Manage lanes don't work.

That's the move.

I don't see any numbers in the city.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Good morning.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Thank you for being here.

Good evening.

I think it's evening, but you never can tell in this weather.

Um, so I want to say thank you for joining us here in person.

And we also want to recognize those that are watching online for our April twenty-seventh business meeting.

So now let's begin with introductions at the dais, and we will start with our city working city clerk.

Clerk.

Okay.

Andrea Leslie Fight City Attorney.

Good evening, Dimple Edge Mira.

At large.

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

I'm Joy Mayo.

I represent District Three.

Marcus Jones, City Manager.

I'm Vi Wow, Charlotte Mayor, but I would also like to take a moment that we continue to recognize Council Member Johnson, who is working and very hard to keep her husband healthy, and I hope she's watching us tonight.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Good evening, everyone.

James Mitchell, Mayor Pro Tim.

Good evening, Kimberly Owens representing District 6.

Malcolm Graham, District 2.

And Drake's District 7.

Good evening, Luana Mayfield, Council Member at Large, and I would like to acknowledge Adj Charlotte Brown is in the House with us tonight.

Good evening, JD Masueta Arias, probably representing the East Side District 5.

Good evening, Dante Anderson, District 1.

All right.

Thank you very much for all of you, and we'll continue our meeting.

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

This fail the this information is intended to solemnize what we're doing and the work that we do.

We expect that we would like to have all of you participate and follow us, but we want to do this and note let us know that we celebrate the religious diversity in our community, including those without a religious faith.

Tonight I'm going to ask Councilmember Ashmira to give us our invocation.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Good evening.

Please bow your hands.

We gather tonight in service to our community, guided by shared responsibility to listen with openness, lead with integrity, and act with purpose.

As we recognize Earth Day and Arbor Day this past week, let us be reminded of our deep connection to the world around us, to the trees we plant, the water we protect, and the neighborhoods we are called to serve.

Charlotte Water has asked residents to practice voluntary conservation as our region manages dry conditions.

Reminding us that our natural resources are not unlimited, that reality should guide every decision we make from how we grow to how we build to how we protect the people who call the city home.

May our decisions reflect not only the needs of today, but the hopes of generations to come.

Whether we are discussing transportation projects like I-77, the placement of data centers, or the preservation of green space and clean air.

May we remember that progress must never come at the expense of people.

Let us have the wisdom to balance growth with stewardship, innovation with responsibility, and urgency with fairness.

The trees we plant in the environment we protect our lasting investments in Charlotte's future.

Symbols of resilience, sustainability, and care.

Maybe carry that same spirit into our work here, nurturing a city that is inclusive, thriving, and worthy of those who it who will inherit it after us.

We are thankful for this day, its opportunities, and its challenges.

Maybe be inspired to give our best and be assured of your presence with us.

Let us move forward together.

Amen.

Amen.

So please join us if you would like to for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands joining.

Indivisible and justice for all Mr.

Drake.

I would like to just take this opportunity to point out that we have the uh Charlotte Catholic School Political Science class in the chamber with us.

Would you guys stand up?

Oh, Rob.

All right.

Welcome.

Let's put on a good show for them so that one day they may want to come down and be in these seats.

Thanks, guys.

So I think he was just making an offer for you guys to come down after you take out all of your college and everything else that you're going to do.

All right.

So thank you very much for being here with us tonight.

So let's continue.

Um we'll start with our consent agenda items, questions and answers um placed for the council that have opportunities.

So I have a for me for before me.

The agenda items 23 and 43 may be considered in one motion.

Except for those items removed by council.

Are there any items to be removed by council?

Um excuse me, Mayor, just sorry, logistically.

There's also two that have been pulled.

Item number 41 and 43 are settled.

They're property transactions that they're removed from the that's a good plan that we get something accomplished in that.

So thank you very much.

Um and so I did 31, please.

31, please.

I couldn't hear you.

So the item 31 will be on this.

So all right.

Anyone else that has anything that they wanted to recog pull or change?

Hearing none of that, let's go to item 31.

Okay.

And who presented that item motion?

Oh, I thought maybe it had some.

I don't know.

Um first.

Okay.

Uh I just I didn't want council member mayfield to miss her numbers.

So if um we're gonna jump to 31 then all right, thank you.

I had a couple of questions for staff.

Thank you all for pulling some of these answers.

I just want to um enter them into the record for the public.

Uh firstly, as it relates to the CATS Capital Program Management Services, are the consultants going to be assigned the tasks for the CBI firms listed in the staff report?

So those are the ones that they've put forward, and now it depends.

This is task order, so it's not already predetermined and depending on the task order, yes, they will negotiate with the CBI firms with the ones they've listed and potentially others too.

Okay, so what's important to me is that in particular for the um for the CBI related uh businesses that they are included on some of the things, right?

Because what I would hate to see happen is our um our team that was brought together end up not being able to utilize their CBI businesses because those tasks don't fall within their scope.

So what role do we play in ensuring that that's so we do work with them and negotiate based on the task and based on the general tasks they've already identified some people that they would use, but to your point too about following up any time they submit an invoice, they have to submit their utilization too.

So we do monitor that for sure for payment.

Okay, so that one's pretty important to me on a from a proactive stance.

I understand certainly they'll they'll send over the appendix with the with the payouts, but I want to make sure that we are helping to guide those discussions to ensure that there's um sufficient utilization on tasks that makes sense.

Yes, that makes sense whether it's risk management or any and this is more project management, so they've already got some partners lined up for those.

Yes.

Um so then I'm sorry, last thing on that one.

I just want to be clear.

The partners are there, but when it actually comes to executing the work, how do we know that those partners will be utilized for the specific scope that they so in general they're just based on the types of work they're doing, they already know I'm gonna do this project management, so I've got these partners whenever I get so there's two firms, and depending on which one aligns better with the task, it it's more so about which firm versus the specific um because they've already designated who CBI partners are gonna use.

Okay.

So if you have sorry, and maybe I'm not being clear, but if you look at the bottom, so if I'm one of these and I get a job, I know I'm gonna use this person for risk management.

I've already defined who I'm gonna use because that's gonna be kind of standard or no matter even though the scope might be different, it's gonna be standard for the project management work.

So what you're saying is if firm A has has a risk manager and firm B has a risk manager, they've already determined which group which firm is gonna take that piece of the scope.

I could see if only one firm has a particular type of service, but if two firms have the same service within their team, how are we ensuring that CBI firms are actually getting part of that?

So when the task is done, we we city staff and CBI and cats work with them to make sure they have participation or they wouldn't move forward with uh um task unless to your point, unless it's some unique extenuating circumstance where they weren't just consulting and not doing something.

Gotcha.

Thank you for that.

Um, my second question there on 31 again is is there a mechanism for cats to report back to council how CBI utilization is being tracked on a monthly basis.

I know we talked about the the pay apps and the invoice appendix that comes with it, but so there's a couple options, you know, if council um it's up to council's pleasure if they would like to receive like a report out currently they don't, but they are included in the it's not as um robust as what you mean, but annually from the CBI report, but and we do get it on invoice basis.

But to your point, if council's preferences receive it more often, we could provide that.

I certainly would like to see it more often just because this is gonna be a substantial one going forward.

Um thirdly, after contract execution, would CATS be open to the consultants bringing in other local firms?

Yes, for sure.

I mean, of course, we always want more participation.

Now it depends if we'd have to work with procurement to make sure and CDI to get them, make sure they're registered and make sure whatever um requirements or legal pieces are in place.

But yes, awesome.

And then lastly, um I just wanted to comment that it's important that as we think about all of the infrastructure and transportation work that's going on in these CAT-specific projects that that coordination is there with NC DOT uh going forward because there's gonna be a lot of decisions to be made, and as we'll hear more about later on today, thinking about the projects as a part of that broader network.

So thank you for following up on these.

All right, all right, Mr.

Graham.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh, and I'm tracking a hundred percent with council member Wallington.

Uh, this is the largest transit project in the city's history.

These firms identify small and minority-owned firms as the part of their package.

Uh, and I want some insurance that they these guys are gonna be utilized, and that you were they were just not inserted to get the contract.

And so can they come back in six months and tell us where they are with the utilization of those firms that they have identified?

Yes, we because we wouldn't be paying them.

So, and we could tell you two things.

What what contractually was negotiated and also report out on utilization?

Utilization with those firms that they identified that will be a part of their team.

Correct, and it's task order.

So, you know, how many ever so it's each one, so it's individual ones.

When you said a big project, yes, sir, for sure, but these are task orders on individual pieces of a project.

But yes, I think that's extremely important.

And you said the word the second one is payout, making sure that when these firms are paid, that the invoices are timely paid.

That seems to be historically an issue, and so small business owners can't wait as long as some of the other big boys that are getting paid.

So if there can be some um again a six-month comeback to this council in terms of all those firms are being utilized and sure that they're timely paid uh for the services that they rendered, they can't wait 60, 90, 120 days.

Right.

Thank you.

Our general is 30-day turnaround, and we tried to beat that.

So if you're hearing about the ones that aren't, yeah, we definitely will look into that.

There's a reputation out there that we don't pay out bills timely.

Well, yeah, right.

And so as we move forward with this, especially towards small businesses, I mean, they just cannot wait.

Right.

Uh so I I'm tracking with Councilmember Wallington that for sure.

Uh and um, yes, I'll just leave it there.

And um I I would love for this to come back in six months, and we can find out who's on first and who's in secondary and who's participating.

Yes, sir.

Thank you very much.

Um, I do want to know that we have the opportunity for us to have additional information.

So I'm gonna move the consideration to Miss Mayfield on item 31.

Thank you, madam mayor.

Along with Dr.

Waddlington and Councilmember Graham's comments.

I want to make sure that it's very clear where I think we have an opportunity when our subcontractors contract with the pine.

That is a separate contract that the city is not a part of.

One of the challenges that has been shared with council member Mitchell and other members of council is it is our subs that do not receive necessarily 30, 45 day pay, they may receive pay 60, 90 days or even up to 120.

And the way that the contracts are written, they do not have the ability to come to council and to go back to help ensure that their payment is within a timely manner.

I believe that the city pays the prime in a relative quick manner that Prime is not always making sure that our subs who are in much different financial positions, we have a couple of million-dollar projects here, more than multi-million dollar projects where we have a participation where one prime is getting $5,000 or another is getting under $50,000.

Well, that $50,000 could be the turnaround of whether or not they're able to pay their employees.

And although under council member leadership and other councils, council members' leadership, we created a partnership with Kline.

Climb is not there to be a enforcer of payment.

They're not a payment collection agency.

That is not why we created that partnership there to help with the contracts.

So we've already identified this.

Staff has been working on it.

We just, I believe, for my colleagues, we want to ensure on the front end, because I have asked this question at previous meeting, how do we track when we identify multiple subcontractors to be a part of a major contract?

How are we tracking?

Because we have some that I've met where we award they would listed to be awarded a year ago, but yet they have not actually been able to participate in work.

So I think we have an opportunity with you to utilize a modern technology and other ways to actually track to ensure that if we're going to identify you as being rewarded, we should have some type of mechanism where we're saying within a certain window, either a quarter or by the second quarter, we have clearly identified that sub being able to participate or have a window of expectation of when they will be able to participate.

Of course, this does not fall all on you, but I'm hoping that staff is mainly our manager here is where we have an opportunity to really ensure that we are supporting and growing our small businesses in the city.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else that has a remark or no an issue?

Um, so let's go ahead and say that um we is there are we prepared to take a vote for any additional items?

All right.

Item 33.

Excuse me, man, Madam Mayor, so it'd be a motion for consent items 23 through 43 with the exception of actually 41 and 43.

So moved.

Second second over there.

We have a motion and a second.

Any further discussion?

All in favor, please raise your hands.

I believe that's unanimous.

Thank you.

So, like comes the funding.

All right, so let's go ahead and continue.

And I want to recognize um council member Owen Kimberly.

Would you take we didn't we didn't we need to action on item 31?

Did we take action on item 11?

No, we need to make about it.

Thank you, Miss Watlington.

Uh move to okay, approve.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Any other comments?

All in favor.

All right, I believe that's unanimous.

Thank you very much for that.

All right, so um, council member.

Um I just read the proclamation.

Yes, please.

Thank you.

Um, I have a proclamation to read.

Uh whereas myotrophic lateral sclerosis, also commonly known as Lou Garriggs disease, is a progressive fatal neurogenerative disease in which a person's brain loses connection with their muscles, slowly reducing a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe.

And thousands of new ALS cases are reported every year.

Estimates show that every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with ALS and someone passes away from ALS.

Whereas on average, patients diagnosed with ALS survive only two to five years from the time of diagnosis, and the exact causes of ALS are unknown, and there is no known cure for ALS.

And whereas people who have served in the military are more likely to develop ALS and die from the disease than those with no history of military service.

And whereas securing access to new therapies, durable medical equipment, and communication technologies is a vital importance to people living with ALS.

And whereas clinical trials play a pivotal role in evaluating new treatments, enhancing quality of life, and fostering assistive technologies for those living with ALS.

The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research globally and has committed more than 154 million to support more than 550 projects across the United States and 18 other countries.

The ALS Association is committed to make ALS livable and cure it for everyone everywhere.

And whereas ALS Awareness Month provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the dire circumstances of people living with ALS, acknowledge the terrible impact this disease has had on individuals and their families and support research to eradicate the disease.

Now, therefore, our mayor by Alexander Lyles does hereby proclaim the month of May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month in Charlotte and commend its observance to all of our residents.

Witness her hand and seal the city of Charlotte by Lyles.

Okay, we will follow up with the person who proposed it.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Good job.

And so now we will go to our public forum.

I would like to thank all of you for joining us, and on behalf of the entire city council, I ask that all speakers and audience members be civil and courteous in their use of language.

Speakers are encouraged to address council and should refrain from responding to audience members.

Likewise, audience members should be courteous to each speaker and not yell out or interrupt their that person.

We want to ensure that everyone has the chance to be heard.

And since there are more than 10 speakers today, um each speaker will have two minutes to address the council, and we will start with Gary Marion, Mr.

Marion.

Thanks.

Do we have anyone in overflow?

Is there anyone in overflow?

Is someone in overflow?

I know.

I'm not aware.

Okay.

Gary can hear us, then uh he can come in.

All right.

And then our next speaker is John Chen.

Mr.

Chen, thank you.

If you would come down and a microphone up there on that guy is up there.

Thank you.

This one work?

Yes, this one will work.

You have two minutes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

My name is John Chen.

I'm with the Carolina Asian American Chamber of Commerce.

And thank you for the opportunity to speak with you.

In 2022, in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in anti-Asian violence, our team make a commitment.

We have a vision to transform our diverse and often insular community with a significant income disparity in recent decades into one that's more connected and mutually supportive entity, especially for those who are underserved.

I'm pleased to report to you that we've been making meaningful progress in 2023, we launch a journey of a hope deposit.

I'm sorry, exhibit with a three-month event that brought together over 20 ethnic groups to share their stories.

It's not just an exhibit, it's a bridge.

Connecting 20 communities who rarely work together in the past.

