CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A new mixed-use development was approved for the SouthPark area Monday night. 

The Charlotte City Council voted to allow a rezoning that would pave the way for townhomes, apartments and ground-floor retail at the northwest corner of Colony Road and Roxborough Road. The site currently houses the Trianon condominiums right across the street from a large development involving apartments and grocery store. 

Tariq Bokhari, who represents the area on the council described the give and take that occurred between Barclay Downs neighbors and the developer. The latter, RD Southpark LLC, agreed to invest $3 million into a SouthPark walking trail that will include three places for public art plus $1 million to the city’s Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing.  

Bokahi said the talks started with giving $250,000 for the trail and $500,000 for housing.  

There will be 50 units in the development for affordable housing. 

“I’m not used to some many contractual best-efforts,” Bokhari said. “I’m taking them at their word and conversation to date. They want to be a big part of the community. These best efforts and handshakes go a long way to hold them accountable.” 

When the city’s unified development ordinance was updated last year, it created a special zoning for the SouthPark area. It will go into effect in June. 

Councilman Braxton Winston complimented Bokhari’s work and said the process showcased how opposing sides can come to an agreement. 

“I encourage developers and neighbors to figure what is the best path forward to be good neighbors to one another,” Winston said. “While everybody might not agree on every single detail, there have been good neighborly efforts to get to this point.” 

He noted that the conditions added to benefit the community should be considered for future proposals. 

“How can we objectively consider how much a benefit is worth and what is the right ask to make?” he asked. “I hope, whether it’s part of this community-area planning process, as a breakout, or once the UDO is in place, we need to dive into what kind of tools can we make to guide what the community benefit is and how we inject them in our development and overall rezoning processes.”