Asheville City Council
May 27, 2025
Regular meeting
Helene recoveryWaterBudget and taxesOther City businessPublic safetyHousing
What it did
- Approves Commonwealth Development’s request for an additional Housing Trust Fund loan of $607,000 to construct 77 new affordable apartments.Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Rezones 46 Green Hill Avenue from Residential Single-Family High Density (RS-8) and Commercial Industrial (CI) to Residential Single-Family High Density (RS-8).Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Signs a contract with HBA Worldwide LLC D/b/a GenX Security Systems for the project known as Debris Site Solar Security Trailers.Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
- Resolution authorizing the City manger to enter into a new one-year contract for bond counsel legal services with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, LLP…Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
- Votes recorded
- 16
- Voted on separately
- 2
- Routine items, one vote
- 14
- Votes that split
- 0
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.
PROCLAMATIONS
Proclamation proclaiming May, 2025, as “Food Waste Reduction Month”
“Councilwoman Ullman read the proclamation proclaiming May, 2025, as "Food Waste Reduction Month " in the City of Asheville.”
Proclamation proclaiming May 30, 2025, as “WNC Nature Center Day”
“Mayor Manheimer read the proclamation proclaiming May 30, 2025, as "WNC Nature Center Day " in the City of Asheville.”
Proclamation proclaiming June, 2025, as “13th Annual Pollination Celebration Month”
“Councilwoman Roney read the proclamation proclaiming June, 2025, as the "13th Annual Pollination Celebration Month” in the City of Asheville.”
CONSENT AGENDA
14 routine items, passed together in one vote.
PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS
Manager’s report - Asheville Reset Project (formerly known as second chance)
“City Manager Campbell said that tonight we will recognize the City of Asheville’s Second Chance program (Asheville Reset Project).”
Letter to the N.C. dept. of Transportation regarding the I-26 Connector project
“Mayor Manheimer said that she and Buncombe County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards sent the following letter to the N.C. Dept. of Transportation, due to the input timeframe: “On behalf of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Commission, we respectfully request your consideration of an…”
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Annual operating Budget
“Budget Manager Lindsay Spangler said that this is the public hearing on the City of Asheville Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Proposed Annual Budget and inclusion of public input in City Council’s consideration of the budget.”
Public Hearing to consider rezoning 46 Green Hill Avenue from Commercial Industrial District and RS-8 Residential Single-Family High Density District to RS-8 Residential Single-Family High Density District
“Principal Planner Will Palmquist said that this is the consideration of an ordinance to rezone 46 Green Hill Ave from Commercial Industrial District and RS-8 Residential Single-Family High Density District and RS-8 Residential Single-Family High Density to RS-8 Residential Single-Family High Density District.”
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution approving a Request by Commonwealth Development for an additional $607,000 in housing 5-27-25
“Page 24 TRUST FUND LOAN FUNDS WITH 2% INTEREST, DEFERRED PAYMENTS FOR A PERIOD OF 20 YEARS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT FAIRHAVEN SUMMIT AT 1 WAYMON BOULEVARD (3124/3130 SWEETEN CREEK ROAD) Affordable Housing Officer Sasha Vrtunski said that this is the consideration of a…”
INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment
- deterioration of Asheville is caused by many years of continuous poor leadership and representation by locals for natives of Asheville
- request for continued support for alternative design of the I-26 Connector Project
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
Who it's for: Households earning 60% to 80% of the area median income: $61,440 to $81,920 a year for a family of four (HUD's 2026 income limits for tax-credit housing in the Asheville area).
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The project will have 77 total units affordable to families at 30%, 50%, 70%, and 80% of the area median income (AMI), with a 30-year affordability period.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) of Middleton, WI, has requested an additional $607,000 HTF loan for Fairhaven Summit, for a total amount of $1,482,000 in HTF loans.”
- “The project is currently under construction and is slated for completion at the end of November 2025.”
- “The project will support the construction of 77 affordable apartments for families with an affordability period of 30 years.”
- “This project aligns with the City of Asheville’s Consolidated Plan goals of prioritizing rental housing affordable to 60% AMI and below.”
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- “The rezoning petition consists of one property totalling 0.9 acres and located at 46 Green Hill Ave (PIN 9628-65-6479).”
- “The property is currently zoned Residential Single-Family High Density (RS-8) and Commercial Industrial (CI).”
- “The property is currently vacant and was recently subdivided.”
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: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with HBA Worldwide LLC DBA GenX Security Systems for the project known as Debris Site Solar Security Trailers in the amount of $267,203.00.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution approving a new one-year contract for bond counsel legal services with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, LLP with two one-year renewal options at a first year amount of $200,000 and a Not to Exceed amount of $500,000 over the life of the contract.”
Makes technical changes to the budget.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a budget amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 General Fund (2100 Fund) budget in the amount of $42 million to account for the refunding of debt.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The contract is expected to be fully reimbursed with FEMA Public Assistance funding.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Amends the North Carolina cashflow loan agreement and promissory note.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The contract has one final annual renewal available, and the City would like approval to execute the renewal.”
Signs a lease with ART Garden Avl LLC to lease a portion of 43 Wall Street to use as an ART…
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The lease term will be 5 years, with an option to renew for one (1) additional five-year period.”
- “The space is 2,100 SF of commercial space attached to a three-story parking garage.”
- “After a marketing campaign and review process in partnership with a local commercial brokerage firm, Art Garden AVL, LLC has proposed to lease the space for use as a gallery space for an art gallery that was dislocated by Hurricane Helene.”
Signs a contract with Clark Nexsen for the Malvern Hills Park improvements project.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- “The City of Asheville is replacing the existing 90 year old municipal pool in Malvern Hills Park with a new, modern, and code-compliant aquatic facility (including the pool house and pump house buildings) that enhances community recreation opportunities and ensures accessibility for all residents.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This project will complete the final part of the park (excluding the buildings).”
- “This project is currently funded by GO Bond and Capital funds.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The work will be performed consecutively in one garage and then the next, so there will only be one garage out of service at a time.”
Approves ABC Board request to exclude proceeds of sale of property from income, and to use said…
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.