Future uncertain for Charlotte’s builder-friendly reputation

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If you’re a builder in Charlotte, chances are you are could be a bit more chipper.

Chances are you think there are too many new rules in Mecklenburg County that are hurting your profits.

You would not be alone.

Over the past three weeks, The Mecklenburg Times has reported on the clashing of builders and regulations that tell them, among other things, how to protect water quality, how many trees they must have on new developments and how often to build streets and sidewalks.

Many builders aren’t happy about these and other requirements, most of which have popped up or been revised within the past three years or so.

The question now: How is all of this frustration from builders going to affect Charlotte’s economy, or is it at all?

To be sure, the builders are hopping mad over these regulations, which affect residential and commercial projects. They say the requirements not only drive up the cost of construction but also make it harder for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to be competitive.

Some builders argue that if it costs more to build and live in Mecklenburg County, the county becomes less attractive to potential residents.

That’s a sound argument.

Other builders say some of the ordinances make it more cost-effective to build in other counties, which makes Mecklenburg County less attractive to builders who, at the end of the day, need to make a profit.

That’s a sound argument, too.

Now the ball is in the court of government officials, who must decide whether to make changes to make the builders happy. But government is stuck between a rock and a hard place, because it, too, has some considerations to make.

Let’s face it: Requiring developments to have more trees makes the whole area greener and more attractive, which can also lure people to an area. Communities that have more sidewalks are also more attractive, at least to this father of two who likes to take his kids for a walk around the block every now and then.

Government officials also have to protect the environment, which is the aim of stormwater-control requirements for developers.

It’s a balancing act for the government: It has to protect land, air and water and make an area healthy and attractive for residents while also making sure its rules for construction aren’t so onerous that developers can’t afford to build here and people can’t afford the housing.

To people outside of Charlotte, this is an area considered to have a friendly climate for builders.

“It’s relatively easy to build” in Charlotte, Harvard economist Edward Glaeser said last month at a forum at Central Piedmont Community College. “That’s a big part of Sun Belt growth. It’s not just about sunshine. It’s not just about productivity.”

Glaeser said other cities have “draconian land-use regulations” that make building difficult.

“If you require a 2-acre lot size, you are going to get less building,” he said. “If you don’t build, you don’t grow. If there is high demand for your area, you become an unaffordable boutique city that’s not affordable for ordinary people.”

Will Charlotte keep its builder-friendly reputation? Only time till tell.

Editor Deon Roberts can be reached at [email protected].