LoSo, Plaza Midwood may get social districts this summer pending city council approval
It may soon be possible to take your drink from the bar to the street in two growing Charlotte neighborhoods.
The Plaza Midwood Merchants Association and Gilde Brewery in Charlotte have submitted applications to become social districts, city staff told the Charlotte City Council Monday.
The Charlotte City Council approved the concept of social districts in August 2022, allowing neighborhood and merchant organizations to request the creation of areas that allow people to bring purchased drinks outdoors in predetermined boundaries.
The Plaza Midwood neighborhood is located east of uptown Charlotte and Gilde Brewery is located in LoSo, or Lower South End, off South Tryon Street.
The council is expected to hold a public hearing about the first two proposed social districts in April and take action in May.
Social districts are possible due to House Bill 890, a measure allowing cities and counties to define outdoor spaces where people can legally drink alcoholic beverages bought from a state-permitted business.
Cornelius became one of the first Charlotte-area towns to create a social district in March 2022. The district has made the downtown area more walkable and increased foot traffic at local businesses, Cornelius Town Commissioner Denis Bilodeau told The Charlotte Observer in January.
Organizations in Charlotte that wish to create a social district can apply on the city’s website, charlottenc.gov.
Here’s what else the Charlotte City Council discussed and voted on Monday night:
Expanding council terms? Another district?
During a public hearing Monday night, one resident told the council he is opposed to a governance change to expand council terms to four years, add an eighth district to the council and stagger terms.
Mecklenburg GOP Vice Chair David Merrill was the only public speaker during the hearing, and told council members they should only discuss four year terms if term limits are also part of the conversation. He also said staggered elections would allow district representatives to run at large while keeping their seat safe.
The council is expected to vote May 8 on an ordinance that would put a referendum on the ballot this November when voters will have the ultimate say on expanded council terms and districts.
The changes have been discussed by council for years. It came to a vote in February after being presented to the council by the city’s budget, governance and intergovernmental relations committee.
Polk Park improvements
The city approved a partnership with Charlotte Center City Partners to revamp a small uptown park.
The city owns Polk Park on Trade and Tryon streets and received a proposal from a group of civic leaders to revamp and rename the park.
The framework for the partnership includes:
▪ City-funded demolition of the existing park for $350,000.
▪ Charlotte Center City Partners will coordinate private donors, stakeholders and city staff on the new park’s design.
▪ The city will maintain the park once it is completed.
City to receive $6 million more in national opioid settlement
The city is expected to receive $6 million more than originally thought after additional opioid lawsuits were settled.
Now, Charlotte will receive almost $15 million. The city will work with Mecklenburg County to distribute toward prevention, treatment and recovery.
In response to the effects of the opioid epidemic, thousands of local governments teamed up, including 76 counties and eight municipalities in North Carolina, to file lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies.
This story was originally published March 14, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
