Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the consent and action preview here with Charlotte City Council.

I'd like to thank everyone who are joining us here in person and those watching online.

Let's start with introductions going around the room, starting with our city clerk.

Ariel Smith, lead city clerk.

Terry Hagler Gray, Senior Assistant City Attorney.

Good evening.

I'm Victoria Wattlington, and I have the pleasure of serving you as a member at large.

Joy Mayo, representing District Three.

Kimberly Owens representing District Six.

Lawana Mayfield serving you, Council at Large.

JD and my sweater audio, probably representing East Side District Five.

JD must sweat on audience.

Yes, sir, and good evening, Mayor Pro Tim and Council.

I had a chance to speak with a few of you, and you'll see before you some questions and answers, additional information.

But before you vote, is there any other information that would be helpful to you this evening?

Council Member Mayfield.

Thank you, Mayor Pro S.

Marie, we were going over a couple of things earlier, and there was going to be some clarification that you want to check.

Is that in here in this updated one?

Yes, I remember Miss Mayfield.

So to not have you try to figure out through all my questions.

Number 26 regarding the Toby Creek Sanitary Sewer construction.

Yes, 26.

That ties to business item eleven, and the county will be um funding that.

I also had a question on number 36, which we have the public hearing on Somerville, Mountain Island Voluntary Annexation.

I wanted a little bit more clarification on one, Mayor Pro Tem and colleagues, the concern that I have is regarding the impact on the unincorporated area.

So this area by right can be built with 158 units plus I believe 14 single family.

Yet when you actually go to Mecklenburg County spatialists and you look at these properties and you look at the most adjacent property, I want to make sure that we're not causing the negative impact when we're looking at an annexation for a large swath of land because you have believe it's like four or five owners, but then those that are unincorporated that are still on that same line are not going to get access to some of the services that the city provide, whether it's sewer water, but also the impact of those residents during construction.

We've had we've all received emails from where the construction time, the construction site, where the construction workers part, the impact that it has in area.

So I wanted to the question that I sent to Maria as well as copied all my colleagues on is how exactly will the other neighbors be notified of because this is for us to set the public hearing meeting.

How would they be notified if we only go 300 feet?

And in theory, 300 feet are just the owners.

So how are the other residents going to know that this is going to be happening?

Yes, ma'am.

And to your point, other residents, this is a notice and it will be posted.

Um and I sorry I forget which uh venue will be posted in, but it'll be posted in print as well as online that it's upcoming.

I think it will be helpful if we take the additional step step of making sure that we mail to the residents that are outside of these particular parcel owners so that they are aware of this public hearing and have the opportunity to come down since it is an unincorporated area.

They not might not necessarily know all of the processes, and we want to make sure that their voices are heard.

And I think that's something on staff side that we should be able to accommodate.

Yes, I'm not sure about how many people we can mail out, but we are I forgot to mention we also have signage, but um, we have Holly here, and she can be more specific.

I'm sorry, I'm fumbling around, but she's the expert on how the process rolls now.

The notifications are.

Oh, you're not from me.

Come on up, Miss Holly.

Notifications are yeah, annexation petitions, Holly Kramer planning, annexation petitions a little bit different from rezoning where we do have that 300 foot boundary.

Annexation petitions don't have the same statute requirements that we do for noticing.

So we have to post the notice in the Mecklenburg Times 10 days before the public hearing, and that's what we do.

We also send out notice to our departments that might service the annexation, and we also notice any municipalities that we border about the potential annexation, but this is a voluntary annexation brought forward by the property owners themselves.

So in terms of our policy that we've had for a couple decades and statutes, we've never done noticing to adjacent property owners.

I can talk to the petitioner and ask what conversations they've had with their neighbors, though, and see what can be done ahead of the public hearing.

So, council members, I would like for us to recognize that we have the ability to look at not always doing what we've always done.

So, what we just heard is that based on our policy for many years that it has not been necessarily a different type of outreach because we have several individuals that want to annex, our concern should also be about those who aren't interested in being annexed into the city.

So we have the ability to direct the manager to make sure that notifications actually goes out because truth be told, how many of us on this table read Mecklenburg Times?

Does everybody even know what the Mecklenburg Times is?

So there's two of us that know what Mecklenburg Times is.

The question is if that is not a source that is readily and widely known, that's a great way to bury the lead to have the information out there to say, well, we presented the information, we posted it, but who is actually going to read it to see it?

There very well may be members that live in the unincorporated area that are familiar with the Mecklenburg Times, but I think if we're going to be setting a public hearing, we have the opportunity to ensure that everyone that may be impacted should be aware that this conversation is happening.

Should be aware that this conversation is happening.

So Holly and Stab to Councilmember Mayfield, can that be a takeaway for staff to bring back to us and to look how we can communicate with all the residents fashion annexation area?

Communicate.

We can definitely look at options, you know, what precedent it would set and the cost involved.

But Miss Mayfield, I also want to assure you I didn't mention this part.

You know, like you're talking about impact.

Well, you know, their traffic potentially, but even if we don't annex it, it'll be the same traffic pattern.

But it's even better really for the side residents, because if they're part of the city, then like whatever stormwater standards or other standards that we hold, this neighborhood's gonna have those standards, whereas if we didn't annex it, they wouldn't be under our standards.

So in that regard, they're better for the neighbors.

So I appreciate that.

That'll be better for the individuals that potentially will move in this development.

But we also have to recognize unfortunately, we have had considerable weather challenges.

We have had multiple water main breaks within Charlotte proper, and we have all received multiple emails over the years from the impact of construction on the areas that are not a part of development.

So if we have unincorporated area that might be on well water or have other challenges when that runoff happens, and we have received emails where people have seen challenges on their land because of construction that was done either adjacent to their property or even within a mile of their property.

So we have the opportunity to be more transparent when we tell the community that as a region we want to be a good partner.

Here's just another way for us to be a good partner.

Yes, ma'am, we'll follow up with you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

Councilmember J D.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

I just kind of want to reiterate what my colleague was talking about.

I think the basis of her questions is simply really about communication and how we communicate to community about what's happening in their area.

Um Marie and Hawley, I think, you know, correct me if I'm wrong.

We utilize uh next door as a platform to communicate when a rezoning is happening in someone's community, right?

Um there's a lot of different venues for rezoning, and but this is an annexation, but yes, that's what will bring back anything that could be applicable that we can utilize to your point.

Right, yes, exactly.

So, you know, I know it's different than a rezoning, but I think we all have available channels Facebook, next door, Instagram, to just make sure that we are expanding our reach to the community, whether they're still whether they're a part of the city or not, right?

I think the point here is to make sure that we are actively communicating with community members about what's happening in their area and how it might impact that.

So I just kind of want to put that out there and make sure that we're being more coractive in our messaging.

Thank you.

Excellent point.

Ms.

Harris, you want to continue?

Thank you.

If anybody doesn't have any, is anybody have any other questions?

If not, if anybody doesn't have any, is anybody have any other questions?

If not, now since we've started our meeting, I would like to have a motion on our consent agenda items.

We have two property transactions that have been deferred to February 23rd business meeting.

Those items are number 42 and 43, and we also have one property transaction that's been settled, item number 44.

So are there any items need to be pulled for a separate vote?

So Mayor Pro Times need to be report.

Councilmember Mayfield.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

Um, I would like item number 32, the land acquisition for tree canopy preservation program on Hart Road to be pulled for a separate vote and discussion.

Can I get a motion uh to accept all consent items 14 to 45 with the exception of item 32 for a separate vote?

So move made by councilmember Ashmer is there a second, second, second by councilmember J D.

And the ones that were depended on the first.

Make sure that the motion includes 42, 43, and 44.

Okay.

I'm sorry.

So uh council member Ashmere, will you accept a friendly amendment to include those 42?

Exclude exclude 4243 because they'll be deferred to February 23rd, and then we settle item 44.

So we're gonna exclude item number 23 for separate vote.

42, 43 are gonna be deferred, and then 44.

So with item number 33.

32.

It was 32, city clerk.

Okay.

Thank you, member.

Thank you, Councilmember Ashmere.

Okay.

Item number 32.

Councilmember Mayfield.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Telma.

Actually, this is going to speak to 32 and 33.

So the concern that I have on 32 is we're saying that this is a land acquisition for tree canopy preservation program.

So I went on of which I shared the information provided through Mecklenburg County Specialist ID information with everyone.

This is about I'm sorry to interrupt again.

Um just to make sure I think that there was a motion to approve the consent agenda items.

That's right.

I'm sorry.

Did you get a second to that motion?

Yeah, Councilmember J D.

That's right.

Okay, so you I and now's discussion.

Discussion.

Okay.

You need a vote on those.

You're not going to 32.

This just is okay.

Discussion.

My apologies.

She's just for clarification.

Let's go ahead and take a vote on the first item.

All those in favor, let it be known by raise your hand.

I was going to 32 and 33, but I'm gonna leave 33.

Okay.

34 is the other tree candidates.

It was 33.

Let's make sure the team says 34.

Yeah, 32, 33.

32, 33, 34.

So it's three of them.

Yeah, it was three.

It was three of them.

I didn't make the adjustment.

Yeah.

Okay, let's.

Yeah, Pro Tem, my apologies.

Okay.

Because I do need to ask for an amendment for item 32, 33, and 34 for separate vote.

Okay.

So then Councilmember Ashman.

Okay.

43 and 44.

Yeah.

Okay, got it.

Okay.

City clerk make sure.

Do you have all those?

Can you repeat that for me?

Council Member Ashmere.

32, 33, and 34 for separate vote.

Separate vote.

And then okay, but just point of information.

Ms.

Mayfield, you just said you wanted to make an amendment to 30.

No, amendment to the motion that has been made.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Ashmere.

No problem.

All right.

Are we ready to take the vote?

Okay, move it properly second.

All those in favor, let it be number raise your hand.

All in favor, raise your hand.

Motion passed.

Councilmember Mayfield, items 32, 33, and 34.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

So you're taking you need to take each one of them as a separate vote.

So is there a motion?

Is there a motion to approve?

Before there's discussion.

So I'm not, I'm gonna I'm gonna be a no vote.

So if somebody wants to make a motion to um approve, they could do that.

Um because I'm not um not gonna make a motion to deny at this point.

So wait me, can't I can make a motion so that we can have a discussion?

Either that I'll be making that.

So you know what, Mayor Pro Tum, I'll make a motion to defer 32, 33, and 34 for even though we're gonna be having discussion for separate vote.

Okay, so is it the motion by council may to defer 32, 33, and 34.

Is there a second?

And and defer them until when to our next business meeting.

Okay.

It's second by camera uh council member owens.

All those in favor defer.

Please raise your hand.

All those in favor defer, please raise your hand.

We gotta just have a discussion.

She motion is a good question.

She said she didn't she just want to.

No, motion and second.

Yes, but that was my motion.

Yeah.

So we deal still need to have discussion.

Mayor Protellan.

That was the motion.

Okay.

So we deal with it but we still got to have discussion.

Councilman Mayfield, would you like to lead a discussion?

Thank you.

Welcome, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Anderson.

So councilmember Johnson, we're on items 32, 33, and 34 that I just motioned.

We got a second for deferral, so we are now having discussion.

Here's the question that I sent to all of council as well as to Marie.

I am concerned about the amount when we look at 32.

We're I wanted to get an idea of the total amount when according to Mecklenburg County Dean, what the value of the homes are of which that was listed for one of the parcels, the total appraised value was 202,500.

The second parcel was 182,300.

Right now, the market is right now at a place where it's slowing down.

So anyone can do a search on realtor, rep in any uh the sites to see that homes are on the market 60, 90 days.

So when staff responded back in our comments that they were looking at market rate, the market is a fickle place.

So I'm trying to understand the dollar amount that we're considering for the purchase of these properties when we are in uh slowing of the market right now.

And if staff is stating that the numbers that they came in with are based on market rate, today you're not necessarily going to get the amount on the market because homes are sitting on the market a lot longer.

