotte Explorer map to obtain the engineer's contact info.​ Turn on the "Planning" layer cluster, and activate the "Land Development - Engineering Reviewer" layer**

When completing an on-line application via Accela Citizen Access, simply choose the "Expedited" project type in the initial selection list.  

All fees need to be paid at the time of initial submittal of plans to the City of Charlotte's Land Development Office.  Occasionally, additional fees may need to be assessed at the time of plan approval.  The owner and design professional will receive notification via phone and email advising of the outstanding fees due upon pick up of approved plans.   

Payment methods are cash, credit card, check (payable to the "City of Charlotte"), or an established Mecklenburg County account.  The owner is responsible for all outstanding fee payments.  See the User Fee Schedule.

​Review Process:

​All plans are subject to a self-certify Gateway checklist filled out by the submitting designer to ensure the submittal is complete and available for a comprehensive review.  Decisions by City staff regarding eligibility of a project for this review process are final and cannot be appealed.

With the exception of the special user fee and shorter review timeframes, the Expedited Plan process follows the same basic procedure as a normal Commercial Plan submittal.  Please visit the Commercial Plan Review Process "Step-by-Step" for help navigating the process.

​Project Exclusions:

  • Projects subject to the Subdivision Ordinance;

  • Projects under Urban Design zoning and overlays (Including UMUD, MUDD, TOD, PED, and TS);

  • Excessively large or complex projects – determined on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of City staff; and

  • Major CDOT review. 

Please note, the reviews/permits listed below are not normally completed within the expedited review timeframe, but when such approvals are applicable, the approvals/permits must be obtained prior to the City’s final approval and release of plans:

  • Projects proposing floodway encroachment require a Floodland Development permit from Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services;

  • Projects proposing SWIM Buffer or PCCO Water Quality Buffer encroachment require approval from City Storm Water Services;

  • Projects proposing disturbance to wetlands or jurisdictional channels require written approval from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR/DWQ) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE);

  • Projects located on State maintained roads require North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) approval

Commercial Plan Review Process - Step by Step!