And with the city council's support with the ECO partner and later on the financial partner grants, we're able to expand our programs for workshops to support the small Asian-owned businesses, as well as skill trade training for the young adults, you know, refugee communities.

This year, over 50 participants will work and get completed, get a certificate in areas like HVAC, electrical works, EMS, computer literacy, all pathways leading to solid job and better future.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Two minutes there fast.

It does go very quickly.

Well, I for your support and partnership.

We're not just building programs.

We're building lives.

Strengthening our community and creating opportunity for everyone to succeed.

Thank you very much.

And also, I want to acknowledge the people coming to support us and thank you.

The Cambodian and the Mondanio communities.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Our next speaker is Jeremy.

Oh that was Angelica Crawford.

Yep.

Good evening.

Mayors, um, city council members and community leaders.

My name is Angelica Crawford.

I am the executive director of Jumping Dreams, a world champion, Charlotte-based nonprofit double Dutch program.

For the past eight years, Jumping Dreams has served over 7,000 youth across our city.

We provided summer camps, after school programming, summer feeding initiatives, and consistent youth engagement, even during COVID when kids needed it the most.

Through the art and sport of Double Dutch, our athletes have represented Charlotte nationally and internationally, bringing home first place titles, but more importantly, demonstrating discipline, leadership, and strong character wherever they go.

Tonight I'm not here just to share the story, but to ask for your support.

In June 2026, our Double Dutch program will represent the city of Charlotte in a world tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio.

These are talented, hardworking young people who have earned this place on stage.

We're seeking financial support to help cover the essential needs to get there.

It could be travel, lodging, mills, anything.

The kids work really, really hard to represent our city for the positive that Charlotte has to give.

And we don't want the financial barriers of the families to prevent them from going.

If you need numbers of how you guys can support, I'm happy to send the email to get the support.

But it's bigger than that.

So we've been here for eight years.

And we've gone from churches to schools to community spaces, whatever we could do to provide programming.

What I'm looking for is a home for our kids.

If you think about a kid going from foster home or family homes, they're not gonna grow effectively until we have a home.

So I'm looking for a home for jumping dreams if the city can help us get a home so we can sustain, grow, and continue to make an impact.

I'm a product of what I started, along with all of our coaches who are volunteers, coming from Hartford, Connecticut, Boston, New York, everywhere.

And now we're here at a pour back into the kids.

I'm just a product of what we do, and I need help.

That's it.

Thank you for your time.

No, thank you for what you do.

I mean, that's an important thing, and to have double Dutch winners.

This is like really cool, right?

So let's let's just see how the community can help as well as we can help, and we'll just keep on going.

Thank you so very much for what you're doing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I I wish I brought the um the bag for it so we could just put everybody's money in right now.

But we'll figure it out, we'll work on it.

Okay, so um now we're gonna hear from Dr.

Donald Jason.

Jeremy Lamborghini.

Jeremy Lamb.

Exactly.

Is that a flip one?

Hello.

Hello, Mr.

Lamb.

Hey, I'm Jeremy Lamb.

I play cello in the Charlotte Symphony.

And um, I'm here for thank you for the second time in six months to talk about um all the cars I drive around that have either no mufflers or they have illegally modified muffler cutouts.

So um they you know they make they do that to make a a hellacious noise.

Um, and last time in October when I spoke here, you you put me in touch with Sean Heath, the deputy city manager.

But he honestly didn't even know what a muffler cutout was.

And so he said he would talk to the police, and I don't think he really knew what to do.

So I just in the last couple months, just walking around the streets of Charlotte where you know I'm dining and sleeping, and you know, whatever.

I I made a video for you guys, and I'm turning them the volume up so you can hear what cars sound like with modified muffler cutouts, okay.

Okay.

Oh, thank you.

Wait, no, no, no, no, no.

Don't pull up the wrong video.

Okay, thank you.

I think that we we we got it.

We really did get it.

Thank you.

It would be great if you guys could do something about it.

Thank you.

Thank you for your music.

I mean, seriously, thank you for playing in the orchestra.

I think he really meant the um symphony part, not about this.

Thank you, Mr.

Drake.

All right, so um, we'll continue on, and we are going to hear from Barbara Wine.

Ellington Drive.

No.

Dr.

Johnson Jason, the SJ.

Donald Jason Donald Trump.

Donald Jason, yeah.

Is he here?

Oh, okay.

So I'm so sorry.

Mr.

Donald Jason.

Donald Jason.

Okay.

All right.

Now we'll go to Barbara Wine.

Miss Wine.

Barbara Wine.

Okay.

Um, and then our next one is John Abraham.

Abraham.

Speaker, but too.

Yeah.

So Mike Wine, Mr.

White, Mr.

Mike.

Wine.

Okay.

I think we got Abraham.

We got Anthony Abram.

We're just going down this list here.

Anthony Abram, just to make sure.

Um, Chris Connolly.

There we go.

All right.

Okay, here we are.

Thank you.

I think Jeremy's videos cared everybody off.

Good evening.

My name is Chris Connolly, and I have lived in Charlotte since 1993.

My family moved to the downtown neighborhood as pioneers in 1998.

Back then, our downtown was just starting to populate with homes and learning how to come alive after 5 p.m.

As true believers in our city's promise, our neighbors wholeheartedly supported our leaders' efforts to make this happen.

In time, our city attracted tourists, diners, sports fans, music owers, music lovers from across the region.

We even brought leaders here from across the nation to see President Obama accept this historic renomination in 2012.

And for a while we were so proud and with good reason.

But every bit of that progress to attract and keep residents and visitors is now in jeopardy.

All of which is illegal, but none of which is enforced or penalized.

This is because our police department is grossly understaffed and must therefore triage and respond only to the crisis of the minute.

I think we would be embarrassed right now on the national stage if we were to bring back the DNC here with what we've allowed our center city to become.

Last year, this council passed a substantial vibrancy tax just on the Trying Street business and residential community.

That money has not yet been applied in ways that can significantly address these very traffic related issues on this Tri-And Corridor, which is literally in figure literally and figuratively the backbone of our city.

We ask that you use these resources and other resources, our tax dollars for effective reinforcement of these traffic and noise related laws that will make our city enjoyable and safe.

Thank you for our service to our community.

Thank you very much.

Our next speaker is Matt Westler.

Thank you.

Come on down.

Good evening, City Council.

My name is Matt Weschler, and I serve as one of your advisors on the Charlotte Bike Advisory Committee.

I'm also the father of a 19-month-old toddler.

Rides on the back of my bike as I commute with him from the West End to daycare in Uptown, which I've been told is very cute.

In my role on the BAC, I regularly hear from Charlotteans who would also like to bike with their children, but choose not to because they feel our streets are unsafe.

That perception is grounded in reality.

In Charlotte, pedestrian and bicycle crashes make up just 1.5% of all crashes, yet account for 29% of all serious and fatal injuries.

A disparity well above the national average.

When streets feel dangerous, people don't bike.

As a result, Charlotte lags behind pure cities like Minneapolis, where the average worker is 10 times more likely to commute by bike.

That difference is not accidental.

Minneapolis has made sustained investments in building a safe connected bike network, funding its bicycle program at roughly $14 per person per year, compared to about $3 per person per year in Charlotte.

That funding gap translates directly what we can and cannot build.

Charlotte's bike program is a low cost, high impact safety tool.

It allows people to avoid our high injury corridors by building connections between existing low stress neighborhood streets, turning dead ends into living ends while linking strategic investment areas into a coherent citywide network.

For that reason, the BAC recommends increasing the bike program budget from its current $8 million every two years to $20 million every two years.

If new sales tax revenues are programmed as anticipated, that would scale the bike program proportionally with overall C dot funding while significantly expanding its impact.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

So our next speaker is Hugh Templeton.

Temple Templeton.

Simple.

Take it.

Please take your time.

I see you, sir.

My name is Hugh Templeman.

I'm the general manager of the Grand Bohemian here in Charlotte.

I was the opening general manager and been here for seven years and I'm a proud resident.

Thank you.

My history is that I've worked and lived on four continents doing luxury hotels for over 38 years.

I'm representing a community in this town with me in the in the audience that is very concerned.

The market is down 4% of travelers coming into Charlotte over the last 12 months.

Part of that problem is amazingly attached to the video we heard earlier, noise in the city.

One needs to understand that perception is reality.

Not only is the noise an issue, it is also the perception of safety as an issue in a location that has got a convention center, more than 212 hotels, more than 2,500 restaurants.

I have examples which I'd like to share with the uh with the council, which I'll pass out of all of the complaints.

Not all, many complaints that exist in our in our world.

I'm going to give you an example of my hotel, 70 complaints in 2025.

Yeah, 70, not so big deal.

There's a thing called intent to recommend.

That's when a guest tells you tells you either online or through a survey or what have you.

How well are you doing?

My hotel does 78% positive process versus 22% negative.

Not so bad.

If you take that number out, it moves to 83% if you take the noise complaints out.

That puts you in a late status.

Right?

That mentions you in a into premier process.

We're talking about how do we do this and make this better.

You know, we're losing business as a city.

I'm losing business as a hotel.

How much of a problem?

140,000 I spent to put third glazing into my hotel.

My investment into a noise problem that's our problem.

It is very important that we as an organization or as a city address this issue not only for its for its safety issues, but its long-term negative impact on the potential business outliers that exist for us as a city.

But I'm coming here with a solution.

We have an idea.

There are places around the world that do this very well.

Even in our own country in Philadelphia, where they come up with a situation of sound activated street cameras.

So you'll get fined if your car is too loud.

I I we've heard this this is an issue, and I think that we've got to pay somewhere in a place to figure out how this works better.

So thank you very much for the comments and bringing it a reality.

Thank you.

No problem.

I'll leave this here.

Give it to the clerk.

At the end there.

Perfect.

Next, our next speaker is Kathleen Mundell.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the council.

Um, I pretty much have nothing left to say because I am also here to talk about the noise in the city as a neighbor who lives here.

And I would like, but still quickly to make a couple of points.

Um, one is that we who live in the city understand that cities are noisy.

Umisier places certainly than suburban neighborhoods and rural neighborhoods.

I would like you to understand that we living in the city are neighborhoods too.

We we live in a neighborhood.

I have spent 23 years at the corner of 7th and church streets, um, a block away from the Discovery Place.

That's my neighborhood.

We have families, we have houses, we have children, we have buildings.

We in the city are are are being subjected to noise levels and safety issues that would not be tolerated in other parts of the county.

Excessive noise levels lead to safety issues, noise and safety issues lead to business issues, as you've just heard, and they discourage people from coming into the city.

I mean, I can I can tell you about my brother and sister-in-law, who with a group of six other people came into the city all the time.

They were in the city when I first moved here, more than I went to the restaurants in the city.

I can't get them to come to dinner anymore.

You know, um you walk down the street at night, and it's just it's noise, it's aggravating.

We live in a those of us who live in the city live in a literally a canyon where that noise that that Jeremy talked to you or showed, listened to you, that reverberates forever at two or three or four o'clock in the morning and sometimes on Sunday afternoons.

I would like to say that Charlotte aspires to be a world-class city.

But while several world-class cities and other cities of our size have instituted creative pilot programs to deal with these issues, we have not.

And you just heard one of them, which is a very popular one, and that's the cameras.

So I want to tell you that we want to be a world-class city, and we are asking you and our elect our elected officials and public leaders to find it in yourselves to tackle this problem that other cities are addressing while I'm sitting in here speaking.

I know we can do this.

I know we can be a city with a truly enviable reputation, but right now we're coming up short.

Thank you.

Thank you so very much.

Our next speaker is Charles McDowell.

This is interesting.

Oh, we can look at this.

Good evening, Mayor, Council members.

My name is Charles McDonaldino.

And I have been working at Charlotte Airport for over a year.

I earned 1250 an hour helping American Airline passengers who need wheelchairs assistance navigate the airport safely.

The passenger assist can be elderly, disabled, or visually impaired.

I helped them with their luggage, assist them getting to the bathroom and make sure they are able to get something to eat before they get to their flight.

I try to make passengers' day better and help them travel with less stress.

But every day I face stress due to my poor working conditions.

If I have to miss a couple of days of work because I'm sick, it disrupts our entire cash flow.

I don't get paid sick leave, and I can't afford health insurance.

If I don't go to work, I won't be able to pay for basic necessities.

As you can see, I walk 10 to 14 miles every shift, and I'm now on my third pair.

The reality for us workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is that we are we're understaffed and don't have enough workers.

Some of us are even asked by management to double push, meaning push it two wheelchairs at the same time.

Imagine walking through a crowded airport, pushing two wheelchairs at once while trying to navigate around people.

Now add a tight connection and your luggage to the situation.

It's stressful and can be dangerous for both me and the passengers.

When it's really busy, I've seen passengers left behind waiting more than 30 minutes because there simply aren't enough of us.

My job is to make sure these passengers are comfortable and safe.

But how can I do that if I'm being rushed by management?

They rushes while doing aisle chairs.

These are narrow wheelchairs.

We use to transport passengers.

We're helping them to get uh to and from their seats on the aircraft.

But some of these chairs are maintained and falling apart.

We can do our best for customers, but management tells us that they can get fined if passengers stay on the plane too long.

Passengers deserve better, and so do we the worker.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Dorothy Griffin.

She's not here.

Is Miss Griffith here?

She's up there.

She's up there.

She's up there to work.

She's at the very top.

Thank you so much for yes, opportunity to for her to be here.

So thank you very much.

Um go ahead and begin.

No.

Okay.

Hello, my name is Dorothy Griffin, and I've been working for the airport for eight years.

I've worked as a terminal cleaner, a cabin cleaner, and now I'm inside the pro shop at ABM.

And my job is to give out the equipment to the workers that clean the planes and search the planes for foreign objects the equipment so they can do their work.

We play an important part in the travel and travel safety of the passengers.

But we work hard to see to make sure that they have safe travels, but we are underpaid.

We're tired.

We if we don't excuse me, I'm tired.

My co-workers sometimes they don't have the right equipment to work with, and we get blamed for that.

We don't get no overtime.

We are always have to do this.

If they don't find the object on the plane, they get fired.

They're always I'm tired.

I'm tired.

I'm sorry.

I'm I'm just tired of not of making poverty wages.

We have to do all of this, and they want us to give them our best, and we do give them our best because we love our job.

But we uh most of our work, some half of our workers are homeless.

We don't make enough money to feed our families.

We don't make enough money for this.

I'm 68 years old.

Last year I had to let my car go because it was either drive to work or have somewhere to stay, and I chose to have a place to stay.

I don't, we don't get PTOs, we don't have time off.

We don't have time off.

I am a grandmother, a great grandmother.

I have 17 grand keys, 14 great grandkies.

I had to take a PTO, an unpaid day off to see the birth of my great grandbaby.

It's not fair.

All we're asking for is livable wages.

We do the we do Charlotte Douglas Airport.

We give them our all.

And as everybody knows, American Airlines is one of the biggest airlines out there.

It's not it's no way that we should be making poverty wages and they're raking in all the money.

It's just all we're come here wanting is to pay us what we do because we give you what you're doing.

