Newsletter 12/1: New plans to save Mecklenburg’s shrinking farmland
Plus: Neighbors push to save historic home before land sale to a private school; Fourth Ward residents pleased with progress on public pooping problem; Room In the Inn program restarts today
Good morning! Today is Friday, December 1, 2023. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C. This post is sent to paying subscribers only.
Today’s Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by Jim Brickman: A Joyful Christmas / Blumenthal Performing Arts. Get ready to be dazzled by Jim Brickman’s signature piano style and soothing vocals in his captivating, brand-new Christmas concert experience. December 18 at Booth Playhouse. Get tickets here.
Nearly 20% of Mecklenburg County’s farmland has been lost over the last decade, and county officials are making a plan to preserve what’s left
Connor Newman (pictured) operates Hodges Family Farm on Rocky River Road in east Charlotte. The farm has been owned by his family for over 100 years.
by Lindsey Banks
Hodges Family Farm in east Charlotte has been passed down from generation to generation since the Civil War. The farm started with row crops and cattle, but over the years, the family farm on Rocky River Road has been a dairy farm and a therapeutic horseback riding farm.
Today, the 150-acre farm is known for its grass-fed poultry, pork and beef, its seasonal pumpkin patch and an expansive barn that is rented out as a wedding venue. It’s one of 16 farms in Mecklenburg County that are over 100 years old, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture.
Just a half-mile up the road, there are bulldozers instead of bucolic farmland. A development of 185 townhomes is under construction, set to open early next year. It’s a sight that’s become common as Mecklenburg County grows — new development is encroaching on farms, many of which are shrinking as farming families sell their land to developers who offer hefty prices for what has become valuable acreage.
Consider this: Between 2012 and 2022, the number of acres of farmland in Mecklenburg County has shrunk from 16,207 to 13,050 — a drop of about 20%, according to county data.
It’s a trend that’s playing out on a statewide level. North Carolina is on pace to lose nearly 1.2 million acres of farmland by 2040, according to a report by American Farmland Trust.
County farmland preservation experts and farmers say that local farms play an important role in food security and create vibrant, healthy communities. But farmers — both those who are new and those who are long-established — say they need the county’s help to thrive in the area.
The loss of farmland "happened at a fairly quick pace," said Connor Newman, 37, who is Hodges Family Farm’s operations manager and the great-grandson of the farm’s original owner, Eugene Wilson Hodges. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there, for example, city planning, who refer to us as ‘undeveloped land.’”
As Mecklenburg County’s population grows, undeveloped land is hard to come by. On Google Maps, some farmland is labeled “undeveloped land,” making it a target for developers, said Barbara Bleiweis, supervisor of the Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District.
Farmland is dwindling for two main reasons, experts say: Some farmers are looking to retire, but their children don’t want to take over the family business. Or some determine that the cost of maintaining their farm is too high. As a result, many farmers sell either sections of their land or their entire farm.
“Sometimes farmers will sell less critical portions to help bolster operations and preserve that way of life,” Newman said. “Farmers think generationally, and when you get to a dead end where there’s nobody interested in taking over the farm, you start thinking about your options.”
Newman said his family has been approached by developers over the years with offers to buy the whole farm, but his family has no plans to sell.
Preservation efforts: The Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District (the government entity charged with conserving natural resources) is working on a plan to preserve the farmland that’s left and help new farmers establish roots in the county.
Part of the plan is creating “voluntary agricultural districts,” which are areas that farmers agree to keep in agriculture production for at least 10 years. In exchange, they’d be publicly recognized as a farm (Google Maps would show the land as a “voluntary agricultural district” instead of “undeveloped land”), and they may be protected from water and sewer assessments.
Mecklenburg is one of only nine N.C. counties that doesn’t have voluntary agriculture districts.
“I think the more important aspect is giving farmers who wish to be heard an official platform to the county,” Bleiweis said. “It’s very much a local legacy and pride opportunity to identify yourself to the community.”
The county is also looking to partner with a national nonprofit organization called The Conservation Fund, which would purchase land from Mecklenburg County farmers who want to get out of farming and sell the parcels to new and minority farmers in the county. The Conversation Fund has a similar program in Atlanta.
Bleiweis said she hopes the county can finalize and approve the voluntary agricultural districts and the Conservation Fund partnership by the time the county's fiscal year ends on June 30.
Adapting to stay in business: Hodges Family Farm has had to change over the years to keep up with the times. In the 1940s, Newman’s grandfather and great-uncle operated Hodges Brothers Dairy with 500 cows until the 1950s, when the brothers split up and the dairy became known as just Hodges Dairy, with 225 cows. In 1999, the dairy closed.
“I remember my parents pulling me out of school to go see the herd leave. It was such a huge impact on the family,” Newman said.
In the early 2000s, the farm transitioned to agritourism with therapeutic horseback riding for children with autism and opened its pumpkin patch. Today, the horses are retired, but the pumpkin patch still crops up every fall.
The county wants to support farm families like the Hodges who have served the area for over 100 years, Bleiweis said, and new generations of farmers who want to contribute to the county’s local agricultural scene.
