Asheville City Council
July 28, 2026
Regular meeting
Helene recoveryHousingWaterOther City businessPublic safetyBudget and taxes
What it did
- Motion to deny the rezoning request for the property located at 3 South Tunnel Road failed.Failed. Voted no: Esther Manheimer, S. Antanette Mosley, Bo Hess, Sheneika Smith.
- Accepts the HIDTA grant on behalf of the Asheville HIDTA branch and authorized the City Manager…Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
- Rezones 3 South Tunnel Road from Urban Place Form District (UP) to Regional Business (RB).Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney, Sage Turner.
- Approves the Home Repair Policy and allocated $3 million of the Affordable Housing Bond dollars to home repair.Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Votes recorded
- 21
- Voted on separately
- 7
- Routine items, one vote
- 14
- Votes that split
- 3
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
Jump to a part of the meeting (11 times listed by the City)
These times and titles are the City's own, copied from the video description.
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
14 routine items, passed together in one vote.
Presentations & Reports
Manager’s Report - Draft Network of Asheville Rides Transit Comprehensive Operations Analysis
“Director of Transportation Ashley Haire said that the direction from City Council in November of 2025 was to design a draft network with a shift towards ridership - current network: 50% overage, 50% ridership; draft network: 40% coverage, 60% ridership.”
Public Hearings
Public hearing to consider amending the conditional zoning of 301 E. Chestnut Street for the purpose of amending project conditions
“Principal Planner Will Palmquist said that this is the consideration to amend the conditional zoning of 301 E. Chestnut Street for the purpose of amending project conditions.”
Public hearing to conditionally rezone 3862 Sweeten Creek Road from RM-16 Residential Multi-Family High Density to Residential Expansion - Conditional Zone.
“Planner III Sam Starr-Baum said that this is the consideration to conditionally rezone 3862 Sweeten Creek Road from RM-16 Residential Multi-Family High Density to Residential Expansion - Conditional Zone.”
Public hearing to rezone 3 S. Tunnel Road from Urban Place to Regional Business.
“Planner Vaidila Satvika said that this is the consideration to rezone 3 S. Tunnel Road from Urban Place to Regional Business.”
New Business
Resolution approving the Home Repair Policy, and allocate $3 million of 2024 Affordable Housing Bond funds for the Home Repair Program
“Affordable Housing Officer Sasha Vrtunski said that this is the consideration of a resolution approving the Home Repair Policy, and allocate $3 million of 2024 Affordable Housing Bond funds for the Home Repair Program.”
Resolution supporting a comprehensive approach to minimizing displacement, supporting stability in neighborhoods adversely affected by and sensitive to local government action, private development, gentrification, and housing affordability
“Assistant City Manager Ben Woody said that this is the consideration of a resolution supporting a comprehensive approach to minimizing displacement, supporting stability in neighborhoods adversely affected by and sensitive to local government action, private development, gentrification, and housing affordability.”
Informal Discussion and Public Comment
Public comment
- parking concerns on private property
- concerns over the renovations of the ballfield and playground at Weaver Park
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Motion to deny the rezoning request for the property located at 3 South Tunnel Road failed.
Failed. Voted no: Esther Manheimer, S. Antanette Mosley, Bo Hess, Sheneika Smith.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The proposed rezoning would perpetuate suburban sprawl, large parking lots, and the urban heat island effect, as the requirements in the Urban Place Form District (UP) relating to the design of parking lots and the siting of buildings would be removed.”
- “He showed the street view of the property and said the parcel size is 40.88 acres.”
- “Regarding the compatibility analysis, the purpose of the Urban Place Form District (UP) district is, “to implement transit-supportive land use recommendations as proposed in Living Asheville, the city's comprehensive plan.”.”
- “The proposed rezoning is incompatible with both the 2021 zoning map updates and the Comprehensive Plan’s vision for Town Centers.”
Accepts the HIDTA grant on behalf of the Asheville HIDTA branch and authorized the City Manager…
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “The Office of National Drug Control Policy has determined that the City of Asheville is eligible to manage this grant totaling $160,904.00.”
- “This unit does not focus on, or adopt cases, that are for simple possession, but focuses only on cases that deal in trafficking, manufacturing, and distribution of illegal drugs.”
Rezones 3 South Tunnel Road from Urban Place Form District (UP) to Regional Business (RB).
