Charlotte Region Commercial Board of REALTORS® BLOG

#1 Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement Reports on Enhancements, Seeks Feedback

(Content taken from Mecklenburg County email communication.)

One year ago, after years of preparation and advanced work, AccelaMeck became our preferred customer portal. As we began 2026, the vast majority of our projects were being managed in the new platform.

2025 was a milestone year for Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement staff and customers. But we aren’t stopping there. We’re continuing to take feedback from our customers and partner agencies, and we’re actively implementing enhancements to provide an even better experience based on that feedback. These updates are being rolled out on a continual basis, but we will provide updates as needed.

One example of that feedback was an adjustment to our portal name. We recognize that many of our customers work regionally, so to help distinguish from other agencies’ Accela-powered portals, we have implemented the name AccelaMeck. We also created a new logo, featured above, to help customers quickly identify our portal.

This year, we will be bringing the few remaining project streams from our legacy portals into AccelaMeck, continuing to implement enhancements, including the search and data query features our customers loved from our legacy portals, offering additional customer training opportunities, and, of course, continuing to add to our robust library of customer guides.

2026 will bring enhanced functionality and experiences for our customers as we delve further into this exciting new chapter.

Have feedback for Code staff on AccelaMeck? Send an email to: Code@MeckNC.gov

Rob’s Take:  I know from time to time I ask for your feedback and you think about it and get busy and you move on to something else. This would NOT be a time to do that. Let’s be honest. Delays incurred by users of the City of Charlotte’s Accela and the County’s newly dubbed “AccelaMeck” are staggering because of a lack of proper integration. The City has taken steps to rectify this by tasking staff with “fixing” things behind the scenes and bringing in outside help to try to address issues. Now the County is asking for feedback, so let’s provide it. Please.

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#2 Meck County Master Plan Update: Park and Recreation to Host Workshops, Survey for Future Investments

Mecklenburg County is inviting community members to help shape the future of local parks and recreation.

The Park and Recreation department is updating Meck Playbook, a 10-year master plan adopted in 2021. The plan sets the County’s vision for investing in parks, nature centers, recreation centers, trails, environmental preservation and sustainability, programs, and staffing.  

Since adopting Meck Playbook, Park and Recreation has grown its operations by more than 60 full-time staff and more than $600 million in capital projects. Now, as the plan enters its fifth year, residents can offer input on past and future investments by attending one of two workshops and completing a short survey.  

• Thursday, Feb. 5, Drop-in Workshop
  5-7 p.m.  
  Eastway Regional Recreation Center, 3150 Eastway Park Drive in Charlotte
  Snacks and light refreshments will be provided.  
  Register online
   
• Saturday, Feb. 7, Drop-in Workshop
  1-3 p.m.  
  Revolution Park Sports Academy, 1225 Remount Road in Charlotte  
  Snacks and light refreshments will be provided.
  Register online
  
• Community Survey  
  Tell us which Park and Recreation open spaces, facilities and programs you use and love.
  Complete the survey  

Why Update Meck Playbook?

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is committed to ensuring every county resident, no matter where they live, has access to the amenities they need to be healthy, active and thriving.  

“We are building the next chapter of Meck Playbook — one that keeps us moving forward and keeps our community at the center of everything we do,” said Nick Walker, director of Park and Recreation. “To our residents: Help us shape a plan that reflects who we are as a community, and where we’re headed. Your voices are essential.”  

Recommendations from the 2021 master plan have successfully guided many County investments, including support for:  

• Renovations and improvements to existing parks, including Albemarle, Enderly, and Tryon Hills parks, that are in “priority communities” — areas with higher rates of renters, youth, older adults, low-income households, households with limited access to a car, and communities of color.
• Greenway expansions and connections.
• Improved systems for residents to report issues or request services at a park or facility.  
• Programs such as MeckRoots and staff positions that connect people to the historic and cultural significance of Mecklenburg County spaces.  

Meanwhile, some of the 2021 recommendations are yet to be realized. Renewed alignment on Park and Recreation’s priorities and funding will help the department address its needs for additional staff members and programs in parks, and for resources that can support crafting measurable goals and meeting new and emerging trends in recreation.  

