As part of the City’s UDO Upgrade Project, Metrocology was tasked with preparing seven small area plans to illustrate the type of development that would be permitted by the new supplemental regulations. The Hand and Wilson properties, in the growing suburban neighborhoods of southern Gastonia, were selected due to their size, location within the transportation network, and developer interest.

Metrocology prepared a plan for both properties, integrating them to show how a neighborhood center would service a hierarchy of housing densities. Many of the housing types included were “Missing Middle,” which had been made available through the voluntary rezoning option allowed under the new supplemental UDO regulations.

During the master planning process, the Wilson property was put under contract to be developed, and Metrocology worked with the land owner’s development team led by Shook Kelly Architects to finalize the site plan and program for that property.