Charlotte City Council Zoning Meeting - September 16, 2024
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Charlotte City Council Zoning Meeting - September 16, 2024
The Charlotte City Council held a zoning meeting on September 16, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chamber of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. Acting Mayor Ed Driggs presided. The meeting addressed deferrals, consent agenda items, decisions, and public hearings on several rezoning petitions.
Consent Calendar
- Items 3 through 10, with the exception of Item 6 (deferred), were considered as a consent agenda. Councilmember Johnson pulled Item 9 (2024-058) for separate discussion. The remaining consent items (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10) were approved unanimously.
- Item 9 (2024-058) – Wilkes Asset Management: Rezoning 2.85 acres from CC to CAC-1(EX) near Ridge Road. Despite a resident's concern about a storage facility, the project includes 7.5% net site acreage for public open space, an off-site sidewalk network, and potential employment. Councilmember Johnson supported it. The petition was approved, adopting the Zoning Committee's statement of consistency.
Deferrals
- Items 2024-034 (Jackson Kastle, LLC), 2022-224 (SRL Central Avenue Properties, LLC), 2023-165 (Central Avenue Multifamily LLC), and 2024-056 (Vivo Investments LLC) were deferred to October 21, 2024.
- Item 2024-035 (City of Charlotte) was deferred to December 16, 2024.
Discussion Items
- Item 15 (2024-011) – Eastwood Homes: Proposed rezoning 17.48 acres from N1-A to N2-A(CD). The Zoning Committee recommended denial (6-0), but staff recommended approval. After the Zoning Committee, the petitioner added a children's playground with seating area and a seating area with landscaping along Johnston Oehler Road. Council voted not to return the petition to committee and then approved over the Zoning Committee's objection. Councilmember Johnson emphasized community outreach, rental caps (25%), and cooperation with the District 4 coalition.
- Item 16 (2024-024) – Orissa Holdings, LLC: Rezoning 9.13 acres in the ETJ from MX-2 to N2-A(CD). The Zoning Committee recommended approval (6-0), but staff did not recommend due to policy concerns. Councilmember Johnson supported the petition for its community benefits: 41% open space, 2.4 acres dedicated to the Back Creek Greenway, attainable housing, and a 20% rental restriction. Council approved, overriding staff's recommendation.
- Item 19 (2024-078) – Tripointe Homes Holdings, Inc.: Site plan amendment to clarify a transportation note and prevent road connection to Levy Way. Petitioner Colin Brown argued it honors the original agreement with the community. Opponent Justin Klein cited broken trust and environmental/traffic concerns. Staff acknowledged a note error. Councilmember Molina requested further review.
- Item 26 (2024-051) – The Site Group, PLLC: Proposed IMU(CD) for potential conversion of a hotel to multifamily on Westpark Drive. Staff recommended upon resolution of issues. Councilmembers raised concerns about displacement of hotel residents and cumulative impacts of hotel conversions. Hearing closed.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 18 (2024-059) – Veer Homes, LLC: Opponent Keith Steines (Mammoth Oaks resident) voiced concerns about traffic, narrow roads (19 ft wide), drainage, and safety impacts of 31 units on Timber Lane. Petitioner Colin Brown argued the site is appropriate for missing-middle housing.
- Item 19 (2024-078) – Opponent Justin Klein (Oakhurst resident) argued that removing the note would set a precedent for developers to bypass conditional requirements.
- Item 20 (2024-046) – Petitioner Colin Brown noted the request is to downzone to the lowest district (N1-A) from multifamily.
- Item 22 (2024-060) – Supporters included Pastor Matt Connor of Newell Presbyterian Church, who highlighted a partnership with DreamKey Partners to create affordable for-sale homes.
- Item 24 (2024-006) – Councilmember Molina noted concerns about displacement of social service agencies in the existing office park.
- Item 26 (2024-051) – Councilmember Johnson raised displacement concerns; petitioner stated no permanent residents are known but agreed to examine relocation plans.
Key Outcomes
- Deferrals: Four items deferred to October 21, 2024; one item deferred to December 16, 2024.
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (Items 3-10, except 6 and 9).
- Decision Items: Item 14 (text amendment) approved. Items 15 and 16 approved over Zoning Committee/staff recommendations.
- Public Hearings: All 18 hearings closed without a vote. They will be reviewed by the Zoning Committee and return to Council for future decisions.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everybody. Uh, if you look carefully, you will note that I am not May Mayor Lyles or Mayor Potem Anderson. My name is Ed Dregs, and I'm a city council member District Seven and Chair of the Transportation Planning and Development Committee, and have been invited to sit in the chair tonight. Good evening. Uh Therese Hagler Gray, Senior's Assistant City Attorney. Good evening, Lawana Mayfield, Council Member at Lord. And Drake's District Seven. Sean Heath, City Manager's Office. Good evening, Renee Johnson, and I'm honored to serve District Four. Good evening, Tim One of us a pleasure to represent District Three. An expression and inspiration followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. We celebrate the religious diversity of our community, including those without a religious faith. Tonight, Councilmember Mayfield will give our invocation. So prior to the invocation, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that as a nation, a number of us are hurting. It was noted and recorded by an individual who is running for one of our highest offices. The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat means. If I have to, if I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm gonna do speaking to Dana Bash, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast. I read that from the news article because misinformation and direct lies were spared, was shared regarding members of the Haitian community. Someone who grew up in Miami in Dade County, I grew up with a very international community. The city of Charlotte has a very international community. Springfield, Ohio did not ask for this, and matter of fact, they reached out and asked the Haitian community to come there to help rebuild that area. So with that, what I am asking is a prayer for my sisters and brothers of Hess. For those that wish, you may bow your heads or close your eyes. Oh source of all goodness and compassion. We lift up our Haitian brothers and sisters in America. Grant them strength and resilience as they navigate the challenge they face. May they find comfort in their communities and support from all those around them. In times of hardship, may they feel the warmth of collective love and solidarity. Guide them with wisdom and courage and bless their efforts to build a brighter future for themselves and their families. God, I also ask for you to guide us to remember that your love is the love that we should show for all of your children. May peace and hope fill their hearts, and may they always remember they are not alone. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Ms. Mayfield. Please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I Pledge of Allegiance. Under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. So uh tonight's meeting is a zoning meeting, and I would like to explain the zoning process that we will go through tonight. The zoning process begins with applications submitted to the planning staff for review. There are cases of two types on the agenda tonight: decisions and hearings. Decisions on cases for which a public hearing was previously held will be made tonight, and hearings are uh familiar uh an opportunity for the city council to become familiar with petitions for staff to advise us and for members of the public to speak. Anyone wishing to speak is asked to see the clerk before the start of the hearing. Uh, there is first a staff presentation without a time limit, and the petitioner and those in favors can speak for three minutes on the present case, unless uh there are opponents signed up to speak, or if staff is in opposition, in which case the petitioner gets 10 minutes, opponents get 10 minutes, and the petitioner gets a two-minute rebuttal. If no one is opposed or signed up to speak, staff provides the short presentation, and that's the extent of the hearing. Uh the public hearing is then closed, and the next public hearing is opened. The petition goes to the zoning committee of planning commission for review and recommendation after the hearing. And at this point, I would like to introduce Mr. Blumenthal, Andrew Budenthal, who chairs the committee. Mr.
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