Charlotte council approves Liddell-McNinch House landmark amendment

Overview

Updated Oct 18

Charlotte's City Council voted unanimously Sept. 28 to extend the Liddell-McNinch House's historic landmark designation to the whole property. The amended designation now covers the house's interior and exterior plus the land on its tax parcel, where the 1976 ordinance protected only "a building."

Owners Mitchell Van Clark and Delores Clark spoke for the change and said the tax savings would go back into the house, which has held the McNinch House restaurant for nearly 40 years. No one spoke against it. The vote followed the two-stage review: the Historic Landmarks Commission held its hearing Sept. 14 and recommended the amendment.

Why it matters

How the council votes determines whether the Liddell-McNinch House keeps, gains, or loses legal protection from demolition and major alteration.

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Key Indicators

Years as a Charlotte landmark

The house has been a landmark since May 1976; the Sept. 28 vote extended the designation to the whole property.

~$14,500

Estimated annual deferrable taxes

City, county, and Special District 1 taxes the owners can defer under the new designation, per the meeting agenda.

Unanimous

Council vote

The council closed the public hearing and approved the amendment without opposition.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Brian Clarke

Former Chair, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission

Publicly critical of the 2024 manse demolition process; commission agenda for October 2025 lists a different chair

Mitchell Van Clark

Co-owner, Liddell-McNinch House

Co-owner who spoke for the amendment at the Sept. 28 council hearing

Stewart Gray

Director, Mecklenburg County Historic Landmarks Department

Explained the amendment to the council Sept. 28

Organizations Involved

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission

Public commission

The HLC reviews landmark nominations, holds public hearings, and recommends designations to the Charlotte City Council.

Charlotte City Council

Municipal legislative body

Approved the Liddell-McNinch amendment Sept. 28, extending the designation to the whole property

The city council has final authority over historic landmark designations and amendments in Charlotte.

Timeline

December 2023 September 2026

6 events Latest: September 28th, 2026 · 1 month ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Council holds public hearing on amendment
Latest Decision

The council heard public comment on the Liddell-McNinch amendment. No one spoke against it.
September 28th, 2026
Council approves Liddell-McNinch House landmark amendment
Decision

The council voted unanimously to extend the landmark designation to the whole property, covering the house interior and exterior plus the land on its tax parcel. The owners can now defer part of the property tax bill.
September 28th, 2026
Council agenda posted with Sept. 28 vote
Notice

The City Council business agenda listed the Liddell-McNinch amendment as a public hearing and decision item.
September 25th, 2026
HLC hearing on Liddell-McNinch amendment
Hearing

The commission held a public hearing on the amendment and five other Charlotte properties in a virtual meeting.
September 14th, 2026
August 2024
City demolishes manse; process failure revealed
Incident

The house was demolished after its HLC recommendation never reached the council. The city initially blamed the HLC, then corrected itself after emails were published.
August 9th, 2024
December 2023
HLC recommends Steele Creek manse for landmark status
Recommendation

The commission voted unanimously to designate the 110-year-old manse a historic landmark.
December 11th, 2023

Scenarios

Owners keep the tax deferral; it is rescinded only if designation changes

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Council Member LaWana Mayfield and a North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources letter read at the Sept. 28 meeting

The owners can defer up to 50% of property taxes each year while the property stays designated and retains its significance and integrity. If the designation is removed or the property loses that status, the deferred taxes could come due. No one spoke against the amendment at the hearing.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

December 2023 - August 2024

Steele Creek Presbyterian Manse (2023-2024)

In December 2023, the HLC voted unanimously to recommend the 110-year-old Steele Creek Presbyterian Manse for landmark status. The manse, which housed ministers for the nearby 18th-century church, sat on land the airport had bought for a runway project.

Then

The city demolished the house in August 2024 without putting the recommendation before the council. The HLC chair said the process failed.

Now

The case highlighted that HLC recommendations don't automatically reach the council; they depend on staff routing. It strengthened calls for clearer notification rules.

Why this matters now

The Liddell-McNinch amendment moves through the same two-stage process. A broken step in 2024 ended in demolition; this vote tests whether the process works when the council does deliberate.

November 2019 - September 2026

William and Nell Freeman House amendment (2019-2026)

The Matthews Town Board designated the William and Nell Freeman House a landmark in November 2019. In 2026, it considered an amendment to add land at the house's current location and remove its former site.

Then

The amendment shows how designation changes are used to keep protection aligned with a property's actual footprint.

Now

Such amendments are routine but can become contested when landowners want to develop or relocate.

Why this matters now

The Liddell-McNinch amendment is the same legal mechanism, adjusting designation boundaries, at the Charlotte city level rather than in Matthews.