CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte City Council used its Nov. 24 session to clear an array of business items alongside a major planning debate.

On land use and historic designations, the council adopted an ordinance designating the Kelly M. and Margaret G.A. Alexander House as a local historic landmark. Council also approved multiple voluntary annexation ordinances (Emerson Pond, Garrison Industrial, River South) and a resolution to close a portion of the alley between Liggett Street and Bullard Street; staff recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous voice/hand votes where no speakers were present.

In grants and historic preservation: the council accepted a $21,500 grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior to support National Register nominations for Macquarie Heights and Oak Lawn Park; community advocates described Macquarie Heights as a historically significant African‑American neighborhood and urged protections against proposed NCDOT toll‑lane plans that could encroach on homes.

Procurement and public safety: Council approved a five‑year contract with Motorola Solutions, Inc. to supply, implement and maintain drones and related systems for first‑responder programming and authorized the city manager to negotiate renewals and additional licenses. The motion passed; two members recorded opposition during the roll call.

Economic and cultural funding: Council approved $25,000,000 in capital improvements for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and an interlocal agreement to reimburse the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority up to $1,300,000 for design and development costs; councilmembers serving on the Hall’s board defended the project’s fiscal stewardship and youth programming benefits.

Appointments: Council confirmed multiple city appointments to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) as part of its ongoing PAVE Act implementation. Councilmembers praised the selection process but also debated scoring transparency and the balance between interview scores and broader council discretion.

The meeting concluded with a motion to enter closed session to consult with the city attorney on pending litigation (Veil Construction Company v. City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County Superior Court case) and to review a body‑worn camera recording under state statutory provisions.

Votes at a glance: the meeting transcript records multiple roll‑call/hand‑raise votes and voice approvals for the items above; where the transcript provided specific tallies the clerk recorded them during the meeting.

What’s next: staff will continue work on deferred planning items and complete deliverables tied to the PAVE Act timeline and associated studies.