Charlotte City Council Committee Discussions and Airport Part 150 Update – December 2, 2024

The Charlotte City Council held committee discussions on December 2, 2024, from 6:00 PM in Room 267 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. The meeting included updates from four council committees and a detailed presentation on the Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program. No public comments or consent calendar items were on the agenda.

Economic Development Committee

• Arts Funding Strategy: The committee received a presentation on hospitality funds and their allowed uses. After discussion, the committee voted unanimously to recommend not using hospitality funds for the arts and instead continue funding from the general fund, citing the volatility of hospitality revenue and the standalone nature of the hospitality industry. The recommendation will inform the manager's budget and the council's January 2025 strategic retreat.
• Providence Road Rezonings and Tax Increment Grant (TIG): The committee reviewed a TIG request accompanying three simultaneous rezonings in District 6 (Councilmember Bokhari's district). Staff presented details, and the committee voted to move the TIG forward to full council consideration at the next business meeting (December 9). Councilmember Mayfield raised concerns about the TIG's 15-year term, the cumulative impact of existing TIGs, and whether the housing component would adequately address the city's deficit of 35,000+ affordable units. Councilmember Driggs noted the proposals would create about 1,800 residential units, with additional units in the horizon piece, and emphasized that such development is essential to increase housing supply and address costs. Councilmember Johnson asked when full council would receive a presentation; staff confirmed it would be at the December 9 meeting.

Transportation Committee

• CATS Update: The committee discussed a briefing on the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) review of CATS, which identified eight areas needing attention. Committee Chair Driggs reported that the FTA's findings were already known from prior internal work and that management had stabilized the situation. He proposed that the crisis-mode working group be discharged, as CATS oversight would continue through the regular Transportation Committee and the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC). Councilmember Johnson objected, noting the working group was not formally dissolved and that CATS still lacks a permanent executive director; she cited ongoing safety and reliability issues, including a bus route that “will never run on time.” Councilmember Mayfield stressed the need for better use of technology to improve route connections and safety at stations, referencing recent fatalities at CATS stations and urging more proactive monitoring. Councilmember Molina highlighted positive steps by interim CATS leadership, including an asset management system forthcoming for a December vote.
• UDO Text Amendments: The committee reviewed proposed text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), described as administrative and operational changes to align implementation with the 2040 Plan. Committee Chair Driggs reported that the committee agreed without objection to recommend adoption of the amendments. However, Councilmember Johnson later disputed that there was a vote, stating questions were cut off and she did not feel the committee had enough time to absorb the information. The amendments are expected to be the last text amendment needed.
• Community Area Planning Update: Due to time constraints, the committee received only a brief update on the 14 area plans being developed to customize the UDO to local conditions. Staff indicated that the community input phase (Phase 3) closed on November 29, with Phase 4 (document assembly) underway and a draft expected in March 2025. Councilmember Johnson expressed concern that her constituents in District 4 were not adequately informed—the District 4 coalition had been scheduled to receive a presentation in January, after the comment period had closed. Staff noted that all information remains on the website and they are willing to meet with any group. The committee did not take action on this item.

Housing and Safety & Community Committee

• Year in Review and 2025 Lookahead: Chair Watlington and staff provided a summary of the committee's 2024 achievements, including: restoring criminal penalty options for certain ordinances; investing $2.5 million in the Katie Blessing Center (pediatric behavioral health care); and discussing the affordable housing funding policy in conjunction with the $100 million bond passed by voters. The committee also highlighted ongoing work on the faith-based housing initiative and the Home for All public-private partnership. For 2025, three potential focus areas were identified: improving communication with stakeholders, ensuring equity in affordable housing funding pathways, and exploring opportunities at the intersection of sustainability, affordable housing, and residential energy efficiency. Councilmember Mayfield praised the committee's work and urged continued attention to equity.

Budget & Governance & Intergovernmental (BGI) Committee

• Annual Strategy Retreat Preview: Staff presented initial ideas for the January 2025 retreat, including a potential location in Asheville (partly to support that region post-crisis), topics such as mobility and small business, and formats allowing council to lead strategy discussions rather than just receive presentations. The concept of building on the public safety update series for deeper dives was also discussed.
• FY24 External Audit: The city received a clean audit. An internal control deficiency related to a $5.5 million FEMA grant was identified but has been remediated. Councilmember Driggs commended the finance staff for the clean audit.
• 2025 Legislative Agenda: The committee reviewed and made one change: clarifying language on immigration to reference the council's 2019 work rather than deferring to federal actions. Council also discussed public safety concerns around arcades and density of beer/wine establishments, but agreed not to amend the legislative agenda further and to take up the topic at the January retreat.

Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program

• Presentation by Aviation Director Haley Gentry: The Part 150 program, first adopted in 1987, is being updated to reflect new runway construction and airfield changes. Over $120 million has been invested in community noise mitigation efforts (sound insulation, property buyouts). The draft recommendations focus on three themes: safety, efficiency/sustainability, and geographically balanced flight distribution. Key measures include: updated noise exposure maps (boundaries unchanged), new divergent headings for departures (expanding from 8 to up to 27 possible headings, subject to FAA environmental review), a revised run-up policy, and continued land-use mitigation and public information efforts.
• Timeline: Council action is requested on December 9 to forward the program to the FAA for a 180-day review. FAA implementation, including environmental analysis and public participation, is projected to take about two years.
• Council Discussion: Councilmembers expressed a range of views. Councilmember Driggs voiced support, arguing the airport is a critical economic driver and modernization is necessary despite likely public dissatisfaction. Councilmember Johnson called for greater transparency, requesting a more detailed map showing street-level impacts so the public can understand how proposed flight path changes would affect them; she noted that the map shown was insufficiently granular. Councilmember Bokhari (District 6) highlighted his experience with the Metroplex process, noting that constituents whose homes may receive new overflights for the first time could be angry, and expressed uncertainty about supporting the measure without broader community awareness. Councilmember Brown (District 3, where the airport is located) defended the process, noting that she had attended small group briefings and built relationships with airport staff, and that the Airport Community Roundtable had been involved; she also acknowledged ongoing transparency concerns and asked what could be done in the remaining week. The Mayor suggested leveraging the roundtable members to help communicate with the public. Staff reiterated that the Part 150 only addresses areas within the current noise contours; actual flight path determination will be made by the FAA with its own public process. The item will be on the December 9 meeting agenda for a council vote.

Key Outcomes

• The Economic Development Committee voted to recommend funding the arts from the general fund, not hospitality funds.
• The Providence Road TIG request was voted to move forward to full council on December 9.
• The Transportation Committee recommended (without formal vote, per Chair Driggs) adoption of UDO text amendments; Councilmember Johnson noted the lack of a vote. The working group for CATS oversight was not formally discharged.
• The BGI Committee approved the 2025 legislative agenda with an immigration language clarification.
• The city’s FY24 external audit was clean; the FEMA-related control deficiency was remediated.
• The Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program will be presented for council action on December 9, 2024. Council will vote on forwarding the program to the FAA. No decision was made on December 2; the discussion highlighted divisions on transparency and community outreach.