Title
Public Hearing - Suttle Avenue Name Change
Action
ACTION:
1) Open a public hearing to hear comments on the proposed renaming of Suttle Avenue to Russell S. Rozzelle Office Building
2) Close public hearing and approve the renaming of Suttle Avenue to Russell S. Rozzelle Office Building
Staff Contact: Ebenezer S. Gujjarlapudi, Director, LUESA
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
An application for the renaming has been submitted by Ebenezer Gujjarlapudi, LUESA Director in honor of the long-time dedicated and accomplished employee who passed away unexpectedly on May 13, 2025, before he was able to retire from County employment.
With over 45 years of service in local government as the Water Quality Program Manager for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, Rusty Rozzelle has spent his career dedicated to the mission of preserving and restoring our local surface water resources. His career has included many significant achievements that have set the foundation for water resource management on a local, regional, and state level.
Rusty’s passion for water quality and collaboration enabled Mecklenburg County, the Towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville, Central Piedmont Community College and Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System to obtain the first joint National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit in the State of NC, which provided provides for good/efficient government and consistent water quality protection throughout the County.
Rusty ensured the ultimate protection of local lakes and streams through the development, adoption, and implementation of multiple protective ordinances for Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, and the Towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville. Beginning in 1993, he developed the Water Supply Watershed Buffers to help protect the public water supplies in Lake Norman, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Wylie. In 1999 and 2000, the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Buffer Ordinance was adopted to help protect our water quality by filtering out pollutants in stormwater runoff. Rusty worked with the Town of Huntersville in the adoption (2003) of a Low-Impact-Development (LID) Ordinance which has been a significant measure to balance water quality impacts from the tremendous amount of development that has occurred within this community.
In 2008, he played a pivotal role in navigating a group of stakeholders to agree on common goals for Mecklenburg County and reaching consensus to adopt a Post-Construction Stormwater Ordinance which is aimed at managing stormwater runoff after construction is complete to improve water quality and protect our stream systems. This effort involved weekly after-hours meetings that lasted 18 months. Included in the Post-Construction ordinances were provisions that provided protection of the Carolina heelsplitter, which is a federally-endangered species of freshwater mussel. Rusty has been a champion in improving and protecting surface waters for all residents of Mecklenburg County as well as throughout the State of NC and the southeast. Rusty has an eloquent way of using history (starting in the late 1700’s when his family operated Rozzelles Ferry, one of the first ferry’s across the Catawba River), story-telling, and environmental science to educate people on the importance of preserving waters of the State and was often called upon to give talks and presentation to elected officials, historical societies, and environmental groups throughout NC.
Pursuant to the County's facility naming policy, the Board will need to set a public hearing to receive public comment before approving the request.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
Facility Naming Policy
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A