The purpose of the 2026 Meck Playbook update is to reflect on what has been accomplished toward Park and Recreation’s mission, and to revise the master plan’s recommendations for investments over the next five years.

Residents will have additional opportunities in 2026 to learn about the Meck Playbook update and to provide input.

Be the first to learn about these opportunities by subscribing to updates on https://publicinput.com/meckplaybook.

Rob’s Take: Enhanced recreational opportunities and the ability to get outside and enjoy the outdoors are vital to the overall health of a community. The drop-in sessions listed above are a great way to find out more about those opportunities here in Mecklenburg County. Also, the survey is a good way to provide the feedback decision makers are seeking. Did you know that most major cities manage their parks departments within their own organizational structures? Charlotte is unique in that it moved most of those management and service responsibilities to Mecklenburg County more than 30 years ago. Some may say that arrangement has worked while others would argue we are lagging behind other similarly sized communities in this regard. And so, here’s another chance to provide feedback. You can’t make change unless you make a commitment to engage.  

#1 A Reminder to Builders: Don’t Forget to Apply for Tax Exclusion by January 31st.

NCHBA Builder Members:

If you are holding in inventory a for sale single-family home, townhouse, duplex, or land which you have improved for residential or commercial purposes, you are eligible to have the value of these improvements exempted from local property taxes for the next year. This exclusion, which can last up to three years if the house or land continues to be held for sale, also applies to single-family, townhouse, and duplex houses under construction or land currently being developed.

NCHBA successfully amended this law in 2021 to specifically include townhouses in this exemption. This action overrules a Department of Revenue opinion to the contrary that local governments had followed and restores the original legislative intent that townhouses be included.

Formerly, a builder was required to file for this exemption every January in the tax office where the property is located. However, in 2019 NCHBA successfully sought an amendment to the law applicable to the 2020 tax year and beyond, so that builders need only apply once to obtain the three-year exclusion.

So, anyone successfully applying for the exclusion in year one would not need to reapply in years two or three assuming the house or land continues to be held for sale. However, it would be wise to check with your local county tax office to make sure they are correctly applying the exclusion for the current tax year.

For qualifying property newly improved, an application is due by January 31 in the tax office located where the property is located. If you failed to take advantage of this exclusion in year one, you can still file for an exclusion for tax years two and/or three.

For more information and details on this law, click this link

Don’t leave your money on the table! Apply for this exemption by January 31.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steven Webb, swebb@nchba.org

Happy New Year!

Steven Webb

NCHBA Director of Legislative Affairs

Rob’s Take: For those who were unaware of this exemption, this is a heads up that you could be leaving your dollars on the table. For those who are aware, but have been procrastinating, please file the appropriate application by the January 31st deadline. This opportunity came about because of the hard work of the NCHBA lobbying team and represents another benefit of being a part of our broad coalition of real estate professionals who are constantly addressing our community interests.

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#2 Clerk’s Office Seeks Applicants for 2027 Meck County Citizens Revaluation Advisory Committee

The 2027 Citizens Revaluation Advisory Committee is charged with reviewing general operations, monitoring developments, and analyzing statistical reports pertaining to the 2027 Revaluation’s progress. Committee members will work closely with the County Assessor’s Office. The Committee will convene on a monthly basis from March 1 to December 31, 2026, as part of the county-wide reappraisal process which will have an effective date of January 1, 2027.

To apply, visit BOCC.MeckNC.gov/Clerk or contact the County Clerk’s Office at 980-314-2939 or Clerk@MeckNC.gov. Applicants must reside in Mecklenburg County to qualify for an appointment.

Rob’s Take:  In recent years we have worked to place a great number of real estate professionals, including Realtors®, on this advisory board. This is a great opportunity for those who have knowledge of current/actual real estate property values and are closely tied to the industry. If you plan to apply or are seeking additional information, please reach out to me directly at Rob.Nanfelt@REBIC.com.

If you are interested in reviewing all of the boards and commissions around the region looking for volunteers, please visit our website here, and choose a County to display opportunities.

