This month’s Transportation, Planning, and Development Committee meeting on Monday, April 3rd was chock full of information. Three items were on the agenda: a mobility update from Centralina Regional Council’s executive director Geraldine Gardner, a CATS update from interim CEO Brent Cagle and County Manager Marcus Jones, and proposed UDO text amendments presented by interim director for Planning, Design & Development, Alyson Craig. You can view the agenda and accompanying slides here.

by Hope Wright, Advocacy Manager

Charlotte has a new bicycle planner in town. Dave Campbell started his new job with the Charlotte Department of Transportation in December after a long advocacy career, including the last 10 years as advocacy director for Bike East Bay in California.

Mecklenburg County staff and commissioners are already planning for the next budget year, which begins in July. A big part of that process includes the next Capital Improvement Plan, a five-year program that funds a range of projects, including expanding our parks, nature preserves and greenway system.

Infrastructure design plays an essential role in keeping people safe on our streets, especially at intersections. As part of Sustain Charlotte’s mission, we are committed to advocating for solutions that will help the city of Charlotte reach its Vision Zero goal of no traffic-related injuries or deaths.

Last night, Sustain Charlotte Director of Engagement and Impact Meg Fencil addressed the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners at its first budget hearing to receive resident input on planning for the county manager's fiscal year 2024 budget. The county is also in the process of completing the next five-year Capital Improvement Plan, a program that funds a range of projects, including creating new community resource centers, updating county facilities, and expanding our park and greenway system. 

Both the annual budget and the Capital Improvement Plan will be up for discussion at the County Commission’s budget retreat on Jan. 24, so we're speaking up now for continued funding to support a vibrant, healthy, and equitable community for all. 

In 2023, Sustain Charlotte resolves to work for an expanded greenway network, dependable public transit, equitable community involvement and more! (Photo: Charlotte Area Transit System)

In 2023, what would it look like to collectively aspire to a better future for our community? Here are the big-ticket items Sustain Charlotte resolves to continue working for in the new year -- and we're committed to making it easy for members of the community to do so, too. Won’t you join us in supporting a better way forward for our climate, health and equity? 

On Thursday evening, several dozen community members gathered for Sustain Charlotte’s Impact 704 Academy's third and final session of 2022 to discuss local land-use challenges. This series of education and engagement programs focused on sustainable, equitable, and resilient urban development in the Charlotte area. 

At the beginning of December, Sustain Charlotte joined eight local organizations in signing a letter organized by the Southern Environmental Law Center urging North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and state Department of Transportation leadership to prioritize transportation investments that reduce single-occupancy driving rather than building and expanding highways. 

At Monday night’s City Council strategy meeting, City Manager Marcus Jones and Ed McKinney with Charlotte Department of Transportation updated Council members on plans to implement the Strategic Mobility Plan.