Charlotte City Council Business Meeting (June 23, 2025)

The Charlotte City Council held its formal Business Meeting on Monday, June 23, 2025, preceded by an Action Review session. The meeting featured a highly debated vote on revisions to the street vending ordinance, a council vote to remove Tesla from an approved vehicle purchase list, a lengthy discussion on the timeline for adopting new Community Area Plans, and a failed attempt to place an airport worker ordinance on a future agenda. The council also approved numerous routine consent items, budget ordinances, contracts, property transactions, and board appointments.

Americans with Disabilities Act Disability Pride Day

• Mayor Vi Lyles read a proclamation recognizing July 26, 2025, as Americans with Disabilities Act Disability Pride Day. Leslie Briggs, the city's ADA manager, accepted the proclamation.

Public Hearings

• Kenmore Area Voluntary Annexation (District 3): Council conducted a public hearing and adopted an ordinance to annex a 44.76-acre site for 95 single-family homes. No public speakers.
• Shorewood Area Voluntary Annexation (District 4): Council conducted a public hearing and adopted an ordinance to annex a 9.197-acre site for light industrial use. No public speakers.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Cycling Infrastructure: Lauren Patterson (Bike Advisory Committee) advocated for Vision Zero goals and better connectivity for cycling projects.
• Nuclear Disarmament: A resident requested the city pass a resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
• Door-to-Door Sales: Captain John Hidden expressed strong concerns about aggressive solicitors, calling for stricter ordinance limits on hours and property rights.
• Airport Workers (CASE Ordinance): Multiple speakers (Maribel MacBeth, Chris Bauman, Rev. Glency Redrick, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Boswell) detailed low wages and poor conditions for airport subcontract workers, urging the council to introduce the CASE ordinance to a committee.
• Tree Canopy: Rick Pennebaker praised the city's trees and greenways, requesting October be declared Charlotte Tree Month.
• Displaced Residents: April Lewis sharply criticized the city's oversight of housing programs, demanding a community-led stabilization fund.
• UNC Charlotte EMS: Multiple UNC Charlotte students and EMTs spoke in favor of establishing a student-run campus rescue squad to improve emergency response.

Consent Calendar

• Items Approved Under One Motion: The council approved the majority of consent items (35-67) without separate discussion. This included contracts for security equipment (Adm Security Systems), traffic control devices (Econolite), sidewalk trip hazard removal (Precision Safe Sidewalks), utility locating (Surveying and Mapping, LLC), animal shelter design (Albion General Contractors), arborist services (Arborpro, PlanIT Geo), storm drainage improvements (Zoladz Construction, GreenWater Development), water/sewer infrastructure repair (Fuller & Co.), and wastewater treatment chemicals (Premier Magnesia). The consent calendar also included property tax refunds, meeting minutes, and the setting of three public hearings for August 11, 2025, on proposed voluntary annexations (QTR Phase One, Sunset Meadows, Retreat at Tilley Manor).

Discussion Items

• Street Vending Ordinance Revision: Council approved amendments to raise the maximum fine for illegal vending from $50 to $500 and created a six-month pilot program designating the North Davidson Street area (NODA) as a Congested Business District requiring permits for vending.
  • Staff Presentation: Presented a pilot program targeting a July end-of-month launch, with permit costs under $100, a focus on art and clothing, and technical assistance for displaced vendors.
  • Public Positions: NODA brick-and-mortar business owners strongly supported the plan citing safety and accessibility concerns. Street vendors and some residents opposed it, arguing it unfairly targeted a marginalized community and amounted to gentrification.
  • Council Positions: Councilmembers supporting the pilot (Watlington, Ajmera, Johnson, Brown, Molina) emphasized the balance between creating a safe, orderly environment and supporting vendor entrepreneurship, explicitly stating the pilot was an incubator, not a displacement tool. Councilmember Mayfield requested clarification on the fine language and urged further direct outreach to vendors.
• City Vehicle Purchase (Item 43): Council approved cooperative vehicle purchases but amended the motion to remove Tesla from the list of approved vendors.
  • Motion (Councilmember Mayfield): Remove Tesla citing safety concerns and lawsuits.
  • Objection (Councilmember Driggs): Argued the move was politically motivated and set a dangerous precedent.
  • Outcome: Amendment passed 6-3.
• Community Area Plans: Staff provided an update on the 14 area plans, noting over 800 public comments and the Planning Committee's unanimous recommendation for adoption.
  • Council Debate: A significant divide emerged. Some councilmembers (Mayfield, Johnson, Brown) argued for slowing down, breaking up the plans by area, and conducting more targeted outreach (plain language, evening webinars, church/HOA meetings) to ensure equity. Others (Driggs, Graham, Anderson) argued for keeping the plans whole to ensure consistent policy implementation citywide and trusted the council's role as representatives.
  • Outcome: No vote was taken. Staff will continue outreach over the summer break. The item is expected to return to committee in August.
• Request to Place CASE Ordinance on Future Agenda: Councilmember Johnson formally requested placing the airport worker ordinance (CASE) on a future council agenda.
  • Objection: Councilmember Driggs and others objected, citing state law preemption under Dillon's Rule and the political risk of losing city control of the airport to a state commission.
  • Procedural Vote: Per council rules, a majority vote was required to override the objection.
  • Outcome: The vote tied 5-5. Mayor Lyles broke the tie by voting against the referral, stating the item was not ready and needed more work.

Key Outcomes & Decisions

• Street Vending Ordinance: Approved (fines up to $500, NODA pilot program).
• Vehicle Purchases: Tesla removed from the approved vendor list.
• Airport Worker Ordinance (CASE): Failed to advance to a future agenda (Mayor broke 5-5 tie).
• 911 Center Expansion (Item 42): Approved a $1.99 million contract with Batson-Cook Company. Staff reported hiring 8 new telecommunicators, with 15 vacancies remaining.
• Symphony Park (Item 19): Authorized an Infrastructure Reimbursement Agreement with SouthPark Community Partners for up to $8 million for park and transportation improvements.
• Airport Terminal Lobby Expansion (Item 55): Approved Change Order #2 for $6.37 million.
• Spectrum Arena Financing (Item 21): Approved a draw program and refunding of certificates of participation up to $266.5 million. (Councilmember Johnson opposed).
• Water & Sewer Refunding Bonds (Item 20): Approved refunding of 2015 bonds not exceeding $210 million.
• HUD Section 108 Loan Guarantee (Item 22): Approved a $25 million application for the Charlotte Community Impact Investment Fund.
• Consolidated Plan (Item 23): Adopted the FY2026-2030 Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan.
• Property Condemnations: Authorized for parcels on Flintridge Drive and J.M. Keynes Drive for storm drainage and sidewalk utility projects.
• Police Sublease (Item 15): Approved a sublease with Mecklenburg County for the CMPD Lake Wylie boathouse.
• Transit-Oriented Retail Lease (Item 51): Approved a 63-month lease at the University City Boulevard Parking Deck for Classy Scoops Ice Cream Lounge (approx. $3,039/month).
• Stowe Regional WRRF (Item 46): Approved a guaranteed maximum price of $16.29 million with Crowder/Garney JV.
• Board Nominations: Approved appointments to the Charlotte International Cabinet, Public Access Corporation, Visitors Authority, Community Relations Committee, Historic District Commission, Mint Museum Board, Planning Commission, and Storm Water Advisory Committee by acclamation.