“As my grandfather would say, land is the only thing we’re not making any more of,” Newman told The Ledger. “Once it gets covered in concrete and all the topsoil is scraped off clean and it’s covered in concrete, it’ll never be farmland again.”
Lindsey Banks is a staff reporter for The Ledger: lindsey@cltledger.com
South Charlotte neighborhood pushes for historic designation for 1930s mansion to head off unclear plans by Providence Day
Residents in Charlotte’s Stonehaven neighborhood in south Charlotte are racing to get a 1930s stone mansion declared a historic landmark, ahead of plans by nearby Providence Day School to buy the property.
At a committee meeting of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission this week, residents who live off Sardis Road said they worried that Providence Day would knock down the house, which they say is historically significant.
“A lot of the neighbors and other concerned citizens have reached out to the Landmarks Commission because folks essentially believe that the property is slated for demolition by the new owner,” said Stewart Gray, the commission’s executive director, in an interview with The Ledger.
It’s unusual for people who don’t own a property to push for it to obtain historic landmark status.
At issue is a 6.4-acre property at 6501 Sardis Road that contains what is known as the J.J. Akers House, or “Akers’ Acres.” The 7,800 s.f. house, completed in 1937, was designed by prominent Charlotte architect Louis Asbury for James Jones Akers, the chief clerk of the Southern Railroad who was also a charter member of Charlotte Country Club, according to Landmarks Commission documents. The home also is “a unique example of a Depression-era building” and one that “features travertine from the same Italian quarry as the Sistine Chapel,” the documents say.
The J.J. Akers House on Sardis Road is under contract to Providence Day School, and neighbors worry what will become of the site. (Photo courtesy of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission)
Residents in Stonehaven have been spreading the word on their neighborhood Facebook group and have speculated that Providence Day would knock down the house and turn the site into athletic fields. The land is not adjacent to Providence Day; it’s about ¾ of a mile to the south and on the opposite side of Sardis Road, just to the north of Charlotte Christian School.
Providence Day confirmed to The Ledger that it has the site under contract but said Thursday that it is “premature” to answer other questions about its plans because it doesn’t own the property. “The school is always looking for innovative ways to be a part of the greater Charlotte community while expanding opportunities for our students,” school officials said in an emailed statement.
Officials with the Historic Landmarks Commission said they have reached out to the school but have so far been unable to connect to discuss what might happen to the site. The process of declaring the house to be a landmark typically takes several months. A landmark designation can’t prevent demolition but can delay it for a year.
Gray, the commission’s director, said the house could be a prime candidate for renovations while preserving the architectural character of the building, known in the development industry as “adaptive re-use.” A prime example is Highland Park Mill #1, an 1890s textile mill outside of uptown that was declared a historic landmark and converted into the foodie paradise now known as Optimist Hall.
Real estate websites list the house as having 5 bedrooms and 6.5 baths with an asking price of $4.95M.
The Landmarks Commission will meet later this month to consider seeking historic designation, which would require a City Council vote. —TM
Progress underway on the problem of public pooping, Fourth Ward leader says
Residents of the Fourth Ward neighborhood in uptown appealed to city council members last August to bring back criminal penalties for urinating, defecating and carrying open containers in public — problems they said have been a growing concern in their streets and parks.
A city council public safety committee in October looked at holistic approaches and called for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police to draw up a list of ordinances that would encourage voluntary compliance if arrests were an option.
Since then, Fourth Ward residents say that communication with city officials, police and other uptown residents and businesses has been robust, and they’re hopeful that new proposed rules will be brought to city council in January.
“We would love for it to have happened this calendar year, but also taking a holistic look at this is not a negative thing,” said Lee Ann Roughton, president of the Friends of Fourth Ward neighborhood group. “We would rather it be looked at as a whole, and also explore other opportunities.”
Roughton said Friends of Fourth Ward members are hopeful the recommendations that go before city council in January will give CMPD the ability to enforce ordinances that would “have more teeth.”
“We’ve been happy with how it’s been ‘We heard you. Let’s work together on this, let’s involve other partners.’ That piece of things has been very positive,” Roughton said.
Public urination and defecation are not currently crimes in Charlotte, and Fourth Ward residents say police have told them that they are unable to cite or arrest people for those offenses, or for possessing open containers of beer or wine.
In March 2022, after a review by city staff and the city attorney’s office, the City Council updated its ordinances to continue criminal penalties for actions such as shooting a firearm, or camping on city property, but it let other ordinances — including prohibitions against public urination and defecation and carrying open containers — become unenforceable as crimes. —CB
Related Ledger articles:
“Uptown residents want the public pooping to stop” (Aug. 30, 2023)
“New theory floated on surge in public pooping uptown: It’s because the main library is closed” (Sept. 27)
“CMPD says putting arrests back on the table would deter public pooping and other indecent acts in uptown” (Oct. 4, 2023)
Room In The Inn program for the homeless starts back up today with fewer host sites and guests than it had pre-pandemic; leaders want to add sites and volunteers
Roof Above’s four-month Room In The Inn program begins today, and the number of host sites and predicted nightly guests remain almost half of its pre-Covid numbers.