So I wanted to get more clarification for how it was identified that this amount is based off a market amount when the appraiser value of the properties are a good 100,000 dollars less.

And what market numbers are we actually looking at when the current market in Charlotte homes are sitting on the market a lot longer.

Like the actual prices of the homes are what homes might be selling for today, but the inflated prices that we have seen over the last two, three years isn't necessarily the price that people are paying one interest rates tax life.

Market does what the market does.

So I wanted to get better clarification on how they identify it.

Well, this is the market rate based off of this market.

Ms.

Harris, are you ready to respond?

Yes, thank you, sir.

And so this is based on recent appraisals, and what you're referencing is the tax value.

Um also it's important to note, like you said, defer, we'd have to restart because we're supposed to close within 30 days.

And these properties were impacted by home, so we were just this is just the market appraised value of the property.

The houses have been destroyed.

That's the other piece that I want us to take into consideration because of weather impacts, these homes were negatively impacted.

So what we're paying for is the land.

Again, based on today's market.

Are we saying that these individuals, if they were to go to market today to try to sell this land that you cannot build homes on because of the impact, the flooding, the other things that may have happened in this area, would they be able to sell the these lots at the prices that we are talking that we are asking this body to approve for the purchase of this land when we already know that yes, we want to have a conservation easement, but are we being fiducially responsible with tax dollars with the purchase amount that has been presented to us?

Because they cannot necessarily go to market to sell this land today because you cannot build on, you cannot build another home on this land because of the environmental challenges that have happened.

I'm sorry, Mr.

That's the concern I have.

Sorry, Miss Mayfield, you definitely can it's not um the land in condemned.

You could definitely build on it still, but to your point, it is uh difference from the tax value.

But just to assure you, this is fair market value that we got recent appraisals.

So this is an appraisals like you said the market conditions have changed recently, but these are very recent, these are old um appraised values.

These are recent appraised values.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council member Owens.

Thank you.

So Maria, I just want to probe around the bounce of that just a little bit more and appreciate the appraiser appraised the property as it is right now.

Did they appraise it as a tree save?

I I just I'm trying to understand those different standards.

Regardless of use.

Okay.

Of what they would be able to sell it for now.

Is are the houses do they still need to be demolished and taken off the property?

Or demolished, correct?

They're fully demolished.

Are there trees on the property or are were those mostly demolished?

Some of it.

Some of them are I'm just trying to understand what it looks like if if we acquire these properties.

I am sensitive to some of the concerns that council member Mayfield had.

But when we take something, and this is maybe an education for me.

When we take something as a tree save, do we later ever change our minds about that and then sell it to a developer?

I mean, I just we we turn it over to a conservatory.

Okay, so that's completely out of our hands.

And so when this goes, and Tim Porter or um Arborist would like to add to that.

Okay.

Here you can see.

Welcome Tim.

Can you go to the podium?

Thank you.

Good evening, Council Tim Porter, Chief River Forrester.

So the TCPP program uses developer paid fee and loo dollars.

These are not tax dollars to purchase these properties.

They're all it's all monetary collection of fees during the permitting process, developer paid dollars.

And so in every case we can, we protect these properties with a conservation easement with a Catalba lands conservancy.

Sometimes those missions don't overlap perfectly.

So we we use other legal mechanisms like a notice of intent to reserve easement or a declaration of conservation to protect them in perpetuity.

So long term these properties stay conservation land and do not ever become available for facilities or other uses the city may have.

Thank you.

Councilmember as Mayor.

Yes, uh, thank you.

First, um, Mr.

Porter, thank you so much for you and your team's work on TCPP.

I know that this program was strengthened to make sure that payment in lieu that we were getting was based on the recent assessed value and not based on previous values that so that's why now we have more funds to help the preserve more land.

Uh I certainly appreciate that work that's been done.

Uh also we are competing with the market, and I know that if you were to defer this, could you talk about how it could potentially help you talk about how it would potentially we might fall out of the contract and why timing is so critical?

Sure.

Thank you for that question, Councilmember Ashmir.

Uh we are under contract to close um with owners of these properties.

I think they may vary.

I don't have the exact information in front of me, but um some of them may be a 30-day window.

They are developable, however, they're right on the river, so uh the pressure of development on them likely is not significant, but they are buildable lots.

Um they do face significant challenges as councilmember Mayfield pointed out too.

Um however, it's part of a larger effort we're partnering with the county on related to Hurricane Helene Relief.

Um floodplain buyout program.

We're not a buyout program per se, but these properties are located in area town with high conservation value, and we partnered with the county as part of the recent floodplain work to achieve some preservation of lands along the river in areas where they simply um ran out of resources.

In areas where they simply have to do that.

That is helpful.

And also thank you for clarifying these are buildable lots.

I know um there have been tree under TCPP, there have been a number of transactions that have come before us that were buildable lots.

Uh we just wanted to make sure we preserve those that land for our tree canopy that the goal that we have of a 50% tree canopy by 2050.

This helped this helps us meet that goal job by drop.

It does.

These are incremental approaches here, they're not large property acquisitions.

Um any properties that don't have trees on them today, we will reforest uh within the program.

That's all right.

Thank you.

Councilmember Johnson, welcome.

Oh, thank you.

Uh you I think you might have answered my second question.

But I just have two questions.

Can we can you define recent?

I know you said a recent appraisal.

I wanted to know the date.

I wanted to uh know the date.

Can someone address council member Johnson's questions?

You don't know the great you don't know the exact date, but they say within the sorry, but we can follow up and get that to you.

So when you say recent, do you mean within the last year?

The last less than last year.

Last six six months, yes.

Okay, so that does speak to the market shift.

Six months.

So that is can make a difference in real estate market.

And then secondly, am I to understand that it's six hundred thousand dollars for one point six acres in total?

Six hundred and one thousand dollars.

Yes, ma'am of a river front property.

Yes, ma'am, of a river front property.

And the reason this location was chose was river front property.

Well, part partially, but it's a partnership with the county and areas that were impacted by Helene and the opportunity based on the location.

So we're paying one point uh excuse me, six hundred and one thousand dollars for one point six acres.

Six hundred and one thousand dollars partnership with the county to preserve trees, is that right?

Yes, ma'am, and just to be clear, I believe Mr.

Porter noted it.

But these are these aren't tax funds, these are developer paid funds, so they have an option when they're doing development to do a tree save on site or pay money for a fee and loo program.

So in essence, to save a site elsewhere that's not on their property.

So we invest these monies in trees elsewhere.

For the record, we have great trees on Mallard Creek that we would love to preserve.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council Councilmember John.

I'm I'm sorry, Councilmember Mayfield, please.

Thank you, Mayor Putum, and thank you for the clarification.

But for me, Fee and Lou is still tax dollars because what we allowed is for you for you to do your development where you were going to have some clear cutting versus you saving those trees that were mature trees, you were given an option to pay into the future growth or investment for other trees.

So as far as I'm concerned, if it is still trees, tax dollars that help to get us there because the community, the taxpayers saw the impact of trees that were removed in their neighborhoods for a development, but I do appreciate the fact that we have this program.

I don't have necessarily a challenge with us.

I don't have necessarily funding the conservation, it is the dollar amount that is the challenge for me when we think of the challenge.

The fact that we do need to have a tree canopy that's diverse throughout the entire city.

Yes, this is beautiful waterfront property.

There's a select number of people that's gonna be over here off of this waterfront front property, whether it's uh grave way, a trail that's gonna be utilizing it.

It's easily pulled up online to see exactly where the lot is and see what's out there.

So it is not necessarily the challenge of the investment, it is the dollar amount that we're talking about.

But it's also a concern that we're saying, okay, I'm bringing this to council with the full expectation that this is gonna be a yes because we have about a 30, 45 day timeline on closing.

The option the it should not be an apparent that there would not be questions from council.

So to then tell me that if we were to defer it in order to have time for any question to be answered, that it could delay the project to be answered to be perfectly honest and this is gonna sound mean, but I truly do not mean for it to be as disrespectful as it's about to sound.

That's not my problem.

My issue and my concern is that as representatives, if we have questions, we should be able to not only ask those questions but have time for those questions to be brought back to us, not be put under a timeline that if we do not just say yes to this, then that will cause a delay or financial challenges on our end.

It should come to us with enough time where if there is a cup question, there's time for that question to be answered.

We are not to be under a deadline based on staff's conversation regarding negotiating dollars that we are going to be investing.

I respect the fact that the county has a goal and has a role around parks as well as we have a CAP program.

And I respect the fact that we created a way for developers to fund a fee in lieu in order for them to build the project that they felt was the best project for them.

Yet I have a challenge that if something is brought before council, one, I will repeat the expectation that we are supposed to be an automatic yes, and two, to tell me or my colleagues that if we were to defer it to get any of these questions answered, that that may cause a challenge because you're already in negotiations for a 30 or 45-day period of closing, then you probably might want to bring that before us a little sooner.

Ma'am, if I may, and that that's a good point, but we don't want to bring we staff, don't want to bring something to you till we know enough details for you to really weigh out the consideration, like the price.

And the 30-day, and sorry if it sounded that way, that's just more how like if you put an offer in a house or property, they're probably not gonna hold it for you forever, and that's the same way with this.

And this is kind of the same way when we do a bid, you know, they'll hold their price for a certain amount of time.

And I'm sorry if it came across that we're putting you in the spotlight.

That's just more the nature of the business, and we want to make sure it's enough detail where you feel comfortable making the decision regardless of the decision you make.

And I appreciate that, Maria.

I would like for staff to consider before you make any contractual obligations, like you said, even if I was to make a bid on a home, first of all, I'm gonna check with my spouse before I go out and make that decision.

So look at us as that spouse.

That before you go out and say, yes, we think that this is a good idea that council is gonna go for it, or council is going to approve it before making that assumption and say, here's the range we're thinking about.

Now you come back and you have a conversation with us, and then if there's support, then we can follow up and say, you know what, we were able to come up with a dollar amount that is comfortable.

Again, I recognize us fee and Lou, and I appreciate the clarification because I did share something a little differently to my colleague earlier today.

So I appreciate the clarification.

It is not not having preservation.

It's the dollar amount that I have a concern with and the idea of saying we don't even have time to have a real conversation.

So but I respect the fact that now all of our colleagues are here if they choose to vote for it.

I am going to be a no.

But and I have clear reasons why I'm going to be a no, because again, this beautiful beast front property, I'm not going to be walking over here, but I appreciate that somebody will.

Yes, yes.

So would there be an argument to be made then that there is some expectation of an ability for us to go back and forth a little bit more on this?

Up case by case, if the owner would entertain that or not.

Yes.

Understood.

Thank you.

Councilmember Anderson.

Thank you.

Just uh just a question uh to Councilmember Mayfield.

The motion to defer is to answer what open questions are are there particular open questions that you want to have resolved before voting, or is it um as you stated that it's the dollar amount that really is the issue?

Yes.

It's the dollar the latter, no, yes, to both, because councilmember Johnson just asked a question that needs to have a response to it, but also that question regarding that councilmember Johnson asked as far as the date of this, because again, when we're looking at the market, the market shifts pretty regularly.

So if we're looking at a conversation that started six months ago, even three months ago, there's a difference, but there's also a concern that I have regarding the actual amount when again if we just do uh standard search to see what the approximate appraised value is out there, then we're saying it can be anywhere from three to three forty-six or a little under for each property.

I want to make sure that before we move forward that this amount is an amount that is a responsible amount when we have multiple projects that are coming from the same resource without honestly having an update on where we are financially in that bucket.

So, how much do we even because that's also not listed in any of these?

What is the balance that we have in our PNL?

Which would be a simple one where every time there's a request to have that in there to say to show what amount that one I would have followed up with staff with directly, but that's something we need to know as we're looking at potential opportunities of financial challenges.

Okay, and then my second question uh Marie is we're in we're in partnership with the county on these initiatives, correct?

Yes, for these specific ones, yes.