Make sure you're safe when you travel.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Our next speaker is Miss Corley.

Ms.

Corley.

Good evening, Mayor and Council members.

Thank you for your time.

I'm here to ask that you install a noise camera on Church Street to address the persistent problem of excessively loud cars and motorcycles.

This is not just an annoyance.

Chronic noise affects sleep, stress, and well-being.

It's a safety issue as well, since Uptown is densely populated with crosswalks, jaywalkers, dog walkers, workers, and children.

Cities from New York to California have already implemented noise camera systems.

In 2023, Knoxville's noise camera pilot program caught over 1,300 noise violations in only a few months.

Their noise camera data demonstrated that these loud cars often drive with quick, dangerous acceleration in heavy pedestrian areas.

Their threshold for enforc enforcement is 82 decibels, about the sound of a blender.

Many altered cars far exceed 100 decibels, comparable to a jackhammer or being on a construction site.

More specifically, Knoxville signed a contract with the company Blue Line Solutions out of Chattanooga for red light speeding cameras.

Blue Line Solutions Company subcontracts noise cameras using intelligent instruments company noise cameras out of New York City.

Again, uh this is at no additional cost.

Knoxville has gotten the red light cameras, and at no additional cost, they get the noise cameras.

They are moving forward with two permanent noise cameras in their downtown.

We all want Charlotte to remain a lively, welcoming city that looks after residents and visitors.

By handling noise violations objectively, without traffic stops or extra police resources, we can protect our quality of life and keep uptown safe, vibrant, and fun for all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Tom Hanchett.

Where are you?

Where is he?

Our writer.

Is he is Dr.

Hansett in?

If not, we'll go on and our next speaker is Connie Proctor.

Good evening.

My name is Connie Proctor, and I'm currently serving as chair of the bicycle advisory committee.

The last time I was here, I shared with you a vision of a calm but vibrant tree-lined street where people of all ages and abilities could move freely.

I come back tonight to remind you of that vision and ask for your action to help make it a reality.

Dr.

Watlington sent a message yesterday acknowledging that the way we have been approaching transportation planning is wrong.

I'm here to strongly agree.

Community needs and concerns should not be considered at the end of the process.

They should be considered at the beginning.

Important work has been done as part of the strategic mobility plan.

The community was asked what they wanted.

The answer was clear.

More choices.

People in Charlotte want to be able to choose something other than a car for every trip.

They reiterated that desire when they voted for the one cent sales tax.

It is time to listen.

It is time to shape the budget to reflect those needs and desires.

It is time to build public spaces that serve children, the elderly, and everyone in between.

I am therefore asking you to increase the bicycle program budget from four million annually to 10 million annually.

The work uh and work with us to find ways to deliver better bicycle projects quicker.

The only way to solve traffic is by providing viable alternatives to driving.

So let's fund those viable alternatives.

Let's build a Charlotte where we can meet face to face, not windshield to windshield.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Phoenix Emmanuel.

All right, I'm going to um go to the firefighters' budget request for me, Mendez.

Melendez.

Okay.

So what might I talk about that?

Any coming.

Good evening.

Let's play a game where it was my husband.

February 2026, during the first two days of a back injury.

When I could hardly walk to get myself food, use the bathroom, or attend to our dogs.

January 2025, when I frantically called my husband that our power was flashing in and out, quickly followed by the smell of burning within 60 seconds.

The dogs and I were home with no heat and freezing temperature for days without him.

September 2024, I was in our home with no power for 15 days.

He left on deployment to the mountains of North Carolina with other fire departments to help.

Here's the truth.

Where was my husband?

Is our everyday reality in our household during sickness, our region's famous snowstorms and other weather-related incidents, holidays and birthdays.

Dishes for phone calls are only a few minutes long and much more.

Can I share the hard reality of our household?

My husband has always had a second job, as many firemen do.

Our friends often ask, so what is your husband's side hustle?

Every fireman we meet has a second job.

Firefighters work 52-hour work weeks, 12 more than other departments.

Meanwhile, we cannot afford to live within a reasonable distance from the city, which employs my husband.

While we cannot sustain even the basics of living where he serves.

We are falling behind on sleep, quality time, and bills while he's risking his life running into burning buildings.

I watch my husband sacrifice his mental and physical health with long-term emotional and sleep issues.

I am the wife of fireman Travis Cash, who serves in the special ops team of Charlotte Fire Department Rescue 11 while maintaining a second job.

We demand a livable wage to provide for our family.

Where is Travis Cash tonight?

His second job.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Mr.

Gonzalez.

Mr.

Gonzalez.

I don't know.

All right, we'll come back.

Um in our next speaker and our last speaker for this evening is Mr.

Lockhart.

Thank you.

I don't see James a lot.

So this concludes our um opportunities for our public hearing and and having that.

It's a good way of getting to know what's going on, and you guys have done a great job to help us tonight.

Thank you very much.

All right.

I have we have Mr.

Record.

May Mayor Council.

I just want to recognize a colleague, a former colleague who served on the dias, actually serving this seat as Mayor Pro Tim.

He's here tonight.

Mr.

Briggs from Winston Braxton.

Glad to see you here, sir.

All right.

So let's go on to item number of public hearing and a decision on a resolution to close a portion of an unopened right of way off what Henson Road.

Thank you.

All right.

Nobody, no one signed up.

So is there a motion?

Move to approve A and B.

Second.

We have a motion for A and B and a second.

Um any other comments?

All in favor, please raise your hand.

Anyone opposed?

All right, that's unanimous.

All right, the next one is a landmark designation.

We can close the public so let's see who's this the one for dumpers area.

Opening up public hearing on the ferries, farms, silos, historic landmark designation.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

We have no speakers.

Anyone on the council for comment?

All right.

All in favor.

Second.

Thank you very much.

Ms.

Mayfield.

All in favor, please raise your hand.

Anyone opposed?

There's no opposition.

So let's see.

So now we're going to go to a public hearing on a resolution to close a portion of at adjacent adjacent to Raleigh Street.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

We don't have any speakers.

Is there any one from the club?

Move to approve A and B.

Second B.

All right.

We have a second.

All in favor, please raise your hand.

Anyone opposed?

It's unanimous.

And now we're going to open the public hearing on a resolution to close a portion of an alleyway off Watts Work Wadsworth Place.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

All right.

Move to approve A and B.

Thank you, Mr.

Driggs.

Our next pick.

We're now going to put open the public hearing on a resolution to close a portion of right-of-way on the city.

May we have to get the vote?

Do we have a second?

We have a motion.

We need to vote.

All in favor.

There we go.

All right, thank you.

Let's go ahead and do that again, all over again.

Here we go.

Do we have anyone that would like to comment on this?

I'm the speaker.

Okay.

All in space.

All in do we have a motion?

For nine.

We're on item nine.

Or nine.

Yes, yes, for nine.

Second.

All right.

We have a motion and a second.

And so all in favor, please raise your hand.

All right.

We're now going to open public hearing on 2026 General Airport Revenue Bonds and construction period financing.

Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers?

Yes.

Two.

Two speakers.

Um, can you provide me that information?

Patrick Waterman and Tracy Montrose.

All right, Patrick Waterman.

Mr.

Waterman.

Good evening.

Mayor Lyles, Mayor Pro Time Mitchell, and members of the Charlotte City Council.

Thank you for the opportunity.

You speak tonight in support of the Charlotte Dougville's International Airport and the thousands of jobs.

Many held by your constituents that depend on continued airport investment.

My name is Patrick Waterman.

I serve as the incoming president of the American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina.

It's an association representing more than 200 engineering firms across the state engaged in projects that drive economic growth, ensure public safety, and protect our quality of life.

Approval of these general airport revenue bonds help provide capital program that delivers not only essential infrastructure, but sustained employment for engineers, designers, surveyors, environmental specialists, construction managers, and skilled trades from across the Charlotte region.

Well, tonight's vote may not be controversial.

It is consequential.

These bonds fund projects that put people to work on the airport campus, well beyond the fence line.

CLT's capital program depends on the depth and expertise of North Carolina based engineering construction firms that strengthen the state's national reputation and keeping this work and these paychecks local.

ACEC strongly supports policies that advance infrastructure investment while promoting quality, innovation, and professional excellence.

We believe this bond request is a result of strong collaboration among the city airport leadership airline partners and the private engineering sector.

That collaboration translates directly into employment for local residents.

Thank you for your consideration of the broader impact that CLT Airport has on our region and its workforce.

Thank you again.

I don't know if we need to say who you are, but if you'd like to be happy to introduce myself and good evening, everyone.

My name is Tracy Montross.

I'm managing director of government affairs for American Airlines, and very pleased to be with you, Mayor, and members of council.

This month, American Airlines proudly celebrated its centennial anniversary.

A hundred years of connecting people, communities, and economies, and few places reflect that better than the legacy here in Charlotte.

For more than 40 years, American has invested steadily, not speculatively, in Charlotte Douglas International Airport, aligning infrastructure growth with demand, operational needs, and the long-term success of the hub.

City Council's approval of the 2026 General Airport Revenue Bonds reinforces that same long-term vision.

Supporting CLT is one of the region's most powerful economic engines with an airline hub that supports 150,000 jobs statewide and 30 billion dollars in economic impact.

Importantly, airport revenue bonds are not backed by local taxpayers.

They are repaid through airline rates and charges and airport generated revenues.

As the largest airline at CLT, American assumes the majority airline share of these costs, reinvesting in the infrastructure necessary to sustain long-term operations.

In other words, airline commitment enables large scale investment in your airport.

Over the past decade alone, American has supported more than three billion dollars in capital through the destination CLT program with an expanded terminal lobby, fourth parallel runway, new concourses, and significant airfield and terminal improvements.

These multi-year investments depend on predictable airline revenue, stable policy, and growing passenger demand.

A strong primary airline partner enables an airport to finance infrastructure at investment grade terms, and that financing depends on an anchor airline's willingness to assume long-term financial responsibility.

Coupled with restraint in future expansion and approach American has demonstrated throughout its century of service.

In conclusion, American Airlines investment is a great deal for the city of Charlotte.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

All right.

Move to approve A, B, and C.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion to close A, B, and C.

Do you have it in front of you or is everybody has that?

So any um any comments?

All in favor.

All right.

All in favor, thank you very much.

And so we have unanimous support.

All any other questions before we go into that.

So all in favor.

We've done it.

We're good.

We just stayed done.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Any opposed?

Any oh, you have another.

I'm sorry, I did I'd look and I thought I had a is there is there anyone that is in opposition?

Okay, which we may have.

Sorry, you said unanimous, right?

Yeah, Ms.

Thank you very much.

So thank you very much, you guys.

Thanks for that.

And we really appropriate on this.

So now to the next item, which is we'll now move into the business section that includes um adopt a resolution authorizing the donation of 139.

Sure.

You have an outstanding report, don't you?

I think it's called outset at least there.

So thank you, Mayor, members of council.

Earlier today, you received, I believe, in your offices, the uh impact report as it relates to mobility plus.

And uh what's uh so important about this is that the team has been working for the better part of nine months for us to get a better understanding of what are the gaps that are out there.

So we have this 25 billion dollar um opportunity for our region over the next work, the entire state over the next um uh 30 years, but we need to get a better understanding of do we have the workforce that's available to meet the demand, and do we have the businesses that are locally available to meet the demand?

So in both cases, we don't that doesn't mean that um we haven't already begun to look at programs that can scale up the workforce and scale up businesses.

This will be in the jobs and economic development committee next Monday.

Um, what I wanted to do again is to basically one get it to you first because we have the towns, the county, the CELC, the alliance, um, the MPTA that's all waiting for this report.

So I'll take one step back as you'll recall um 40 percent of the one percent sales tax is for transit, 20 percent is for bus.

That's going to make its way to the MPTA.

There's a question earlier today.

Um, beginning July 1, the MPTA is receiving uh the sales tax, both the half cent and the and the one percent sales tax, but they won't be ready to take on our staff until January 1, 2027.

So we have this great opportunity to use this report to see how we can make sure that not just in the many of the questions that happened earlier tonight about CBI.

How do we have different um businesses that can take participate in this?

That's why this gap analysis is so important.

And again, it starts with the council, but I'm very proud of the team and how you've worked so diligently to pull this all together.

It's a lot of data, it's a lot of data, it's a lot of data, but it's going to be useful as we tackle this opportunity.

So that's the end of my report now.

All right, questions about the report.

Yes, Ms.

Mayo.

I have a quick question.

Um, just based on some of the comments we received today about um noise in uptown, and I saw um a referral for that.

Do we know when that's coming through?

Would that be part of this mobility plan?

As we're thinking about red light cameras, can that be have instituted at the same time?

Sure.

Mobility dollars with the PAVAC.

So I'll start by saying the red light cameras they've already been already been referred to committee.

Yeah, but can we refer the head?

And I believe later tonight there's going to be a discussion about the noise.

Oh, okay, thank you.

I saw the ammo.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much.

So you got a cheerleading squad up here.

So all right, so now we will move into Mayor 12 questions.

Oh, yes, Ms.

Anderson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Before we move on from the manager's report, I just want to ask a question around um process and execution.

So beginning July 1, the MPTA will receive the penny sales tax, the 60% in the half penny sales tax.

But they won't be in operation mode for another six months, right?

Right.

Okay, so during that time, do we have insight as to the activities that they will be working on and investing in between July 1 and January 1, where I'm assuming their readiness level will be 100% for it for receipt of our city assets.

Do we know what they're working on?

Yes.

Over the next six months.

So uh that's a great question.

And um city attorney, if I um fumble, help me out, please.

Okay.

So um there are certain requirements in the payback that must be met by July 1.

That's exactly what the authority is working on now.

I would say hand in hand um with the the city and the authority.

We feel comfortable that they will meet those targets.

Okay.

Um, in a perfect world, they would have assumed the staff and uh the Article 43 and Article 34 on July 1.

We all know that we won't be ready for those other components of it, and we've always said employees first.

Right.

And so there's certain things just from an employee perspective, like health care, that is much better to be on a calendar year than on a fiscal year.

So a lot of the thought process with employees first is let's make sure that we have this transition in such a way that helps them, but also let's make sure we set the authority up for success as we also protect um the city.

But also let's make sure we set the authority up for success as we also protect the city.

Thank you for that update.

And uh, you know, my interest in this is um just professionally having done a lot of cutovers uh for systems and large system integrations throughout my career to be able to take on these assets as well as the systems and the backbone effectively that's gonna run the MPTA operationally.

It's a huge and onerous task to um level up your readiness.

So I just would love for us, you know, for our responsibility for our appointment to the trustees and then a good faith measure of just being good intergovernmental partners.

Um if there is a way that in which we the council can get a study cadence of an update of the readiness between July 1 and um January 1.

I think that will be very helpful for us uh to understand what's in front of us and if we have to pivot in any way, shape, or form.

So a regular cadence of an update, whether it manifests through a written report or perhaps having the chair or some one of the trustees come and provide an update.

But I think that level of communication will be very helpful to us and to our residents.

And I and I totally agree.

I think and we will do that.

One thing is really important.

This is not a July 1, 2026, we're finished, or January 1, 2027, we're finished.

