Mecklenburg County commissioners held their annual budget retreat Jan. 25-27, and we tuned in. How governments budget and spend available funds reflects their values and determines their ability to address existing problems. For this reason, it’s important to pay attention to the budget and ensure it reflects what residents want.

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. 

Editor’s note: This is a guest blog post by the city of Charlotte, a sustaining sponsor of Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest in 2022.

The city of Charlotte provides services to more than 870,000 residents and is implementing strategic projects to promote safety, health, and quality of life.

Sustain Charlotte’s Impact 704 Academy, an educational series about sustainable, equitable, and resilient urban development in the Charlotte area, kicked off on Oct. 6 at Camp North End with an introduction to the concept of smart growth and why it matters. 

This blog features the impactful work that North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association member Sustain Charlotte engages in to achieve its mission of creating a more sustainable future for Charlotte-area residents, focusing on transportation and mobility, the economy, buildings and development, and social equity. 

It was originally posted by NCSEA and jointly written by Alex Clingman from NCSEA and Lauren Sawyers of Sustain Charlotte. 

Charlotte City Council is set to vote on the proposed Unified Development Ordinance on Monday, Aug. 22. Here’s what you need to know about the UDO, what changed since the last public hearing in July, and what comes next. 

Last night, Charlotte City Council held a public hearing on the second draft of the Unified Development Ordinance, a set of regulations designed to set the groundwork for planned development in our community in alignment with the vision of the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan and other adopted city policies. Sustain Charlotte's urban design specialist, Eric Zaverl, addressed council members to support some aspects of the ordinance while asking for changes to others. 

It has been a while since we wrote about the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO, not to be confused with UFO), a 600-plus page document that the city of Charlotte has been working on for almost a year. On June 3, the city released a new draft of the UDO following the public comment period from earlier this year. 

On Monday, July 11, Charlotte City Council will hold a public hearing on the second draft. Here’s what you need to know about what changed — and how you can still weigh in. 

Good evening City Council, Mayor, and Staff, 

My name is Elina Shepard. I am the program manager at Sustain Charlotte. We’re a nonprofit organization that advocates for sustainable land use and transportation choices. 

We’ve been following the development of the FY 2023 budget and tonight, I want to voice our strong support for the record-high amount of proposed funding for bike and pedestrian infrastructure improvements. Given Charlotte’s rapid population growth, and the need for all people to safely travel regardless of the mode they use, we think it’s critical that the budget includes funding for sustainable transportation modes.