Expedited Plan Review

The Expedited Review Program includes the following project tiers based on site acreage and project complexity.

Tier 1 – Projects Up to Two (2) Acres

Projects within this tier are classified during the Sketch Plan Review process as either:

Minor Projects

• No new public or private streets proposed.

• Lower-complexity development activity requiring limited coordination among reviewing agencies.

Major Projects

• New public or private streets and/or other infrastructure improvements proposed.

• Increased project complexity requiring additional interdepartmental coordination.

Tier 2 – Projects Greater Than Two (2) Acres and Up to Ten (10) Acres

Tier 3 – Projects Greater Than Ten (10) Acres

Project eligibility and tier classification are determined by City staff during the Sketch Plan Review process based on acreage, project complexity, and compliance with program requirements.

Sketch Plan Requirement for Projects 

Applicants seeking consideration under the Expedited Review Program must submit a sketch plan prior to submitting for an expedited review.  The application must clearly indicate the applicant’s request to be evaluated for expedited review. An additional fee of $500 will be assessed in addition to the standard sketch plan review fees. 

Eligibility Determination

Eligibility will be determined during the Sketch Plan review process and is based on:

• Compliance with adopted program criteria
• Project complexity
• Scope of work
• Potential impacts on public infrastructure and surrounding development.

Ineligibility and Comment Meeting Option

If a project is determined to be ineligible for expedited review, the applicant may request a comment meeting with staff. The purpose of the meeting is to:

• Review staff comments and the basis for ineligibility determination; and
• Allow the development team to explain the project’s approach and rationale for requesting expedited review.

Participation in a comment meeting does not guarantee reconsideration or approval for expedited review but is intended to provide clarity, alignment, and guidance for next steps.

First review

Ten (10) business days

All subsequent reviews until approval

Seven (7) business days

General Provisions

• Review timelines will begin upon determination that the gateway has passed, and fees have been paid.
• Expedited review timelines apply only to projects approved for participation in the Expedited Review Program.
• Failure to meet program eligibility requirements at any stage may result in removal from the expedited track and reversion to standard review timelines.  No refund or portion of the expedited fee will be refunded.

For Revisions to Approved Plans (RTAPs), applicants must indicate on the LDCP application that the submittal is an RTAP and is being requested for review under the Expedited Review Program. Eligible RTAPs, regardless of site acreage, will receive a seven (7) business day review timeline.

Included Comment Meeting

One (1) comment meeting is included in the Expedited Review Program fee and will be conducted following completion of the first review cycle. Two placeholder meeting appointments are scheduled on City staff’s calendars per week. 

Meeting Agenda Requirement

The development team will provide a meeting agenda to the review team no later than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled meeting.

Failure to provide the required agenda within the specified timeframe will result in cancellation of the meeting, and no portion of the expedited review fee will be refunded.

Additional Comment Meetings

If the development team requests additional comment meetings beyond the one included, a non-refundable fee of $2,000 per meeting must be paid in full prior to scheduling each additional meeting.

If a Transportation Impact Study (TIS) or Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is required for a project, the study must be approved prior to submittal of an application requesting participation in the Expedited Review Program.

Projects requiring a TIS or TIA that have not received approval will be ineligible for expedited review and must proceed under standard review timelines until such approval is obtained.

• Projects in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)
• Projects requiring North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) review
• Projects with interchange requirements or involving bridges
• Projects involving pump stations or low-pressure sewers
• Projects that have not received preliminary Capacity Assurance Program (CAP) approval within 6 months of submittal
• Projects requiring Charlotte Water encroachments into railroad rights-of-way

Additional reviews may be required before final plan approval is granted. These reviews may occur either prior to or concurrently with the construction plan review; however, they follow separate timelines and are not eligible for expedited processing. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Street Exceptions, Variances, Administrative Amendments, Administrative Adjustments, Parking Reductions, ACRB Cases, Right-of-way Abandonments
• Floodplain Development Permits
• SWIM or PCCO Water Quality Buffer Encroachments
• Disturbances to wetlands or jurisdictional channels requiring written approval from the NCDENR/DWQ and the USACE