City Council regular meeting — July 28, 2026

Background:

• The purpose of the HIDTA program is to reduce drug trafficking and production in the United States, specifically in areas where drug-related activities have a significant harmful impact; the unit focuses only on trafficking, manufacturing and distribution cases, not simple possession.
• The Asheville Police Department acts only as the fiduciary for the grant; when expenses are incurred the fiduciary settles claims using appropriated City funds and requests 100% reimbursement from the federal government.
• The Asheville HIDTA, not the Police Department, is the direct beneficiary; it is composed of members of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, one APD officer, and individuals from Sheriff's Offices of several Western North Carolina counties.
• A DEA supervisor, who is the Asheville HIDTA manager, determines how grant funds will be expended; grant funds are used for overtime, travel, services and supplies, and all expenses are tracked and audited by local and federal authorities.
• The Office of National Drug Control Policy determined the City is eligible to manage this grant totaling $160,904.00.

Fiscal Impact:

• Budget amendment in the City's Special Revenue Fund in the amount of $160,904.00.

Background:

• The applicant, Asheville Mall Capital Holding LLC, requests rezoning of the 40.88-acre Asheville Mall property at 3 S. Tunnel Road from Urban Place Form District (UP) to Regional Business (RB).
• The property is designated "Town Center" on the Future Land Use Map; a change to the FLU Map would be required to be consistent with the proposed district, and RB is not cited as an appropriate district for Town Center properties.
• Staff recommended disapproval, finding the rezoning inconsistent with Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan goals to encourage responsible growth, increase mixed-use development along transit corridors, promote great architecture and urban design, and make streets more walkable. Committee(s):
• Planning & Zoning Commission voted 4-3 to deny the project; staff concurred and recommended denial. Pro(s):
• It could be argued that any rezoning leading to property investment may be good for the city in the short term through added tax revenue and updated goods and services. Con(s):
• Undermines the Comprehensive Plan; squanders a generational opportunity at a large, strategically located site; eliminates the requirement that new commercial development include residential development; perpetuates suburban sprawl, large parking lots and the urban heat island effect; and is premature ahead of the coming UDO rewrite.

Background:

• The applicant, Asheville Mall Capital Holding LLC, requests rezoning of the 40.88-acre Asheville Mall property at 3 S. Tunnel Road from Urban Place Form District (UP) to Regional Business (RB); the site is a one-story mall structure and parking built in 1973 totalling approximately 198,000 square feet and assessed at approximately $91 million.
• The public hearing was advertised June 12 and 19, 2026, and was continued from June 23, 2026 at the applicant's request.
• The applicant's attorney argued that the Urban Place zoning makes redevelopment of the site unworkable and asked that the property be rezoned back to the original Regional Business District.
• Staff recommended disapproval, finding the rezoning inconsistent with Comprehensive Plan goals and incompatible with the Town Center Future Land Use designation. Committee(s):
• Planning & Zoning Commission voted 4-3 to deny the project; staff concurred and recommended denial. Pro(s):
• May bring investment and associated goods or services to the Asheville Mall and South Tunnel Road community, a targeted area for growth, and has potential to bring jobs and services to a transit-supported corridor. Con(s):
• Undermines the Comprehensive Plan, eliminates the mixed-use housing requirement, and perpetuates suburban sprawl and heat island effects.

Background:

• The City of Asheville was allocated $225,010,000 in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on January 16, 2025.
• On January 7, 2026, the City and NCDOC entered into a Subrecipient Agreement to carry out the City's Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing Program, utilizing the State's Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program, consistent with Resolution No. 25-215.
• The original Subrecipient Agreement obligated $3,000,000 to cover eligible hard construction costs incurred within Asheville city limits.
• Recognizing that demand far outweighed the initial $3,000,000 allocation, City Council passed Resolution 26-140 on June 23, 2026, formally amending the City's CDBG-DR Action Plan to reallocate $19,200,000 to the Single-Family Housing Rehabilitation & Repair program, bringing the program's total budget to $22,200,000.
• This amendment authorizes updates to the Subrecipient Agreement to reflect the Action Plan reallocation, increasing the total amount to be paid by the City to NCDOC for hard construction costs to an amount not to exceed $22,200,000.
• The amendment also replaces Exhibits A and B of the original agreement to incorporate Version 1.3 of the Renew NC Policies and Procedures and Version 3 of the City's CDBG-DR program manual.