Okay, where's where is the does the county need to take uh a voted action on this?

No, we are buying the property.

Dr.

Purchasing potentially.

Just wanted that clarification.

Thank you.

Okay.

Any more comments, any more questions?

Okay.

Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you.

I think it would be helpful to support what councilwoman Mayfield said if we did see some type of comps or comparables.

If if if I'm hearing that with the house, some of the homes in this area are in the mid-300s?

Some of the homes in this area.

Right now in the middle of the 60 or so what they would vote for according to the commons at all.

Okay.

So if a if a property with the house would go for mid-300s, if we're buying a just the land for 600, that does seem out of range, and we are I mean, these are tax, these are not our our dollars, these are taxpayer or public dollars.

Um, so we should have justification for this amount, especially if it seems out of range.

So I think that our residents would expect for us to have that information before we make the decision.

And Mayor Purse.

So I would support the deferral until we have that information.

Also, um, if we can define recent uh when the appraisal is, I remember we were looking at some tree, some information about trees, and it was a report.

And you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we were looking at report um data that was a few years old.

So I do want to make sure we have current information that we're reviewing.

Um so again, I would support I'm going to support the deferral.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Mayor Pro Tim, if I might, um, Greg Crawford's here with real estate, and he can provide a little diff additional context on the appraisals.

Greg, welcome.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Good evening, Council.

So I wanted to uh address a little bit uh some of your concerns about the appraisal and so of all I'm also an appraiser in addition to my other roles here.

Um, but the highest and best use is what we asked our analysts to estimate for us.

And that's the highest and best use and how what the market would bear.

Now, some of the things that you're uh referencing, the Zillow, and there's all kinds of data out there for single family homes on single family lots, and they sell for X and depending on which part of town you're in.

This was really essentially an analysis of a vacant land and a pretty large piece that even though it does have some challenges and there were some flooding issues there.

What would the market bear to in a redevelopment scenario?

So it essentially comes down to you know how you can develop that site if you were to to subdivide it and to and so the the comparables, and I'm happy to go over in uh detail these appraisals with you.

Um, in addition to having analysts that we really feel like know what they're doing with comparable sales and all the adjustment process that that you go through when you're looking at your subject property, comparing it with other comparables, good vetted data that's confirmed and verified with parties to the transactions.

Um we send this report out to an independent reviewer, and then it's also in reviewed internally.

So we have some pretty good eyeballs on the analysis itself.

It's a little tough to compare this kind of property with just single family lots.

So I just wanted to point that out.

There's a little bit of a distinction there.

Um but happy to give you uh more detail.

I don't know the exact dates of the reports, uh, but we feel like that they're still relevant.

The markets a little flat right now uh in in some parts of town, but we feel like that these are still uh a worthwhile effective date to for this conversation.

Worthwhile effective date.

Mayor Tim, thank you for that.

Thank you, Mayor Patem.

I appreciate that.

And this additional time will give enough time for you to provide that.

All right.

Thank you all.

Great discussion.

There's a motion on the floor made by Councilmember Mayfield, second by Councilmember Owens to defer items 32, 33, and 34 to February 23rd.

Are we ready for the vote?

All those in favor of the motion, raise your hand.

All those in favor of the motion.

Six.

All those opposed.

One, two, six.

Uh motion uh passed.

It will be deferred to February 23rd.

Thank you, everyone.

Now I'm gonna turn it over to uh depicted manager, Mr.

Sean Heath, to introduce uh action uh preview items.

Sean.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

Last month, City Manager Jones provided an overview of your new cadence this year as it relates to business meetings.

So, of course, the first business meeting of the month, you have your action previews, and the second business meeting of the month is when you have public forum and also council discussion topics.

This evening there are two items that are teed up for action preview.

Both of them were voted out of committee last week.

Both of them will be coming to full council on February 23rd for actions.

So tonight's an opportunity for you to dig into these a little bit.

Uh multifaceted opportunity with housing being one important piece.

Uh Councilmember Mayfield will be prepared to tee that one up and then staff will provide a presentation.

And the second item is the State and Federal proposed legislative agenda.

Uh Chair Graham is not here this evening.

But uh Councilmember Asmir, of course, was the previous chair of PGIR and was very close to this work during calendar year 2025.

So she'll be prepared to provide some perspective on what came out of committee last week.

Thank you.

Deputy City Manager, thank you so much.

Um staff, let me turn it over to the chair of a housing committee, Ms.

Mayfield, to introduce this item.

Councilmember Mayfield.

Thank you so very much, Mayor Pro Tim.

I did just wanted to briefly thank our not only our housing and neighborhood staff who work very closely with our partners, but I want to thank the committee members because we were able to have a very robust conversation.

So I want to acknowledge my member my members on the committee, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember JD, because I'm not going to mess up your last name, Councilmember Owens, as well as Councilmember Mayo, where we are looking at this land acquisition acquisition funding recommendation of five points.

This right here, I think we all believe is an example of how a community layup project could lead to great things and great development.

And with that, I am turning it over to Mr.

Warren Woolton.

Great.

Thank you so much.

Uh Chair Mayfield, and good to see uh everyone tonight.

Chair Mayfield, and good to see uh everyone tonight.

Chairman, good to see you.

So I uh I'm gonna get going while we work on the slides.

Uh tonight I'm gonna give you a brief presentation on the five points uh project that's in front of you.

I'm gonna review for you uh land policy as it relates to uh how you've been working on land acquisition recently.

Talk about the funding that you have available and then get into specifically uh the project uh that's been uh brought before you in good shape.

Uh brought in the project before you be in good shape.

Perfect.

No, that's great.

Thank you so much.

Uh do want to acknowledge that uh senior leadership for this uh project endeavor is in the room tonight.

Want to thank uh Historic Western Partners, Knight Foundation, uh LISC and integral for being here uh again tonight as we talk about this important project.

So, first land acquisition.

One of the things that council has directed staff over the years to do is to really expand the bench on what we can do to develop affordable housing in your community.

One, not to interrupt, but your first lab was very powerful.

Can you go back to the first slide?

First lab.

There you go.

Thank you.

Yeah, so here we're gonna give you an overview of the of the land acquisition request.

This is uh this is a TOD project that's in district two.

I'm gonna review the land acquisition project that's in district.

Uh we have a rolling request that's open that these projects come in for you.

So I'm gonna review that RFP process for you, uh, and then I'm going to uh talk about the staff recommendation of a short-term loan for this project uh through your your TOD funds.

So land acquisition is is one of the ways that you've broadened your bid to how you do affordable housing development here in the in the city.

So it's very much like some of your other RFPs.

The the biggest difference is it's this two-stage process.

In the first stage, uh a developer or or the city staff brings to you a land asset that meets uh all of your benchmarks for the types of areas that you're citing for affordable housing development.

You review that, and then uh if you approve the land acquisition, uh we provide uh short-term funding for the developer then to go back, continue to work on that project, and then in stage two, they come forward with a full project for you to review and to make uh approval on.

This is uh this is a fairly new process, but this is not the first time that you're doing it.

This is a similar process that brought forth the Barton South project that is on the uh the blue line extension, uh and it's also uh how the Dorton Street project that was the first investment of your TOD funds came about.

So, two stages, and we're at stage one tonight where we're talking about the land uh the the request for funding to support land acquisition for this project.

The request for funding.

So this is this is part and parcel with your TOD approach and and funding that you have available through uh your passage of the the unified development ordinance.

So in the unified development ordinance, uh developers have a lot of options.

You've you developed a flexible approach for TOD development that provides your developers options and how they meet uh various bonuses and can achieve things like density in their project.

One of those is to provide affordable housing on site, and another way is to pay a fee and loo, where they pay into a fee and loo uh bucket, and then that can be used for additional affordable housing uh development and investment in your transit-oriented uh uh areas.

So you currently have uh a balance of about 1.47 million dollars in your TOD fund.

It's uh it's a $19 million total fund that has been generated.

Of that, about 4.8 has been paid in so far.

You've paid out a little over $3 million for the Dorton site, leaving that 1.4.

That additional $14 million are commitments that have been made by developers but have not yet been paid in to the fund.

They pay into the fund where they begin the final development process and pull permits.

So those are the numbers that you're seeing up here on the slide.

And then addition, in addition to that 1.4 million that you have in TOD funding, you have a five million dollar carve out in your housing trust fund uh that through your funding policy you set aside for land acquisition.

That through your funding policy you set aside for so in in January of 2024, uh we issued that rolling RFP.

So in January of 2024, we issued that rolling RFP.

You do two different types of RFPs.

There are RFPs that we release several times a year, like your housing development RFP, and then there's RFPs like the TOD RFP that we leave out there rolling.

Up to three years to take down land.

And then we we take steps to uh protect your investment during this process.

And again, uh we don't go over 90% loan to value uh to protect uh your your city investment.

Uh to protect uh your your city.

So let's talk about the project.

Uh and again, uh appreciative of of all of the hard work that uh West End Partners has done uh with their partners on this project.

As you can see, uh this is a site uh right in five points, it's a directly across the street from John C C Smith uh university, and uh it has a uh a gold line stop just south of its location.

It's approximately a 1.25 acre site, and it's contemplated as a mixed use, mixed income development.

Uh currently estimating 145 units, uh, but that will change as they you know adjust up and down as they go through the development off uh uh the the development process.

They also uh have uh or contemplating non-residential uses on this site, um office space and uh uh a grocery store.

Uh I'm not gonna get into those details, but do want to point at the uh excellent presentation that they gave at the economic development committee meeting last week.

If you want more information on the broader overview of the project, uh that is a great resource.

I'm focusing just on your uh TOD RFP and our recommendation around this this loan.

Um so you know what do city staff look at uh in terms of matching projects that come in like this to your requirements.

Uh we look at your housing Charlotte framework, we look at your uh your housing funding policy that you provided at the beginning of this bond process, and we also look at the siting information and score.

And what you'll see is uh two things.

One, this is uh uh directly approximate to one of your transit lines uh with uh great access to one of the stops just south of the site there, and it also has uh a very high site score.

Um lots of access to goods and services, um, lots of access to jobs both by vehicular uh method and right there off of the gold line.

And then um right there off of the gold line.

Uh as uh as I know that you all know uh in a neighborhood that's experienced dramatic change over the last several years, uh this gives you an opportunity to take down a site in a rapidly changing area and preserving that for both affordable housing and economic development opportunity.

Preserving that for both affordable housing and economic development opportunity.

So this is this is how the funding stack would be contemplated.

Uh you would have you you have available to you the 1.74 million in the TOD.

Uh that's not quite enough to fund this entire acquisition.

So we would next turn to your housing trust fund uh funding that you do have uh available.

Uh those two amounts together would be the 1.47 million, and it would leave you uh a zero balance in your TOD funding, and it would leave you a $2.6 million balance in your HTF acquisition balance with a with a total balance of your housing trust fund of $44 million in change, and you will see recommendations coming.

We've had uh we had a lot of activity on your fall round.

You'll see additional uh recommendations coming in the next several months on your your fall round for uh for HTF funding.

And as the uh deputy city manager said when we started the presentation, uh this is this is conversation getting you prepped for um a request for council action on February 23rd.

A request for council action or at the end of the presentation.

Ms.

Asmir.

Um thank you for this presentation.

Uh first let me thank you for bringing this creative way of uh of banking on land closer to our transit oriented development.

This is great.

Also want to thank Jatanya and the entire team here.

I know uh Ms.

Jatania has been working on this for as long as I remember uh on this project, and certainly Historic West End Partners and the Knight Foundation.

Thank you for your partnership.

So I noticed in the presentation in one of the slides.

I noticed the presentation in one of the slides.

The city's investment is protected through a lien against the property.

So 4.13 million, is that the full price of the land?

It is not.

That's your investment amount.

That's 90 percent of the what is lesser of the paid value or the appraised value.

So the city will uh look at what whatever is less, whether it's the appraised value or the the contract value, uh, and take 90 percent of that, and that's what you're seeing on this slide here is the is the 4.1 million.

