Mecklenburg County staff presented a sustainability report Tuesday afternoon for the previous fiscal year that highlighted several successes, including expanded county recycling programs and improved compliance with air-quality standards.
“2025 marked the first year on record that air pollution stayed within healthy limits every day,” the report said, adding that the county averaged around five unhealthy air quality days each year.
But the report also pointed to some areas for improvement as the county slips farther away from other goals. Mecklenburg County is paying more for less land, reaching a six-year low in new park acquisitions. Two years ago, Mecklenburg County paid nearly $48 million for about 552 acres. The price per acre has nearly doubled since then as land prices have risen across the county.
County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell said the figures also reflected the $20 million reduction in land acquisition funds.
The county measures park access per capita, with a goal of reaching 23 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. In addition to recreation, acquiring and preserving parkland can also help with stormwater runoff, maintaining a tree canopy that keeps the city cooler as the climate warms, and provide wildlife habitat.
Mecklenburg County buys new EVs, but fuel usage remains steady
But people are settling in the area faster than the county can buy land. Per capita park acreage dropped again this year, falling below 19 acres per 1,000 residents.
The county’s electric vehicle fleet slowed its rate of growth but still added 55 new vehicles. The total number of gas-powered cars and trucks operated by the county decreased, but county staff said there still weren’t many electric options to replace certain diesel vehicles.
And gasoline and diesel fuel consumption increased since last year — a trend county asset and facility director Mark Hahn said was strange.
“It means that the fewer number of gas vehicles are using more than they were before, so it is kind of an odd statistic,” Hahn said.
The county also installed solar panels on three municipal buildings: the Methodist Home Recreation Center, Tyvola Senior Center and Southview Recreation Center. An additional solar system at the Highway 16 Park and Recreation administrative office building is under construction.
County recycling gets a boost even if community adoption stays
County recycling, measured by tonnage, reached a three-year low. The ratio of waste sent to landfills to recycled materials fell from 0.45 to 0.43, driven in part by population growth. Landfill waste has increased 7% since 2024.
Commissioner Elaine Powell praised the county’s Solid Waste Department, saying it has reduced recycling contamination.
She also lamented the lack of community participation in local recycling programs.
“I’m still so beaten down by the mindfulness of folks who are throwing cans in the trash,” Powell said.