Fiscal Impact:

• Increases the obligated funding amount from $3,000,000 to $22,200,000.

Background:

• NCDOT I-2513AC projects will provide roadway modifications and improvements along I-240 and I-26 between the I-40 / I-240 interchange and I-26 Exit 2; I-2513AC is one phase of NCDOT's overall I-26 widening effort.
• The City owns and maintains municipal water lines within the right-of-way of the project area that will be impacted by the improvements, requiring relocation of approximately 4,200 ft of 24" waterline, 600 ft of 12" waterline and 500' of 6" and 8" waterlines.
• As a condition of installation, operation and maintenance of the waterlines within NCDOT right-of-way, the City's Water Resources Department is responsible for 50% of the engineering and construction cost of relocation.
• For construction coordination and efficiency, Water Resources wishes to enter into this Utility Construction Agreement so the waterline work is performed as part of NCDOT's construction contract.
• The project will become part of the Water Resources Department's ongoing Capital Improvement Program.

Fiscal Impact:

• NCDOT estimates the cost to the City at $2,526,361.73; the agreement is for an amount not to exceed that figure.

Background:

• In late September 2024 the City experienced record breaking rainfall from Tropical Storm Helene and a preceding heavy rain event; a state of emergency covering Asheville was declared September 25, 2024.
• The French Broad Riverfront Parks recovery effort has been combined into one FEMA Public Assistance project (#956981) covering Carrier Park, French Broad River Park, Amboy Riverfront Park, Craven Street boat access, Jean Webb Park, Wilma Dykeman Greenway, French Broad Greenway and City-owned property at 314 Riverside Drive.
• The demolition scope includes seven damaged building structures and dozens of park amenities, removing unsafe or attractive-nuisance structures in coordination with the French Broad Riverfront recovery unified concept plan presented to Council on June 23, 2026.
• The schedule of this early demolition phase depends on the ongoing Environmental and Historic Preservation permitting process, which could last through fall 2026.

Fiscal Impact:

• Contract of $396,657.84 plus a $40,000.00 contingency, totaling $436,657.84; budget amendment of $436,657.84 to account for federal and state funds.

Background:

• Installed in 1932 as a community-funded World War I memorial, Asheville's 10-note J.C. Deagan "Peace Chimes" are a rare municipal feature, one of only four built globally.
• The chimes were restored in the late 1990s but currently only play manually using a keyboard or a player-piano-like system; the automated clock system is not functional and must be modernized to make it operable.
• In 2024 City staff partnered with local volunteer musicians to troubleshoot the system and test custom music rolls.
• Following delays from Hurricane Helene, staff secured a long-term partnership with the Preservation Society of Asheville/Buncombe County, which is providing a $13,000 donation to modernize the chimes into a fully automated, synchronized system.

Fiscal Impact:

• Budget amendment of $13,000 in the General Capital Projects Fund, funded by the donation.

Background:

• The City is re-envisioning the use of the historic Walton Street pool area and pool house, integrating modern amenities while respecting the historic nature of the pool and bathhouse.
• In March 2025 a Request for Qualifications for design teams was advertised and Progressive Architecture Engineering P.C. was the most qualified candidate; a $140,000 design contract was approved at the July 29, 2025 Council meeting.
• The original scope included planning, budgeting, design documents, public meeting attendance, and construction documents for a smaller renovation.
• Community input through the design process led staff to modify the plan, producing a modified scope better suited to community needs.
• Scoping changes and updated construction estimates are anticipated to total $2,000,000 for construction, requiring the design contract to be adjusted.
• Public meetings and outreach concluded in December 2025; feedback favored usable indoor program space and outdoor program and gathering space honoring the history of the pool.
• Design is anticipated to be complete at the end of 2026, with construction following and taking approximately 12 months.

Fiscal Impact:

• Contract amendment of $164,000.00 plus a $16,000.00 contingency, for a new total contract amount not to exceed $304,000.00 with a contingency of $37,000.00.

