Panthers propose public plazas and pedestrian links in exception rezoning; city and team continue technical talks

Charlotte — Tepper Sports and Entertainment and planning staff presented an exception conditional rezoning for the Bank of America Stadium site on March 17, with the club offering publicly accessible plazas and new pedestrian connections in exchange for exceptions to certain Uptown Core zoning standards.

Planning staff described the petition as an “exception conditional” request that would allow flexibility from quantitative and some qualitative site and building standards in return for public benefits. The petitioner proposes publicly accessible open space at a minimum 25 percent larger than ordinance requirements, with pedestrian‑scale lighting, seating and a minimum 1,500‑square‑foot plaza. The proposal also includes two priority pedestrian…