If I do if I do the math in my head, the the the actual paid price or uh or the appraised price is is one is is 4.9.

Uh so they're they're bringing skin to the table where they're they're putting in the residual uh to pull the land down.

So the historic rest and partners is putting uh other 10 percent.

Got it.

Um, responsible for that, yes, that's correct.

In terms of um I like this forward-leaning approach.

Um I also like this is this helps us compete against the market.

Um this helps us compete especially with land banking.

Um I certainly support this.

I think this is much needed in just um in District 2.

I had a conversation with Ms.

Tanya several times about how this is not going to only tackle affordable housing crisis, but also uh much needed investment for co-op uh food store.

I think that's great, and I like to see this kind of approach in other parts of the city, and I know Mr.

Tanya is willing to uh partner with other organizations across the city to make this kind of visions to turn this vision into reality in other parts.

I'm not volunteering you, I know that's something I know that's something you uh offer, uh, but I think this is a great way to work with the private sector, with the public sector, to really turn the vision into reality.

I'm very excited to see this, and I hope to see more of this in other parts of the city.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Great comments, Ms.

Asmere.

Any other comments, and then I um I'm gonna let the chair bring us home.

Councilmember Anderson.

Thank you.

Um I just wanted to say that this project is a great example of something that we can begin to replicate in other parts of the city.

Um I know Miss Titani has already offered herself up for parts of District One and other parts, any part of the city who's interested in doing something that is unique and collaborative.

Um the the other piece about this is you know, we've been looking at how we can bring um grocery stores and access to fresh fruits and vegetables to neighborhoods that don't meet the criteria or threshold of big box grocers.

And uh this is one unique way that we can do so.

And you know, we don't always look at food deserts as a safety issue.

Uh but what you know when I was having a conversation with uh Chief Johnson for the fire department, you know, he talked about when things like a storm or any kind of other um extraordinary event occurs if our residents can't walk to a grocery store to access food, then it becomes a safety issue.

And so I very much see this mixed use opportunity as a way to address safety within our city and within a part of town that uh desperately needs that investment.

So I want to say thank you for the work.

Um I also know as if as we look at the main streets concept as a city.

And um I think once again will be a great example of how we can replicate and scale a successful vent other successful ventures after this one.

So I'm happy to support it, and I just want to say thank you for the work and the effort.

I'm happy to support it.

Great comments, Councilmember Anderson.

Councilmember J D.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

I just want to say congratulations to everybody that was involved in this effort.

Um, I want to recognize I was not on council, so I'm not gonna take credit.

But I do want to say some really uh I want to express my observations.

This is the reason why we need to fund the business district organizations like historic West End partners with and let it be on the record, a line item in our budget because this is the work, this is the fruit of the labor of these organizations like historic West End partners, and this is also a prime example of answering the question government gets on what we can do with this is what we can do and not deferring it to this is what we can't do.

Uh as we continue to grow as a city, I think many residents, particularly those in black communities and brown communities, marginalized communities are being um are fearful of being pushed away and displaced just to simply have access to transit, and this shows us what being active and proactive with community and engagement looks like, and it also shows us that with political will and courage we can deliver services to communities.

Um I think bringing mixed income and mixed use development to black and brown communities is no longer a possibility.

It's becoming a reality.

We can do it.

The city can do things to mitigate the harms of displacement as we're growing as a city, and I think the idea to uh Councilmember Ashmir said uh and council member um Anderson said of co-op this this model is huge.

It is really making sure that the city is facilitating how a community shows up for each other.

Um so congratulations to everyone, congratulations to my colleagues that played a huge part in this uh to historic Western partners to the staff.

This is a huge moment for the city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Cash MJ.

Dr.

Watland.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

I just want to also extend my congratulations to to Tanya, to Racine I see back here, and all of the partners uh with this project.

Uh, you uh you guys continue to lead the way.

Um so very, very impressive to see what you're doing up and along the corridor, whether it's property acquisition, whether it's um land acquisition or community building, it's fantastic.

Um to that end.

I'm very interested to know how we are uh capturing the learnings because there are certainly other organizations around the city, our other BDOs who are doing great work as well.

But I want to make sure that as we're we're bringing these um tangible projects to the table that we've captured whatever capacity building that we need to understand so that others can come behind and do it as well.

So we'd love to uh understand that.

Once again, congratulations, and I look forward to uh supporting this one when it comes along.

Once again, congratulations.

I'm gonna make a few comments and then I'm gonna turn it over to the chair.

Okay.

Um I think this is important we look at all our corporate partners who participated.

So one, you had a visionary like Titania Adams, and then she went on and got two strong partners in Lisc.

And a nice foundation.

And so I'm not gonna tell you all or actually all the stand up today.

You're gonna do that on February 23rd, okay?

But I want to really to uh Dr.

Wallington comment.

How can we take this model and then make sure we can duplicate this another part?

Uh council member JD, I thank you for your comment about business district organization and the power they have to be more impactful in our communities.

So with that said, I'm gonna turn it over to the chair.

And and and before I do, let me say this about what the chair did and what staff did.

We had a presentation about this in the second week in January, and we knew there was a time constraint on when they can purchase the land.

Staff, let me thank you for not only putting it in housing committee, but you also gave a presentation at ED.

And so thank you so much.

This is about Team Charlotte.

With that said, Madam Chair, bring us home.

Thank you so much, Mayor Pro Tim.

As was mentioned, our housing committee did vote to move this funding request forward to full council.

But what I also appreciate thinking about the comments I had earlier is that we had enough time to have the conversation.

This is a project that has been in the works through historic Western partners for a while.

They went out, they identified the partners.

They did the work that they needed to do.

So also looking at our housing committee.

Let's know what the dollars are.

So we know that with this request, we still know what the numbers look like within our trust fund.

This proposed mixed use project, it includes that housing component.

That proposal to have up to 145 mixed income homes along the light rail.

The proposal and the presentation that went before economic development committee, it is a collective.

It is the full picture of with government support, what community can do.

When we look at the fact that the plans are still in the early stages, we wanted to bring this before full council sooner rather than later, versus the night of vote, you learning about this amazing work.

So staff, kudos to you for all the work that you have done side by side along with historic Western partners.

Jatanya, we're going to continue saying it, the praises of your leadership because you had a vision and you made that vision come to fruition.

And also I want to acknowledge that with our support, the city's support, we're actually able to help enable historic Western partners to secure ownership of the land while simultaneously ensuring that there will be affordable units that are in accordance with the requirements of our affordable housing goals and needs.

And I am proud that our committee moved forward for this, and I thank staff again for this presentation tonight.

And I definitely look forward to motioning in the coming weeks as approving this request of 4.1 million.

Thank you, Ms.

Mayor Protell.

All right.

Thank you.

Great job.

Great job.

Great job.

Let me give a shout out to the DCM.

DCMs, please stand up.

Monica Allison, please stand up.

Thank you, DCMs.

Thank you.

Sean.

Yes.

There you go.

Sean.

The next items as you get prepared.

I'm going to turn it over to Councilmember Ashmir, and we have a friendly face in the audience.

Mr.

Dana Fenton.

Hello, sir.

Mr.

Dana Pitt.

Hello, sir.

Thank you.

You're all gonna miss out.

First, on behalf of the committee chair Graham and um, I want to recognize committee members, committee members owens, Mayo, and Mitchell.

Mayo I'm pleased to share that we adopted this last week unanimously.

Um and BGIR initiated this work in October of 2025.

I want to thank Sean Heath.

He has been leading the charge.

You will see this handout.

Um, where you will see we have federal as well as state legislative agenda.

Uh over the past few months, we have really dug into this issues, particularly public safety, uh, specifically what we need from Raleigh, which is the centerpiece of our overall legislative agenda.

With that in mind, I want to focus on one thing public safety because that's what residents expect, and this is where we need strong partnership from Raleigh.

And I want to acknowledge that this conversation is also timely.

And I acknowledge that this conversation I had an opportunity to virtually watch today's hearing.

And state state law makers certainly are laser focused on public safety here.

Uh I think the chief did an excellent job today.

Uh talking about the progress we have made, talking about the facts where violent crime is down 21%.

That shows the progress that CMPD is making.

But then also she was honest about the challenges that we face and what support we need from Raleigh.

Uh and that's what this state legislative agenda does.

And I think we need to be clear about the support that we need from the state to succeed.

So first you will see.

Uh if you can flip to the second page.

If you can flip to the and the first portion of our state legislative agenda, you will see that first we need more investments in mental health resources.

This was something that the Chief Paterson talked about at the hearing, where we are getting a lot of calls related to mental health crisis.

Law enforcement alone cannot solve that, and we need investments in mental health services.

So that we prevent crime before it happens.

Second, we need state support for recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers.

This is also something the chief talked about earlier today.

Departments across the state are facing staffing shortages.

We are not alone.

Third, we need resources for the entire justice system, not just policing.

That includes the district attorney's office.

And accountability suffers.

Fourth, we are asking the state to help re-establish a local juvenile detention center.

This is also something the chief had talked about the hearing today.

Because if we want young people to turn their lives around, we cannot send them hours away from their families and support networks.

And fifth, we support stronger penalties for assaults on our transit operators and continued investments in safer roads and transportation system, and that's something that Councilmember Owens have championed.

So you will see that tier one and tier two.

We are also supporting.

I know Councilmember Mayful Mayfield is going to bring this up.

So before she does, uh I will answer that.

We are also investing in affordable housing.

As you can see, we are we have specific ask for housing, for infrastructure, as well as workforce development.

And you will see as part of our public safety tier two, we have three items.

First is sentencing, stronger sentencing tools for repeat offenders, improved qualification and compensation for magistrates, additional authority to address quality of life safety concerns.

And let me say all of this, the committee did not come up with.

So timing is crucial here.

Council will be asked to adopt this later this month because we have federal advocacy meeting in March, and then uh North Carolina General Assembly's short session begins in April.

So it's a very tight time frame.

But I really hope that we can adopt this end of this month so that we can speak with one unified voice when those decisions are being made.

Uh, particularly the business alliance, the county, so that um the business alliance, the county.

When we because there was a question that was asked multiple times at the hearing, how can we help you?

Well, here's the list.

This is how you can help us.

Um I also want to recognize the committee.

Uh many of us have had conversations with the DA's office, with the county, with our court system, to help ensure there is alignment at all levels.

So that's all I have.

And um this there will be a longer presentation on this uh that will be in your pay package if it's not already there.

Um but feel free to reach out to Sean Heath or myself with any questions, or even Chairman Councilmember Graham, who is also very involved in this process.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Council Member Schmidt, thank you.

Council Member Anderson.

Thank you.

Um, and thank you for the update.

Uh I said it and participated in some of this discussion, so I'm aware of it.

Um question though for the committee.

You've laid out what what you all have uh voted to move forward.

But you all felt you know it was right there on the line.

So Councilmember Anderson, we did move forward all the public safety items that came as a result of direct feedback from our stakeholders.

But what we did, we had tier one and tier two because we have a long list.

And we wanted to be very specific in our ask, right?

So we have now two tiers because it's a long list.

So we said let's highlight high priority items in tier one, and then we have tier two that is a lesser priority.

In fact, um re-establishing of local juvenile detention center was something that was part of tier two, but the committee decided to um promote that to tier one because we see a greater need for that.

And that's something we have heard not just from Chief Patterson, but also from community leaders as well as business leaders.

Um to make sure that we are holding repeat offenders accountable closer to the support system that they have.

Of course, yes.

Um my question was really around for the other areas.

So public safety is top of mind, and you know that is that is center of plate for our community, right?

Um but for the other areas, specifically the six other areas, were there any tier two items that did not make it through?

No, no, we did not because the other areas did not have as many items as the public safety does.

Um I just wanted to highlight a few things in terms of the zoning because that aligns with our overall UDO.

So there were a few items that we had under planning, land use.

