Charlotte to unveil stormwater sidewalk mural
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services will unveil a new community sidewalk mural designed to spark conversation about stormwater pollution. From June 13–21, the nearly 80-foot mural will be installed along Beatties Ford Road near the Rosa Parks Place Community Transit Center.
Created in collaboration with Charlotte artist and educator Jamil Dyair Steele and shaped by local input, the mural illustrates how pollution flows from streets to streams—and highlights simple, everyday actions residents can take to protect Charlotte waterways. The artwork is the first of its kind for the department and serves as a creative, community-driven approach to public education.
About the project
The City of Charlotte’s Storm Water Services team launched this collaborative mural project to raise public awareness about protecting local streams and lakes from stormwater pollution. Developed in partnership with the Charlotte Placemaking Hub—a program that empowers residents to enhance public spaces through art and design—the mural reflects neighborhood collaboration. Two community surveys, coordinated by the City’s Housing & Neighborhood Services department, gathered resident input on themes, ideas, and priorities. That feedback was shared directly with the artist, who brought the community’s vision to life in the final design.
The colorful, educational mural illustrates the “street to stream” connection—showing how pollutants like litter, pet waste, and chemicals can travel through storm drains and directly into Charlotte’s streams and lakes. One side of the mural portrays harmful behaviors, such as dumping litter and not picking up pet waste, while the other side highlights positive actions like picking up litter and pet waste and installing storm drain markers. Divided into two distinct sections, the design emphasizes both the consequences of everyday pollution and the simple steps residents can take to protect local waterways.
About the artist
Jamil Dyair Steele (Dyair) is a Charlotte-based visual artist and National Board-certified teacher whose work highlights minority narratives and community identity through murals, portraiture, and illustration. A graduate of West Charlotte High and UNC Charlotte, Dyair merges art and education to inspire social change.
Community drop-in event: Meet the artist and view the mural
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services is hosting a casual drop-in style event for the public to view the nearly completed mural, meet the artist, and learn about the importance of stormwater education.
- Date: Friday, June 20
- Time: 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Location: Rosa Parks Place Community Transit Center - 2811 Beatties Ford Rd.
Parking: Mecklenburg County Health Department - 2845 Beatties Ford Rd.