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Current Member Spotlight

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Paisley Gordon, Jr is worth getting to know. Review his 35 years of experience in strategic leadership in the commercial real estate sphere.

#1 Union County Commissioners Propose Additional Regulatory Controls on Subdivisions

On January 12, Union County Commissioners met to consider limiting minor subdivisions to those developments with four lots or less (down from 8). A reductive, and what could be interpreted as retaliatory, move to continue to take broad control of land development outcomes. Impact of this move increases the regulatory hoops small developers must jump through and complicates the process of submitting elements for approval. To view the discussion, watch here.

Copied from an editorial published by the Citizen Portal, we quote,

“Commissioners voiced particular concern about farmland loss and the cumulative effect of many small divisions. One commissioner said the agricultural advisory board considers eight lots “a little… high,” and several members signaled interest in studying a lower threshold. After discussion, a commissioner moved to direct staff to prepare a draft text amendment defining a major subdivision as four lots or more and to take the necessary steps for land-use-board review with the goal of a public hearing in February; the board voted to approve the motion.

”Staff emphasized exemptions that cannot be changed because they are statutory and noted that some process steps (for example TIA triggers or sunflower surveys tied to very large developments) are controlled by statute or external agencies.

”Next steps, per staff and the board: draft the ordinance text, send it to the land-use board for a recommendation (the land-use board meeting schedule provides a possible January review date) and file the required notices to schedule a February public hearing before the commissioners.”

Access the full agenda of the meeting.

Rob’s Take: We keep hearing from policymakers that farmland loss is an economic negative and the primary reason to stop growth. And yet in our experience, farmers are the ones advocating for fair use and sale of their property…and we don’t hear them dissenting. We only hear the County using it as another excuse to ignore the cries of work force employees, young people, and all potential homebuyers who are shut out of future homeownership because of lack of supply. Managing growth is prudent and results in better communities. Stopping growth hurts everyone including the taxpayers when their bills go up substantially in a few years because their leaders didn’t lead.

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#2 HBAGC 2026 Market Forecast Presentation

At the recent Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte (HBAGC) 2026 Member Luncheon, speaker Danushka Nanayakkara-Skullington, AVP of Forecasting & Analysis from NAHB, provided a full spectrum forecast covering micro to macro issues. With detailed slides and narrative insight, she showcased areas all will be interested in reviewing. Such as where the country is still recovering from COVID’s economic impact, (We’re recovered, by the way.), and even dabbled into metrics around the kids at home, or the failure-to-launch groups. (Which we can speculate is fueled by lack of affordable housing.)

An event highly attended and anticipated, this data is timely, relevant, and touches on every discipline needed to approach your next development endeavor. Download the pdf of the presentation here.

Rob’s Take: I attended the meeting last week and was impressed with Danushka’s presentation. One stat that really hit home with me was that the effective rate of inflation over that last five years was 27.5%. Let that sink in.  Simply put, that is unsustainable. There are several factors that affect this, but perhaps most importantly it comes down to making sure we have effective leadership at all levels of government. So, where do we find the solutions? Look in the mirror. Early voting begins February 12th and Primary Election Day is March 3rd.

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BONUS: Many have requested a link to WOTUS Presentation PPT. View it and the accompanying Abstract from last week’s Land Development Committee presentation by Ward Marotti from Spangler Environmental, who explained the(Waters of the United States) new rules.

#1 Charlotte Development Center Leader Details Process to Ease Pain Points

January’s first LDC Luncheon (HBAGC’s Land Development Council) was packed with industry members all clamoring to watch and listen to an informative and valuable session given by Shannon Frye, Director of Charlotte Development Services. Her comprehensive overview helped clarify some of the changes being implemented and acknowledged some of the challenges developers and builders have been running into over the past several months. We are working to ensure that the City of Charlotte’s goal to simplify project submittals comes to fruition. Review and download the power point presentation here.

By clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each sector for county and city reviews, she outlined the key changes happening with the UDO Residential permitting process. Attendees were offered detailed illustrations in an effort to clear up questions and open a clear communication channel to support future engagement. This presentation even included an org chart to help make sense of the changes in roles and responsibilities. They’ve even created a central resource to locate “how to” guides and training videos!

