RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District Use Guide
In the City of Charlotte, the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District is intended to support major employment centers, high-density residential developments, and significant cultural destinations. This district prioritizes a vibrant, urban, pedestrian-oriented environment with a high reliance on transit accessibility, allowing for heights up to 150 feet (or 275 feet with specific development bonuses). While it permits a wide range of intense mixed-use activities, low-intensity uses such as single-family detached dwellings and various auto-centric commercial services are prohibited within the City of Charlotte's RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District.
Purpose of the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District
The RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District is established by the City of Charlotte to accommodate locations that serve both local and regional markets. The district encourages high-density residential uses to facilitate vertical mixed-use development. The standards are designed to ensure high-quality architectural design and ease of access via the City's transit network [Section 12.1.A].
Allowed Residential Uses
Residential permissions within the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District focus on high-density and multi-unit configurations.
| Use Type | Permission Level |
|---|---|
| Continuum Care Retirement Community (CCRC) | Permitted (X) |
| Dormitory | Permitted (X) |
| Dwelling – Duplex | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Dwelling – Live/Work | Permitted (X) |
| Dwelling – Multi-Family Attached | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Dwelling – Multi-Family Stacked | Permitted (X) |
| Dwelling – Quadraplex | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Dwelling – Triplex | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Group Home | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Multi-Dwelling Development | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Single Room Occupancy (SRO) | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
[Table 15-1]
Allowed Commercial and Office Uses
The RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District allows for a variety of office, retail, and entertainment uses intended to serve a regional population.
| Use Type | Permission Level |
|---|---|
| Art Gallery | Permitted (X) |
| Arts or Fitness Studio | Permitted (X) |
| Broadcasting Facility – No Antennae | Permitted (X) |
| Commercial Fitness Center | Permitted (X) |
| Convention Center | Permitted (X) |
| Financial Institution | Permitted (X) |
| Hotel/Motel | Permitted (X) |
| Industrial Design | Permitted (X) |
| Live Performance Venue – Indoor | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Lodge/Meeting Hall | Permitted (X) |
| Medical/Dental Office | Permitted (X) |
| Micro-Production of Alcohol | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Nightclub | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Office | Permitted (X) |
| Outdoor Market | Permitted (X) |
| Personal Service Establishment | Permitted (X) |
| Reception Facility | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Research and Development (R&D) | Permitted (X) |
| R&D with Light Industrial | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Restaurant/Bar | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Retail Goods Establishment | Permitted (X) |
| Retail Goods Showroom | Permitted (X) |
| Specialty Food Service | Permitted (X) |
[Table 15-1]
Allowed Institutional, Public, and Other Uses
Institutional and infrastructure uses that support a major activity hub are permitted within the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District.
| Use Type | Permission Level |
|---|---|
| Adult Care Center | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Childcare Center (All sizes) | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Community Center | Permitted (X) |
| Cultural Facility | Permitted (X) |
| Educational Facility (Primary, Secondary, University, Vocational) | Permitted (X) |
| Government Office/Facility | Permitted (X) |
| Place of Worship | Permitted (X) |
| Public Safety Facility | Permitted (X) |
| Healthcare Institution | Permitted (X) |
| Social Service Facility | Permitted (X) |
| Parking Lot or Structure (Principal Use) | Permitted (X) |
| Passenger Terminal | Permitted (X) |
| Public Transit Facility | Permitted (X) |
| Stadium | Conditional (C) |
| Beneficial Fill Site | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Industrial, Craft | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
| Movie Studio | Prescribed Conditions (PC) |
[Table 15-1]
Prohibited Uses
Under the City of Charlotte UDO, any use not explicitly listed as Permitted (X), Prescribed Conditions (PC), or Conditional (C) in the RAC column of the Use Matrix is prohibited [Section 15.1.C.3]. Notable prohibited uses in the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District include:
- Residential: Single-Family Detached Dwellings (except where they exist legally prior to the effective date), Manufactured Homes.
- Commercial: Adult Uses, Adult Electronic Gaming Establishments, Animal Shelters, Bed and Breakfasts, Car Washes, Commercial Kitchens, Drive-Through Establishments, Funeral Homes, and Heavy Retail Establishments.
- Industrial: General Industrial, Light Industrial (except as part of R&D), Junk Yards, and Truck Terminals.
- Auto-Centric: Vehicle Fueling Facilities, Vehicle Dealerships (Outdoor), and Vehicle Repair Facilities (Major/Minor).
- Agricultural: Boarding Stables and general farming operations.
[Table 15-1]
Dimensional and Design Standards
The City of Charlotte applies specific siting and height requirements to ensure the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District maintains its intended urban density.
Building Siting Standards
Setbacks in the RAC: Regional Activity Center Zoning District are determined primarily by the type of street frontage.
| Frontage Type | Setback Line (From future back of curb) |
|---|---|
| Uptown Signature | 24 feet |
| Main Street | 24 feet |
| Linear Park | 36 feet |
| 4-5 Lane Avenue/Boulevard | 20 feet |
| 6 or more Lane Avenue/Boulevard | 24 feet |
| 2-3 Lane Avenue | 20 feet |
| Transit Station, Off-Street Public Path, Public Park | 5 feet |
| Uptown Primary | 20 feet |
| Other - Primary | 20 feet |
| Uptown Secondary | 16 feet |
| Secondary | 16 feet |
| Parkway | 20 feet |
| Limited Access (Measured from ROW) | 10 feet |
[Table 12-1]
Building Height Standards
| Standard | Height Limit |
|---|---|
| Minimum Building Height | 40 feet |
| Maximum Building Height | 150 feet |
| Maximum Height with Bonus (Section 16.3) | 275 feet |
[Table 12-2]
Sections Cited
- Article 12. Regional Activity Center Zoning Districts: RAC, UE, UC
- Section 12.1 Purpose
- Section 12.3 Dimensional and Design Standards
- Section 15.1 General Use Regulations
- Table 15-1: Use Matrix
- Section 16.3 Development Bonus
- Article 19. Off-Street Vehicle & Bicycle Parking