Council adopts major zoning rewrite, changes parking and setback rules

Charlotte City Council adopted a comprehensive update to the zoning ordinance on second reading on May 28, concluding a planning commission process that revised sections ranging from commercial corridor setbacks to parking requirements.

Planning staff and planning commission members summarized late edits including: renaming zoning categories (for example, central business district language moved to 'commercial downtown'), reducing some front‑yard setbacks in a commercial corridor from 30 to 25 feet, adding the flood‑plain map to overlay districts, and rewording parking sections to remove confusing 'minimum/maximum' phrasing and clarify requirements.

Councilmembers said the ordinance had not been substantially updated in decades and applauded the planning commission's work; several members nonetheless singled out accessory‑structure height language and parking rules as items for near‑term follow‑up. "This is a living document," a planning commissioner said; council agreed future targeted amendments could be introduced as needed.

The ordinance passed on second reading by roll call; staff said the adoption updates land‑use policy to match current development goals and to simplify permit review once the changes become effective.

What's next: Planning staff will publish the final ordinance text and supporting map edits; council and planning commission members said they will consider additional targeted amendments (accessory structure height, parking detail) soon.