Community Planning

The Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan is the City’s long-term roadmap for growth. It sets the vision for how Charlotte should grow and change over time and provides the foundation for all other planning efforts.

Key elements of the Plan include:

• A vision to ensure growth benefits as many people as possible
• The Equitable Growth Framework, which measures opportunities today and guides decisions for a fairer future
• 10 Plan Goals that turn the vision into action
• A Place Type Palette that describes the kinds of places needed to realize these goals
• A Planning Framework that connects the citywide vision to more detailed guidance

On April 14, 2026, Charlotte City Council adopted seven draft Community Area Plans and amended seven existing plans, as well as the associated Policy Map revisions.

The Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map reflects guidance from the Comprehensive Plan and Community Area Plans. It identifies the type and intensity of development that is appropriate across the City. The Place Type designations within the map represent Charlotte’s growth strategy to:

• Respect existing neighborhoods
• Align growth with infrastructure capacity
• Create vibrant, mixed-use centers

Policy Map Manual - Learn how the Policy Map was developed and how it may be updated in the future. 

On April 13, 2026, Charlotte City Council adopted seven Community Area Plans and the Revised Policy Map and amended seven Community Area Plans. City staff has incorporated the approved changes into the plans and released the final documents (linked below).

The Charlotte Future 2040 Community Area Plans (CAPs) take the citywide vision and goals and apply them to each part of Charlotte. They give residents and decision-makers a clearer picture of what change is expected locally and how that change supports the broader goals of the Comprehensive Plan.

Each CAP:

• Identifies a community’s greatest needs in line with the citywide vision and prioritizes the Comprehensive Plan goals
• Outlines where and what type of change is expected and explains how that change advances community priorities
• Highlights needed improvements to ensure future growth reflects Charlotte’s aspirations and benefits as many residents as possible

The Plans include a shared Neighborhood Toolkit which outlines existing City programs and resources residents can use to help maintain, strengthen, and enhance their communities. 

Find out which Community Area Plan impacts you.

Want to learn more about your Community Area Plan?

City staff will be hosting an Area Plan Roadshow to help residents understand how to use the plans and support positive change in their neighborhoods. Learn more and invite Long Range Planning staff to your next community meeting.

On January 21, 2026, the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners adopted the Comprehensive Plan For Unincorporated South Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte collaborated to develop the Comprehensive Plan For Unincorporated South Mecklenburg. This plan provides future land use guidance and fulfills state requirements for land use planning for the project area, located in the unincorporated area of south Mecklenburg County, bordered by Lancaster Highway, Providence Road West, the town limits of Pineville, and the South Carolina border.

The Planning Academy is a free educational program open to anyone interested in learning how planning shapes Charlotte’s communities. The Academy gives participants the knowledge and tools to get involved in future planning efforts and to better understand how decisions about growth are made.

Since its launch in 2016, the program has focused on three main goals:

• Educate: Educate residents about the role Planning plays in building communities
• Empower: Empower residents to effectively participate in future planning processes
• Unite: Build relationships between City staff, participants, and neighborhoods