Attendees were also pleased to see more details on the DSTAC changes, which acted as a refresher course and an educational mother lode of details.

Finally, a refreshed vision, mission and set of values courtesy of City Manager Marcus Jones was shared:

• Our vision is to be connected, safe and empowered with opportunity for all.
• Our mission is to be committed to exceptional service every day.
• Our values, who we are, are to be collaborative, inclusive, trustworthy, reliable and forward thinking.

After a strong question and answer session, the meeting moved onto a presentation by Ward Marotti from Spangler Environmental who explained the WOTUS (Waters of the United States) new rules.

Review and download the power point presentation here.

Rob’s Take: Shannon gets it and jumped in with both feet as she wowed a crowd of builders hungry for clarification and information. Bravo to the City for their hard work in re-tooling the Design Center processes and being so transparent in the presentation. Shannon’s excellent understanding of the subject matter is only exceeded by her ability to translate it into logical, digestible details. In reality, Shannon along with Marcus Jones, and Alyson Craig have been eager to work with REBIC and we look forward to this leading to a better residential approval process. If you have any feedback after watching the PowerPoint, please, let me know!!!

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#2 Your Primary Candidates Revealed. March Voting will Matter.

Don’t get comfortable. The days are whizzing by and now that all primary candidates have filed for office, it’s time to dig in and learn. Here is a list of competitive primary races in our area for you to review, copy, and to share.

Candidate List – 2026 Primary Election

County Commission

(*Denotes Incumbent)

Mecklenburg County

At Large (3 seats):

Leslie Allen (D)

*Leigh Altman (D)

Nichel Dunlap (D)

Toni Emehel (D)

*Arthur Griffin, Jr. (D)

Sharif R. Hannan (D)

Heather Morrow (D)

Olivia Scott (D)

Felicia R. Thompkins (D)

*Yvette Townsend-Ingram (D)

District 1:

Jessica Finkel (D)

Morris (Mac) McAdoo (D)

Adam Pasiak (D)

District 2:

Monifa (Mo) Drayton (D)

*Vilma D. Leake (D)

District 3:

Phil Carey (D)

*George Dunlap (D)

Iredell County

At Large (3 seats):

*Scottie Brown (R)

*Bert Connolly (R)

*Brad Stroud, Sr. (R)

Brent Goddard (R)

Angela Wokatsch Matthews (R)

Lisa Meier (R)

Cabarrus County

At Large (3 seats):

*Ian Patrick (R)

James N. Bailey (R)

David Conrad (R)

Cason Gardner (R)

Alexis Hughes (R)

Krushani Patel (R)

Barry G. Richards (R)

Kristel Swayze (R)

Gaston County

Dallas Township:

*Cathy Cloninger (R)

Dennis James Stines (R)

Union County

At Large (3 seats): 

*Melissa M. Merrell (R)

*Brian W. Helms (R)

Wyatt Dunn (R)

Sam Harris (R)

Elizabeth Lee (R)

Patrick Tyson (R)

NC House

(*Denotes Incumbent)

House District 89:

*Mitchell Setzer (R)

Lisa Deaton Koperski (R)

House District 95:

*Todd Carver (R)

Michael Thomas Kubiniec (R)

House District 99:

Veleria M. Levy (D)

*Nasif Majeed (D)

Tucker Neal (D)

House District 105:

*Tricia Cotham (R)

Kelly VanHorn (R)

House District 106:

Vermanno Bowman (D)

*Carla Cunningham (D)

Rodney Sadler (D)

NC Senate

(*Denotes Incumbent)

Senate District 34:

*Chris Measmer (R)

Kevin Crutchfield (R)

Rob’s Take: Many of these races will be decided in the Primary Election either because the opposite party fielded no candidate or because the voter registration numbers favor one party’s candidate so heavily that there really is no contest. That’s why immersing yourself now in the process and gaining a better understanding of the candidates is so crucial at this juncture. We’ll be back in touch with more information on specific candidates as we move closer to Early Voting which begins on February 12th, if you can believe it.