Room In The Inn partners with local houses of worship, YMCAs and colleges to host people experiencing homelessness each weekend from Dec. 1 to March 31. The program is run by nonprofit Roof Above, which aims to end homelessness in Charlotte.
This year, the program will have about 60 host sites, said Randall Hitt, vice president of unsheltered services at Roof Above. Before the pandemic, the program had about 105 host sites during the four-month season. In January 2022, there were 55 host sites, The Ledger reported.
Room In The Inn was suspended during the first winter of the pandemic. When it came back the next year, Covid restrictions were put in place, which limited the number of host sites and nightly guests allowed to stay at each site, Hitt said.
“The program has fully recovered [from the pandemic] in the sense of how it operates,” Hitt said. “But where it’s not at full capacity, by any means, is the number of sites.”
Before the pandemic, Room In The Inn would see anywhere from 85 to 150 nightly guests. The number of nightly guests this winter is expected to be between 20 to 90, depending on the night, Hitt said.
Hitt said that rebuilding the program will take time, but Roof Above is actively working to recruit more host sites and volunteers. —LB
Related Ledger article:
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
➡️ THURSDAY, DEC. 7: Sustain Charlotte's 704 Impact Academy - Session 2, 6 p.m to 8 p.m. at Charlotte Art League. Impact 704 Academy, is Sustain Charlotte’s advocacy-focused series about sustainable land use and transportation. Attend one, two, or all three sessions and meet others who share your desire to make an impact! This no-cost event is supported by Southminster. Light refreshments will be provided. This is an alcohol-free event. While we won't have childcare available, you’re welcome to bring your kids and supervise them. Free.
➡️ SATURDAY, DEC. 9: "Craft Across Continents" Opening Celebration, 11 a.m to 6 p.m. at Mint Museum Uptown. Enjoy free museum admission and activated spaces for the public opening of the exhibition Craft Across Continents — Contemporary Japanese and Western Objects: The Lassiter/Ferraro Collection that features more than 60 contemporary glass, ceramics, bamboo, and textile contemporary objects by artists from around the globe, all from the private collection of Charlotteans Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro. Free.
Noon-1 PM: Coffee, tea, and cookie bar in Queen’s Room Level 5. 1–2 PM: Japanese art expert Joe Earle will show how practice-based considerations of material and technique have interacted with local traditions and global
movements to produce one of the world’s most dynamic craft ecosystems.
2:15–3 PM and 3:30–4:15 PM: Join in an in-gallery conversation with Annie Carlano, senior curator of Craft + Design and Fashion at The Mint Museum, and collectors Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro.
◼️ Check out the full Ledger events board.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief
South Meck High teacher arrested: South Mecklenburg High School teacher Gabriela Neufeld was charged with felony sexual activity with a student by a teacher after police said she had sex with an 18-year-old student. Police said the sex acts occurred at least five times and listed the location as near Park Road Park. Prosecutors said the student’s mom grew suspicious when her son missed rugby practice and found his location with the Life360 tracking app, drove to the park and found the teacher and her son having sex in a car. (WSOC)
CMPD to release beating video: A judge ruled Thursday that body camera footage depicting the forceful arrest of a couple outside a Charlotte-area Bojangles will be released to the public by Dec. 12. The video shows moments leading up to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer’s “compliance strikes” to a woman who officers said was found smoking marijuana with her fiancé near South Tryon Street and Arrowood Road. (Observer)
Steph Curry exit coming to I-77? Davidson town leaders and Davidson College officials want to name I-77’s Exit 30 the “Stephen Curry Interchange” after basketball superstar and Davidson College alum Steph Curry. But the Davidson town board approved the measure by a 4-1 vote Tuesday — a vote that could put the naming in jeopardy, because it’s believed that N.C. Department of Transportation officials prefer for naming resolutions to be unanimous. NCDOT officials are expected to take the matter up at a meeting Dec. 7. (WSOC)
No legal Super Bowl gambling: Legalized sports gambling in North Carolina won’t start before the Super Bowl in February, the chairman of the N.C. Lottery Commission said. The commission is still devising rules for online and in-person betting, which is supposed to start before next summer. (WSOC)
Charter school fires director: The board of K-12 charter school Corvian Community School voted to fire its founding director, citing “a pattern of mismanagement of school resources as well as a workplace culture falling short of the inclusive community of learning embraced in Corvian’s mission.” (WFAE)
Appointment of new state auditor: Gov. Roy Cooper has chosen former Wake County commissioner Jessica Holmes to replace State Auditor Beth Wood, who is stepping down this month after being charged with improperly using state-owned vehicles. (WRAL)
Public hearing on schools shuffle: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is having a public hearing during a special school board meeting Monday about plans for upgrades and changes to the Park Road Montessori magnet school and the two campuses of Dilworth Elementary. (WFAE)
In memoriam: Gastonia Mayor Walker Reid died Thursday. Reid, who was first elected as a council member in 1995, lost his re-election bid last month. The city did not disclose the cause of death. (WSOC)
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman, BC Creative