Downtown Charlotte, NC. Photo by James Willamor via Flickr.
Smart Growth America will be in Charlotte, NC next to speak with city officials there about how development strategies can benefit the city’s finances and its economy.
Charlotte residents are invited to join the discussion at an introductory presentation on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 from 6:00–8:00 PM at the UNC Charlotte Auditorium, Uptown Campus, 320 East 9th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.
“The city is excited to have Smart Growth America bring their expertise to Charlotte and help us think more deeply about how our civic investments can best catalyze the development of quality communities”, said Tom Warshauer, Community Engagement Manager in Charlotte’s Neighborhood and Business Services department. “Quality development can create stronger and richer communities. Charlotte, like many communities, is also experiencing the strains of growth, where new residents can tax existing infrastructure and where some areas are passed over that could use new investment. We hope this discussion can help us better capitalize on the opportunities that quality growth can offer our community.”
“Smart Growth America is committed to providing training to help community leaders keep cities and towns livable, sustainable and vital places,” said Roger Millar, Director of Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute. “Charlotte is in a position to create even more attractive, quality growth across the city. This workshop will give City leaders the vocabulary and tools needed to help the private and public sectors build places that capture value and are more sustainable long term.”
In November 2012, the City of Charlotte was one of 22 communities selected by Smart Growth America to participate in the free technical assistance program. Stretching from Maine to Washington State, these communities represent major cities, suburban centers, and rural towns alike.
The program, made possible through a five-year Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities, seeks to develop local planning solutions that help communities grow in ways that benefit families and businesses, while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. Three other nonprofit organizations—Forterra, Global Green USA and Project for Public Spaces—also received competitively awarded grants under this program to help communities get the kinds of development they want.
As a national leader in the field, Smart Growth America has accumulated extensive experience working with communities to help them use land strategically, make the most of existing resources and invest strategically to catalyze private development. Learn more about our technical assistance workshops for towns and cities.
Workshop Materials:
- Planning for Economic and Fiscal Health Tool Description (PDF)
- Evening Presentation (PDF)
- Charlotte: Next Steps Memo (PDF)
- Charlotte: Progress Report – 1 month (PDF)
- Charlotte: Progress Report – 6 months (PDF)
- Charlotte: Progress Report – 12 months (PDF)
Workshop Outcomes: