Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles on Monday said the City Council would discuss two controversial topics at its May 11 meeting: The new Interstate 77 toll lanes and data centers.
Lyles agreed to place the I-77 toll lanes on the agenda after being pressured by the Black Political Caucus, which opposes the project. City Council members have been trying to reach a compromise to allow the highway widening to move forward – without disrupting historically Black neighborhoods near center city.
On data centers, City Council member Dimple Ajmera pushed for more aggressive regulations. She asked to hold a public hearing on data centers in early June. That could be a first step to a moratorium on any new ones being built in the city.
Council members tied 5-5 on whether to hold that public hearing, and Lyles broke the tie by rejecting a public hearing. Council members will instead just discuss the issue next month.
