ABSTRACT
Concord is a small city in Cabarrus County in the State of North Carolina with a population of just under 60 000, a figure that has dramatically doubled in size since 1990. It lies about 25 miles north of the major city of Charlotte and about 15 miles east of Huntersville. Settled in 1750 and the county seat since 1796, Concord has its roots in textiles and banking, which formed its economic base through the 19th century. Textiles then became dominant in the town's economy, which absorbed heavy economic blows during that industry's precipitous decline since the 1970s. However, economic activity has recovered well, based now on a mix of light manufacturing, health care, professional services and auto racing. The town is home to Lowes Motor Speedway, a huge NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) race track just a couple miles south on the main Highway 29 (Concord Parkway) that crosses the project site; this facility is the region's second largest tourist attraction with the two main racing weeks each year drawing over 1 250 000 visitors between them (see Figure 9.1). Concord has undergone extensive residential growth within the booming economy of the greater Charlotte region, where it serves in part as a bedroom community to the big city, but only in the past few years has the town attempted to manage this growth in a constructive manner with new planning initiatives. Some useful form-based zoning provisions have recently been added to the conventional ordinance, but most regulations still reflect the standard, old-fashioned classifications by use with little urban design content.
