Asheville City Council
May 24, 2022
Regular meeting
Budget and taxesStreets and transitOther City businessHousingWater
What it did
- Rezones 427 and 99999 Broadway St., with conditions, from Neighborhood Corridor District (NCD) to Neighborhood Corridor District-Conditional Zone (NCD-CZ) along with a change in the future land use map for two parcels from Parks/Open Space to Traditional Corridor…Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
- Lets the City Manager approve a lease agreement with RCGP, LLC granting a 10-year term with the option to renew for one…Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Lets the City Manager pursue on behalf of the City of Asheville debt financing for capital projects with a Draw Program…Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
- Rezones 1001 Patton Ave, with conditions, from Highway Business (HB) to Commercial Expansion (COM EXP-CZ).Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Votes recorded
- 20
- Voted on separately
- 7
- Routine items, one vote
- 13
- Votes that split
- 1
Why it matters
Regular meetings are where Council votes on laws, the budget, contracts and zoning. Routine items pass together in one vote, called the consent agenda.
The recording
Everything on the agenda
From the minutes, in the order the City lists them. Each item's first lines are the minutes' own words.
CONSENT AGENDA
13 routine items, passed together in one vote.
PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS
Presentation of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 annual operating Budget
“City Manager Campbell said that we have reached an important milestone in the budget process.”
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to adopt the Water Resources Department updated Development fees analysis for Fiscal Year 2022-23: assistant
“Assistant Water Resources Director Leslie Carreiro said that this is the consideration of an ordinance to adopt the Water Resources Department updated development fees analysis for Fiscal Year 2022-23 fees and charges.”
Reed Creek mixed use development public hearing to consider a Land Use Incentive Grant to Reed Creek Greenway Plaza LLC for the reed Creek mixed use 5-24-22
“Two votes will be required.”
- Vote: Approves the Land Use Incentive Grant application for Reed Creek Greenway Plaza / 421 Broadway Street.
- Vote: Rezones 427 and 99999 Broadway St., with conditions, from Neighborhood Corridor District (NCD) to Neighborhood Corridor District-Conditional Zone (NCD-CZ) along with a change in the future land use map for two parcels from Parks/Open Space to Traditional Corridor…
Public hearing to consider Conditional Zoning of 1001 Patton Avenue from Highway Business District to Commercial Expansion/Conditional Zone: Urban
“Urban Planner Will Palmquist said that this is the consideration of an ordinance to conditionally zoning 1001 Patton Avenue from Highway Business District to Commercial Expansion/Conditional Zone.”
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to apply for, and If awarded, receive Grant funds from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority: Urban Design and place strategies
“Manager Stephanie Dahl said that this is the consideration of adoption of resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) grants and receive awarded funds up to the amount of $7,867,000 for the following capital projects: 1) Municipal Golf Course, 2)…”
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the N.C. dept. of Transportation regarding its 4-3 Lane conversion of Merrimon Avenue between W.T. weaver Boulevard and Midland Road
“Transportation Director Ken Putnam said that this is the consideration of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the N.C. Dept. of Transportation regarding its 4-3 lane conversion of Merrimon Avenue between W.T. Weaver Boulevard and Midland Road. 5-24-22 Page 35…”
Direction to City Manager to provide information on the maintenance of Jones Park and renaming process for the Park
“Mayor Manheimer briefly explained that when the Asheville City Schools tore down Jones Park they said when funds were available they would rebuild it.”
INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment
- a hybrid Council meeting should be available to everyone
- all Council is doing is upholding the same system when they say they are reimagining public safety
- stop criminalizing mutual aid volunteers
- institute sanctuary camping for the homeless
- need for dedicated pickleball courts
- there is institutional racism in the Police Department
- decrease funding in the Police Department and put it toward public transit
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “The Real Estate Office estimates the rental value of the parking spaces is $60 per parking space for a total of $18,720 per year.”
- “RCGP, LLC owns four tracts of land on Broadway Avenue (9649-14-2559-00000, 9649-14-3514-00000, 9649-14-3483-00000 & 9649-14-3592-00000) where it proposes to build a mixed use development at 427 Broadway that will include residential dwelling units.”
- “RCGP, LLC has agreed to reserve 20% of the units as affordable housing units.”
- “RCPG, LLC has proposed to the City that they build at their sole cost and expense a paved parking lot on the City parcel with plans approved by the City.”
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- “He said that staff concurs with the Planning & Zoning Commission and recommends approval of the proposed conditional zoning.”
- “They believe that affordable housing, small local businesses, intergenerational community ties, and resilient community infrastructure in their neighborhood must have the opportunity to be protected and stabilized before being put at such a risk of the Urban Center development pressure.”
Passed.
More from the minutes
- “A 10 foot wide sidewalk along Broadway St. is proposed and a six-foot wide sidewalk is proposed along Cauble St. and will connect to an existing sidewalk connection leading to the greenway.”
- “Affordable housing is included in the Project: a.”
- “The rent and income limits will follow the Affordable Housing Standards determined annually by the City of Asheville Community Development Department. f.”
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
Applies for Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) grants and receive awarded funds up…
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- “Municipal Golf Course - funding match is included in the Proposed FY23 Capital Budget”
- “The Swannanoa River Greenway Corridor is 7.5 miles long.”
Routine items, passed together
The consent agenda: items Council approves in one vote, without separate discussion. A member can ask to pull an item out for its own vote.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Staff is seeking Council approval of the resolution authorizing the installment financing and related issuance of 2022 Interim Limited Obligation Bonds (LOBs) in an amount not to exceed $42,000,000.”
Extends the agreement with Motorola Inc. for Public Safety Radio System Maintenance.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “A motion for the Adoption of the Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to renew the agreement with Motorola, Inc, for Public Safety Radio System Maintenance and add $2,047,374 for a total agreement amount of $3,868,059.64 RESOLUTION BOOK NO. 43 - PAGE 126”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Therefore, the NCDOT has applied for a Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) in the amount of $825,000 including the local match through the French Broad River MPO for a project to provide pedestrian improvements.”
Signs a contract with Pepsi Cola Bottling of Hickory Inc. at Harrah’s Cherokee Center…
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Approval of a resolution authorizing the City Manager execute a contract with Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Hickory NC with an amount not to exceed $480,000 over 6 years.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Approval of a budget amendment in the amount of $470,000 from HCCA operating revenue to increase the HCCA fund budget to reflect updated fiscal year 2021-22 revenue and expenditure projections.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to amend the contract with Labor Finders to increase the contract amount by $20,000, for a revised total maximum price amount of $100,000.00, for temporary staffing.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- “Project I-2413 is commonly referred to as the I-26 connector project beginning at I-40 and ending at US 19-23 near Broadway Street for a total length of 4.7 miles.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Accepts the Flood Mitigation Actions report which is part of the Repetitive Loss Area Analysis.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Resolution transferring an emergency vehicle to Buncombe County Emergency Management.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The service truck will be utilized by Buncombe County EM for the local Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, which the Fire Department supports.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
The plain-language lines are written by fixed rules from each item's official title, which is on each decision's page. Every vote the minutes record is listed; procedural motions, like approving the minutes or adjourning, are left out.