Background:

• The City is seeking to renovate both the Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center and the Tempie Avery Community Center to modern standards and make the spaces functional for current programming needs.
• The Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center in the Shiloh Legacy Neighborhood was originally a Rosenwald school for African-American children and was converted to a community center when Shiloh Elementary School graduated its last class in 1969.
• Tempie Avery Montford Community Center, in the historic Montford neighborhood, was the City's first full-complex recreation space and became a social and cultural hub for the Montford, Stumptown and Hill Street neighborhoods in 1978.
• The two centers will be designed by the same firm under one design contract but constructed separately.
• In March 2026 an RFQ for architectural, engineering and design services was advertised and 11 teams responded; Clark Nexsen, a division of JMT, was determined most qualified by a team of City representatives.
• The construction budget is $3,700,000-$3,900,000 for Shiloh and $3,200,000-$3,400,000 for Tempie Avery.
• Design is anticipated to start Summer 2026 and wrap up in late 2027; construction on Shiloh is anticipated to begin early 2028, followed by Tempie Avery in early 2029.

Fiscal Impact:

• Design contract of $983,300.00 ($521,900 for Shiloh and $461,400 for Tempie Avery) plus a contingency of $98,000.00.

Background:

• The City receives an annual opportunity to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Grant, awarded based on the number of replacement vests needed for existing officers and estimates of new officers to be hired.
• DOJ has determined the Asheville Police Department is eligible for the 2025 grant of $40,235.90, which requires a dollar-for-dollar match from the City.
• Bulletproof vests expire after 5 years; during the life of this grant 36 current officers' vests will expire and require replacement.
• The funding will allow the purchase of 68 bulletproof vests over the grant's two-year term, including vests for 32 newly hired officers.

Fiscal Impact:

• Budget amendment in the City's Special Revenue Fund in the amount of $80,471.80.

Background:

• The applicant requests an amendment to an existing conditional zoning to make changes to project conditions at 301 E. Chestnut St, a 0.59-acre site that is the location of the Princess Anne Hotel.
• The site is zoned Institutional
• Conditional Zone (INST-CZ); no change in zoning district is requested, and no change to the Future Land Use Map designation of "Neighborhood Centers" is required.
• The existing conditional zoning ordinance (Ord. No. 4671, adopted May 22, 2018) amended a prior ordinance (Ord. No. 3388) permitting a 16-room hotel with a dining room and three staff apartments, and allowed expansion of the dining room into a full-scale restaurant open to the public.
• The applicant requests additional uses in conjunction with the existing hotel and restaurant uses: dwelling units, retail sales, eating/drinking establishments, and barber shops and beauty salons, by repurposing the existing staff apartments.
• There are no planned additions or expansion of the existing structure, and all other relevant conditions from the existing conditional zoning, including off-street parking, sidewalks and landscaping, are carried into the new project conditions. Committee(s):
• The Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the project; staff concurs and recommends approval. Con(s):
• A neighbor who shares a driveway with the hotel spoke that adding more businesses will require more parking on already congested area streets.

Background:

• The project area consists of two properties totalling 12.06 acres at 3862 Sweeten Creek Rd, both zoned RM-16 Residential Multi-Family High Density Development District.
• Given the project size (over 50 residential dwelling units) a conditional zoning to Residential Expansion
• Conditional Zone is required; no change to the Future Land Use Map designation of "Residential Neighborhood" is required.
• New construction includes five 3/4-story multi-family buildings totalling 130 affordable housing units, plus an outdoor playground and other residential amenities; 100% of the 130 units are slated to be affordable at 80% AMI or below for a minimum of 20 years.
• Technical modifications sought include a 6' wide sidewalk with 8' utility strip along the Sweeten Creek Road frontage, 6' minimum internal sidewalks, and street trees set back up to 40' from the existing edge of pavement to avoid site visibility conflicts.
• Proposed density is 10.7 units/acre against a maximum of 50; maximum building height is approximately 42' against a 60' maximum; impervious surface would be 26.5% against an 80% maximum.
• 201 parking spaces were proposed against a minimum/maximum of 173/300; the applicant agreed at the hearing to cap total spaces at 180.
• The project proposes just over 20% open space (2.45 acres against a 2.41-acre requirement) and meets Tree Canopy Preservation requirements by preserving 15%, or 1.6 acres, of the site's existing 93% canopy. Committee(s):
• Technical Review Committee, April 6, 2026
• approved with conditions.
• Planning & Zoning Commission, May 6, 2026
• approved 6-1, recommending the developer consider upsizing stormwater controls to a 100-year storm standard and/or provide wetland enhancements to mitigate downstream flooding. Con(s):
• Five individuals spoke in opposition citing congested traffic on Sweeten Creek Road, inadequate downstream stormwater management, and strain on existing infrastructure.

