Uptown South End New Bern Scaleybark Woodlawn Woodlawn Tyvola Transit Station Area Plan ADOPTED BY CHARLOTTE CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 27, 2008 Archdale Arrowood Sharon Road West 2009 I-485/South Boulevard NORTH CAROLINA MARVIN COLLINS OUTSTANDING PLANNING AWARD south corridor station area plans SPECIAL THEME CATEGORY Sustainable Community Planning Table of Contents Executive Summary iii Volume I: Concept Plan 1 Study Area Context 3 Planning Process 3 Plan Boundaries 3 Opportunities and Constraints 4 Vision 6 Goals 6 Land Use and Community Design 9 Transit Station Area 9 General Corridor Areas 11 Wedge Neighborhood Areas 13 Transportation and Streetscape 14 Transportation/Street Design Recommendations 14 Streetscape Standards 19 Street Cross-sections 19 Avenue - Four Lane Divided 19 Avenue - Two Lane Undivided 21 Office/Commercial Street - Wide 22 Local Residential Street - Wide 23 Rail Frontage / Multi-use Trail 24 Infrastructure and Public Facilities 25 Public Facility/Infrastructure Recommendations 25 Park and Greenway Recommendations 25 Environment 26 Environmental Recommendations 26 Volume 2: Implementation Plan 27 Public Sector Responsibilities 29 Private Sector Responsibilities 29 Corrective Rezonings 29 Implementation Strategies 30 Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan i Appendix 33 Existing Conditions 35 Demographics 35 Environment 36 Land Use and Urban Design 37 Transportation 46 Infrastructure /Public Facilities 53 List of Maps Map 1: Study Area within Corridor Context 2 Map 2: Concept Plan 7 Map 3: Recommended Future Land Use 8 Map 4: Transportation Recommendations 17 Map 5: Streetscape Cross Section Key 18 Map 6: Corrective Rezonings 28 Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan ii iii Executive Summary Purpose Vision The Woodlawn Transit Station is the tenth station The desired future for the study area is highlighted in heading south from Center City along the South the following vision statement: Corridor Light Rail Transit (LRT) line, also known as the LYNX Blue Line. The Woodlawn study area will become one of a series of vibrant, high density transit villages along the The Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan is the third South Corridor. Within its boundaries, there will be of a series of plans for areas around the stations south three distinct areas: of South End. The Introduction to the South Corridor Station Area Plans lays the foundation for the station • Transit Station Area: The core of the study area plans. This plan builds on that document. It area will transform into a pedestrian-oriented analyzes current conditions in the area around the urban district. The area west of the light rail station, detailed in the Appendix. line will have a strong office orientation while the area to the east will include a mix of mod- The Concept Plan makes recommendations to bring erate to high intensity office, residential, and the right mix of development to complement the neighborhood serving retail. transit investment, and to optimize the land use and • General Corridor Area: The remainder infrastructure within the wider surrounding area. The of the Growth Corridor, located between Concept Plan is the only section of this document to I-77 and the neighborhoods to the east, be adopted by City Council. will include a range of uses appropriate for a Growth Corridor. The existing retail and Study Area industrial uses which characterize Woodlawn are expected to remain in the near term, but The plan examines the area within approximately will redevelop over time. 1/2 mile of the Woodlawn Transit Station. The • Wedge Neighborhood Area: The residential actual station is along Old Pineville Road south of character of the existing Madison Park and Woodlawn Road. However, the study area for the plan Collingwood neighborhoods will be main- covers a much larger area, extending from I-77 to the tained. Collingwood and Madison Park neighborhoods, for several blocks on either side of Woodlawn Road. It Land Use and Community Design is mostly in a Growth Corridor, as envisioned by the City’s Centers, Corridors and Wedges growth frame- The plan contains a number of recommendations work, but also includes a portion of the adjoining related to Land Use and Community Design within neighborhoods, in a Wedge. each of the three areas noted in the vision statement, The recommendations, shown on Map 3, include: Opportunities & Constraints Transit Station Area Through examination of existing conditions in the Woodlawn study area (see Appendix), opportunities • Promote mix of transit supportive land uses to build upon and constraints to overcome were iden- in Transit Station Area, generally within 1/2 tified. The Woodlawn study area has a strong existing mile of the station; office market. It has good vehicular access from I-77, • Provide active, ground floor, non-residential and a park-and-ride facility to take advantage of that uses such as retail or office, at key locations. access. The station is challenged by its Old Pineville Road location with little visibility or connection from • Support more intense development of CATS South Boulevard. There is no residential use in the Park-&-Ride lot. station area. Existing warehouse and industrial uses • Create urban plazas near the Transit Station. do not generate transit activity. The station area has a relatively poor pedestrian environment, and a discon- nected street network. Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iv General Corridor Area Streetscape Cross-Sections • Maintain locations for office, light industrial The standards in this section supplement require- and warehouse uses at appropriate locations. ments in TOD zoning districts, as well as TS, PED, UMUD, MUDD, NS, UR, and other urban zoning • Allow a mixture of retail, office, and residen- districts that may be established. This section recom- tial uses at appropriate locations along South mends future cross sections for streets, and identifies Boulevard. building setbacks and streetscape standards based on • Ensure that new development provides a good the ultimate curbline location. The standards will be transition to adjoining neighborhoods. met by developers who undertake new development or major renovation in the study area. Wedge Neighborhood Area Based on the City’s Urban Street Design Guidelines, • Maintain the single family character of the future cross-sections have been determined for streets, Collingwood and Madison Park neighbor- as well as the rail frontage, within the study area. Map hoods consistent with existing zoning. 5 shows the location for each type. The following • Recognize the opportunity for redevelopment street types are recommended for the plan area: of the single family parcels fronting Woodlawn Road, under specific criteria. • Avenue: 4-lane divided and 2-lane undivided • Office/Commercial Street- wide Transportation and Streetscape • Local Residential Street- wide Transportation recommendations address proposed • Rail Frontage/Multi-Use Trail new streets and enhancements to existing streets to make them more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. The Infrastructure and Environment recommendations, shown on Map 4, include: The core of the study area includes older built-out • Provide new street connections at key loca- industrial area as well as some strip commercial. tions. Maintain and enhance existing street Its infrastructure may require augmentation for network as redevelopment occurs. more intense new uses. The plan recommendations • Realign streets in the area northwest of include: Woodlawn Road and Nations Crossing Road. • Evaluate adequacy of infrastructure. • Eliminate sidewalk system gaps in Transit • Encourage burying of overhead utility lines. Station Area, and in sidewalk connections to • Encourage small urban open spaces in Transit the residential areas. Station Area. • Improve sidewalk system along major thor- • Make street trees a feature of all streets, and oughfares, and in General Corridor Area. reduce impervious surfaces. • Enhance pedestrian and bicycle crossings at • Design new buildings to reduce stormwater key locations. runoff and improve water quality; protect and • Extend bicycle lane on Woodlawn Road. enhance watersheds. • Site new development to allow for future Implementation Plan addition of bicycle lanes on thoroughfares. • Consider replacement of existing private The Implementation Plan recommends projects driveway rail crossing off Old Pineville Road to implement the policy recommendations of the with new street. Concept Plan. Because the Implementation Plan is not adopted by elected officials, it is a guide, not a • Install Pedestrian Lighting in key locations. commitment. The Implementation Plan recommends a number of sidewalk improvement and street con- nection projects, as well as corrective rezonings as shown on Map 6. Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Uptown South End New Bern Scaleybark Volume 1: Woodlawn 1 Concept Plan Tyvola Archdale Arrowood Sharon Road West I-485/South Boulevard Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan 2 Woodlawn Transit Station Area Plan Map 1: Study Area and South Corridor Boundaries CONWAY AVE SCALEYBARK RD YANCEY RD Charlotte Park Executive Center VERBENA ST Collinswood Elementary School PRESSLEY RD S TRYON ST YEOMAN RD APPLEGATE RD MACIE ST CHALMERS ST GILEAD ST (NOT OPEN) HARTFORD AVE BARTLING RD BRIABEND DR COLLINGWOOD DR FIRWOOD LN Collins UNIVERSITY DR OLD PINEVILLE RD P a r k NATIONS CROSSING RD W EXMORE ST I - 77 KENLOUGH DR APPLEGATE RD E EXMORE ST WALLINGFORD ST (NOT OPEN) AUTUMN CT NORTHGATE AVE WOODLAWN RD SOUTH BLVD