This will be decades because they're there are assets that still have debt associated with them.

So we're going to have to be in lockstep for a very long time.

Thank you.

Uh I want to mention as well, we do have a working group consisting of myself and council member Owens and Dr.

Watlington.

And our job is to be briefed on the meetings, for example, that are taking place between the staff and the MPTA board uh and preview, like look as far into the future as possible and keep council up to speed on uh what is being discussed and what might be headed our way in terms of a decision.

So we're never in a position of being asked to vote on something without having had a long runway to think about it.

Thank you, Mr.

Driggs, and I I appreciate that.

And perhaps this working group could be the conduit of that level of transparency.

I'm not sure if you want to take on the responsibility of updating council on MPTA's work activity, but I'll leave that to your working group.

But I do think, nevertheless, what whatever vehicle it is, whether it's the working group or whether it's the trustees, a trustee of the MPTA, um, I believe we need to have a level of transparency and a regular cadence of update as it relates to organization and operational readiness to take on our assets come January 1st.

Thank you.

All right, Mr.

Graham.

I I concur with that, and I think the update should come from the authority itself.

Right, not the working group.

We want to talk directly to the authority, the chairman, the vice chairman, and members of the trustees in terms of what they're doing, when they're doing it, why they're doing it, so we all can have the same information at the same time.

Okay.

All right, yes, Ms.

Mayor.

Um, just to kind of piggyback off that, um, can we create a cadence or some kind of expectation?

So once a month, you know, they join us at you know, whatever type of meeting, maybe the transportation and planning committee meeting and do a report out, but I think it's imperative that we actually set in stone when that's gonna happen so that it's not you know suggestion.

I think it needs to be um yeah, a direct ask and not so fraud.

I think that's something we can do.

Can we make a motion on that?

Or I don't know.

If my colleagues, my uh group colleagues agree we can make a recommendation based on what we've been told tonight, and that would be part of what we're trying to accomplish, is make sure that communication is as the council wants.

So we'll work on that.

Yeah.

So Madam Mayor, may I make a motion?

Yes, I like to make a motion that we ask MPTA to brief, um, do a briefing at the transportation and planning committee meeting once a month uh for council members regarding you know how how things are going, how we're collaborating.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second.

Is there any further discussion?

I would just say uh, do you intend for that to be a board member, a representative, or uh do you want is it okay if we just have somebody who knows who works there and uh knows what's going on to come or it should be a board member, it should be a board member, right?

Madam Mayor.

And see the if the chair will do it, yeah.

I uh we have another comment down here.

I don't know if Mr.

Graham would first or if you were Ms.

Thank Anderson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I would suggest that it's actually either the chair or the the vice chair or one of our appointed trustees again to create stickiness and a transparent horizontal relationship between the MPTA and the council.

So we need to communicate to that board the desire of this council.

We don't have the authority to direct them to do that, but we will uh we will communicate to them that we would like to have that update.

And uh Mr.

Grant.

And I think we should we should stay in constant contact uh with our appointees.

Right?

And so there needs to be a regular cadence with them, whether it's quarterly or bi-yearly, where we meet with them and share with them our expectations.

For an example, we had a presentation talking about the um the bus stops and whether or not they're gonna be sheltered or not.

That's something we need to tell our trustees.

There is an expectation that there's uniformity um throughout the system in reference to bus stops and being protected from the sun, the rain, etc.

So cadence with our trustees, I think is extremely important in addition to uh council member Anderson, the chair or the vice chairman.

Um so they can have that type of relationship, which is intergovernmental.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, so should it be going into intergovernmental?

I don't know.

It's already on another track.

So do you want to do you want to amend the motion?

No, no, no.

Yeah, I've wanted to know if there is an amendment to the motion.

Is there one?

Oh, okay.

All right, thank you.

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

Anyone opposed?

I think that was unanimous.

Okay, so now we're at Charlotte Fire Department protective vest donation.

We'll move to the business section of our agenda for item 12.

Is there a motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the donation of 139?

And I don't know how to say this.

Fan flanks, defense systems plate carriers to the following entities, guys.

Oh, they've gone, so just sorry that there you go.

Someone knows how to say it well for me.

So thank you very much.

So for the following entities, Carolina Fair Fire Department, Dallas, Huntersville, Pineville, Steel Creek, West Mecklenburg, and Mecklenburg County.

Multiple second.

Thank you.

We have a motion and a second.

Is there any further discussion?

No.

Hearing no discussion, all in favor.

Anyone opposed?

All right, next.

Our next one is 13, a grant and donation for the rail trail bridge project.

For item 13, is there a motion to authorize the manager or his designee to accept a grant and the amount of two million five hundred and forty-nine dollars from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, which was just being spoken about?

Um organization for the Interstate True 77 Rail Trail Bridge Project, authorizing the city manager or his designee to accept a donation and that amount for 500 um 11,000.

And from the Queen's table for the interstate rail, two 77 rail trail bridge project.

And then adopting a budget ordinance appropriating the appropriate amount of 2549 and 395 dollars from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization and 511, and you can all read that.

So move, Madam Mayor.

So move.

All right, all in the second pool of AB and COVID.

I'm sorry.

Someone over here say ABNC.

We have a motion and a second.

All in favor, Madam Mayor, can I make a comment?

Comments, yes.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um, I just wanted to make a very quick comment about this project because uh this project has been in the works for many many years, and it's actually reconnecting neighborhoods that were divided by an interstate some years ago.

Uh we say South End and Uptown, but really and truly it was the historical African American neighborhood of Brooklyn that was really separated from uh the other part of our city.

And I had the pleasure of going to an event last year, last October, um, where we kicked off the pro this project and worked with other partners who community partners who are investing in it.

But it it's a really lovely bridge.

It's a a multi-use pedestrian crossing uh for families uh to walk and bike and and use other uh mechanical uh pedestrian um devices as well.

It connects over 40 miles of bikeways into the center city, and so it's a very safe way for cyclists to get into the center city.

Um and it's gonna be a very beautiful design with the double arches reaching over 40 feet, and it will be the widest part of the rail trail, so it'll be able to deal with the capacity of the rail trail in addition to pedestrians trying to connect with both neighborhoods.

So very happy to see this project advance.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

All right, thank you.

Are there any other comments or questions?

Hearing not all in favor of the motion, please raise your hand.

All right, is there anyone who objects?

No going to check.

So then let's go to um our next item, which is accept a grant and the amount of one million two hundred dollars from the North Carolina Forest Service for tree maintenance and planting and adopt a budget ordinance appropriating that same amount and grant funds from the North Carolina Forest Service to the Neighborhood Development Grants Fund.

Do we have a motion?

We'll approve A and B second.

We have a motion and a second.

Any conversation or any questions?

I do.

All right, Miss May oh.

Yeah, very true.

Um, I just had a quick question for this.

Is this going to be uh street trees with this maintenance?

Or are they planning to do um public private public um property as well?

I know at one point we had received some funding um from the federal government, but because of our current administration, you know, things did not go as planned.

So just wanting a little bit more clarity on is this going to be on street trees, which are owned by the city of Charlotte, or is this going to be on private property?

All right, Phil.

Good evening, Phil Reger, Department of General Services Director.

This particular grant is designated for city-owned trees.

City owned trees in the right-of-way.

All right.

So we will be working in underutilized areas that need street tree maintenance in the right-of-way.

All right, yes.

So when you say underserved communities, are you are you looking at data for that?

Being thoughtful of equity, but are you also doing under canopied um regions as well?

So I I guess I'm wanting to know how you're designating some of those.

I think we should also think through not only underserved, but also areas that have historical historically lower canopy than some of their more affluent peers.

Um, so just wanting to think through both of those because that can be a huge barrier for some of our most vulnerable residents.

Um, taking care of trees, even though you know they are the city's trees that you're you're talking about.

Uh many of our residents are still having are burdened by those.

It's a great question.

The the map of underserved areas is defined by the state.

And so we're using that map uh that they uh use to define those areas in the city.

Are are you also taking it in consideration based on which areas historically have a lower tree canopy?

So are you doing both?

Are you doing underserved and under canopied?

This is really about the canopy that we have today to ensure that we have uh quality maintenance in those areas.

Again, those areas are defined uh by the state forest service.

Um and so in the event that we have to remove a tree, you'll notice that part of this funding is to uh replant trees.

I can just talk to you later.

Um, yeah, no worries.

Yeah, I'll just follow up a little later.

Thank you.

All right.

So is there any other question?

Any other comments?

All in favor of the motion?

Sorry, can I ask one more question?

Yes, you certainly can.

Sorry.

Um sorry, when you talked about um replacing trees, are you planning to water those new trees at all?

Yes, ma'am.

So that's gonna be in y'all's budget to water the trees.

Yeah, that's a part that's a part of our planting program.

Okay, thank you.

All right, all in favor of a motion, please raise your hand.

Anyone oppose?

I don't see anyone.

So she will keep going and go to the next item, which is item 16, an interlocal agreement for Smith.

I'm sorry, 15.

Smithville.

I'm trying to get us going.

All right.

Um 15.

There's a motion to a resolution ratifying the urban cost share program agreement with Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing no discussion.

All in favor, raise your hands.

Anyone oppose?

Okay, so that passes.

So the next item is 16 and adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager has designated negotiate and execute an in local agreement with the town of Cornelius to execute the Smithfield Water System Improvements Project.

And adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager has designated negotiate and execute an in local agreement with the town of Cornelius to execute the Smithfield Water System Improvements Project.

Authorize the city manager to approve the reimbursements request for the actual cost of the utility construction to approve A and B.

We have a motion for A B A and B and we have a second.

Is there any further discussion?

Hearing no further discussion, all in favor, please say aye.

And so that passes.

So let's go to the next item.

So item 17.

Is there a motion to adopt the housing and community development proposed fiscal year 2027 annual action plan?

Move to approve.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing no discussion.

All in favor, please raise your hand.

Anyone oppose?

Let's see.

No, we don't have any opposition.

Sorry.

Okay, so on the next item is item 18, and I want to recognize Ms.

Mayfield.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I am motioning to A approve of the 20 million six hundred seventeen thousand in housing trust fund allocations for the following affordable housing developments contingent upon their receiving a low-income housing tax credit award from the North Carolina High Housing Finance Agency, where applicable.

The village at Greer Heights for $2,763,000, which is a 9% low income tax credit in Council District 1.

Oak Valley Family for 1,500, which is a 4% low-income housing tax credit, also in Council District 1.

Mineral Springs Commons 2, with for 1,100, which is a 9% low-income tax housing credit in Council District 4.

River District 2 for 5,600, which is a 4% low-income housing tax credit in Council District 3.

Billingslee Home Ownership.

1,050, which is a home ownership in Council District 1.

Oakdale Road for $2,930,000, which is also a home ownership, which is in Council District 2.

Legacy at Park Creek, 1,334,000 home ownership in Council District 2.

Hovis Road, 780,000 home in ownership in Council District 2.

South Kriegler Duets, 360,000 home ownership, also in Council District 2.

Abilene at Prosperity Church, 800,000 home ownership in Council District 1.

Zion Hills, 1 million home ownership in Council District 5.

Wisteria Drive, 1,400,000 home ownership in Council District 6, as well as B approve up to $300,000 in federal fund allocations for the village at Greer Heights 9% low-income housing tax credit, multifamily affordable housing development, which is in Council District 1, and C authorize the city manager or his designee to execute, amend, modify, and renew contracts and other required documents to complete the transactions.

Second.

We have a motion on the floor, and Miss Mayfield has given you the information, and if everybody has it.

So let's see how all of we have a motion and second.

I know.

Ms.

Anderson.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'm just trying to do an alignment here of what's in front of us and what's on our RCA.

It appears that the evoked living at Wallora Lake has been was not a part of your motion.

Correct.

Um, but it is a part of our RCA here, correct?

And it also it also appears that uh River District 2, which was um which was not brought forward the last time we discussed this as a being an approved project, but now it's on your motioning that it be on the approved list.

Okay, can we have some further discussion about that?

Because it sounds like we have scratched one and brought in another.

And I've had some I've had some conversations with some of my colleagues.

I was of the understanding that if we were going to advance something that we would advance both.

So I'd like to so that was that's another so for clarification, Mr.

If it's a question sent to my motion, of which I sent out a very detailed email to all of council last week.

So for clarification, the committee has not had a conversation regarding any reallocation of particular funds yet for one of the projects, it was mentioned on more than one occasion as presentations were made that they were attempt two rounds of funding through our housing trust fund.

This is one of two.

Right now, this project out of my recommendation, and I have talked to a number of our council colleagues as well, which is why what is presented tonight is the clear, it is not it basically is not trying to allocate additional funds because we had three other projects that were recommended for deferral.

This is versus a swap.

At the end of the day, this is a pretty much a swap of versus recommending one to be deferred to the second round, one that representatives acknowledge that we will attempt up to two rounds, making a recommendation that they are then brought forward in the second round.

So we have a motion and a second on it.

The river district is a project that will address a lot of the concerns in a part of the city that is being developed that is already seeing incredible growth and already seeing price ranges that are above market or at the current market rate, whereas this will help us to ensure that we have some diversity in our product for our workers that live out in the area and aligns with the city's goals and commitments and the infrastructure investments that we have made into that project going back to 2017.

I want to recognize Mr.

Graham, followed by Miss Ashmir.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you, Councilmember Mayfield for the email and the conversation that we had earlier today.

But I see the little different um certainly I I clearly understand why we need to support um what's happening in the river district, and I support that wholeheartedly.

Um but it shouldn't be at the expense of um evoke living, and is there a way for us to do both?

Right.

And there is.

Uh, and I think we should.

Uh and even if it's a real reallocation of some of the buckets, uh, I think one of the things that the council has to maintain just a level of flexibility uh in reference to how we utilize the dollars.

Uh also we're getting ready to get really deep in our budget uh in May uh and approval in June, and hopefully there'll be a bond referendum in November which will replenish all three buckets uh for the community.

So I I hope and I'll be willing to second the motion, make a motion that we find a way tonight uh to fund both projects.

Uh and then I think so.

Is that a substitute motion?

That would be a substitute motion.

We have a substitute motion on the floor.

Second, we have a second for that motion, but we have several people that want to address this issue.

So I'm gonna start off with uh Miss Ashmira, followed by Miss Watlington and then Miss Mayo.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh first of all, thank you to the committee chair, councilmember me field for that detailed email where she uh explains what they are saying, they're not saying no to I just want to be make I just want to make sure.

So the committee did not say no to the evoked living at Ulora Lake.

All they are saying is defer it to the next round.

So they the committee gets to do the work.

We talk about the process and process and process.

Well, this is the process that committees recommending because they came up with the allocation.

So let's not talk about the process if you're not gonna stick with the process.

Um because the committee came up with the allocation from what I understood, based on your email, and and having this proposal be part of the second round of discussion that the committee will further discuss.

So correct me if I'm wrong there.

Yes, that's correct.

Okay, and then also I want to speak in favor of the river district proposal.