Background:

• Parking Services addresses abandoned vehicles in the public right of way; Development Services addresses nuisance motor vehicles on public or private property via Chapter 10; and the Public Works Sanitation Division addresses litter, overgrown lots and other sanitation issues via Chapter 15.
• Under the current ordinance, when Sanitation encounters a noncompliant vehicle while addressing other sanitation issues it must report the vehicle to another department instead of addressing it on site, creating staff inefficiency and communication challenges with residents.
• Amending Chapter 15 to allow Sanitation to address the noncompliant vehicle simultaneously will improve staff efficiency, streamline communication, and provide additional tools to encourage compliance and mitigate public health and safety issues.
• The amendment also aligns the City's definition of litter with the North Carolina General Statute definition to include motor vehicles. Con(s):
• Neighborhood complaints may increase, creating tension between neighbors.

Background:

• Buncombe County will apply for up to $71,500 for the Multifamily Recycling Grant; the City will serve as co-applicant and supply a 5% cash match of up to $3,575.
• The grant proposal includes recycling enhancement projects at two multi-unit properties within the City limits and two within unincorporated Buncombe County; property locations are still being determined.
• The grant offers the City the opportunity to collect data to inform Solid Waste Master Plan recommendations; the Solid Waste Master Planning Process is Activity #17 of Goal #2 in the Municipal Climate Action Plan.
• The funding supports the Public Works goal of establishing a Solid Waste Master Plan to evaluate the existing system, improve and expand core services, and implement waste reduction programs to meet Council's goal of reducing municipal solid waste by 50% by 2035 (Resolution 14-27).
• The application is due August 31, 2026; if awarded, the projected start date is December 1, 2026 and the fund distribution deadline is December 31, 2027, with extension possible.

Fiscal Impact:

• Up to $71,500 grant with a City cash match of up to $3,575.

Background:

• Federal law requires all publicly maintained bridges be inspected every two years; NCDOT offers municipalities the option to have inspections and analysis completed by NCDOT or a consultant retained by NCDOT.
• All work will comply with the National Bridge Inspection Standards, the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation, and the Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory.
• The City began participating in this program with NCDOT in 2009; the proposed agreement would be for a term of ten years.
• If repairs are identified during inspections, whether for bridge structures or regulatory signage, the City will be responsible for resolving those repair needs.

Fiscal Impact:

• No cost to the City for inspections and analysis; 80% is paid by federal funds via the Federal Highway Administration and the remaining 20% by the State.

Background:

• The City owns real estate at 55 Hunt Hill Place currently occupied by the Asheville Parks and Recreation Asset Management Division and leased to the Asheville Tourists.
• KL Training Solutions has proposed to use approximately 3,246 square feet of the property to operate the My Daddy Taught Me That, My Sistah Taught Me That and My Daddy Taught Me That Jr. youth development programs, housed in a donated modular school unit.
• The City conveyed the adjacent property at 3 Hunt Hill Place to KL Training in April 2023 for youth training and education programs, and the program is expanding.
• Program success includes advocacy, education and mentoring services to over 160 youth per week over a ten-year time frame preparing them for college and careers.
• Due to the closure of another youth-serving program, 125 youth were without after-school programming, summer camps and other services; My Daddy Taught Me That opened its doors to 67 of these students using its existing facility and will expand with the modular unit.
• The deed will include restrictions limiting use to public community development programs concerned with employment, economic development, crime prevention, child care, health, drug abuse, education, and welfare needs of persons of low and moderate income.
• The City will modify the existing shared access easement on its adjacent property to allow access to the rear of the property, reducing the existing 4,200 square foot easement to 2,455 square feet.

Fiscal Impact:

• KL Training Solutions is requesting conveyance of a portion of the property for $1.

