Nov. 18, 2026

Monifa Drayton this morning presented information about land uses built into some of the area plans under City Council consideration. She said that, in some of her neighbors’ views, the plans pile more unsavory commercial and industrial development on parts of the city that have long been dominated by such land uses.

Instead of offering new opportunities, Drayton contended, some of the plans will just perpetuate historic unfairness in how the city developed.

Drayton said many communities have sought changes and that planners have been responsive and those neighborhhoods are satisfied with the changes made. But she noted that overlaying the 1935 map at right of redlined neighborhoods on westside Charlotte on top of the new community plan maps shows evidence that a decades-old injustice is continuing.

City Council member Victoria Watlington spoke to the issue, and said there may be a way for Council to approve community plans where there is agreement, and revisit the details of the remainder before a suggested February second vote.

For people concerned about the plans, the speakers offered some advice about who they could share their concerns with.

Below the video are the slides from Drayton’s presentation. They may be downloaded as a PDF here.

Drayton also sent in a link to a city Planning Department interactive map that is complicated, but will reward those looking for detailed information about their community area plan or others.