I did we all got an email from one Mac, and they are making solid arguments about solid point about why we need to ensure that we include River District in our uh in our decision tonight, because um we don't want river district to end up like what we are seeing in Valentine.

So we love Valentine.

So I will support the committee's work and I will support the motion that uh the chair has made.

That's all I have.

All right, Miss Watlington.

Thank you.

Um listening to this and in discussions previously with my colleagues.

Um, I definitely see a couple of different sides having served as the chair of the housing safety and community committee and a part of the subgroup with council members mayfield and drigs on uh allocating the hundred million dollars.

It was very intentional the allocations that we set up to drive particular behaviors in our development community.

Um the innovation fund in particular was set aside specifically to try to drive new um ideas, and I do think that that is still important.

Um I do think given the um the rigor with which we set those targets that if we're going to make adjustments, which we did say that we would we would maintain that flexibility.

If we're gonna make those adjustments, I think we need to give that conversation it's just due rather than making the adjustments here at the dais um because as I understand it, there may be a couple of other strategic um uh projects that we feel like are still adding value.

So I'm absolutely supportive of the river district and do want to see that move forward uh at this in this round.

Um just listening to the comments at the dais.

I'm wondering if there is an appetite at all since committee meeting is next week to have the policy discussion there and then come back May 11th to actually vote on the updated list of projects.

I just don't want us to be making project decisions here without considering the how that impacts the overall policy.

And I I'd love to hear from the chair or others as to how they feel about that.

I can I don't want to make a commitment on that with how Sony will come back because I do know that we have one, we all got an email earlier that we're getting ready to have some changes within the housing and neighborhood services.

So also want to make sure that what we have on the calendar is in alignment.

Yet at the same time, we are prepared to have the detailed conversation with the ad hoc and identifying specific meetings to add for that.

But I would double check with Mike and the team while y'all continue discussing.

Okay, so then depending the answers to those questions, I would ask if you would accept a friendly amendment to defer since the substitute motion is already on the floor.

But we can wait until the answers, it may not be.

Yeah, yeah, and and probably not uh right.

Uh I I think we uh even more reason that there's gonna be leadership change that we make a decision sooner than later, and it's really whether or not we're gonna utilize additional resources from one bucket to the next, right?

And one of the things that you said when you established the three buckets was a level of flexibility, right?

And so I think this demonstrates some flexibility.

Okay, shovel ready projects are uh and and letting the dollars follow that, notwithstanding the good work you and the committee did in terms of sending the the three priorities, right?

And so uh I I just think you know we should move forward with it, but I'll I'll listen to more com members and comments.

All right, so she has an um Miss Mayo, Miss Mayo was next.

Yeah, I mean I would I would support Victoria's um amendment.

So that's an amendment to the amendment.

Yeah, to potentially defer and we have that conversation in our in our committee potentially motion.

I'll accept the substitute motion on the floor who has to be voted on.

Oh you didn't well point of order.

Council member was Council Mayo the second.

Council Mayo, the second week.

I just want to make sure Andrea, would you help us having to do that?

We have an motion on the floor.

Substitute motion.

That's the motion made by Mr.

Graham.

Mr.

Graham and second it by Ms.

Anderson.

Yeah.

Yep.

Correct.

They won't be accepted.

So that's what we're we're discussing right now.

Is the substitute motion that we haven't voted on?

That's right.

Oh, I thought she was saying that on the right I think Miss Mayo was she was vote on the substitute motion as is because the amendment was not accepted.

So there's discussion on the second.

I'm sorry.

So there's discussion on the substitute motion at this point around the diet, and then there needs to be a vote on the substitute motion.

And then after that, depending on how how that vote turns out, we'll revert back to the original motion.

And then we could have been able to do that.

So where we are.

So in the substitute motion.

We're gonna have the substitute motion.

And now she shows me no.

No, no, no, that's not true.

That is not true.

So we have to hold it.

So uh mayor council, thank you.

Rebecca, if you don't mind.

Um because I I do think one issue for all of us is uh the funding level, how much we have remaining.

Um is this a is this reference to motion to the substitute motion?

Because council McGram is trying to do both, and so I I think for a lot of us around the table who not on the housing committee is how much funding uh could be uh remain in that bucket.

Because I and I'm like him, I wish we could vote tonight.

Uh since since we got worried about your new tonight, can I jump in?

I didn't think that this is what you expected me to say under my manager's report.

I was waiting until the end.

Okay.

So um before uh Rebecca addresses the uh the question, yeah.

Um I I'd like to just announce three things.

One is it should have been is this in reference to the uh amendment?

I'm just saying okay they're talking about her.

Oh, I can bring it up.

Yeah, they don't want you to.

Oh no, yes, you'll just suspend the vote.

So manager support focus.

We'll come back.

Close out this vote.

All right, we still have to have this motion, make a determination on it.

So Beck, if you don't mind to sharing the balance, and then if we include River District with the committee standard recommendation, where would they leave us?

Sure, let's be clear.

The motion that I what I motion was very specific.

Yes, the amended motion was adding in what I did not say, so that dollar amount has to be added in, so that way that motion will have to be clarified just a little bit to say to add additional five million eight hundred and fifty thousand.

So from there, Rebecca.

Yeah, I'm I'm doing some quick math up here.

Um good evening, Rebecca Hefner, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services.

So I think the there's two balances to discuss.

One is the uh balance as um or three uh as written on the agenda, the balance remaining would be 14 million two eighty-one thousand and some change.

Um the balance remaining after the uh motion uh motion that council member mayfield made would be 14.5 million million, and if you if you made the third motion with both River District and Willora Lake, the balance would be 8.68 million, and that's over overall across all the categories in the housing trust fund.

Okay, thank you.

All right, any further discussion, Miss Mayfield.

So for clarification, out of if we were to do both, that total of 8.68 million, five million of that is what we currently have.

So this will be stay strong.

If we were to move forward, just looking at rental opportunity, or right here.

I want to make sure that everyone's clear where that potential 8.68 million lies.

So the and I want to make sure that I'm not inaccurate as far as having to potentially have a conversation of reallocating the line item that we have not had a discussion about.

Sure.

So if you're following the um the action as written in the agenda, so I'm going back now to the action preview presentation, the housing trust fund forecast.

That's the balance would be 14.28 million.

The places where funding would remain are home ownership category 2.7 supportive housing and shelter 2.75.

There would be a million dollars remaining in housing rehab, 5 million in the innovation pilot fund, and 2.6 million in site acquisition and just a little bit of change, about 200K in administration and evaluation.

Thank you.

All right, so um we're reloading votes.

So Rebecca, you gave us 8.6 million.

That would be the balance if we approved if we approve the motion made by Councilmember Graham, correct?

Correct.

Totality.

Huh?

In totality.

Yeah, in totality.

Are there any projects in the pipeline right now?

So there are uh you mean for those cat for those other categories for that $8.6 million dollar balance.

So it's in totality.

So what I'm trying to get to is how many projects are in the pipeline because we are not looking at it holistically by trying to make a decision here.

Correct.

Right?

Because the committee is not is not able to do the work.

Uh so I'm trying to figure out if you're gonna have to make a decision.

What are the projects that are in the pipeline that we should be looking at from the holistic perspective?

Well, you you have several other uh projects in the rental housing production category that were recommended for deferral.

Um so that being sure let me make sure I'm giving you all of the right names.

Um trace uh and the Greer Reserves, and um uh in addition to River District, which were recommended for refer uh deferral, the um modular home and ADU development under the innovation category that was also recommended for deferral, and you have received two applications in your rental housing preservation category to NOAA developments that are going to be discussed by uh council committee on May 4th.

You have um you have already exhausted funding in that category, um but those submittal submissions came in before um those funds were exhausted.

So those those will be discussed in housing committee on May 4th.

Thank you.

So personally, I'm not in position to decide now because considering that there are multiple projects in the pipeline and uh in what happens if we were to approve this and then one of the other projects that might be higher on the priority list, uh we would be doing in service to that.

So I I would prefer us sending it back to the committee so they can look at it holistically and provide recommendations uh for the council.

Okay, that's all I have.

Thank you.

And oh actually, before I know that we asked council member Mayfield to check in with the staff on the May 11th timeline, if we can just get a response to that the answer to that question, Rebecca did respond to Rebecca if you were like so part uh so if these decisions were deferred until May 11th, um we all of the developments would still be able to move forward on their timelines.

Um the the important date that drives the spring RFP schedule is the uh deadline for tax credit applications with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, which is May 15th, and so you would have an opportunity on May 11th, but that would be the deadline for a decision in order to support the applications to the state.

Thank you.

And may I for clarification speak?

As the chair on following up on what my director just is.

Hi guys, over here, Mr.

Drake's at what's next on the guys.

I haven't said anything yet.

You've been at it the whole time.

Go ahead.

I just want to know do we have anything in the pipeline for the innovation five million dollars?

Are we gonna arrive at the end of the year and not having uh actually invested that as intended, and therefore should we be thinking about the fact that it can be available because it's not likely to be used?

We got the innovation summary.

So you can staff have been in conversation with uh a couple of developers who have ideas and concepts for that innovation pilot fund, but have not provided any date at uh uh on which they might be able to put in an application.

So not this year, Miss Watlington.

Um, thank you.

Just a couple of things just on the innovation.

I know that I know we've had a little bit of a uh connection as it relates to some of the project or at least one of the projects that is in the innovation fund.

Um I want us to be careful to remember that we we don't we don't see the future.

We're we're in April of 2026.

Um and the innovation fund's intent was to do something a little bit different.

So I don't expect that it's going that whatever comes through at this point has the level of rigor to know what their schedule is gonna be by the end of the year.

Um so that is less uh concerning for me because we plan to do another round.

I think by then we would know whether or not we would want to pivot.

Um, and I certainly think that if we have this discussion in a week, we can we can have these discussions in a better way.

I think this right here is an exact example of what we're seeing play out in broader discussions at transportation and other things where we are um we are making decisions before we really have a robust discussion around our values and how that shows up in policy.

So I would implore us rather than rushing a decision today now that we've learned that we have two weeks and we can take this to committee and have a responsible discussion about this, considering the projects that are in the pipeline.

I I would just ask again to please consider to amend the motion so that we can do right by our people.

Like I get it, you got your six, and you can go there, but let's let's do better if possible.

All right, we did have a Mr.

Mitchell.

I know I'll just say maybe I think everyone is tough.

We're ready for the vote call for the vote.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Ms.

Mayfield Clarification.

Thank you, Mayor.

So I also want to make sure that everyone remembers that we have an innovation summit that the city is one of the partners of that has that is identified and bringing people all across the nation.

So that's one of the triggers for that particular budget of which we were made aware of that when we first had our conversation regarding our innovation bucket that we were going to win, and that that summit was going to be hosted in Charlotte because it moves around.

The other thing, the other piece that I want us to keep in mind is as Director Heffner just mentioned, that will be a three-day window.

So between when we have our meeting on the 11th and the closing being on the 15th, the recommendation that I propose is the recommendation that I stand by.

So we do have another round that's coming, but I do believe that committee should have the opportunity to have a deeper conversation about the possible reallocation of funds.

Because as was heard, if we move forward with the amended recommendation tonight, that potentially would give us 8.68 million in totality, which is really three million as some change because five million of it is already identified, really less than that, because 2.6 million is allocated for site acquisition.

The $5 million is in the innovation bucket, and we have what is what do we say about 200 200,000 or so that's still in administrative, so it's not really eight million that potentially would be accessible, and we do know that there's more projects that are coming forward.

That is why I read it the way that I read it.

So I'm still, even though we're on the amendment that we need to vote on, I am gonna add this the boats are gonna land the way that they land.

We are gonna get the votes on the amended version, but what I am standing by is the recommendation that I read and that we got a second off.

With the admission, right?

I want to make sure that we have the right um which well I'm I've I believe Miss Mayfield's program that was sent around and um and then it was a question of an additional for the um for the substitute the substitution for to go into the um Mr.

Graham.

So we have two items on the I on our list, and so help me substitute motion should be upon as much as honest.

Yes, we need to vote on the substitute motion first, and that's what he was speaking to, Mayor.

He was saying we we didn't identify that I would like to speak.

We had another council.

I have not spoken.

Thank you, madam mayor.

Um, I think I agree with my colleague, Councilmember Ashmira, that if we're gonna respect the process, let's respect the process, but also understanding where Dr.

Wallington is coming from.

I mean, I think to surpass committee um and and go against what the recommendation of what the chair is saying uh goes against the process of us having our committees.

Um additionally, I think if we're going to support both projects as council member Graham has motioned for, then we suppose we should support the other two, three projects that were deferred because then we're giving preference to one project over the other.

Um and so I I would I would pump the brakes and think about what we're doing very wisely right here and and what precedent it puts forward when it comes to the role of committees and committee leadership um in the future.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

So we have um everyone has got the information.

We're gonna um look at this and see which one we're gonna go for the substitute motion.

So everyone that would support the substitute motion submitted by Mr.

Graham.

Please raise your hand.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

You had six.

I'm not done.

I'm sorry, did I get a good count?

That's crazy.

That's at six.

Six.

Six.

So it's approved.

All opposed.

One, two, three, four.

So the new new motion is approved.

It's approved.

Yes, I'm sorry.

I was saying substitute motion is approved.

Yeah, the substitute motion has been approved.

All right, thank you.

All right.

Item 19.

Is there a motion to adopt a resolution approving the sale of the following city owned properties to habitat for humanity of the Charlotte region for one dollar for the development of affordable for sale housing units?

And these are the locations seven.

Move to approve and adopt A and B.

Second.

All right.

We have a motion to approve and adopt item 19.

All in favor, is there any discussion?

All in favor, please raise your hand.

All right, that passes.

Mayor Mayor, uh pass them off.

Uh yes.

And Chappelle, thank you all for being here and for your project.

Thank you.

Good to you.

All right, so item 20 is adopt a motion to approve the termination agreement with the transit governance interlocal agreement and authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute all documents necessary to complete the termination agreement for the transit governance interlocal agreement.

Do we have a motion?

Well, it's a pool of A and B.

Second.

I have a motion and a second.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, all in favor.

Please raise your hands.

Okay.

All right, that passes.

Okay, thank you.

Um I move if we let the agreement.

Would the manager please resume his report and perhaps address an important topic?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Dr.

Stewart, don't go anywhere.

Rebecca.

Okay.

So uh Mayor and Council.

Um, I do have three announcements uh today, and I'm going to start with the toughest one.

Is that after 30 plus years of service for the city of Charlotte, our deputy city manager, Liz Babson is retiring.

I I think uh I think uh Liz represents, I guess what I would call grit.

Um she could have left a couple of years ago, but um there was some really special things going on, like buying a railroad, right?

And mobility plus and so Liz, thank you for an extra time with us.

I don't think we could have uh done it without you.

We appreciate you.

And the uh pipeline is so strong with the city, and so um we're going to have a little bit of an overlap, and so um for the listening public of folks were uh wondering uh with um Rebecca Hefner about uh her future role, which would be uh deputy city manager.

But she wore her um housing director hat tonight.

She wore as well.

So we we appreciate uh Rebecca.

But then uh Rebecca did such a good job with housing and neighborhood services that uh Dr.

