Townhomes in Cotswold, Shuffletown, West Sugar Creek Come to Council

Charlotte City Council held its monthly zoning meeting on Monday night, deciding on a slate of townhome developments that drew opposition from some council members. 

Zoning meetings are split into two parts: zoning decisions, in which they vote on whether to approve or deny petitions; and hearings, during which developers are able to present their plans, residents are able to speak in support or opposition, and council members are able to discuss before the decision is scheduled for a later date.

Below we take a look at some of the notable decisions and discussions held during Monday night’s meeting. 

On the Agenda:

• Decisions: Two townhome developments and a gas station
• Hearings: Wendover townhomes and Lower Tuck expansion

Decisions: Two townhome developments and a gas station

In its first decision of the night, council unanimously denied a petition to build a gas station on a 1.24-acre lot at the corner of East WT Harris Boulevard and Idlewild Road. 

District rep JD Mazuera Arias explained his vote: “We are saturated with gas stations in District 5 and I think we need more amenities and more third spaces for community to gather. As we’ve approved a sales tax to fund more public transportation options, we need to become a less car-reliant city and embrace 10-minute neighborhoods and more buses and rail and transportation.”

Malcolm Graham moved to deny a petition to build 95 townhomes on the property of Cooks Memorial Presbyterian Church in northwest Charlotte’s Shuffletown area, citing cumulative impacts on infrastructure in the area surrounding Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road. 

Dimple Ajmera and Renee Johnson joined him in voting to deny the petition, but it wasn’t enough. The project was approved.

Graham similarly called on his fellow council members to deny a petition to build 65 townhomes on the property of University City United Methodist Church at the corner of West WT Harris Boulevard and West Sugar Creek Road. 

Johnson joined Graham in calling for denial. While she said she’s a supporter of UCity UMC’s work, she questioned how many of its congregants live in the direct area and would have to deal with the added congestion.

Ed Driggs said he would support the petition. 

“This exemplifies in many ways exactly what it is we’re trying to achieve in terms of housing affordability, partnership with private investors, [and] partnership with churches,” he said. “If we hold out to find a location where nobody is opposed, we’re not going to get much done.” 

He said a denial would be seen as a “hostile” act and could discourage other developers and churches that want to partner on similar housing developments.

“This is an example of how some of our priorities become at odds with each other when it becomes time for execution,” said Dante Anderson. She cited the Faith in Housing initiative that was launched to encourage partnerships like this one.

“This petition would be a great case study of how a faith-based organization is lending their land to not only advance housing stock and create additional housing stock but specifically for workforce individuals who we say constantly that we want to ensure they have affordability within the city of Charlotte so they don’t have to live in another community and drive to work,” Anderson continued. 

LaWana Mayfield, who leads the Faith in Housing initiative, took issue with Anderson’s comments. 

“Just because you can, that doesn’t mean it’s in the right location,” she said. 

Thinking any given project checks the box only because it fits under the Faith in Housing description didn’t sit right with her, Mayfield said. “I need a good project.”

That petition was approved in a 6-4 vote (Victoria Watlington was absent), with No votes from Graham, Mayfield, Mazuera Arias and Johnson. 

Hearings: Wendover townhomes and Lower Tuck expansion

Three neighbors spoke in opposition to a petition to build 40 townhomes on Wendover Road between Marvin and Randolph roads in the Cotswold area. The site would be bordered by the existing Pines on Wendover apartment complex to the east and Wendover Green townhome development across the street. 

Opposing neighbors mostly live along Churchill Road in the single-family-home development behind the site and are concerned with the impacts of increased density. 

The proposed rezoning could generate an estimated 182 car trips per day from the property, up from the estimated 87 trips that could be generated from the use for which the undeveloped property is currently zoned. 

Third & Urban, which has led the Lower Tuck development on Tuckaseegee Road in the area where Seversville, Enderly Park and Wesley Heights meet, wants to redevelop an abandoned building at the corner of Tuckaseegee and Berryhill roads as the final phase of the redevelopment project. 

The building is located across the street from LuLu’s Express. 

There’s not a specific plan on the books yet, though it will likely look similar to the first phase, a $90-million redevelopment that includes multiple properties along Jay and Gesco streets. 

Read more: Jay Davis Settles in at LuLu’s Express, Creating a Tuckaseegee Staple (2025)

Charlotte City Council will meet for a public forum and business meeting on April 27. Council’s next zoning meeting, scheduled for May 18, is sure to draw a crowd of speakers opposing a controversial data center proposed for east Charlotte.