City attorney proposes using resolutions to simplify adoption of 2024 ICC building codes

City Attorney Kirk Vandivort urged the City of Charlotte Planning Committee on March 5, 2026, to continue the Ordinance to Adopt and Amend the 2024 ICC Codes but to handle fee schedules through separate resolutions so future fee changes would not require full ordinance readings and multiple votes. Jacob Doerffler, GNRC Planner, told members he "does recommend the same process" for going forward.

The committee discussed the procedural change as a way to simplify future administrative updates. Chairman Jimmy Breeden agreed, saying the change "would be a much more efficient process." Kirk Vandivort said he would meet with Jacob Doerffler and consultant Jason Pilkinton to clean up the ordinance text and clarify a few items before presenting a clear packet, including a resolution for fees, at the April 2, 2026 meeting.

Ricky Pastor moved to approve the process of using resolutions for fee changes; Scott Story seconded. The motion passed with "Ayes: All." The committee directed staff and counsel to prepare the ordinance revisions and the fee-resolution packet for the April 2 meeting. Kirk Vandivort noted he will be out of town for the April 2 meeting but said he will have the documents ready and that Tim Potter will probably attend in his place to present the materials.

Why it matters: moving fee changes to resolutions would let the city update administrative fees more quickly without repeating full ordinance procedures (first and second readings and separate votes). The Planning Committee did not adopt the ordinance text at this meeting; members approved only the procedural approach and asked staff to return a cleaned-up ordinance and a resolution packet for formal consideration on April 2.

Next steps: staff and counsel will draft the revised ordinance language and a fee resolution packet for the April 2 Planning Committee meeting; the committee expects to consider those documents at that meeting.