Rakishla Stewart will now be the new director of housing and neighborhood services.

They've done such a great job in that pipeline.

I'm I'm sure that you'll hear more announcements uh soon.

And so that's uh a lot going on, uh, but very proud of the team.

Uh a lot to do.

But again, it's um really refreshing that when you can go in house with this level of talent.

So thank you.

Okay, thank you.

It's very nice to have that kind of changes.

Ms.

Mayfield, did you make we're gonna go to council topics before we go on to closed session?

Well, let's see.

I think that someone suggested going into closed session.

Then we navigate the council topics if we'll go after the case.

So we'll do this.

So let's um let's go ahead and get this um before we start with council topics.

I want to address two topics that are being discussed among the council and in the public data centers for being one and I-77 South being another.

There's been a lot of discussion about data centers.

I think Miss Ashmira had put this in front of this, and um we I think we do not have the information right now to say what is their impact that she's raised, um, what should council do about them she's raised, and all of these issues have come up, and we know that this is an important discussion, not just in our community, but across the country.

You cannot turn on the TV without seeing some of that around.

But we were told at our last business meeting, staff was researching the data center impacts, including meeting with other municipalities to see what they've done.

Staff will have additional information to share with the council in the next three to six months.

Council could potentially address land use changes through the UDO text amendment process, and I know that several council members want to have a discussion sooner than later, and I've talked to the manager, and we will be placing data centers on the May 11 council meeting agenda as a discussion topic.

All right, does that cover that?

So thank you very much for bringing that up, Miss Ashmira.

Another important topic is the I-77 South expansion.

There's a lot of passion about this topic.

We know council members have had a lot of conversations about how to move forward.

Personally, I believe issuing the RFP is the right thing to do.

But I also know that many council members want to have a resolution to provide protection for our residents.

I would like council to work together so we can work on a resolution at our May 11th council meeting, and I'm prepared to add that on the May agenda.

Should council want to take up a resolution at that time.

So we'd like to start with that information for you, and what I know that many of us have been around each of these issues or both of these issues, and that we want to do it well and we want to get it right.

And so by doing this, I do believe that if we continue to work together and build this up, that we will be able to do that and make that suggestion make that possible for all of us.

So with that, um council topics, all of you who are still with us today, um, we appreciate you so very much um coming in and being a part of what I think is building community, and so as we're doing this, um we are going to um begin to think about um another part of our meeting, which where we have a closed session, and we are glad that you are here, but you may want to go home at some point.

Yeah, so with that, I still have a council topic.

I know we're gonna go back, but we're gonna have council topics right away.

Um, and so we're gonna do that, but don't we do those in we're gonna do them here in front of the public?

This is where you explained all of the ironies that we have in our life.

So okay.

Let's start off.

Let's see.

Um, we'll go around the dais.

Who would like to start?

I think this is what Ms.

Ash did we go around the dais like this, Miss Asmira.

Okay.

Yes.

And thank you, Madame Mayor.

First, let me say and thank you for allevating data centers issue to our May 11th council agenda.

Um, I want to thank Council Member Mefield Johnson and Monsora RES for their strong advocacy on this issue.

I remember Councilmember Mefield back in 2023, she did sound in an arm.

We were just a little late to the party.

But here we are.

Um over the past several weeks, I've had I have had an opportunity to speak with most of you about data centers and the concerns we are hearing from residents.

So I know that it's going to be on our agenda on May 11th, but my motion is specific to ensuring that we have the hearing.

So I'm gonna pass this on.

It's pretty much if you read the attorney's memo, and if you looked at the email that I had sent, a follow-up email, I talked about this issue being it requires our urgent and immediate attention because currently data centers are allowed by right in multiple zoning districts.

And thanks to attorney uh for sending out that memo because under our current UDO, commercial districts, industrial districts, research campuses, mixed use areas, and even uptown core.

This so data centers are allowed by right, and that means this projects can currently move forward quickly without our approval.

So we have a full opportunity to evaluate the long-term impact on our water supply, on our electricity grade, on our neighborhoods, our environment, and our taxpayers.

So currently, this feels like wild west right now, and we need some guardrails in place.

So May 11th, we need to.

We need to take an action now where taking action means even considering a temporary moratorium so we can study the impacts and ensure that we have guardrails in place to protect our communities.

So in order to stop the bleeding now, because there is already 2.5 million square feet data center going up in the university area, and so many of us have already gotten emails.

There is one being proposed in East Charlotte, and I'm sure there are more that's coming up by right.

So, in order to stop the bleeding, we need to consider a pause and make sure that we have protection in place, especially for our water and our electricity grade.

So, with that, I move to place a public hearing on the city council's May 11th business agenda to consider whether a temporary moratorium on new data center approvals is necessary while we fully evaluate their impacts.

So you'll see there are four items that I'm looking at assessing impacts on water supply, because we know that there is already an advisory out there to conserve water.

So if you don't have guardrails around conserving water for these facilities that can use millions of gallons a day, um, we are going to be behind in protecting our natural resources.

Uh also energy demand.

We know that these facilities can use tens of thousands of homes electricity, so we need to make sure that there are guardrails in place around generating their own power or having some sort of solar systems in place.

And I know council member Owens and I have had that conversation where there can be innovative solutions in place to address that high energy use.

Also, we have seen concerns around the noise, environmental quality, and just the quality of life impact.

So assessing those impacts, and then second, determining whether we have an existing infrastructure constraints because Charlotte Water, we have conservation measures, and we need to ensure that there is there is capacity in place to support a legally defensible temporary moratorium.

We are putting enforceable mitigation measures.

And this was based on our attorney's uh feedback on the legal language that I've can't come up with this language.

So that is my motion on the floor.

Thank you.

All right, you've heard the conversation and the discussion.

Any further discussion?

We had a second motion.

We need a second.

Do we have a second to the motion?

No, but this is I'm asking.

Any discussion for the second so Mr.

Okay.

And Drags.

Mr.

Drake.

I think this is a conversation we need to have.

I appreciate the initiative.

Uh we can have a hearing in the near term, but it would I think it will take a little time for us to get come to grips with all the issues here.

Uh the public need the actual impacts, the noise, the water, and therefore uh my concern is how long a moratorium are we talking about?

Because we do have existing policies that permit these.

And um, if we don't yet have a replacement for those policies and we just shut it down, I I would be concerned about how long we do that.

So may I uh currently we've been told that I think Ms.

Anderson was nice.

That was actually a question for Ms.

Azure if you'll allow it.

Oh, it's absolutely so currently we are being told by the planning team that it's going to take three to six months for uh to develop regulations.

So here is an example.

If staff says go ahead and use cooling systems, but there are no enforcement standards in place.

They it's a suggestion.

So what we are saying is that till we have guard drills in place is that we put a temporary moratorium for 90 days so that it gives staff an opportunity to develop regulations and some guard drills to conserve our natural resources, especially our water.

So if I may follow up, Mayor.

Yes, Mr.

Driggs.

Um we change our policies, otherwise we do so prospectively.

And so to slam on the brakes like this, uh again, I think it's the right thing.

I have a more of a process concern that we don't know the implications of imposing that moratorium.

We don't know what projects are in the pipeline and and what availability of those computer resources.

Uh so I would just like to be sure I understand uh all the dimensions of this problem before shutting down uh data centers for months.

Thank you.

All right, Miss Anderson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um, and thank you, Miss Asmir, for bringing up the topic.

Um thank you, Mayor, for already putting it on the agenda so we do have a space to talk about this.

I firmly believe we need to have a robust holistic conversations about data centers.

Data centers already exist in our community in places that we don't even know about, right?

And as we've had heard this topic sort of gain momentum over the last several weeks, there's a lot of um, there's a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there that I think we need to have a holistic macro conversations, yes, about impact to neighborhoods, yes, about uh long-term health impacts, but also um impacts to our community, impacts to um our long runway as uh the 14th largest city.

You know, we just invested and and brought up online the Pearl, which is our first medical center, but also uh a generator for health tech, and there will be a lot of innovation around that, and we are the second largest banking capital in the nation, and so and right wrong or indifferent.

Um many of us like to uh uh use AI, chat GBT, play games, make little caricature pictures on these supercomputers that we hold that generate a lot of data use.

And so um I would just like for us to before we advance anything in terms of policy, let's have a robust conversation.

I'd also like to invite some of our partners into that conversation.

Duke Energy has a tremendous amount of information on data centers because they support data centers throughout the state.

And so having a some experts, some subject matter experts come in and give the truth around what we're dealing with, and then think about how it will impact our future and our long runway as a city.

So I I welcome the conversation.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

So um Mayo, Ms.

Yes.

Thank you.

Um I agree with uh Councilmember Driggs.

Just wondering if if this is something that should be referred to Transportation and Planning Committee, if this is gonna be a three to six month process with maybe having more conversations about this and kind of coming up with policy regarding it.

Is that something that I guess there's an appetite for among I think there's certainly an appetite for that, but I also want to say that I think what Ms.

Anderson said about this is not just something that's one person or one person in a box.

This is like going all over, and I really do believe to have some kind of um some kind of practice that we have before we go into it, dive into it really deeply.

We need to get some more information and be really careful about what we are able to accomplish and do.

I think that's why moving it up on May is helpful, and I think that makes it a little bit easier because we have some time to look and see who's talking about what and where is it going?

And so um hopefully I would I would hope that we could do something just like this in a way that's very much open to the public as well, because I don't think that the public knows it, and we and and we have so many great um places, all of our people that are in our colleges and our where we're talking about things like that.

I think there's some a lot of more information, a lot of more that was a very bad thing to say, but just think about what we could do if we get you and see Charlotte in here and do some of the things that are important to get it um a really solid ground foundation.

That's that that's what I'm really saying.

Thank you, Dante, for doing that.

And um Graham and J D speak with Graham and J D, but I've also got Miss Wattlington down there.

So we'll just we'll just why don't we just do that?

Um Ms.

Watling was next.

Okay, um, so first of all, where was this holistic energy a couple of motions ago?

But it's fine.

We can talk about that later.

No, but on a serious note, I do think we're talking about two different things or two adjacent things, right?

I think there is the figuring out what the right policy is for the long term, which we absolutely have to do.

What I'm hearing from this is in the meantime temporary protection.

Um to me that's kind of two in the sense of we want to stop the potential harm while we figure out what the right thing to do is so I'm willing to entertain that.

Um I do I do wonder if that's something that needs to go to committee though to have that conversation.

Um that happens a lot earlier, like I mean, next week is our committee meeting.

So that's a question of do we want to recommend to council that we do hold off and do a moratorium.

And I I we need to be clear about if that means on the request or if that means on the approvals to your earlier point, Mr.

Driggs, who's already in the pipeline, what does that mean for them?

Because I do think there needs to be an off-ramp or some under um understanding for folks who are already in the pipeline.

Um but yeah, so I'm supportive.

I say that to say that I'm supportive of both as long as we do it with surgical precision in regards to where we believe the most harm may be um may be uh happening and how long we're going to do one for.

Um and then in the meantime, I'm absolutely supportive of continuing these conversations to get to the right ultimate policy place.

I think you need to.

All right.

I so I've got a f a few other people that want to um have some comments here.

And so our first one is um Mr.

Graham.

Thank you, madam mayor, and I won't be long because I think council member Anderson really articulated the the where we need to go, and the mayor has set the table for us on the May 11th.

And so I don't I think I understand the the the um maybe I don't understand um understand why we're moving so fast, right?

I I think we ought to do our homework and make sure that we all collectively have the same understanding, the same information, and and even have some conversations among ourselves.

Um but I think Ms.

Anderson kind of clearly laid it out uh in the mayor's already teed it up, so I uh so I'll probably vote against it, but certainly very interested in the conversation in the policy direction that we have to go.

All right.

Um and Ms.

Owens.

I think there was somebody before me.

JD JD, Mr.

JD.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I I want to be clear about what the motion is.

It is to not place a uh moratorium, but to place a public hearing.

Am I so I'll let attorney answer that.

Yes.

Thank you, Councilmember Mazuletta Adius and Councilmember Ajmira.

The motion is for a public hearing on the 11th.

The public hearing is required for any moratorium consideration that will be longer than 61 days.

Oh and if for any moratorium that would be considered 61 days or more, there is a requirement that there be notice at least 10 days ahead of the hearing.

And so we have to council will need to factor in that number of days for any potential moratorium, right?

Any hearing on that because we don't want there to be a failure on the process piece of of a consideration.

And the public hearing would allow to invite all stakeholders to the table, those that was smart know the real harmful impacts of data centers and residential areas as well as those corporations that profit from building data centers.

Correct, uh Councilmember Masuetta Adioth.

Well that the other thing I would add to part of the moratorium requirements, one of the legislative findings is that there has to be a study, right?

A study of the unique pieces that wouldn't even necessitate the need for a moratorium.

And per statute, there has to be you council would need to find the least restrictive amount of time possible.

And then if let's say you get into the process and learn more information, then there would need to be another period of time consider, and there's another opportunity for a public hearing to consider that as well.

Not tonight.

So this public hearing would not in consequence place a moratorium that day.

Note would be would be required to to actually enter the moratorium.

Just placing it on the calendar does not it's in and of itself enter the moratorium.

I get uh an understanding of the difference between what the mayor did and what is being motioned.

Exactly.

Sure.

So as I understand it, um the mayor's referral item would be for discussion on on this topic and and exploration of data centers more generally.

Yeah, as opposed to the motion um that council member Ajmer made, it would place a public hearing on for discussion, and if council at the conclusion of that public hearing decided it wanted to enter a moratorium, it could do so on the 11th.

Without that, without the public hearing on the 11th, council could not enter a moratorium on the 11th.

And that's not even including the notice issues that I was discussing yesterday.

Thank you, madam attorney.

I think is of essence to also put the public hearing on the same date.

I think we can do both options, uh, yes and I think we can have a discussion, uh, but I also think uh time is of the essence as data centers, particularly specifically in my district, are being proposed across the city.

There's one that's going to be billed, right?

If I'm not correct, in district four, Renee Johnson's district.

And so I don't know how much more discussions we can do as a council uh without also placing a public hearing on on the date.

Um I think we can be proactive and and do both things.

Um it is something that I've been speaking to the attorney on since December when I first learned about this rezoning happened.

Um something that council member Mayfield you sounded the alarm two years ago on it.

Um so I don't know how many much more discussions we have to do to really understand the impacts.

I mean the public research is there, and I don't know what benefit will do to see the quote unquote benefits of data centers um or even the harms.

I think we should approach it proactively and do both things.

Right.

So our next speaker is Kimberley.

Owen.

Yeah, I appreciate that, Mayor.

Thank you.

And thank you, colleagues.

I um I think I've I've spoken to this issue with with several of you uh before tonight, and I believe I've also put into the room when we've had discussions and data centers that I still have additional learnings that I need to um undertake.

I have um also expressed a concern that a moratorium um is is something that um really sends a message, and I don't know if that's where we need to be on this issue because I quite honestly don't know enough about it.