Um obviously we wanted to highlight aging in place because this is something we I remember discussing this uh when I served on the housing committee.

Oh really looking at the threshold for to support adults aging in place.

I know this is something that council member Mayfield uh has certainly advocated for in the past, but uh has there is already a Senate bill out there, so we thought let's just go ahead and throw our support behind it.

There is already a movement.

Um we are including that.

Um, so but we didn't eliminate anything that was recommended by staff.

Thank you.

Councilmember Owens.

So I have a couple of things.

Um one just commenting on the agenda, and then another perhaps addressing a concern that I had that was not expressed during committee, but it does go to Councilmember Anderson's question around other tiers of of inquiry.

Um it's been brought to my attention most recently by community members that our state legislature, and I'll put this in the housing category that our state legislature is withholding IOLTA dollars and IOLTA is um interest that is earned on um trust funds that are held by lawyers.

And traditionally those dollars go to fund legal aid and the needs of our legal aid community are absolutely um paramount to me in terms of keeping people in place because as people have issues with their their rents, they have issues with their landlords, they are dependent on legal aid to help them stay in place.

And so if I had a second tier, if I had an opportunity to have a bite at that apple, I had not appreciated that those monies were being held, and I would encourage us in any ways that we do have any um any uh influence to encourage those monies that are being withheld.

I don't fully appreciate the dynamics of that, but I do appreciate the effect that it's having on our legal services, particularly here in Mecklenburg County, where we continue to have legal aid available to people.

Um our attorneys who serve legal aid are servicing so many other counties that have now lost their funding and have lost their legal aid.

So I think again, when we're looking at retaining housing, that's a big concern of mine, and I'll put that out there.

But just so that's briefly on that topic.

The other one I do want to mention, and I don't view tier one as having a a particular prioritization, and so I do note the last one that's in tier one is one that I was very keen to have escalated.

And I think we've all received a lot of um constituent inquiry around red light cameras and some of the things that perhaps we could inquire of our state legislature to make more clear.

I think to that point we did also discuss that Greensboro is confronting similar issues in wanting to appreciate how those monies can be applied and um what portion of that goes for schools.

So anyway, I will just raise those, but I do appreciate Councilmember Ashmira's summaries.

Councilwoman Ashmer, go ahead.

So Mr.

Heath, I know the last bullet point was added as a result of Councilmember Owens advocacy.

Maybe there might be an opportunity to be more specific.

This is really wide.

I think if you are really laser focused on red light cameras, maybe we can be more uh focused on red light specific for this last bullet point before it comes.

But uh wanted to hear if you have any other thoughts.

Maybe there, you know, there is always a reason behind why they sometimes make that language.

I know that's based on our lobbyists and others.

I want to just hear your thoughts.

If I may and I can channel Sarah Hazel here for a second when this came up last week.

This may be a both and and also last week, I believe a memo went to council suggesting that if there's a will for additional conversation on red light cameras and possibly a city program, the staff is ready, willing, and able to have those conversations.

So I think that that's out there, and that could be separate and distinct from where the legislative agenda moves potentially on the legislative agenda.

I believe the point that Sarah made last week was on this particular one.

We like the idea of keeping it broad enough where we could have a seat at the table on a whole broad range of things that can potentially fall within this category, which historically has been our approach on a lot of our uh state uh legislative agenda items.

Whereas this year with public safety, for various reasons, we wanted to get really granular and specific for that.

So we can certainly run the traps if there's some specific ideas that council would like to share this evening as it relates to that particular item.

Um so we can be thoughtful about that before we bring it back for a vote on February 23rd.

So we can be thoughtful about that before we bring it back to the council.

Councilmember Mayfield and Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor for Tim.

Thank you, Councilmember Owens, for that additional piece regarding the IOTA and to Councilmember Ashmir and to the entire committee and Councilmember Graham, who might be listening on the road riding back the town as someone who had the town pleasure of serving alongside with Councilmember Ashmira on the budget governance and intergovernmental committee for multiple years.

I am happy to see that the committee chose to support Senate Bill 349.

One of our biggest challenges with agent in place is not just for our elders that have home ownership, but it's also our elders that are in rental units and in rental units that we have funded.

The escalation clause is something that I have spoken about more than once that's in that LITEC legislation.

And unfortunately, earlier today I received a call where we have an elder based on what's happening on the federal level, her $1,000 a month social security check was reduced down to $100.

She's just got notification that the complex that is a senior project is increasing their rent $50.

That's $800.

So that is her whole Social Security check.

So how does she get medication?

Where's our 30 percent and below?

Where are the protections that we need for our elders in the community because I do not want to see a thousand-plus elders in the category of being unhoused as well as I am very happy that the support continues for us to, you know, first of all, they got to pass the budget.

But one day, the fact that we have the support there for the provision of appropriating funds for our workforce housing loan program, because that is we have people who earn 75 to 150,000 a year, but cannot afford to buy a home or make that investment in Charlotte and even in our region right now.

So I appreciate the fact that housing stayed in the conversation and housing staying.

As far as as well as economic development and the work that we're putting around our advocacy.

When we look at the lights, we also have to have a real conversation about the individual that runs that light.

But also the fact that we have to stop and not take that green light for granted.

We need to pause, look left and right because the chances are greater that someone is going to take the red light as a suggestion versus uh actual stop.

But these were are the ways to help us move forward in the conversation.

So I appreciate the work that the committee is doing and look forward to supporting however I can.

Thank you, Councilmember Mayfield.

Councilman Ash may do.

I did not cover the federal, but I'm sure you all can read that.

Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tan.

And thank you, Councilwoman Owens, for the just lifting that up.

I I I've talked to you about how how practically practical you are, and I appreciate that.

I I also have the approach, how can we say yes?

Um when I look at the state legislative agenda, you know, there are things that jump out to me that we don't ask for that we know would be helpful in our city, such as inclusionary zoning and impact fees.

Those obvious things, you'll see we don't ask for those because our historical approach is just been more politically correct.

And and sometimes that's I mean you kind of learn as you go along.

I I would love to push those forward, but are they going to be approved?

I uh that's for council members more um experienced than me.

But I I agree with the with asking for what our constituents need.

I think that's our role.

But we can talk about that offline.

Um but again, we went to Boston, and that was one of the cities that we were encouraged to learn from, and they have 20 percent inclusionary zoning.

Imagine if 20 percent of all of this explosive growth and inventory were mandated to be affordable.

So um there's that.

But I will say, as far as red light cameras, um I'm from Columbus, Ohio, and we had red light cameras at one point.

And the um the challenge is um the and you're an attorney, so I mean I you you would know the challenge, but that an officer may need to be present at court in court to be a witness.

And we heard our chief say today that we're understaffed, and we know that we're understaffed.

So um I just want to put that out there.

I want to thank you for pushing the envelope.

Um thank you for but that's just you know, this is welcome to city council.

That's good.

Thank you.

Cassip Johnson.

You want to respond, Councilmember Owens?

Councilman JD, do you mind Council Member?

Okay, go ahead, Councilmember.

Thank you for that.

I I do appreciate um uh your your acknowledging that this is something that has been a bit of a passion for me, but I also will propose that I do not have definitive answers when I would like for us to explore it.

I'd like us to have options optimal um optionality, maximum optionality around what we can do, and if it's really only on those high injury networks, if there are certain frequent um you know intersections, you know.

I I am absolutely convinced that I'm gonna be killed sometime uptown trying to cross over on Caldwell because I almost get hit every single time I'm in there and I'm in the right of way, I've got the little white signal, and somebody's making a turn.

Like we have numerous places within our city that are more dangerous than they need to be.

And that's not an example of a red light camera situation, but it's an example of a of a known situation where you're having traffic turn into a signaled walkway.

Like let's look at those things, and I I do I do hear that you know there there are other possibilities that we can explore, but I would at least like us to have all of the options on the table.

And I think the indecision that we're experiencing judicially around the application of those monies is keeping us from even having that in our back pocket to use in isolated times.

And so that's really what I was hoping to address.

So she makes a great point.

So maybe there is some type of C dot summit that we could have because there are several because I think a no-turn on red uh sign would change would help that issue.

And I've also seen where there are conflicting arrows.

Someone will have an arrow to make a right turn and someone has an arrow to make a uh U-turn where I'm from, that's they just don't do that.

Green arrow means go.

So we need to look at those.

There are several places in our city that there can be some traffic improvements.

So if we could take a look at that on a granular level, um Mr.

Heath, if there's a way that that those kind of issues can be identified, I think that would be helpful that we may not need the state legislator to make those changes.

There are several traffic rules locally and ordinances that can be improved.

Well, and if I could just add to that, I appreciate the sentiment that they can be improved.

I think something that was explained to me the other day in a different context, it was around how people experience um the Board of Elections, and everybody kind of has their own experiences from where they've come from.

I think the the same um factors are at play when you have people moving here from all over the country and they have different experiences with what the green arrow means or what the lights mean.

I I think we do have an element of education that we can do, but I also think there's an element of engineering and some changes that if we do have the authority, I'd like to understand what that authority is, and if we can make some changes that make life a little bit clearer for all of us, including all of the people who move here from other places where they may have different experiences with what the traffic ordinances are.

I mean that the arrow for the left with what the turn to be yellow are it's yield.

You know, so instead of turn to be yellow, it's yield.

You know, so instead of judgment.

Councilmember J D, bring us home.

Yeah, I mean, I just really want to reiterate.

Oh, um, I just want to reiterate thank you, committee, for putting these priorities forward.

Uh thank you.

I think it shows that this council is serious on tackling public safety, and particularly pedestrian and driver safety.

Just this past weekend, East Charlotte saw three fatalities in traffic um incidents.

Um I really would love this council to approach a proactive conversation about red light cameras, what that looks like, not across the city, but in 13% of our roads, which are the high injury networks, right?

That's where 80% of our fatalities are happening in those 13% roads that make up the city of Charlotte, which our Vision Zero report um laid out a month or so ago.

I also want us to, I mean, Chief Patterson did a excellent job today at the hearing where she highlighted a program that I highlighted during the campaign trail, which was the Jade initiative, is to tackle juvenile crime, um, to tackle uh juvenile delinquency, and I really would love to have more proactive conversation of what that juvenile detention center looks like.

And how do we find the balancing act of not criminalizing young people, particularly black and brown young men who sometimes are not afforded the opportunities that other students are afforded, right?

And and making sure we're mitigating the harms and risks of a life of crime and giving them second opportunities, but also the balancing act of enforcing our laws and making sure that people are abiding by our laws, particularly young people in our city, and bringing down those rates.

I think it is a conversation that needs to be had and how we address juvenile crime and make sure that we're not criminalizing young people, but we're also making sure they have opportunities.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, thank you.

So a couple years ago, our housing committee we talked about reopening the juvenile delinquent center.

And and there wasn't the will at that time, or we didn't move forward because we recognize that I think it was 90 percent or 99 percent of the youth who commit crime had history of mental illness of the youth committee.

So we wanted to take a look at a more solution-focused approach.

So I would like follow-up on this on the recommendations that we discussed at that time.

If we can get some follow-up, okay, thank you.

Ms.

Pete, go right ahead.

Yes, we'll be happy to pull that together and just at a 30,000-foot level with Councilmember Watlington and the housing and safety community committee.

There was a lot of work done around the upstream focus on prevention activities, and this council has a long history of supporting prevention through the Office of Youth Opportunity CMPD programming, the financial partner program as well, and then there was co-equal emphasis on behavioral health for youth and council agreed to authorize a two and a half million dollar investment for the Cater Blessing Center, which will come online later this year.

So I I just wanted to say those things out loud because juvenile detention was never intended to be the focal point necessarily for the city's lean for the city leaning into juveniles, certainly.

Uh but we we can get you a report very quickly for sure.

21 percent, you know.

21% Councilman Anderson.

Thank you.

So uh two quick points that there's been a lot, there's been a robust discussion around the juvenile detention center, the pros and cons in the community lately from uh judicial perspective, from a behavioral health perspective, and others.

