Adjusting the Jewels in the Crown of the Queen City The Future of Charlotte and the JLC’s Role

By: Shellisa Multrie

One part of the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc’s (JLC) tripart mission is to improve the community. Because of this, the League and its members naturally have their eyes on the future of this city. To make sure the League has the pulse of the city in mind, League leaders have created a relationship with Charlotte’s Assistant City Manager and city planner, Taiwo Jaiyeoba. Jaiyeoba moved to Charlotte in 2015 and was hired as planning director for the city of Charlotte in January 2018. He has been working on the city’s first comprehensive plan in decades, including some important updates to land use regulations.

When Jaieyoba talks about Charlotte, there is a clear hope for the future and pride in work that is coming from his office.

Where it all began

“I grew up knowing that I wanted to do something with people,” recalls Jaeyeoba. And while he thought that might mean the police force or being a pilot, he studied geography initially because his uncle was an expert in the field.

“My first day of class, the instructor asked, ‘What is the city for? The people.’ That statement let me know that this was the right place for me.” During his studies, he interned with a town planner in Nigeria and benefited from a host of other opportunities over the last 26 years in Botswana, Sacramento, California, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Atlanta, Georgia and now here in Charlotte.

The Evolution of the Crescent and the Wedge

Jaieyoba began to notice some of the ways that Charlotte could use some help before he started working for the city. He noted the differences between Providence and Beatties Ford Roads as he drove the streets when traveling around Charlotte. He noted that there seemed to be a clear gap that needed to be bridged. Many talked about the “crescent and the wedge” that existed in the city referring to voting patterns. Over time, it expanded to describe income, school performance, race and food deserts, and now, during the pandemic, even the COVID-19 infection rate can be illustrated this way.

Many have described the coveted area of south Charlotte as a wedge or pie slice shape that expands from Uptown. This is typically the area where the rich, affluent and mostly white communities are located. In this area are more parks, job access, grocery stores and high performance schools. The rest of Charlotte, which creates sort of an arc shape around the wedge, is more racially mixed, significantly poorer and does not have some of the same conveniences that are noted in the wedge. It’s quite striking when you take a look at the visual depictions.

THE “ARC” AND THE “WEDGE” Comparisons between the arc and wedge geographies are shown below, and depicted for the data sets that follow. Average data for the arc and wedge can mask significant differences among NPAs within each of these larger geographies, as noted for several of the data sets. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is included within the arc geography, however, because here are no residential units in that NPA, it is excluded from averages for data sets such as housing, voter participation, and household proximity to grocery.

“I came to Charlotte in 1999. I don’t remember a lot about it but, when I came back in 2011, I couldn’t believe how neat and organized uptown was. When the company where I worked moved me here in 2015, I was so happy because I knew the city was still growing. I could have moved anywhere, but I chose Charlotte because there was so much diversity. I was also taken by the city skyline.”

BUILT CITY EQUITY ATLAS Graphic Source: Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan

Introduction | 15

The Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan used data to outline a Built City Equity Atlas that evaluated how equity is distributed in Charlotte, the process for planning land use and development patterns. This Built City Equity Atlas even covers parts of the city that the Arc and Wedge do not.

Bright spots on the horizon

When I asked Mr. Jaiyeoba about what he is most proud of, he was quick to talk about the work that is done along Beatties Ford Road. “I’m so proud of those investments,” he shares. Under the leadership of JLC Sustainer and Mayor Vi Lyles, there have been great strides to bridge the gaps in opportunities and development. He firmly believes that wherever you live, you should have access to amenities.

What is also inspiring is that Jaieyoba genuinely believes that even if you don’t agree, you can work to find a solution. That spirit of collaboration and working through differences is going to come in handy as he works to change longstanding land use plans to try to solve affordable housing. It becomes more important to do things like forming a task force to address disparities in Charlotte, which currently ranks 50th out of 50 for economic mobility according to a study led by Harvard professor Raj Chetty. As a response to this study, the 2016-2017 Focus Advisory Board Subcommittee recommended, and the membership approved, that the JLC adopt a 2018-2023 Focus Area of Economic Mobility with a primary goal on removing barriers to school readiness.

Another positive note is the anticipated growth of our city. Charlotte, the 15th largest city in the nation, is also one of the fastest-growing cities. City leaders expect another 385,000 people will move here by 2040. Companies such as Centene, Amazon, Robinhood and Arrival, just to name a few, keep making plans to add jobs in Charlotte. City leaders want to make sure that everyone benefits from our growth — not just the wealthiest people.

The pandemic uncovered different needs for city planning

The pandemic has been tragic because of the loss of lives, jobs and more. Almost everyone in Charlotte has been affected in one way or another.

“When planning, we had to take a step back to look at how our plans can be sustained even in a health crisis. We started thinking about our plan and how to work with Mecklenburg County Health Director, Gibbe Harris - what are the things that make sense to see in a land use plan? Some of the considerations in a public health crisis include wide sidewalks, managing overcrowding in one part of town or another and of course affordable housing, which has become even more important in this economic crisis. There has to be a plan for healthy, active lifestyles and access to healthy food. Lastly, public spaces now need to be designed for social distancing so people can enjoy balconies for example, but still be six feet apart. These were all brought to the surface during the pandemic. Something quite unique happened during the pandemic. We held community meetings before, but once we had to start having them virtually, attendance skyrocketed. Being creative with our format grew the audience to more than 6,000 people.”

What’s on the horizon for the Queen City, and how can organizations like The Junior League of Charlotte play a part?

“One of the things that impressed me about the JLC was the volunteerism. I often say to run for office and have a platform that is about people.” Jaieyoba states. He acknowledges that everyone cannot run for office, but one important thing that we all have is a voice. Jaieyoba shared that we all often hear a lot from people who oppose things, but not always from those who are in support. He thinks it is important to lead demonstrations for what we are for and not just protest what we are against. “We have to be connected and in contact with our city leaders.”

Jaiyeoba encourages JLC members and all in the Charlotte community to get familiar with the comprehensive plan and help educate others on what the plan could mean for the future of Charlotte.

Jaieyoba shared that it is important that we all work together and get the work done. Affordable housing, which is included in the plan, is a big way that we can come together. What can we do as a city and a county to help those who need it the most? When we think about the homeless and former tent city residents, we need to realize that most people do not choose to be homeless. They often need support to transition and comprehensive plans to help.

Jaiyeoba closed by sharing, “I’m proud of this city. We will always have healthy tension but that lets us know where the fault line is. Our positions allow us to do more. If you see something, have concerns, reach out to me at taiwo@charlottenc.gov.”