I have expressed a concern that pushing these offshore is a greater risk to our citizens than having them well located, and I'm not saying within our residential areas, I'm not saying that at all, but I want to understand and put in context the variety of places who have done these moratoriums, how that has been received, and how we may or may not be hurting our residents by rushing to judgment on a moratorium.

So I personally would like to understand more on May 11th, but I do appreciate the leadership that's been expressed by Councilmember Ashmira, but I personally need more information before I would be comfortable even hearing from an entire packed room full of people because I feel as though there are some folks who are anti-AI who are using data centers as a as a means to try to shut down AI.

And I don't think that we're there, but I also do agree that we need to be good stewards of our resources, particularly our water, while we're in the middle of a drought.

So I've got a whole lot of thoughts swirling that do not put me in a situation regardless of what I hear on the 11th, that I'm gonna be comfortable voting on a moratorium.

Thank you.

All right, Miss Mayfield.

So so many minutes.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Manager Jones.

If this calendar that I'm looking at is correct, on the fourth is when we're gonna have the budget discussion, which means on the council action review on the 11th, isn't that when we're supposed to have our budget hearing?

Yes.

Okay, there is no possible way that with the budget hearing discussion, the way that goes that we're going to have these major conversations on the same date.

So I just want to make sure that there that we remember the calendar and that community knows May 11th is our budget hearing.

That is not a 30-minute conversation.

This is not a 30-minute conversation.

So as we're having, even though I support Councilmember Ashmir's recommendation, mainly because we have received notice from Charlotte Water to reduce our water intake.

We are seeing the impacts of the environment, and we don't have very specific language regarding cooling, internal cooling on data centers as well as a return internal recycling system on data centers and the impact that that would have when we just signed a contract with our neighbors in Gastonia to expand our water.

We just recently signed a contract with our neighboring towns to have access to the water.

We need to have the opportunity to have a real conversation of what this looks like.

So if there's support for a moratorium that will at least give us enough of a pause so that we don't have a lot of applications coming in to identify industrial manufacturing space, not anywhere near residential because there are physical impacts.

But we need the opportunity to have that conversation.

And as Councilmember Ashmer mentioned, this isn't a new conversation.

We started, I mentioned this back in 2023.

Us slow walking is what now is putting us in a position where we feel like we need to do something now or it never happens.

That was a year and a half plus where we had the opportunity to put energy into this conversation that we chose to kick the ball down the road.

But if we're talking about May 11th, I want us to be very realistic.

We're doing budget review.

That is not fair to the community.

It's not fair to this council.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Well, I certainly would hope that we would be able to take another situation.

Ms.

Ashmir.

Thank you.

Councilmember Meetful, that's a great catch.

Oh, you're right.

Uh I don't want us to have this conversation and steal the manager's thunder uh after he presents his budget.

So Madam Attorney, would 18th, the zoning be something that we could add it to the agenda?

Could okay.

Okay.

So I here is I I hear what Councilmember Orin's concerns are around getting additional information.

This gives us an opportunity to have it at the committee because there is a committee meeting May 4th.

May 4th, right?

Um, which is May 18th, to Councilmember Drake's concern, this gives the committee some time to review it before it comes up in front of us on May 18th.

For a hearing.

And that also satisfies the legal requirement that the attorney had mentioned earlier.

So I so uh I want to understand what you're suggesting.

Are you proposing for May 4th?

That's no, I'm saying May 18th, but that gives your committee an opportunity to discuss it uh on May 4th.

That's what I'm saying.

Right.

We have a hugely overloaded agenda already for May 4th, which will include addressing I-77 issues.

Uh so as a practical matter, it'd be very hard to make room for another topic.

On May 4th.

Right.

On May 4th.

I mean, we've already scheduled that over scheduled that meeting, and some new things have come into the conversation.

It's gonna be very hard for us to do that, the work that we already have ahead of us that day.

Yeah, I don't want to take it.

You know, this work is very important and it requires a sense of urgency.

Uh I just talked about how our current UDO allows by right in so many of our zoning, unlike other cities and municipalities, with our unified development ordinance, we allowed by right data centers in so many zoning districts that our other municipalities does not.

So this does require that council take an action and at least prioritize it at the transportation committee meeting.

Uh not over I-77 discussion, but it could be a second item on the agenda.

There's already items.

It's an important topic.

There's no way we can do justice on Don't just short notice uh at a committee meeting on the fourth.

It does take uh advanced work, it takes staff work in order to position that meeting.

And and frankly, I agree with you entirely on the importance, the urgency is something that I have a harder time with.

I agree with Ms.

Mayfield.

This has been out there for a long time.

Uh is critical that we do something, it's not critical that we do something in the next couple of weeks.

I think we can give ourselves a little more time than that and be deliberate.

There are a lot of things, as Ms.

Anderson pointed out, that need to be uh we all need to learn.

And I I wouldn't want to sit in a hearing and not have educated myself and be listening to people talking on this subject.

They're meeting on the vote, isn't it?

So absolutely important.

I appreciate the initiative.

I just think that that particular level of urgency is not uh called for.

So Mr.

Jones, do you have a I'll try to be helpful about the 11th?

So what we do is on the second Monday, we have the agenda preview, which really tries to set us up for success for the fourth Monday a lot of action items.

So and then the last meeting when we put too much on the agenda, it wasn't a great result.

So we would start at 5 typically, and that would be the agenda preview, and whatever time is allotted there, could be for whatever topic you want.

6 30, we come here, and the budget hearing is just like any other hearing you would have.

It would be on the agenda, but it would be after you convene here at 6 30.

So I just want to lay out what the 11th looks like and whether you're not you would like to come in earlier or things like that, but I don't think we have anything populated for agenda preview that could not be altered.

I'm sorry, MPTA update.

MPTA updates what we have.

So no, let's say Kenberly.

So thank you, Mayor.

I I just I I want to um just speak very intentionally because I had been one of the people that complained probably the most phosphorously with respect to the long meeting that we had.

And part of that was not so much born of me not wanting to be in a meeting, it was us showing up hours late for the people who were sitting in this chamber.

So I just want to be very intentional that I'm not trying to say I don't like long meetings.

I'm not trying to say I don't want to do the work.

What I'm trying to say is that our action preview needs to be very thoughtfully limited to the amount of time that we've told people because we cannot have people sitting here for two hours waiting for us.

So however you use that time, I personally on the data center issue would very much prefer that this be heard by committee first, be that committee in May, if that can happen, if it can't, then in June, and then that it come to us so that we're more fully informed for a public hearing.

I I agree wholeheartedly.

Committee, council, and then maybe a public hearing.

I think those are all the action steps meeting.

Um because I too and I um very supportive of what you're trying to do.

But I I don't see as council member Drake said.

Which is have that initial conversation on the 11th thing to kick this thing get started.

So okay.

I have a I think that this we've got I wonder you know you're talking about times and all of that.

We still have a level more to get all of us gotta go around.

My motion I wanted to amend my motion based three minutes when we do the is it three minutes?

That's not where in the policy we've been talking about vote for hours.

But there's more yeah, we never did.

Sorry?

Okay.

So I just wanted to make sure based on council member Owens feedback and attorneys timeline.

I think the June 8th would be the next one.

So that aligns it the timeline that uh council member owens just suggested.

That's that's if we want to do a hearing.

Right.

Right?

We have to get to that point.

But then we want to actually do it.

You talk on the 11th.

We should talk on the 11th.

Yeah, that gives that gives public an opportunity to come down and speak.

Can we so madam mayor?

I'm sorry, just point of information.

We have a I thought this was a council topic.

Yeah, this is an important conversation, but we've spent well over 20 minutes on it.

Sure.

And we have a motion on the floor.

That's all of us let's question yes.

All right, so we're gonna call the question for the first time.

So we'll change it to June 8th, right?

Yeah, so just to change it to June 8th.

I'm sorry.

So I couldn't hear what was going on down there.

Um Andrea, did you I was just stating I believe the motion is being amended.

Uh uh Councilmember Ashmir is changing it from May 11th to June 8th.

Business agenda.

Next business meeting.

Okay.

Okay.

So that allows more time to Councilmember Owen's concern.

So what is the time eight?

June 8th.

June 8th.

Okay.

And this is a public hearing and a staff review.

Um, the staff review.

And schedule it later.

All right.

We have a motion on the floor for a June 8th meeting that would be just the would have the actual work for talking about um data center.

So I'm sorry.

Just point of clarity.

She this is for a public hearing.

Hearing public hearing, we're about to vote on it.

That was the motion.

Yes, public hearing.

Oh, I this you've already put it on the agenda for the year.

I think this motion is for a public hearing to be held on data centers.

June 8th.

So me we have a motion on the floor.

And so we need to go ahead and make the motion all in favor of the motion on the floor.

We have a second.

Okay, so maybe.

Oh, a second.

Yeah.

Um council member Ashmir's initial motion.

Maybe you'll second it.

All right, you have a second.

Okay, we have a first and a second.

So let's try.

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

You want me to address the legal process?

I think there's a question about the legal practice.

No, no.

Okay.

Okay, got it.

I think we're okay.

Okay.

Ten days.

Yeah.

We'll keep you in the same way.

All in favor, so please.

We're voting on the motion that council member Ezreal may with the amendment for the day.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

All in favor, please raise your hand.

One, two, three, four, five.

That doesn't pass.

All the posts.

Almost.

Well, it's only ten of the t.

All anyone else?

Any opposed.

We need to.

You do.

One.

But it's only two of the seasons.

I'm sorry.

Okay, Mayor, you was asking for the opposition.

Yes, the opposition.

One, two, three, four, five.

So it's tied.

So Mayor, that's a time.

Mayor, you need to have the time.

It's a time.

Oh yeah.

I'm going to vote that.

This is so funny.

Um, I am going to support the idea that we continue as it is.

And so I I really do believe that this is important, but I don't believe that we ought to have a a pri a public um hearing hearing and to do something without more actually understanding from me.

Hearing and to do something without more actually understanding from me.

I'm a little bit like council member.

Um, as we would say, I just don't feel comfortable talking about something without having some research and some information around it.

So you're a no.

I am a no.

Okay.

Let's move on.

All right.

But it's still on the agenda on May 11th.

It is.

That hasn't changed.

Yeah, that hasn't changed.

So we'll still have a discussion for this.

I hope.

Honestly, I hope that we'll utilize one more the people in this community to do this and do it well.

So because that's who we're gonna live with it.

So we ought to be doing our very best and getting some information about it.

Okay.

So mayor, we're we're here with council Watlington first.

Council topics.

Oh, now it's topic time.

Thank you.

Um we got a closed session.

So I think this past this last conversation we just had is a good example.

Um I think that data centers is one arm.

I think the overarching theme, which is probably the most important topic of our generation really is smart growth and how we're gonna grow as a city, whether it's housing, whether it's data centers, whether it's um economic development, whether it's transportation.

Um we've got to grapple with this, and I do I agree that there is a sense of urgency, and I I think that people generally understand that.

Um, I think where we end up with the gap is that we always seem to allow our process to be the hindrance.

And I I feel like we've got to we've got to develop better ways of working such that our own internal processes are not shortchanging the outcomes for the people.

There's there's no way we should be talking about data centers for a year and a half and then be nickel and diamond a week or this week, or how many minutes on an agenda.

Um at some point we've got to be responsive.

Um, it's not enough to know we've got to do, and so I just think about we saw what happened when we waited for six months on the UDO when we knew policy 2.1 was gonna lead to potential overgrowth and um and over development in particular areas, and when we got ready to do something about it, it was too late.

So we we we've gotta we gotta figure out how to accelerate our gains while also doing quality work.

Um, and it and given that we're right here in the budget season, if that means that we need to talk about what our staff needs to look like to deliver better analysis more quickly, then we gotta have those conversations, but we cannot continue down this path of talking about things and not taking action because we don't have enough information.

Um we gotta go get it, and so how do we do that in the in the spirit of that um as it relates to transportation specifically?

Um many of you know that I've I'm working on um a partnership with our um university in regards to how do we execute analysis and how do we update our transportation and our land use modeling so that we can decide based on what's important to our community and understanding the impacts um we can make choices about what we want to invest in, and so we're not having alternative spokes conversations.

So, anyway, I say that to say more to come, but I just I just caution us in light of the conversation that we just had.

Inaction is action, and so we we gotta we gotta steward that differently.

That's all for me.

Okay, all right, yes, uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um, just kind of echoing what Victoria and Dimple just really talked about.

Um, excited to share that.

We've been working hard on a resolution regarding 77 South expansion.

Um so we have been working on a draft that we've shared with council members, hoping to continue that conversation.

Um, either in a committee meeting, but I know you also have referred that to May 11th.

Um, I think you know, as a whole, we need to really come up with how do we um think about you know smart growth, but how do we also protect community as well?

So hoping that this is a good first step as we're thinking through um how do we move people, but how do we do so responsibly?

Um so excited to continue to have those conversations with you all um and glad that you know so many of us have worked to collaborate on this for quite a few weeks.

Um hoping that this is something that the community will back as we're thinking through um measures to ensure that we're being respectful and responsible for our residents.

So thank you all for continuing your patience as I'm new and just kind of figuring things out and thinking through how do I um you know make sure that District Three and all of the city is is receiving the support that they need.

So thank you.

Okay, Miss Sanderson.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and uh thank you, Miss Mayo.

And the I'm looking forward to the conversations that we'll have on the resolution.

Um, I just wanted to share two quick things.

One is um uh on the 18th, we had our fourth annual East Intergovernmental Summit, and it was at the East Way Recreation Center, regional recreation center, and it was amazing.

We had the big five there, we had this gentleman sitting next to me, as well as the county manager, the superintendent of CMS, uh, the sheriff and the chief of police, and they had the opportunity to answer questions directly from Eastside residents around what was top of mine and and what they're concerned about.

So, phenomenal facility, the East uh the East Way Regional Recreation Center, and just thank you.

That was a phenomenal discussion.

We got really, really good feedback.

Secondly, I just wanted to highlight something going on in the community last weekend.

Um the Realtors uh association had a Realtor's Day, and they were in community all throughout the city of Charlotte, but in particular, I had the opportunity to go to an elder who's aging in place in the Hidden Valley community, and they did a full day of dedication work uh fixing her deck, fixing other things all within one day, and it was amazing and uh really and truly helped her stay in a house that she received from her parents, and she had already said that she's gonna pass it down to her son.

So this would be a third generational asset in a historically African American community in the city of Charlotte.

So was really proud to see that and happy that that um the Realtors Association was able to bring that work to her.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

All right, Mr.

Mitchell.

Uh thank you, Mayor and Council.

You all should have a uh vanilla folder at your table at the dais we heard earlier from about several speakers about Norris cameras.

So uh probably since January, I've been meeting with the hotels located in the center city, and I'm glad they came down here and voiced a concern about Norris camera.

So um, Madam Mayor, I would like if you could refer this to the public safety committee so we can decide what policy we think would fit uh having a Norris camera for Center City.

Oh, Winston.

Are you done?

Yes.

Okay, so I'm sorry.

And so now we'll keep moving on around.

Let's see.

So if I if I can just very briefly piggyback on what was just said, I would like to expand that, Mayor, and ask that that be considered more broadly than just center city.