And because it was here before, I've gone out to visit the site, and we have people who actually know how to operate that, that that's their developed muscle, right?

And so as we look at certain, certainly from a legislative agenda perspective, I I feel and I and I appreciate the walking the line of being brought, but with some level of specificity, but on a topic like that, I which is bullet point three in the tier one of public safety.

I believe there needs to be a double click on around language of what our actual direct ask is and how how it would be how it where it would be tethered to because this is an ask that could fall within the city of Charlotte, it can fall within the sheriff's department, it can fall, you know, in a variety of different spaces.

So that that's just giving me a bit of consternation on that third bullet point.

Um that's not why my initial uh my my initial thought uh that I raised my hand on, but I think that's a a really really um important topic that we need to make sure the ask is proper because otherwise we can get down a rabbit hole very very quickly.

My initial um thought though was that with all of the conversation around uh red cam red light cameras uh bringing them back, and I know staff is doing conducting research on this.

Um I believe potentially that might be a topic we could have referred to the um transportation and planning committee because we we did have red light cameras in our community.

We decide to pull decided to pull those back.

Now we're getting um these ask.

I know I've received many, many, many emails from my constituents around us.

I'm sure the rest of council has as well.

I I believe it's the right balance of whether is it a safety question, is it a is it a revenue generating question?

You know, we have to balance that the right way, and I think that's a conversation that could work well in committee with the transportation and planning committee.

So it may be a referral opportunity, Mr.

Heath.

Um just the just the thought as we move forward.

Thank you.

Great discussion.

Thank you, everyone.

Um so, council, we're about to go into closed session, and so I'm gonna go and access the city attorney if she can read the language, please.

Is there a motion to go into closed session pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11A4 to discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic development incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations.

So I'm all second, second.

Made by council made by Dr.

Wallet to a second by Council Member Mayfield.

All those in favor going to close session, raise your hand.

Very good.

Closed session.

We are the most important.

Thank you all for joining us here in person and those watching online for our February 9th business meeting.

Now let's begin our city council meeting with introductions around the dais, starting with our city clerk.

Good evening, Dimple Ashmera at large.

Good evening.

I'm Victoria Wattlington, and I have the pleasure of serving you as a member at large.

Joy Mayo, District 3.

Good evening, Dante Anderson, District One.

John Heath, Deputy City Manager.

Good evening to everyone.

James Mitch of Mayor Pro Tim.

Good evening, Kimberly Owens representing District Six.

Happy Black History Month.

Lawana Mayfield serving you at large.

Good evening, JD Masueta Adias, probably representing the East Side District 5 and go Bad Bunny.

Good evening.

I'm Renee Johnson, and I have the honor of representing district district four.

We'll begin our meeting with an invocation, expression or inspiration, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

The invocation is intended to solemize our proceeding.

We celebrate the religious diversity of our community, including those without religious faith.

Tonight we're fortunate to have Councilmember Mayo who give our invocation.

Councilmember Mayo.

Thank you.

Feel free to bow your head if you would like.

Gracious and loving God.

We gather today with gratitude.

Mindful that this month we honor Black history, a story woven with courage, resilience, sacrifice, and vision.

We remember the generations who labored, organized, taught, healed, and led so that our communities in this very chamber could move closer to justice and opportunity for all.

May their legacy remind us that progress is not accidental.

It is built by people willing to serve with integrity, compassion, and courage.

As we conduct the business of this council, guide our words and decisions so they reflect dignity dignity, fairness, and care for every resident, especially those whose voices have too often gone unheard.

Grant has wisdom to listen deeply, humility to learn from one another, and boldness to act in ways that strengthen our city.

Let the spirit of unity, perseverance, and hope that defines black history, inspire how we collaborate today.

May our work honor the past, serve the present, and build a future where every person can thrive.

Amen.

Thank you.

And it shines because of our staff.

This past weekend, while many of us were home staying warm, city staff or out there in the elements, working around the clock, and some even spending nights away from their families.

Sleeping in office just to keep Charlotte running.

So I've asked each of each of our council members to join me as we all recognize several departments for their efforts.

We're gonna start with Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

I want to thank and lift up the incomparable Debbie Smith and the incredible CDOT department.

C DOT treated and cleared over 13,000 miles of road using nearly 100,000 gallons of brine and 3,500 tons of salt.

And they operate it 24-7.

Thank you, C Dot.

Councilmember JD.

Last week I had the privilege of visiting the headquarters of the CFD where our emergency management services is located.

And I just have to say what an incredible operation they have.

Fleet management opened 180 work orders to keep snowplows, fire trucks, and equipment storm ready and deliver services to our constituents.

An incredible job, an incredible feat, and an unprecedented two-time snowstorm and nice storm.

Thank you.

Councilmember Mayfield.

Thank you.

One employee even stopped to help a child retrieve a snowball maker from a catch basin.

That's service.

Councilmember Owens.

Sharmac 311 handled 1,374 calls with lightning fast response times.

Councilmember Anderson.

Our general services crew kept 33 city facilities safe and accessible throughout both winter storms.

And I'd like to have a special thank you for everyone who operated our EOC and spent time away from their families.

And thank you tremendously for everything you did to keep Charlotte safe.

Councilmember Mayo.

Yes, during the storm, cats cap for our operations moving.

I saw uh the bus through my neighborhood actually when I was warm inside.

So very grateful for the work of our cats team.

Councilmember Wattleton.

And it wasn't only our residents, our people residents, animal care and control also protected our vulnerable pets, and we appreciate you taking time out away from your families to keep ours safe.

All of them.

Councilmember Ashmere.

Last but not the least, Solid Base Services.

They stepped in where needed.

And of course, our first responders at Charlotte Fire and CNPD answer the call nonstop.

And to our team at Charlotte Douglas Airport, thank you.

Council members, let's all stand.

And let's get each staff member who showed up, stepped up and pushed through the storm.

Team Charlotte, we see you and we appreciate you.

Great job, Mayor Fotam.

Yes.

Wonderful.

So I think our first public hearing decision is item number six.

Is that correct?

Yes, sir.

So we're now beginning to move to our public hearing items this evening.

The first public hearing is on the Mezzic Agency U.S.

Business Investment Grant.

Madam Curly, do we have any speakers?

No, sir.

Move to close the hearing.

Second.

Move the proper second, close the public hearing.

All those in favor, let me know by raise your hand.

Any opposed?

Thank you.

Action item B.

Approve a business investment grant to Mary's agency for a total amount not to exceed 269,435 dollars over eight years.

May I have a motion?

So moved.

Second.

Moving and properly second.

Question.

All those in favor, raise your hand.

Any opposed?

Quick question for clarification.

Do we need to open the public hearing?

We close.

So that was action eight.

My apologies.

So we're on action B.

There you go.

Okay.

All those in favor, raise your hand.

Okay.

All those opposed.

Thank you.

Item number seven.

Public hearing on Pacific Life Insurance Company Business Investment Grant.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

No, sir.

Is there a motion to close the public speakers?

I think you need to make sure we open it and then ask.

I'm sorry.

Motion to open public hearing.

Second.

Moving proper second.

Now do we have any speakers?

Madam Clerk.

No, sir.

Move a closer to close.

Second.

Moving proper second.

All those in favor close the public speaking.

Thank you.

Any opposed?

Okay.

Action B to approve a business investment grant to Pacific Life Insurance Company for a total amount not to exceed 170,695 dollars over six years.

May I have a motion?

So moved.

Second.

Moving the proper second council member Anderson.

Second by Councilmember Ashmere.

All those in favor, raise your hand.

Can I make a comment?

Oh, let me finish the motion.

All those opposed?

Councilmember Anderson, go right ahead.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um, I just wanted to take the moment to welcome uh Pacific Life Insurance to the City of Charlotte.

This is their first venture in the Southeast.

They're headquartered in uh California.

And uh yes, they they're gonna be in district one, but also bringing some tremendous get-paying jobs to the South End area, and uh they were very very excited about having the opportunity to uh locate here in the Queen City.

And as I was speaking with some of the leaders there, they mentioned that interacting with our leaders and some of our community residents where it was really the glue that kind of stuck with them to say yes, let's choose Charlotte over other cities.

So very thrilled to have Pacific Life in the Southeast, but specifically in the Queen City.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Anderson.

Now we move to item number eight, public hearing on scout motor business investment grant.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

No, sir.

Is there a motion to open up a motion to close public speaking?

A motion to close public hearing.

Oh god.

Y'all should want us to talk tonight, right?

Motion that motion to open public hearing for number eight.

Move the proper second.

Okay.

Now speakers.

Madam Clerk, no speaker.

Is there a motion?

Actually, um, Mayor Pro Tim, all you need to do is open the public hearing and then ask if there are speakers and then if they're speakers, we hear from them.

If not, you can entertain a motion to close the public hearing.

Okay.

Right.

Motion to close the public hearing.

Move it a proper second to close the public hearing.

All those in favor.

Any opposed?

Okay.

Now I'll move on to motion B.

Approve a business investment grant to scout motors for a mountain not to exceed seven seven million two hundred and eighty-five thousand and five hundred eighteen over fifteen years.

Moving proper second.

All those in favor, raise your hand.

Any opposed?

I just want to make a comment.

Councilmember Anderson.

Thank you.

Um of course I had to speak on this.

We've we've had so much conversation about uh scout motors coming into the city.

I've been headquartered in Plaza Midwood, but it's also a regional play with the manufacturing facility in South Carolina.

Um an incredible amount of jobs on for the east side for East Charlotte along transit oriented development and just a really really great investment into a neighborhood that doesn't have this type of employment within its portfolio.

So very excited to welcome Scout Motors to Plaza Midwood and East Charlotte.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Anderson.

Now we're going to open the public hearing on SoFire Technology and Subsidiary Business Investment Grant.

Is there a motion to open?

Motion to open hearing.

You don't need the motion.

He can he can Mayor Pro Tim can hear it.

Yeah.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

So I entertain a motion to motion to close the public hearing.

Thank you.

Second.

Second.

All those in favor closing the public hearing.

Say raise your hand.

Any opposed?

Okay.

Now I would like to make a motion for item B to approve a business investment grant to Sofire Technology and subsidiaries for a total amount not to exceed 40,615 over seven years.

Can I have a motion?

Second.

Okay.

Made by Councilmember Wallington, second by Councilmember Anjmir.

All those in favor, raise your hand.

All though opposed.

Very good.

There's one opposed.

One.

One opposed.

Councilmember.

Now we onto the policy section of our agenda.

We have one policy item for this evening.

Health and sanitation ordinance amendments.

Do we have any speakers for this policy item?

Number two.

You have two.

We have two.

Okay.

So speakers, Mr.

Pickert and Mr.

McKinney.

Please come forward.

Each of you have three minutes apiece.

Yes.

And we have two podiums that uh take.

Okay.

So we have a mix-up here.

So can you introduce yourself, please?

Check check.

Yes, good evening.

My name is Alvin Picard.

Oh, P I C A R D.

Okay, but I think you said Pickard, but give us one moment to figure out Mr.

Picard.

Wait a minute.

We're going to make sure your time was start.

Right now.

Go ahead, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you for the time.

I'm so used to two minutes at the public forum.

So I don't know what I'm going to do with all this time.

You don't have to use it.

I know.

Let's get home, right?

Um, yeah, my name is Alvin Picard.

I I live in East Charlotte, District 5.

What's up, JD?

Let's go.

Okay.

Um, I'm a proud uh resident of it.

Charlotte East Charlotte for 10 years.

Um, I work in the field of wildlife conservation for the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and I'm speaking tonight on behalf of the Charlotte Coalition to protect our urban nature.

And as many of y'all know from emails and public comment and forums, we've been advocating for an amendment to the overgrown vegetation ordinance.

And that's what's um on the agenda for policy item 10.

And I'm speaking in favor of that, and in favor of y'all voting to approve the uh proposed amendment to the health ordinance.