Background:

• Each year the N.C. ABC Commission, in compliance with Chapter 18B-700, Article 7, g(2), requires its 167 ABC boards to obtain annual approval of board travel policies from their appointing authorities.
• The ABC Board approved the current policy on January 26, 2016, and in 2025 incorporated all the elements of changes to the City's Travel Policy; no changes were made to the current policy.
• The ABC Board formally requests the City's written confirmation of the Asheville Board of Alcoholic Control Travel Policy.

Background:

• Bobby Smith is appointed to fill the unexpired term of Darrell Burrus, with a term lasting until June 30, 2027, or until a successor has been appointed, or unless modified by Council action.
• All members serve at the pleasure of Council and may be removed at any time with or without cause.

Background:

• Buncombe County currently bills and collects City property taxes.
• At the August 22, 2023 meeting, City Council approved an addendum to the existing tax collection agreement with Buncombe County to ensure it fully conforms to Chapter 105 of the North Carolina General Statutes.
• As part of that compliance, City Council must monthly approve all property tax releases and refunds approved by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
• City of Asheville refunds and releases for May and June 2026 are included in the document.

Background:

• Home repair was identified in the Affordable Housing Plan as a strategy to combat displacement and maintain naturally occurring affordable housing, and is part of the Anti-Displacement Affordable Housing project.
• After TS Helene the City deployed $1.465 million of returned bond funds for storm-related home repair, serving 52 households: 40% at or below 30% AMI, 40% between 31% and 50% AMI, and 20% between 51% and 80% AMI.
• The Affordable Housing Advisory Committee held three meetings from December 2025 to March 2026 and met May 14, 2026 to recommend changes to a staff draft policy; data from property tax records indicated up to 4,000 homes may need repairs.
• Requirements for homeowners: household income at or below 80% AMI, five-year residency (with staff exemption possible for TS Helene damage), principal residence occupancy, no other residential property, and property tax value not above $1 million.
• Program priorities: households at or below 60% AMI; homes occupied by seniors, families with children, or persons with disabilities; long-term homeowners at risk of involuntary displacement; and residences in neighborhoods vulnerable to displacement or disinvestment.
• Eligible activities include health, safety and critical repairs, accessibility modifications, weatherization and energy efficiency improvements, manufactured housing repairs, and emergency repairs.
• Assistance terms: maximum $40,000 per home; awards up to $25,000 as grants; awards over $25,000 as 0% interest deferred forgivable loans forgiven 20% per year over five years, transferable to a new income-qualified household. Committee(s):
• Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
• recommended approval with several changes, all but one of which were incorporated.
• Policy, Finance and Infrastructure Worksession, June 23, 2026
• no vote taken; Council favored a more flexible policy able to address a wider population.

Fiscal Impact:

• Allocating $3 million of Affordable Housing Bond funds brings total allocations to date to $16.1 million and leaves approximately $3.9 million of 2024 bond funds remaining; with $3 million, an estimated 68-108 homes could be repaired.

Background:

• The City completed the Missing Middle Housing Study and Displacement Risk Assessment in November 2023 and the Affordable Housing Plan in September 2024, both recommending increased housing supply and affordability alongside protection against displacement.
• In response to Legacy Neighborhood Coalition concerns about zoning amendments promoting housing on commercial property along transit corridors, staff began meeting with LNC representatives in late 2025, resulting in six LNC Priority Action Areas and the Anti-Displacement and Affordable Housing project; the LNC also recommended an anti-displacement resolution.
• The draft resolution was developed based on ADAH stakeholder engagement, best practices and adopted resolutions from benchmarked cities, and review of the City's missing middle and affordable housing plans.
• The resolution commits to neighborhood stability, acknowledges past harms including redlining and urban renewal, establishes a data-driven framework to identify areas most vulnerable to displacement, integrates anti-displacement measures into planning, zoning and development review, and prioritizes community engagement with renters, low-income residents and homeowners on fixed incomes.
• Vice-Mayor Mosley noted the Legacy Neighborhood Coalition felt there were not sufficient measurable outcomes and suggested adding language on measurable milestones, expected outcomes and a reporting structure. Committee(s):
• Three individuals spoke in support, with one noting the lack of a timeline for implementation.