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Raleigh
Planning District
About Raleigh
The Raleigh District has a multitude of retail, entertainment, and dining options utilized by residents and recreational opportunities that draw in those from within and outside the City of Memphis, creating more opportunity for those that live there. The history of the district is prominent and featured in developments and public art. Corridors are safe for pedestrians and all who use them and connect the entire district. Community spaces and public facilities are hubs of activity and provide enjoyment for all.
Raleigh District Workshop #2 -
What We Heard
Future Land Use
Click on the map to zoom in
Future Land Use Map: Connecting Places, People, and Activities
The Future Land Use Map is a vision for Memphis’s future. It’s not a set of strict rules, but rather a guide that reflects the kind of places and activities we want to see in our city as it grows. It’s about creating a community that works for everyone.
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What do the Letters and Numbers indicate?
The letters indicate Place Types, which makes Memphis unique. And the numbers indicate the highlighted places in the neighborhood.
Memphis 3.0 organizes the city into six Place Types—categories that help us understand and plan for the unique character of different areas. Each Place Type is designed to reflect how people live, work, and interact with their surroundings.
A : Anchors: Vibrant, walkable hubs at the heart of accessible, well-connected communities, filled with mixed-use spaces where people can live, work, and play.
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AN : Anchor Neighborhoods: Walkable, connected neighborhoods that support and complement the Anchors.
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CM : Communities: Residential areas that make up the majority of the city, where people live and build their lives.
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CR : Corridors: Auto-oriented commercial strips with retail and services designed for easy access by car.
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SP : Special Uses: Areas focused on industrial, logistical, or transportation activities, often with large blocks and fewer intersections.
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PC : Parks and Civic Spaces: Natural areas, parks, schools, and institutions that serve as gathering places for the community.
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Other Highlighted Places: Some topics or needs are specific to certain places, and that’s what makes them deserving of special attention.
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An extended explanation can be accessed here.
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
A
Anchor – Urban Main Street ​
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Future: Walkable, vertically mixed-use centers with block-scale buildings along main streets, serving as moderate to high-intensity anchors for urban neighborhoods.
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Existing: The New Raleigh Town Center is a community Highlight. The anchor hosts a hub of different activities such as a skate park, police station, public library, amphitheater, and a walking path surrounding a large water feature.
Residents are proud of their new space and excited to see investment in their community. Parents are happy their children have a safe place to go and participate in different activities.
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Zoning must connect the surrounding neighborhoods that abut the anchor.
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A gateway designation will reflect the auto-centric development along Austin Peay.
AN
Anchor Neighborhood – Mix of Building Types​
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Future: Walkable neighborhoods within a 5–10-minute walk of a Community Anchor, featuring a mix of single-unit and multi-unit housing, with potential for low-intensity commercial uses along corridors.
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Existing: The area surrounding the new civic center, especially along the highway, suffers from blighted commercial properties. The neighborhoods abutting the anchor could benefit from increased connectivity directly into the civic center.
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Interest in creating senior housing near the new development. There should be housing for mixed incomes where families can live together.
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When children grow up, they need to have a place they can move to nearby instead of leaving Raleigh.
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Multi-modal connectivity should focus on side streets, not across Austin Peay.
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Zoning must reflect the increase in community connectivity to the nearby civic center.
PC
Public/Quasi-Public Buildings and Uses​
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Future: Civic buildings, schools, religious institutions, and community facilities that contribute to the civic space framework.
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Existing: The investment of a skatepark, water feature, walking path, and amphitheater has increased the attractiveness of the area. Many residents use the space for physical activity and as a communal space.
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Residents are enjoying the park facilities and hope to see more development occur surrounding the area.
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Current zoning reflects what residents want to see. Continued support of the park space sustaining the area is a priority.
1. AUSTIN PEAY & YALE
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
A
Anchor – Neighborhood Main Street​
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Future: Walkable, mixed-use centers with house-scale buildings lining main streets, serving as moderate-intensity anchors for surrounding neighborhoods.
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Existing: The Old Raleigh Town Center area features some blighted commercial properties with nearby hotels that have become a nuisance for the community. The current buildout could support a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environment.
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Traffic coming off the highway creates issues for the main intersection at Stage and Old Austin Peay.
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More investment for pedestrian friendly infrastructure should occur at this anchor.
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Community murals capturing the history of Raleigh and fostering an art community could occur here.
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Current zoning supports pedestrianism and a mix of uses that residents would prefer to see.
AN
Anchor Neighborhood – Mix of Building Types​
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Future: Walkable neighborhoods within a 5–10-minute walk of a Community Anchor, featuring a mix of single-unit and multi-unit housing, with potential for low-intensity commercial uses along corridors.
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Existing: The neighborhood features a large amount of multi-family housing and commercial services separated by large roads that do not support pedestrianism.
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Accessibility to the nearby parks, civic spaces, and anchors is a priority. JFK is not accessible to residents who live nearby. The Old Town Center anchor is also dominated by large roads that are not easy to cross on foot.