I'll get a little personal.

Um my wife and I welcomed our baby girl four weeks ago today, Violet into this world.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Um I'm running off fumes.

Um her name is fitting because she was born four weeks early.

Um, and Violet's she's a beautiful baby girl, Violet, and and Violets are a beautiful wildflower that are some of the first to bloom in the Charlotte area, and they provide really valuable pollen, nectar, and wildlife resources to our native bees.

But in a lot of those yards that are heavily maintained with fertilizers and pesticides and mowed routinely to 12 inches and under, those violets don't get a chance to come to life and to provide those valuable resources.

Also in my yard, I have golden ragwort, which is one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in mass, which is critical for wildlife and early pollinators.

Those flower, those flower stocks are 24 inches in height, though, and that the it's considered a weed in the current ordinance without the exemption, and you can't have the ragwort and many of these wonderful native plants if you're routinely mowing your yard under 12 inches.

So let's see.

Yeah, we're running out of uh things to say here.

How much time do we have?

But I I do want to applaud all city staff, the mayor and council for considering this amendment.

Um, this is a common sense approach to conservation, it gives property owners the choice to choose stewardship over degradation, to choose environmental protection over environmental assault, and codifying this exemption empowers homeowners to take a non-conventional approach, one that saves water, reduces pollution, captures carbon, restores soil health, returns wildlife and ecological function to the land.

So again, I want to thank you all for your time.

Thank the city staff, thank everyone who's done a lot of work uh to get this ordinance to the vote today, and I hope you'll vote yes and approve this amendment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Picard.

Appreciate you, sir, for coming down.

I have to apologize to you.

No problem.

It's an unusual name.

Hey.

Hi, Joey.

Um, my name is Dr.

Terrell Mackey.

I am with the uh uh Alden.

Um I was going to take this just a little bit different direction.

Excuse me.

Of course, I had a coughing fit just before I came up here.

It's not just about pollinators, it's about people as well.

And I think that one thing that that you as a as a council um have so many hard decisions to make about people, and this is an easy one, because I've been a mental health care worker for 25 years, and the interesting thing is is that people respond to green space, to bird song, etc.

And I just wanted to give you a few stats.

ADHD epilepsy, anxiety, depression, PTSD, can have from anywhere, depending upon which studies you're looking at, five to nineteen percent improvement in green space areas.

And um stress can go down as much as 50 percent.

I'm gonna take a stat from uh tree Charlotte goes tree Charlotte.

Um three to five miles slower on on streets that have uh trees and green space, uh less accidents as well, substantially less.

We are a bird corridor, so I'm gonna switch to birds now.

Um millions of millions of birds come up through North Carolina and they need something to eat.

And uh the violets, the ragwort, all of these things are going to help to feed them.

So it's ecologically unbelievably helpful.

You as policy policymakers, you make such a huge difference, and I thank you for everything that you do, and I hope that you will take this and move it forward because it's gonna impact all generations after this as well.

Um, this book um talks about lawns in the US exceed the amount of all our um national parks.

In Charlotte, we were trying to come up with some numbers a while ago, at least 100,000 acres that we could impact.

If you let um those of us, it's how can I help saving nature with your own backyard?

You're going to empower us to do that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Mackey.

Thank you.

Is there a motion to adopt an ordinance, approving amendments to the health and sanitation ordinance?

Chapter 10 of the City Code as recommended by the housing committee.

So me second.

Councilmember Ashmere.

You want to move on?

Okay.

Thank you.

Um first I want to thank the housing committee for their work on updating this ordinance in record time.

I remember many of you at least spoke to spoke at three to four public forums, if not more.

And many of you have had individual meetings with almost all the council members.

I want to recognize Alden's work as well as Dave Molinero and Nancy Carter and the entire team for reaching out to the council.

This is a direct result.

This ordinance is being updated is because of the direct result of communities input.

So that just shows the power of organizing and power of constituents' advocacy.

This shows that council listens and responds accordingly.

So I'm very excited to see.

This is a I'm excited to see how this is going to encourage more pollinator gardens.

In fact, there is one near where I live, and I often take my little ones there.

But it's good to see now this will be codified into our ordinance.

And I'm excited to see how this will support the larger ecosystem and uh in protecting our bees and butterflies.

Thank you all for your work.

Thank you, Councilmember Edmund.

Council Member Mayo.

Thank you.

Uh, so glad to see so many friends that I kind of know personally, so excited to see y'all.

Also want to kind of echo uh what Depot said as well.

Um, the fact that you all have been really persistent in coming and reminding people of the importance of this.

Um I think it's a great reminder that community can have an impact and create can create uh policy changes.

So I want to thank y'all for coming.

Want to talk a little bit, a plug for naturalistic landscapes, as you know, as an environmentalist in my pro job.

Um I just I love the fact that we're being part of the solution, thinking about biodiversity, uh also climate resilience when we see how climate change is affecting our city now.

I think it's so important that we're having naturalistic landscapes.

That is so imperative.

Uh, even when we talk about drought and things like that.

So these naturalistic landscapes are going to help so much with that because we're not gonna have to use as much water uh to maintain that.

So thank y'all so much for being here and really stressing that.

I think it's so imperative that we are creating solutions to climate change um locally.

Yes.

Thank you, Councilmember Mayo.

Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

So I I I want to congratulate you all.

Um, and Dr.

Mackey, you mentioned um uh conditions, epilepsy, ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, depression.

You may not know I'm a brain injury advocate, so someone with a brain injury could have all five of those.

So I definitely understand and I appreciate the the healing aspect.

I do want to ask, though, from a policy perspective, one of the the concerns we shared in the education of the residents, residents, and the education of the HOA.

Um, so I want to ask city staff what was done.

This was this did go through committee in record time.

I've never seen this since I've been on council in 2019.

It does show when there's political will, we can make things happen and community can have impact.

So I like our community uh members that have other issues to to remember this and hold us accountable.

But I'd like to ask city staff um what the plan was and and how HOAs were educated.

I just as the district for uh res representative, I can see getting calls from HOAs where they may feel neighbors out of compliance, and we really really this is a huge change, and I think we need to be very intentional about letting residents know.

Thank you.

Come on, Rebecca Home Run here.

Thank you for the question.

Yes, there was an important issue that was raised by the housing committee, and so we took that feedback back to the team.

This has been a real team effort.

So uh our folks in code and uh keep Charlotte Beautiful, um, our landscape management staff, our Office of Sustainability, and then we partnered also with Charlotte Communications and Marketing, so that uh if this passes tonight and the ordinance um does get changed, we will roll out a um substantial and comprehensive outreach and marketing campaign.

Um the team has developed uh messaging that that we can get to you and you can share with your constituents uh as well as different audiences around just the education, not just on uh what what is a pollinator habitat, what is a naturalistic landscape, and how can you get involved?

How can you help?

Um as Dr.

Mackey said, Um, but also what uh what and where can these um gardens exist?

And so uh it does not supersede uh any restrictive covenants that you might have in NHOA.

Um, but we will be sharing this information with um HOAs and to help them see that that this is something that they could do um in their communities as well.

So there may not be language in an HOA bylaw because it may be silent and may not address it.

So I would have hoped that we educated HOAs before we pass the ordinance, or that we at least talk about that it's on the table.

I haven't received anything.

Did you reach out to anyone?

This is I mean, this is a change citywide.

So and it's your yard, your home, right?

And I I can just proceed.

I can see the other side where where residents would would have some concern about it.

So pollinator gardens are already allowed.

Um this it's one of the things that um the the registration process already exists, and there's already parameters around it.

Um the city of Charlotte has been uh has been allowing and encouraging these habitats for several years.

Um the ordinance change is codifying that, and the codification of that also provides a great time to amp up the education and outreach.

So it's not actually a change in the sense of you weren't able to do it before, and now you're able to do it.

It's a codification of something that it has been allowed administratively, uh, and we think this is a really good opportunity to engage our residents, our businesses, partner with our great advocates who brought this to you to get the word out to let people know that this is allowed, how to register your pollinator garden, what type of plants you can use and where to get them, and and at the same time, if you live in a community where it's unclear whether you're allowed to do this, um, to let them know this is something that your city is um not just allowing but codifying and celebrating, and we encourage all neighborhoods uh to embrace this.

Okay, thank you.

Councilmember Mayo.

Yes.

Um Rebecca, this is probably isn't really Yaswoodhouse, but just think about our communication team, if it's at all possible for them to help with some of that messaging with our social media, maybe some videos, some reels, um different things so people can actually see what it looks like because sometimes that can be challenging if you're not maybe used to naturalistic um landscaping to have some pictures to see what it looks like, even highlighting the fact that Charlotte is you know one of the B Cities USAs, so little things like that of I think sometimes creating visuals for people to see, not just flyers, but for them to actually be able to see what it looks like.

Um remind people maybe with some of the videos, naturalistic landscaping, you know, it may look messy sometimes compared to what we're used to, but there's so many benefits.

Um so I think that's important too, just to kind of help get that message out with short little clips because everyone doesn't want to read a flyer or a newsletter or something about something.

Thank you.

I'll make sure to bring that back to the team.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

There was a motion on the floor with second.

Are we ready to vote?

All those in favor, raise your hand.

All those opposed.

Great work.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

I've already said the update of my now.

We move into our business section of our agenda council.

So uh agenda item interlocal agreement for Mallet Creek Stream Restoration Project.

Is there a motion on A, B, and C.

So move.

Maybe by Council Member Edmund, second by Council Member Anderson.

All those in favor, let it be no more, raise your hand.

Any opposed?

Fantastic.

Item number 12.

Restricted covenants for property on Starwood Avenue amendment.

Is there a motion for action items A and B?

SEML.

Thank you, Councilman.

Is there a second?

Second.

Are we gonna read that?

Adopt the resolution afterwards and B.

Yes.

Time for comment.

The movement properly second by Council Member.

I'm sorry.

Council Member Mayfield.

Discussion.

Adopt uh action A adopt the resolution authorizing an amendment to restrictions and covenant agreement for property located on Starwood Avenue to extend the time frame for completion, but two for sale, affordable town home unit.

And B authorize the city manager designate to execute all documents necessary to complete this transaction.

All those in favor, Lady Binoma, raise your hand.

Oh, you had a discussion.

I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

Council JD.

All right, Councilman.

Thank you, Mayor Pratim.

Um I would like to uh ask some questions to staff about this.

Um the first question is uh I'm gonna just give you a moment.

Sorry.

Got ahead of myself.

Um Thanks, Rebecca.

Could you confirm that the affordability requirements uh remain unchanged and that these homes will stay affordable for first-time buyers?

Yes, so this is just an extension of the time that the developer has to deliver those four sale units.

The requirements remain the same, is to affordable townhome units and the affordability that means um uh affordable to a house Charlotte eligible household, a first-time home buyer at 80 percent AMI or below.

Perfect.

Thank you so much for that.

And um follow-up questions, uh if I may, what safeguards are in place to ensure this extension does not become a precedent for indefinite delays uh on affordable housing delivery, and that we are doing a better job as a city and knowing where open orphan roads are located.

Yeah, great.

Thank you.

So and I and I appreciate the uh heads up on this question because um uh I was able to uh get input from Debbie and and her C dot team on the orphan road piece.

Um but a couple of things.

One is this is this is an ex not an indefinite extension, it's a time limited extension.

So it extends the time period um through the end of July of 2027.

Um these extensions are only made when the developer has demonstrated you know good faith efforts in moving projects forward.

Um and and uh and you uh a timeline to us that they will be able to um to us as your staff that they will be able to deliver.

Um so one thing to think about in this this property transaction actually goes back to 2020 originally, and when we first started doing city-owned land for affordable housing, it was a relatively new and innovative strategy.

Um and so your your staff, the whole team in city real estate, and all departments are actually now engaged in a collaborative process, or we're doing a lot of due diligence on the front end, um, and it is it is designed to reduce the time it takes after the conveyance is made.

