Zoning changes in limbo

Plus: Developer submits plans for apartments near The Pearl; Answering reader question about Providence at Fairview; Shopping center beside Northlake sells; Real estate deals

Welcome to another pulse-quickening installment of Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers, our occasional column that takes you inside Charlotte building sales, construction permits and developers’ plans. It offers unrivaled insights and the freshest local real estate information, leaving you tantalized, delighted and eager for more.

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In today’s edition:

1. City of Charlotte officials provide details on which ordinance and zoning changes are on hold because of a new state law. It’s the most detailed list we’ve seen.

2. News of a potential apartment tower near The Pearl in Midtown/Dilworth — based on filings with the city last week.

3. Answering a reader question on the status of the empty 11-acre lot at Providence and Fairview roads that was the subject of a lawsuit.

4. Real estate sales that include a shopping center next to Northlake Mall, South Boulevard apartments and the building that formerly housed the Ben & Jerry’s in Eastover.

5. Reader poll results from last week in reply to the question: “What’s your perception of Charlotte’s real estate market?”

6. A round-up of news from other reliable sources, including the foreclosure auction of an uptown office building and a look at recent apartment construction lawsuits.

Let’s get to it!

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City details zoning changes that are on hold because of new state law limiting ‘down-zoning’ — including restrictions on triplexes and allowing overlay districts

A state law quietly passed in late 2024 is hampering Charlotte’s ability to update its development rules and has stripped the city of key zoning powers that city officials say are crucial to managing development and density.

At a meeting Monday in SouthPark, city officials gave some of their most detailed public comments yet on the effect of a law enacted in December that largely bars cities from initiating “down-zoning,” or reducing the density or scale of what can be built on a property.