Charlotte to review ordinances after reports of urination, open container violations in Uptown

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte City Council will review its ordinances after an Uptown group reported an increase in urination, defecation, and open container violations. Members of the group, Friends of Fourth Ward, said they don’t want people to get arrested. They said they want the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to have another tool to approach the issue compassionately.

It all goes back to the end of 2021. As Channel 9 reported then, CMPD top brass told officers to stand down on criminally enforcing city ordinances due to a change in state law. A few months later, the Charlotte City Council reinstated several ordinances, but not ones dealing with public urination, defecation and open containers.

On Monday night, members of the group Friends of Fourth Ward called on leaders to put the ordinances back in the books.

“My granddaughter and I were walking to the Discovery Center when a female publicly defecated in front of the Discovery Center with no regard,” Lee Ann Roughton said.

“We see a city where some people lay away all day, every day in our parks drinking alcohol and drunkenly harassing other people,” Chris Connelly said.

Following those comments, Mayor Vi Lyles said the city will review its ordinances. The city attorney sent a memo saying the council needs to review “current concerns” and “assess other strategies available to serve Charlotte’s unhoused population.”

Roughton says this isn’t about CMPD cuffing more people.

“We are looking for CMPD to have this as a tool to say you can’t do this,” she said.

Connelly says the current situation isn’t helpful for anyone.

“I don’t think the solution is for people to urinate, drink and defecate in public,” he said. “That is not safe. That is not healthy. That is not compassionate for anyone.”

The city plans to work with its shelter partners and Center City Partners on a solution.

CMPD says, right now, offenders of these violations can only be issued a $50 ticket. In some cases, CMPD says they can charge someone with public intoxication or indecent exposure.

Roof Above declined to comment.