This week, the Environmental Stewardship Committee held their March meeting. There was only one item on the agenda: the Environmental Justice Framework. Couldn’t make the meeting? Here’s a recap!  Key takeaways  Environmental justice (EJ) brings the concept of the environment to our everyday surroundings and as a force that affects the lives of underprivileged communities the most. Mecklenburg County staff are working on the beginning phases of an Environmental Justice Framework to inform government programs. Through data analysis and community engagement, county staff have identified six areas of focus for the Environmental Justice Framework. County staff will continue to do research and community engagement based on feedback from the Environmental Stewardship Committee before bringing the draft to the full Board of County Commissioners. Read on for more information on each of these items and more!   Continue reading

This week, the Transportation, Planning and Development Committee held their March meeting. They discussed CATS service and management, Community Area Planning, and the UDO. Couldn’t make the meeting? Here’s a recap!   Continue reading

As CATS recently shared the good news that more people are riding transit, the need to invest in that system is clearer than ever. At the February 28th meeting of the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC), local leaders discussed ridership trends, service improvements, bus purchases, and a fiscally constrained plan to expand the network.  Here are some key takeaways from the meeting: 1. CATS is planning a fiscally constrained Transit System Plan Implementation Strategy. The implementation of this plan assumes that a new local funding source will become available in order to leverage federal formula funds, competitive grants, and other funds. The strategy includes investments in the future 29 mile Silver Line light rail, 25 mile Red Line commuter rail, 6 mile Gold Line streetcar extension, 5.5 mile Blue Line light rail extension, and a better bus network.  New local funding would be needed to complete the envisioned transit network. (image: CATS) Continue reading

More funding for land acquisition, maintenance, programming, safety, and a co-op extension program topped the list of priorities that the Park and Recreation Commission (PRC) presented to county commissioners this past Tuesday. The Board of County Commissioners also heard presentations by the Lake Wylie Marine Commission and Air Quality Commission, but in this article we will cover the budget priorities covered by the PRC. Continue reading

Monday’s City Council Business Meeting saw several notable items pass in the consent agenda as well as the adoption of the City’s 2024 State and Federal Legislative Agendas. Continue reading

During a recent walkability audit with Sustain Charlotte, Ally team members were were introduced to the City of Charlotte's CLT+ app, which can be used to report potholes. That's exactly what they did, when they saw one along their route. Within days, the pothole was repaired!  The city encourages all residents to download and use the app, which can also be used to schedule a bulky trash pickup, check your trash pickup day, request a new traffic signal, or report graffiti or a code violation.  Continue reading

Ray Addison and his son enjoy a day out in the city courtesy of CATS "How many of you ride public transportation?" A Charlotte resident asked that question at the Sustain Charlotte Social Equity and Growth event last week. The event was a public panel discussion with Charlotte City Council members about equity and smart growth. Continue reading

This past Monday, February 5, the Transportation, Planning, & Development (TPD) Committee met to discuss all things mobility and growth. CATS Interim CEO Brent Cagle gave a quick update, Assistant City Manager Liz Babson spoke about the Annual Strategy Meeting Measures, Planning Director Alyson Craig spent the majority of the meeting answering questions about potential changes to the UDO, and Assistant to the City Manager Ed McKinney shared news about the City’s mobility strategy. Continue reading