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney, Sage Turner.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “The City’s past $1.465 investment in home repair was made in 2 grants to ARCHR. The two grants served a total of 52 families with repair projects averaging $25,355 per household.”
- “The 2024 Housing Needs Assessment also showed that 57% of homeowners live in homes built before 1970.”
- “More households could be assisted depending on project costs.”
- “Committee(s): Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) held 3 meetings (December 2025 to March 2026) to learn about, gather data on, and reflect on home repair programs.”
Approves a zoning change, with conditions, for 301 E. Chestnut St.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The Project Conditions would allow for these land uses: A 16-guestroom hotel; Eating/drinking establishments; Dwelling units; Retail sales; Barber shops & beauty salons; and Special functions or events not to exceed 75 persons no more than four times per month.”
- “The project site at 301 E. Chestnut St is 0.59 acres and is the location of the Princess Anne Hotel.”
- “No. 3388) which permitted the use of the site for a 16-room hotel with a dining room and three apartments for staff.”
- “The request to amend the conditional zoning reflects the applicant’s plan to repurpose the existing staff apartments into different commercial uses that would operate separately from the existing hotel use.”
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- “Sidewalks are proposed at 6’ in width along the project’s frontage on Sweeten Creek Rd and internal to the site.”
- “The project is seeking a technical modification for sidewalks width less than the minimum required 10’. A total of 201 parking spaces are proposed for the project.”
- “Based on the number of bedrooms and dwelling units, the minimum/maximum number of required parking spaces is 173/300 for the RES EXP district.”
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More from the minutes
- “The City completed the Missing Middle Housing Study and Displacement Risk Assessment in November 2023 and the Affordable Housing Plan in September 2024.”
- “These initial meetings resulted in the development of six LNC Priority Action Areas and the Anti-Displacement and Affordable Housing (ADAH) Project . The LNC also recommended the City consider the development and adoption of an anti-displacement resolution.”
- “The draft resolution was developed based on ADAH stakeholder engagement, best practices and adopted resolutions/ordinances from benchmarked cities, and the review of the City’s missing middle and affordable housing plans.”
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: “This proposed amendment would officially authorize 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.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The improvements will impact and require relocating approximately 4,200 ft of 24” waterline, 600 ft of 12” waterline and 500’ of 6” and 8” waterlines throughout the project area.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a Municipal Utility Construction Agreement with the N.C. Dept. of Transportation for an amount not to exceed $2,526,361.73 for the NCDOT I-2513 AC Connector Project.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Scoping changes along with updated construction estimates for the outdoor space and building are anticipated to exceed this budget, totaling $2,000,000 for construction.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Totaling $983,300 for the design of both projects.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “The funding will allow the purchase of 68 bulletproof vests over the grant's two-year term.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “The DOJ has determined that the Asheville Police Department (APD) is eligible to receive the 2025 grant in the amount of $40,235.90, which requires a dollar-for-dollar match from the City.”
- “This year, she is voting to approve the grant because it is important to show that we are using every available opportunity to minimize the burden of property taxes on our residents.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Lets the City Manager enter into a donation agreement to accept a one-time donation.
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: “This ordinance amendment will also align the City’s definition of litter with the North Carolina General Statute definition of litter to include motor vehicles.”
- “This creates staff inefficiency and communication challenges with residents.”
- “Amending the Chapter 15 ordinance to allow the Sanitation Division to address the noncompliant vehicle simultaneously with the other noncompliant areas of the property will improve staff efficiency and streamline communication with residents.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- “The grant proposal includes recycling enhancement projects at two multi-unit properties within the City limits and two properties within unincorporated Buncombe County.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This agreement would be for a term of ten (10) years.”
- “The current proposed agreement would result in no cost to the City for inspections and analysis - that work would be paid for by 80% federal funds via the Federal Highway Administration, and the remaining 20% would be paid by the State.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
More from the minutes
- What the minutes say it will do: “This easement will be a non-exclusive access easement at the rear of the property located at the existing gated entrance, reducing the existing 4,200 square foot easement to 2,455 square feet.”
- “The new programs will be housed in a modular school unit that is being placed on this site.”
- “Through the generous donation of a modular school unit, the program will be able to expand to include more of these students that need these critical programs and engagement opportunities.”
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Appoints Bobby Smith as a member to the People and Environment Helene Recovery Board.
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.