Um and so that that's just some of the safeguards there, and then as it relates to um orphan roads, so uh Debbie shared with me that C dot uh maintains uh database uh GIS inventory of orphan roads, um, and that that database is actively managed and updated as new information is identified, and just for context, um an orphan road is a street that has been publicly dedicated most often by a developer but not formally accepted by the city or the state.

Um so it's not maintained by a public agency essentially, so just just for context.

Um and so uh CDOT is really doing a great job of um working through uh and updating that information through development reviews and field investigations, um and then when uh as in this case the developer actually um petitions the petition to the community um to to have this road accepted um to standards, um then that'll get updated in the database.

So um several several processes um internal and with our partners over the last couple of years.

Um we've already worked to improve so that these um kind of situations get caught earlier uh and we can deliver the affordable housing units more quickly.

Thank you.

That's my favorite word, improve.

Uh so thank you so much.

That that is the best uh answer I could ask for.

Um and then just to reiterate um the timeline is uh the completion of the recruit requirement is July 31st, 2027.

Are we going to get a uh follow-up update uh as the project goes along as council?

Is that something you all can do?

Maybe not in the official capacity after this is passed, but just an informal conversations.

Yep.

So what I can do is uh work with the team to figure out the best ways to provide more regular updates.

We have a a number of units for delivery like this that are going through the process, um, and we can we can um determine the best way to make sure that you're kept up to date on how those things are moving forward.

Thank you so much, and colleagues, I just orphan roads are like everywhere in East Charlotte, um and and a lot and in a lot of communities that are uh low income and marginalized, and so you know, now with the one percent sales tax, you know, really having a uh a focus on that and making sure that we catch those early on, as Rebecca was pointing out.

Um so that's it for me.

Thank you so much.

I just want to follow the case.

Council Member Ashmere.

I I know Councilmember JD mentioned about orphan roads, and he's right, they're all over in East Charlotte as well as in Still Creek area.

Right, I want to make sure because I had uh raised this issue.

I was told that any collection from transportation cell stacks would only go to orphan roads in ETJ area and not within the City of Charlotte limits.

Am I correct?

Yes.

I'd I'd like to phone a friend, if I may.

Okay.

Oh Ms.

Debbie.

So I just want to make sure that we are setting the realistic expectations.

Umbody else was a good question.

Excellent question, Councilmember Ashmere.

Ms.

Debbie.

Hey, good evening, everyone.

Debbie Smith, I'm the director for Charlotte Department of Transportation.

Councilman Asmer to answer your question.

We are working through that process right now to bring forward to council some conversation around orphan roads.

Um yay, Councilman JD, that's right.

But I just do want to say that the focus for the sales tax conversation and the negotiations that we had been having really are around orphan roads in the ETGA.

What Director Hefner talked about is the continuation that we are monitoring all streets that are within city limits of Charlotte and being able to properly address those.

Yeah.

Yes, so follow.

Um while we may be limited to in using our transportation dollars from South Stacks increase specifically in ETG area.

Uh I think we need to look at examine how we can use some of our existing dollars that we have for transportation to address our phone roads, because we do have a lot of those in the city of Charlotte limits that need improvements.

So that's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Ashmer.

You know, the comments.

So we had a motion on the floor for A and B.

All those in favor, please raise your hand.

All those opposed.

Thank you.

Thank you, Rebecca.

Thank you, David.

Item 13.

I'm I'm gonna use the council member uh JD because I know he's gonna want to speak to this.

A nice uh next item is the contract for Norland Road Shared Use Path phase one, which was deferred at our January 12th business meeting.

Um is there a motion to approve a contract in the amount 1,250, 258 dollars and 35 cents to the lowest response of bidder dot construction, which is a SBE for the Norland Road Share Use Path phase one component of the central Keelborne and Nola Intersection Street Upgrades project.

So move.

Second.

Moving property second.

Any comments?

Councilmember from District Five.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

I just really want to thank Debbie and Kathleen.

Are you there?

Yep.

Hey, um, for really bearing with me and deferring this last meeting and then meeting with me in person with council member Owens to talk about this project.

Uh colleagues, this has been a project that's been around for I think at least a decade.

Um I really want to be very clear that this is a it was based on a process that was outdated and didn't work well.

We no longer are in that process, which was the comprehensive neighborhood improvement project bond.

Yeah.

There we go.

And um, and now we are more being more proactive in our other uh approaches to these projects.

Um I you know, I spoke to the team.

There is uh a lot of improvements that were made from the last time, such as making sure there are designated bike uh crossing lanes as well as preserving tree canopies.

I I do want to ask staff some questions so it's on the record, and you all received us ahead of time before this meeting.

Um I would like to ask how will residents who live along this community, Norland Road, Central Avenue, Kilborn, be notified and engaged during construction, especially around access and safety, given that District 5 has a lot of high injury networks around this corridor.

So good evening, Mayor and Council, Mayor Pro Tem and Council Kathleen Seashack, City Engineer, Department of General Services.

Um, Councilmember JD to address your question.

We typically send out notice one to two weeks prior to notice to proceed with the contractor.

Um, that way everyone that would be impacted potentially by the project would have a point of contact on my staff that would assist them throughout the construction duration, um would also help with any potential impacts during construction as well.

Thank you so much.

Um colleagues, uh you know, the original scope of this project was uh it was a little bit larger in scope, but the both sides of that uh street was going to be addressed, but because of rising cost in construction, whatnot is now turned into a 12-foot shared use path lane, right?

Correct, um, so everybody can utilize it.

Uh that being said, one of my initial concerns that constituents brought was uh what about the other side, right?

Uh currently our average standardized size for sidewalks are six feet.

The other side that's being untouched because of the uh uh limited scope is four feet.

So I asked city staff about what's the possibility of modernizing that sidewalk to six feet so it can also complement the other side, which is the shared use path.

So my question now is will council receive an update on whether the four foot sidewalk would be able to modernize into a six-foot sidewalk based on contingencies uh that you all have, and what does that timeline look like?

So the answer is yes.

Um we have a commitment to come back to council by the end of March of next month to provide an update.

Um, as you noted, there is contingency.

This project was a larger project that was unbundled into four different phases.

We anticipate those projects being in construction through 2028.

Um so we will be able to come back at the end of next month with an understanding of what that cost would be with three different scenarios that were discussed in the meeting, and give further direction and how we would advance those projects in the future.

Amazing.

I cannot thank you and Debbie enough for your partnership, your work and collaboration.

Uh I know I came in hot because it was a 12-year project just sitting there.

So thank you so much uh for your partnership in this, and I know uh constituents are gonna be happy to see this moving forward.

Thank you.

That's it, Mayor Christ and Katie.

Thank you.

There's a motion on the floor.

Are we ready to vote?

All those in favor, please raise your hand.

All those opposed.

Okay, we're gonna count Dr.

Wattlington as uh in favor.

So uh citizens, before we uh entertain a motion to adjourn, I would like to make one comment.

And that is today our mayor, police chief Patterson, City Manager Jones, and Brent Cagel representatives very well in Raleigh at the oversight meeting.

And so I think we ought to give our colleagues a hand for supporting very thank councilmember Driggs and Councilmember Graham for their support.

Without further ado, we have a couple of activities that would take place this week.

And so I'm going to give the council member uh Mayfield and Councilmember Johnson to talk about community area planning, and then I'm gonna let uh Tar here uh residential council have the last say so.

Councilmember Mayfield.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem and colleagues.

I definitely want to take a moment to thank Dr.

Wallington as well as Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell.

I was um happy to host a community community area plan meeting specifically for the Mountain Allen Lake area this past Saturday.

We had about 50 residents that were in attendance.

One of our residents was here earlier, but I say that to say that the community really appreciated that one on one and being able to answer the questions after each presentation.

So we have several more opportunities to provide feedback on our Charlotte Future 2040 community area plans.

Hopefully, when everyone remembers in the community, we have a total of 14 plans.

Seven were approved.

Council members supported the motion to just pause a little on the additional seven to have more opportunity for community feedback and education.

So coming up on February the 12th from 6 p.m.

to 7 30 p.m.

Staff will be at West Charlotte High School, which of course is located at 2219 Senior Drive.

Here's that chance for you to share your input on the community area plans for East Middle and Outer, North Inter, North Middle and Outer, Northeast Middle and Outer, West Inter, West Middle, and West Outer.

And for those of you that can capture this, there's also a QR code that you can easily scan, or you can just go to WW.sharlot NC dot G O V for government, where you can scan.

And we also have it in Spanish.

Thank you, Councilman Mayfield.

Councilmember Johnson.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim.

There will be an additional presentation at the University City United Methodist Church on February 19th.

So that's for you, District 4 residents.

Other districts are welcome, but the meeting is in District 4.

And I want to thank council and staff.

This delay from the November vote was important.

We've had additional outreach.

So there has been some a lot of progress, and we look forward to additional community feedback.

So I hope to see you on the February 19th at 6 o'clock, 6 to 7:30 at University City United Methodist Church at 3835 West WT Harris.

There's also she mentioned the 12th, and then there's a virtual option on February 17th at noon.

So check out the website and you'll be able to find uh additional information.

I hope that we post that website on Facebook and YouTube so that individuals can find out more information.

Thank you.

Mayor Pro Tell, may I just quickly add, because I forgot to mention this.

I need to thank our team.

We had the Charlotte Department of Transportation, Mecklenburg Police Department, we had Stormwater Services, as well as our planning, design, and development, as well as Mecklenburg County Park and Red.

Because as a partner, and I want to say thank you to all of the staff, especially our OCS team, or my staff liaison, Antoine and your staff liaison, Latoya, Miss White, and Mr.

Schofield.

We had an amazing community meeting.

But we can I cannot do it without our team, and we have an amazing team, so thank you all for showing up.

Yes, and thank you, Councilmember Mayfield.

Uh, real quick, you also have an opportunity to join Spanish virtual sessions February 17th, as uh Councilwoman Johnson mentioned from 12 to 1 p.m.

And quick point of privilege thanks to the advocacy of District 5 constituents, uh, particularly Carolyn Millen.

Um, you everybody in District 5 is invited to learn more about the East Middle and Outer Community Area Plan on Thursday, February 26th from 6 to 8 p.m.

at Fellowship Hall at Eastern Hill Church.

Uh, that is 4855 Albemar Road.

So Mayor Pro Tim, can we get the website?

Because that was one of the things the information was kind of disjointed.

I know they've added uh additional information on where individuals can learn what plan they're in.

So I'm looking on here to find out where the comprehensive website is to find this information, and I don't see it if you don't have the uh QR code.

So, can we ask staff since we're talking about it?

The the best website to find this information.

Yeah, I I see uh Deputy City Manager uh Craig shaking the head, so we'll make sure we get that out.

Do you have now?

I can give it to you.

Okay.

Well, it's sound good, so the website is C L T for Charlotte, C L T Future, F U T U R E 2040.com.

C L T Future, F U T U R E 2040.com will take you directly to our city, and you will be able to look up 24 comprehensive plan.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Councilmember Owens, bring us home.

I will indeed.

So since we already have approved the South Middle uh area plans, I won't discuss those for District Six, but I will say very simply that it was a good weekend to be a Tar Heel.

I will not belabor that point.

I also, though, in all seriousness, I guess there was another sporting event this weekend.

But I do want to call out District Six.

Um, Drake May uh played ably for um for us in the Super Bowl and really did our city proud.

I know that the players when they're introduced have an opportunity to call out their alma mater.

And uh, I don't know if you caught it, but Drake called out Myers Park High School.

He could have called out the Tar Hills, but I guess he thought they had enough flowers the day before.

But he called out Myers Park High School, and that is as you know, in District 6.

It was a proud, proud moment for all of us.

I'm sure we'll be seeing this young man some more.

So thank you for that indulgence.

You're welcome.

May I have a motion to adjourn?

So move proper second.

All those in favor say aye.

Have a nice night.

Be safe.

Thank you, Quote.