Latest news with #PeppertreeApartments
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Charlotte's new climate goals aim to balance reducing emissions with community improvement
In a unanimous vote last week, the Charlotte City Council approved an update to the city's climate goals. Council originally set climate benchmarks in 2018, and the city established the Strategic Energy Action Plan to meet those goals by tracking and reducing the city's greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to cleaner sources of electricity. The updated version, known as the Strategic Energy Action Plan Plus, expands on those goals by setting a benchmark to transition its entire light-duty fleet and cut citywide emissions by 72% by 2035, then reach net-zero emissions by 2050. ALSO READ: Charlotte adjusts city-wide climate goals as 2030 deadline approaches Additionally, Heather Bolick, the city's chief sustainability officer, explained that the new plan also focuses far more on climate adaptation and ways to make green technology more accessible to those who live and work in the city. 'One thing that we found through our engagement that was really important to the community was things like tree canopy and also reducing waste,' she said. 'We need more shade. We need a cooler city.' Bolick explained a city study found Charlotte is experiencing triple the high heat days that it experienced on average 30 years ago, so finding ways to improve shade or reflect the heat rather than absorb it is an important part of the city's plan moving forward. 'We have concrete instead of asphalt,' she explained. 'We have cool roofs, and that reflects the heat back up into the atmosphere.' The largest portion of the city's emissions comes from transportation, particularly road and rail. While Bolick explains the city is working to cut down on that through replacing its fleet with electric vehicles, adding more charging infrastructure, and advocating for the county transit plan to reduce car dependency. The Peppertree Apartments are benefiting from another city's strategy. A partnership between the complex, a mobility nonprofit, and the city, Peppertree Apartments, launched an EV carshare program about three months ago. As property manager Meg Martin explains, the program allows residents, many of whom make below the area median income, to reserve and drive one of the on-site EVs for less than the cost of an Uber or Lyft. 'A lot of our residents don't have actual vehicles, but they have a driver's license,' she said. 'This gives them a chance if they need to go to the doctors, if they need to go grocery shopping, or if they need to get their child to and from daycare.' From the city's perspective, it's a win-win, allowing more families access to affordable point-to-point transportation while reducing emissions and making green technology more accessible. Bolick said the city hopes to get more programs like this off the ground, including the Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg program, which aims to make residential and community solar more affordable to residents across the city. In the meantime, Bolick said the city is continuing to try and get all its electricity from zero-carbon sources by 2030 by building up its own solar generation. In the end, though, she said Charlotte can't meet its ambitious goals unless there's buy-in from local residents and businesses. 'The past six years we've been putting policy in place, programs, really setting ourselves up to get ourselves going,' she said. 'Now we're asking our community to come with us.' VIDEO: Charlotte adjusts city-wide climate goals as 2030 deadline approaches
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
East Charlotte community first to get new EV carshare program
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte leaders are rolling out a new carshare program in an effort to expand transportation access in underserved communities. The first part of the city to get the service is east Charlotte, an area seeing other revitalization efforts. The electric vehicles are parked at the front of the Peppertree Apartment complex on Central Avenue, but people don't have to live there to use them. The process is simple. Residents download an app to register and reserve a vehicle. 'They say I have a driver's license, but I don't have the money,' said Meg Martino, property manager at Peppertree Apartments. 'I don't have the credit. We're taking that hurdle out and saying we'll provide you a car.' 'The Carolina Carshare program allows people living in affordable housing communities to easily access transportation in an affordable, reliable and environmentally sustainable way. 'When you don't have transportation, you actually lose out on a lot of resources,' said Martino. 'You can't get to the doctors regularly. You can't get to the appointments that you need to go to. You can't go to your child's school on the regular.' Charlotte leaders are trying to open up opportunities for those who don't have cars. 'I would say out of 291 active units here, I would say 80% of my residents walk,' said Martino. MORE | For $5/hour or $50/day, Martino's tenants are already renting the vehicles. 'Really positive feedback from the residents,' she said. The initiative comes as city officials are working to build up the east side. 'East Charlotte is rising and I think that is something that I'm more ecstatic about than anything else,' said Charlotte City Councilwoman Marjorie Molina, who serves the east side. It's welcomed news for those who live and work there. 'This kind of area was forgotten for a little bit,' said Martino. 'Once Plaza Midwood started growing, this kind of area was just unseen, kind of the stepchild. Now we're rising back up and saying look, we are over here. We have a lot to offer.' City leaders will add EV fleets and charging stations at three other locations in the coming months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Charlotte launches EV car-share program to boost access and sustainability
Wednesday afternoon, Charlotte celebrated the launch of a new electric vehicle car-share program. The Peppertree Apartments now has a fleet of shared EVs and charging infrastructure. Officials said the initiative brings affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation to neighborhoods in one of Charlotte's corridors. ALSO READ: Political and market uncertainty in EV market could stifle burgeoning industry in Carolinas 'This program is one we're so excited about. A share program is a way to have people connect to their jobs, their education, their healthcare, all of these things, without having to own a car, but to use a car,' an organizer told Channel 9. Charlotte is one of just thirteen cities nationwide and the only city in the Southeast to be selected to receive grant funding through the Affordable Mobility Platform. The program is designed to increase transportation access to people in affordable housing while also reducing carbon emissions in underserved communities. VIDEO: Political and market uncertainty in EV market could stifle burgeoning industry in Carolinas