District six has had a number of corridors, and that is a repeated question that I get is where is the enforcement with respect to these um these car muffler situations.

I haven't heard it from the hotels, and so I want to prioritize the hotel district.

I think that is exceptionally important, but I would hope that we also can look at it more broadly.

Um I do want to part just very briefly on um the comments that I had raised or hope to raise tonight.

I'm appreciative of the mayor putting on our May 11th discussion agenda um the resolution that some of us have been working on behind the scenes, and I appreciate the good grace that's been given us um by our colleagues as we bring them into the fold.

In the month of April, I've been very intentional in doing a listening tour with my residents in District 6 who shared their thoughts about I-77 South.

Those who have spoken to me have fallen into two buckets.

Either they they don't trust the I-77 South Project or they really don't trust the I-77 South Project.

So the first campus spoke to me that they've looked at the math and they don't have confidence that what we're getting is worth the 50 years of toll revenue that we're gonna be paying.

They question whether this is worth the exposure to scammers that we're gonna be granting with the toll system and pay by mail uncertainties.

I think we've already seen that with some of our toll roads.

They also query whether the project as it's currently modeled addresses congestion at all, something that still needs to be proven to them.

And if it does, how long does it address that congestion?

Is it worth the cost?

Those who really don't trust it have expressed they have all of those concerns, and then layer on the concern that communities, especially historically undervalued communities, are gonna be displaced again.

And I hear most often quote, didn't we stop doing that in the 1950s and 60s?

So I just want to put that into the room that this is the concern that I'm hearing from District 6.

I am told repeatedly personally that this is the most expensive project in North Carolina history, and that folks have been working on it for decades.

And for me, that motivates me to ensure that we get it right.

You know, either if it's that great or elevated, how does it compare to other takings that we've experienced in the state and what levers do we have at our disposal to make sure that these efforts are really showing some innovation in design as well as community-focused offsets, and perhaps there's more money that we need to be requesting from the state beyond the hundred million dollar bonus allocation to address displacement.

So to my colleagues, I say, let us explore how we got here with the knowledge that we've got now, explore a path that works best.

I am not in favor of rescinding this until we have done a really deep dive, and I'm hopeful that the resolution provides us that opportunity.

And I appreciate the mayor's leadership in putting on the agenda for the 11th.

So thank you.

Ms.

Grant.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I have two items, and I'll be very quick.

Over the last 30 days, the West Charlotte Bayes Fort Royal Community has received two major announcements.

One, Wells Fargo has donated $8 million to various nonprofit organizations that are serving Bayes Fort Road and the West Charlotte community.

They made an announcement at Johnson C.

Smith University about two weeks ago.

And about four weeks ago, the CBS Foundation made a similar pledge of $2.5 million to support nonprofit organizations working on the Bailey's Fort Road Corridor as well as West Charlotte.

This is yet another example of our quarters of opportunity working, which is a combination of both public and private investment to ensure that uh these quarters that we're working on are adequately funded, both from the public perspective and private donations to nonprofit organizations actually doing the work, uh having boots on the ground, on providing services related to health care, food deserts, and community development.

In addition, there was a great reception last week to help fill the final gaps for the historic Excelserist Club in District 2.

And so, as you know, the city and the county have come by a three million dollar investment.

Um they worked last week to close the gaps.

I'm really excited about uh the Celsius Club coming online sooner than later, restoring the um uh the tradition of the legacy um of um uh entrepreneurship um on the Bayes for Royal Quarter.

Lastly, um and probably more importantly, um there was a great job fair uh over the weekend uh hosted by the um Charlotte Douglas Airport.

Uh over 1,800 job seekers and 17 employers were at the boatplex um looking for job opportunities at the airport.

People want to go work at the airport.

Um the aviation department also this week will hold a resource fare available to the 22,000 badge individuals who work at the airport for um uh issues relating to housing, finance, um, health care, et cetera.

Again, outward mobility, full skit jobs, and try to climb the ladder to get better jobs at the airport and or outside of the airport.

So I'm really excited about that.

And that doesn't include all the construction workers who are working at the airport each and every day.

And so I just want to lift that up because that's great economic development news, job news, workforce development news, and also uh continue to invest from the private um perspective was happening on our quarters of opportunity in general and specifically on the Baysford Road Quarter.

West Side is the best side.

Colleagues, good evening.

Uh we've heard about I-77 a couple of times already.

Um I think you kind of know where I stand on this.

Uh you have in front of you a document.

Uh it's called uh facts, myths, and consequences.

I hope you all read it carefully.

I'm not gonna recite from it tonight, but it just reiterates the reason this project is important.

It tries to respond to some misconceptions that have fueled a lot of the opposition.

And uh I know also that there is a lot of pressure from groups uh on all of us, frankly, me too, uh, to uh move towards a recession.

And um I want to tell you that we share their concern.

We all do, including me.

And uh I want to emphasize I'm old enough, I remember when Dr.

King was assassinated.

Uh I remember the civil rights movement.

I saw us whites only signs.

Uh it was a tragedy for our country and a painful to behold.

So we all have that motivation and share the concern of some of the protesters.

But that doesn't mean we have to do their bidding.

And so what I'm asking is that we read this document and we keep an open mind and we just stay focused on uh getting the best outcome we can.

And any action right now that tries to get the CRTPO to intervene or to shut it down, uh denies us the opportunity to see what is possible and what we might be able to get.

I believe the resolution that I appreciate is a powerful statement of uh our concern for our constituents and our values, uh and it will be a foundation for future conversations, but we must have those conversations.

And at some point, there is still every opportunity that we have now in the future to just to make a move to shut it down.

If we really get to the point where we feel that's what we have to do.

So rather than take precipitous actions to shut it down right away, um, let's roll with this a bit.

Let's pass our resolution.

Let's make clear where we stand.

Uh hold NCDOT accountable.

I I know that one of the reasons we're in this predicament is because the NCDOT didn't really handle this very well.

They they started this process, they did not recognize the sensitivity of that uh of those neighborhoods and the historical context, and now we're trying to recover from that, frankly.

And I've been trying to recover from that.

I didn't recognize it either.

I have to be honest.

Uh no one sort of said, hey, you know, be careful over there.

But let's see if we can uh steer towards an outcome that solves the problems on I-77 and also is very respectful of those neighborhoods and puts them in a better position than they are now in the future.

So that's what I'll say about that now.

I'm supportive of the resolution.

I hope we can work together to get that passed.

Thank you.

That's not on the agenda.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

One, I would say that I'm happy to hear about the airport job fair this past weekend.

I'm hoping that they are continuing what we started when I created the district three airport job fair that ran for seven years.

One of the commitments that I had, even back in 2012 that started, is that it was jobs that were ready to hire immediately because they identify the openings.

And even in 2012, those physicians committed to a minimum of $15 an hour back then.

So we would think that it will be increased today.

It was disheartening to hear from a number of our employees that are both our fire employees and our employees of the airport who are in positions where they're having to make serious choices and are underpaid without access to insurance.

So that is something that we need to figure out how to identify partners that recognize the value in paying their employees.

If you cannot afford to live in our city, which is a concern that I have had for years, which is why earlier's comment regarding housing was disappointing as far as I'm concerned, because if our employees cannot afford to live here, we are going to see the mass exodus from Charlotte that we have seen that has migrated to Charlotte.

Yet for our employees that for our residents that live here, mayor, I would like to request a follow-up referral to housing committee to explore the potential of amending our minimum housing code to mandate working air conditioning equipment during the summer months.

We've had this conversation for a number of years.

As part of the minimal housing code referral to the housing committee, actually back in 2025, the committee directed staff to evaluate the viability of amending the minimum housing code to require air conditioning equipment in all dwellings.

The city has made tremendous efforts, and I want to acknowledge our team because they have done some great work with our 2025 window unit distribution as well as the HVAC pilot program and stakeholder engagement.

But as we can continue to see environmental impacts with record heats over 100 degrees, if it's 100 degrees outside, you're looking at 115 plus inside of a home that doesn't have air conditioning.

Window units are not necessarily the best or the most efficient type of unit.

So this will be a part of the conversation for our minimum housing code.

So either six votes on council if it needs to be in the form of a motion or mayor, you have, of course, the ability to refer it to committee.

I would like to ask for you to refer it to committee, and I have already talked to my outgoing chair, which I'm still not happy about, but I have talked to my outgoing executive director of housing to have the conversation to see if we can.

We're probably looking at an attorney Leslie Fight, correct me.

Or keep if I say this incorrectly, we were looking at like September to give enough time because we have enough, we have a number of major conversations happening, but would love to get that referral to the housing and neighborhood services committee.

Do I need to make that in the form of a motion to get to go through the whole vote process, or can I just thank you, Mayor?

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh, thank you, colleagues.

I want to invite, I want to start off by inviting everyone uh to my first inaugural town hall in District 5 this Thursday, April 30th at One Church Charlotte off of Albemar Road from 6 p.m.

to 8 p.m.

We'll have Miss Didi's Haitian Caribbean kitchen catered.

Um so it'll be a good time.

We'll have a lot of our staffing experts here.

All right.

So um my topic um and and um I do really like working with all my colleagues.

Um, and I deeply respect my colleagues.

Um, but this council has me deeply deeply frustrated.

Um it seems like we want to quote unquote roll with every problem that faces the working people of this city every single time.

And and I and I think we have to show up differently as a council, as elected leaders.

I just how many more conversations do we need to have about something before action is made on it?

Especially conversations that we've been discussing for years.

I mean, we knew I 77 was coming, and is and it hit us uh like a deer and headlights.

Uh I think I'm I'm just frustrated of the lack of action on any pressing urgent issue that is facing our community.

Um Victoria, and and I think I'm I'm also frustrated with the inconsistency that we sometimes show as a council.

You know, Victoria Wallington, uh Dr.

Victoria Wallington, a council member, such uh suggested it earlier this evening to bring the housing trust fund recommended projects back to committee.

Take my build.

Um and and that was not uh approved or or not spoken about, but yet with data centers, we want to bring it back to committee.

Um there's inconsistency there, and I think sometimes oftentimes um we have outside relationships that might influence the way we vote.

Um I think the weight of decisions that we have as a council impact our neighborhoods, uh, the weight of expectations from a city of nearly a million people, the weight of knowing that sometimes, even when we want to act, uh the tools in front of us feel very limited.

Um, for example, whether how how do we come up with a resolution, what are the legal avenues, uh, how do we put something on the agenda?

Um I I really do, and maybe it's because I'm 27 and impatient.

Um, okay.

Um but it's also but but but um council member Driggs, yes, I'm right, but it's also because we're a generation that have lived through a pandemic, that are facing affordable housing crisis, that have uh are facing uh uh layoffs, uh a health care crisis.

Um, you know, I I really do not think we're here as public elected officials to serve the systems, uh, to serve access.

I think we're here to serve people, uh, people who don't have lobbyists, uh, people who don't have direct lines to uh us, uh, and people who trust that when they're not in the room, we're uh lifting their voices up, and and so do the voices that are um not always centered in the conversations.

Uh the residents uh who wonders that what what these decisions mean for their livelihoods, their commute, their neighborhood, uh the workers uh who show up every day to keep this city running, um, and still struggles to make ends meet.

Uh the airport, I I think about the airport service workers uh whose labor keeps our city moving, yet those working conditions are often remain invisible.

And and those workers who speak up and when they organize like SEIU 32 BJ, um who are helping elevate the voices of those workers, um, and we should pause to listen to those voices and not pause to question their legitimacy, but to listen more closely to them.

Because I I feel like if we begin to doubt the lived experiences of the most uh vulnerable among us, then we risk losing sight of where we are, why we're here in the first place.

And I think our role is to balance, and I'll be honest, as somebody new to this body, as someone that's young, I've had to navigate what it means to hold that balance to understand the access that we get, who has it, who expects it, and how we as a council engage with it.

Uh, because access to it should never feel like a given.

Uh, which brings me to something that I hope this council uh can explore together.

Uh the hard ask, which is asking ourselves whether our processes make it just easy to elevate the concerns of working families as it is to advance the priorities of developers, uh, to uh examine whether we have internal barriers, bureaucratic gatekeeping limitations on agenda setting uh that are preventing us from even having the conversations our constituents are asking us to have, and to ensure that we uh when a council member wants to bring forward an idea rooted in community need that there is a clear and path to do so.

And so, how do we strengthen our ability as a council to act on behalf of the people?

How do we ensure that when a council member sees a need in their district that we listen to what council member Graham tells us about the housing projects that are coming to uh the affordable housing projects that are coming to his district that we listen to uh council member Shmira when she thinks there's an urgency for data centers?

How do we look at our own processes and ask whether they empower us to lead or to unintentionally hold us back from having any action?

Um I I think we all have a belief, a purpose, a commitment to serve.

And if we can hold on to that, if we can let that guide us, um, even in moments where the tools feel limited or impact does not have to be.

Uh, because I really do think that ultimately public service at its core is not about what is easiest, it's about what is right to do even when it seems hard.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

I just wanted to.

Okay, thank you too.

So I just wanted to um say that I know many of you know Aisha Doo, who is on our delegation.

Um her mother passed this weekend.

I had an opportunity.

Ruth um do was someone that um came along and brought people with her.

She was particularly um particularly person that you would go to to create places where children that were brown children or black children had an opportunity to learn art and to learn music and to learn so many other things.

So I just wanted to mention that to you as I'm you know, um, and if you want to see Ayesha is I think at home, and so that's um my suggestion for the end of this meeting.

We do have another meeting, we have a closed session that go into Mayo, yeah.

Um attorney said that I could still make a motion or or say something.

So I would like to make a motion kind of echoing what JD is saying, making sure we're being active and being thoughtful of what our constituents are asking.

So I'd like to make a motion that on May 11th we vote on the resolution regarding I-77 South.

Second.

Okay.

That is already on the agenda.

And we can already on the agenda.

No, I I'm I'm asking it to vote on it on May 11th, not just to discuss it.

You could make that motion based on the fact that it's on the agenda.

It's it's a it's open for you to make the motion on May 11th.

You can do that.

But we can vote.

Yeah, but we want to take an action.

It's on the once it's on the agenda.

You can vote.

Okay.

Doesn't matter.

Um, no, there is not a motion to adjourn.

There is a motion.

May or she attorney so once it's clay on the agenda.

The requested action would be to vote on the item.

So for clarifications, I think that would be the one A11.

Okay, so we will be voting on it.

That will be the request that I just want to be clear with Mr.

Manager.

The requested action would be to consider voting on the okay.

So um we have one closed session plan, so we need to get ready and go into separate room.

We gotta have a vote.

Um read please read the member.

There was a motion on the floor um from Councilmember Mayo based on the new information, Councilmember Mayo.

Would you like to withdraw your motion?

Yes, I would like to withdraw.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

So now will you read the motion for our closed session?

Yes, Madam Mayor, and if one of the council members would adapt this motion.

The motion is to go into closed session for the following purpose 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 pursuant to NCGS 143-318.1184.

So moved.

All right, we have a motion and all in favor.

Second, all in favor.

Aye.

Aye.

Okay, let's try to do this as quickly as we can.