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Commercial services nearby should exist at the neighborhood scale. Auto-oriented uses should exist on Austin Peay.
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Current zoning supports lower-intensity commercial services.
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Residential zoning supports increasing the number of residents in the neighborhood to support the activation of parks nearby.
2. STAGE & AUSTIN PEAY
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
CR
Corridor – Low Intensity Commercial & Services​
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Future: Low-rise, auto-oriented commercial areas with house- or block-scale buildings, providing neighborhood-supporting retail and services.
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Existing: The intersection supports auto-centric uses with two gas stations and large roads. There are current HCD developments occurring on the Northeast side of the intersection increasing middle housing-type options in the community.
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Residents appreciate the development of senior housing and would like to see housing options increase.
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Residents like the Future Land Use designation changing from Industrial uses to Natural Open Space.
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The possibility of a new, mixed-use development on James Rd. west of Austin Peay on undeveloped land is exciting to residents. There is hope for an attractive development opportunity that could attract younger families and increased activity as an insular community.
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Zoning supports current housing types and the natural space surrounding the Wolf River.
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Increased activity and dense development for younger, active families is supported by zoning directly West of Austin Peay on James Rd.
3. JAMES & HIGHLAND
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
PC
Parks and Civic Spaces – Parks and Recreational Facilities​
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Future: Public parks and active recreation facilities managed by government agencies or nonprofits, providing active and passive recreation opportunities.
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Existing: JFK is a large park that is often referred to a community treasure that isn’t well-known. The park needs some more investment and a way to attract more visitors. The park does not have enough lighting.
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JFK park needs to be activated and become a community gathering space.
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Pedestrian paths within the park do not have enough lighting, making residents feel unsafe.
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Visibility of JFK park could be increased through signage and cutting back some of the overgrowth near the entrance.
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Zoning designations support increased populations around the park for more activation.
4. JFK PARK & WOLF RIVER
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
PC
Parks and Civic Spaces - Open Space & Natural Features​
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Future: Natural areas focused on preservation and passive recreation, including wildlands, wetlands, and waterways
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Existing: The lake creates a serene atmosphere for the community.
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The lake is a neighborhood asset and should be protected.
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Zoning designation protects the lake.
CM
Communities – Primarily Single-Unit Neighborhood​
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Future: Residential neighborhoods consisting primarily of single-unit houses located more than half a mile from any anchor destination.
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Existing: Predominantly single-family homes.
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Residents would like to keep the current buildout of the neighborhood consistent with the serenity of the nearby lake.
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Zoning supports low-intensity residential development reflective of the neighborhood’s current character.
5. LAKEWOOD & HOMEWOOD
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
SP
Special Uses – Industrial Flex​
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Future: Lower-intensity industrial areas with mixed-use potential, compatible with nearby neighborhoods and suitable for light manufacturing and services.
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Existing: New light-industrial, warehousing developments.
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The new developments provided jobs for the Raleigh community without sacrificing environmental health.
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The warehouse jobs support the local economy, and residents like to see the new development.
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Zoning supports light industrial development that does not produce noxious environmental effects.
CM
Communities – Multifamily Neighborhoods​
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Future: Residential neighborhoods consisting primarily of multi-unit buildings located more than a 10-minute walk from any anchor destination.
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Existing: undeveloped land facing development pressure from new warehousing developments.
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Residents feel that it makes sense to increase density where there are jobs to support it.
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If there are more people moving into the community, especially young working families, they should be closer to gainful employment.
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Zoning supports multi-family structures and a mix of housing types that support middle-income residents.
6. NEW ALLEN & FRAYSER
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
CR
Corridors - High Intensity Commercial & Services​
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Future: High-intensity, auto-oriented commercial areas with block-scale buildings, serving larger trade areas with large-scale retail and services.
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Existing: Intense, auto-centric commercial development.
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Keep the car dealerships where they are. Residents do not want these development types to move closer into their community.
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Zoning supports current build out with intense, auto-centric development.
7. COVINGTON PIKE & RALEIGH LAGRANGE
Land Use
Summary of Community Feedback
Staff Analysis
CR
Corridors - High Intensity Commercial & Services ​
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Future: High-intensity, auto-oriented commercial areas with block-scale buildings, serving larger trade areas with large-scale retail and services.
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Existing: Large, Big-box auto-centric retail commercial. Many of the businesses are vacant or blighted. Some local entrepreneurs set up vending space during the weekends in the unused parking lots.
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Residents would like to see infill in the unused parking lots. There is recognition that there isn’t enough activity to sustain the current businesses in the area.
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Vendors should be moved to a space such as the new civic center. Residents want to ensure that while the vendors support the local community, they should be more organized and pay taxes.
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Zoning in the area will allow for more infill commercial development once the market can demand it.
8. STAGE & COVINGTON PIKE
Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning & Development
Comprehensive Planning Department
125 N Main Street, Ste 468
901-636-6601
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