Charlotte City Council Meeting – March 9, 2026
Charlotte City Council Meeting – March 9, 2026
The meeting covered consent agenda items, action previews for future agendas, public hearings, and business items. Key topics included community area plans, the Bojangles Entertainment Complex, solid waste ordinance updates, NOAA funding for affordable housing, and the Red Line design contract. The council also recognized Brain Injury Awareness Month and heard public comments on housing, transportation safety, and neighborhood concerns.
Consent Calendar
- Approved consent items except item 43 (airport federal inspection station design) and item 53 (removed).
- Item 43 voted separately; passed 9–2 with Councilmembers Mayfield and Stanson opposed.
- Items discussed: 30 (community health worker services – Councilmember Mayfield expressed concerns about partnership costs), 31 (District 4 mobility improvement – supported by Councilmember Johnson), 45 (custodial and trustee services – Councilmember Mayfield raised questions about bank partnerships).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Brain Injury Awareness Month: Proclamation presented; survivors and advocates spoke about the challenges of traumatic brain injury.
- Carson Cone: Proposed a city regulation to prevent apartment complexes from requiring residents to pay for luxury amenities; urged council to seek state help.
- Heather McCullough: Reported progress at CMAC (volunteer numbers up, staffing gaps remain), thanked council for making CMAC an independent department.
- Darren Barreto (Progress Exchange): Highlighted need for accessible SAT/ACT prep for underserved students.
- Harry White (Charlotte Museum of History): Requested increased funding; warned that programs would not continue without support.
- Eric Zavurle (Sustained Charlotte): Named 14 traffic fatalities in Jan–Feb 2026; urged prioritization of Vision Zero measures including red light cameras.
- Linda Byers: Described ongoing harassment and safety concerns for her senior mother in First Ward; requested follow-up.
- Jordan Hood (Charlotte Firefighters Association): Requested pay alignment and five modified duty positions in the 2027 budget.
- Stephanie Loss (Stillbury Acres): Asked council to protect the neighborhood from airport and manufacturing development; requested more work on the West Outer area plan.
- Shedrick Matthews (Concerned Citizens of Washington Heights): Reported positive neighborhood engagement; requested a follow-up meeting with council.
- Orlando Jacobs: Criticized affordable housing efforts as insufficient; called for a rent cap and urged council to push for state law changes.
Discussion Items
- Community Area Plans: Monica Holmes presented engagement results and proposed policy changes (environmental, neighborhood change, infrastructure). Councilmembers praised the deferral and new policies. No vote; decision scheduled for March 23.
- Bojangles Entertainment Complex: Councilmember Mitchell briefed; all expressed support. Item will be on the March 23 agenda.
- Solid Waste Services Ordinance: Proposed clarifications for duplexes, triplexes, ADUs; no service changes. Discussion included yard waste collection and potential assistance for elderly residents. City manager noted the interlocal agreement with the county expires in 2028.
- NOAA Funding – 1001 Tyvola: Warren Wooten presented a $3.5 million request to preserve 242 units (100 for veterans) with 60-year affordability. Council discussed the affordability mix and a policy exception for the property’s age. Will be on the April 13 agenda.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved (except item 43).
- Public hearings for alley and right-of-way closures (items 8–13) approved unanimously.
- Annexation of Summerwell at Mountain Island (item 14) approved with two councilmembers opposed.
- Interlocal agreement with Rock Hill for express bus service (item 16) approved.
- CATS TDM grant resolution (item 17) approved.
- CATS Red Line design contract amendment of $37.9 million (item 18) approved unanimously.
- General airport revenue bonds resolution (item 19) approved.
- Nominations to boards and commissions approved by acclamation.
- Closed session motion approved to discuss attorney-client privileged matters.
Meeting Transcript
Don't want to start a wildfire, right? It's muy sencillo. Con estos quatro pasitos fáciles de memorize. Thank you, everyone. Um, I appreciate the little bit of time that you come and spend with us. Really, really understand that's really good. So um, I want to call our um run of show or our call to order. We'll start with our introductions with the city clerk. Billy Tanz deputy city clerk. Andrea Leslie Fight City Attorney. Good evening, Louana Council Member at large. Good evening, JD Muswita Adios District Five. Good evening, I'm Renee Johnson, and I'm honored to represent District Four. All right, let's go to our consent agenda for this morning or this morning. Geez, it's been that kind of day, guys. Sorry. Every now and again it happens, right? Um, Mayor and Council consent items, questions and answers for any items between item 30 and item 54. Let me get a council. Are we ready? Do we have any items for you ready? Yes, ma'am, thank you. And good evening, Mayor and Council. I've got a chance to speak with many of you, and also please do note that item number 53 from your consent agenda item has been pulled from the agenda as it has been it's a condemnation that's been settled. So that's coming off your agenda. And any other questions, I'd be happy to have them now, please. All right, Miss Mayfield. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'm going to be asking Marie to review a couple of items for me. One of them is gonna be item number 30. Item 435. All right, so those if we go back to ask which to pull those, I would like for comment and or separate vote. All right, do we start with 30, Miss Mayfield? Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. The question that I had asked for Marie was the breakdown for number 30 community health worker services. I wanted a breakdown of the 657,259 for five employees, and basically why is the city paid for these employees through HR. So wanted to get a clear better understanding of that. Thank you, Madam Mayfield. And those uh the money is not just it's a current agreement we have, and it's adding one more worker, and it's not just for salaries, it's also for training and other services they do and to upfit the people to do the services. And this is part of the wraparound services we're targeting in the corridors of opportunity to help people. So for council consideration as we move forward, we have a number of partners, and we have a number of financial partners that also provide services. Again, when I'm thinking of what does a partnership look like for a community health worker, basically we're paying for these staff and all of their benefits and services. As one of our largest health care providers in the area, seem like this will be something that would have a greater financial commitment on their end versus our end when we think of the but for of any other project or contract that comes before us. So I do have concerns as far as what is this real partnership looks like with HM Health and what we're talking about in this is the partnership supports household stability, addresses social determinants of health, and promotes economic mobility through collaborative partnerships with Life Project, Our Bridge, West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, United Way of Central Carolinas, and HM. And then we go into the fact that these are HM Health workers. We have a number of partners out in the community that I want to make sure when the time comes, and if we need to look at uh additional financial support that we have a very equitable conversation when one of our largest hospitals in the nation, we're looking at to cover the full cost for five additional staff at a cost of almost 700,000 of our tax dollars. So I do have a concern about this and how this comes potential partnership moves forward, but I did want to acknowledge that, but I will support my colleagues' decision on it. And at this point, Mayor, we're just commenting on the items.
openpublica.com