Asheville City Council
June 22, 2021
Regular meeting
Other City businessWaterPublic safetyStreets and transitBudget and taxesHousingHomelessness
The short version
17 decisions: 14 approved together in one consent-agenda vote, and 3 voted on separately. 2 votes split.
- Council adopts the City budget for fiscal year 2021-22.
Council voted to adopt the City budget for fiscal year 2021-22.
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
The short version is picked by a fixed rule, never by the order of the minutes: split votes and failed motions first, then changes to a program, a service or who qualifies, then the largest amounts, then budgets, zoning, laws and fees. Schedules, appointments, event permits and tax refunds come last.
The recording and the record
What changes
Only what the record supports for each item, and what's still pending.
- Council approves applying for the.
Still pending: This is a request. The City gets the money only if the grant is awarded.
What residents raised
The topics public speakers raised, as the minutes list them. These are residents' comments, not findings.
- shut down Pritchard Park
- move forward with the noise ordinance
- request to move the noise ordinance to the July 27, 2021, agenda
- need to expand the property tax mitigation amount of $150,000
- place 319 Biltmore Avenue into the reparations program
- support for Asheville Police Department
- request for citizens to be able to use the Council laptop without providing the information ahead of time
- defund the Asheville Police Department and reallocate the funds into the black community
- need support from the City for the YMI Cultural Center building restoration
- need to increase affordable housing
- use ARPA funds for eviction moratorium
- affordability should be 60% AMI and below
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Council adopts the City budget for fiscal year 2021-22.
Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
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Council voted to adopt the City budget for fiscal year 2021-22.
What that means
- Fiscal year:
- The City's budget year runs from July 1 to June 30. Fiscal year 2027 runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
Council votes down a plan to adopt the fiscal year 2021-22 Annual Operating Budget.
Failed.
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- “The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 Proposed Annual Operating Budget was presented to City Council on May 25, 2021.”
- “City Council conducted a public hearing on the Proposed Budget on June 8, 2021.”
- “Mr. McDowell said that the proposed budget is based on internal work, Council priorities, and community input including a continuation of the reimaging public safety process.”
What that means
- Fiscal year:
- The City's budget year runs from July 1 to June 30. Fiscal year 2027 runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.
Council adopts the updated Land Use Incentive Grant Policy.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
Who it's for: Households earning up to 80% of the area median income: up to $81,920 a year for a family of four, or $57,360 for one person (HUD's 2026 income limits for tax-credit housing in the Asheville area).
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Council voted to adopt the updated Land Use Incentive Grant Policy.
- “In November of 2010, City Council first adopted a Land Use Incentive Policy that provided incentives to encourage development projects that fulfill important public purposes directly addressing annual strategic goals set by Council such as affordable housing.”
- “Allow a LUIG for partner developers who purchase an existing market rate building and would like to add at least 20% of the units, for individuals and families at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI), for a minimum of 20 years.”
- “25 pts. for converting at least 20% of the units, within 2 years, for individuals and families at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI), for a minimum of 20 years.”
Approved together on the consent agenda
14 items, approved in one vote without separate discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Official title
Budget amendment associated with the refunding of the recent bond anticipation notes.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of budget amendment in the amount of $35,403,247 in the City’s General (2100) Fund to account for the refunding of debt.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council supports Homeward Bound in its purchase of the Days Inn located at 201 Tunnel Road.
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Council voted to support Homeward Bound in its purchase of the Days Inn located at 201 Tunnel Road. This states Council's position.
- What the City says it's for: “This project will be an adaptive reuse of the existing motel and will create 85 affordable housing rental units for people experiencing chronic homelessness.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Homeward Bound has requested that the City’s funds be structured as a grant to Homeward Bound in the amount of $2 million for acquisition costs to provide 85 permanent supportive housing units.”
- “The motel sits on a 2.95 acre site and contains 128 guest rooms in two, 2 story buildings.”
- “Homeward Bound will convert 85 of the 128 rooms into permanent supportive housing units by adding a small kitchenette to each of the 85 units.”
- “Space will also be provided for community partners to deliver on-site supportive services to residents.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
- Resolution:
- A resolution like this states Council's position. It doesn't change a law or spend money by itself.
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Council voted to approve a multi-year agreement with Air Products to buy liquid oxygen at the Mills River Water Treatment Plant, for $322,674.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a five year contract with Air Products in the amount of $322,674 beginning in July 2021.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council approves applying for the.
More
Council voted to approve applying for the. It also lets the City accept the money if the grant is awarded.
Still pending: This is a request. The City gets the money only if the grant is awarded.
- What the City says it's for: “This equipment would be utilized to support the department's Air Management and Cancer Prevention Policies.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for and if awarded accept the Assistance to Firefighters Grant of $130,910.”
- “To fill bottles for these members, AFD relies upon neighboring fire departments that support a countywide air unit which responds to the incident scene.”
- “This unit is reliable, but there are times where it is unavailable due to being used by one of the other 21 Buncombe County fire departments or being serviced.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council changes a contract for the I-26 Connector Project design work.
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Council voted to change its contract with Sam Schwartz Consulting LLC for the I-26 Connector Project design work.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to approve an amendment to the Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC contract to increase the contract by $7,000, raising the contract total to $207,000, for I-26 Connector Project design work.”
- “Sam Schwartz Consulting, LLC has prepared a report on behalf of the I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Committee that is currently being reviewed by the NCDOT.”
- “The work for the Aesthetics Committee included reviewing the possibility of reducing the overall French Broad River crossing's footprint, the possibility of reducing the project’s impact on property within Asheville, and maintaining the anticipated capacity of the proposed design.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council grants an easement on City right-of-way for an existing loading dock at 99 Riverside Drive.
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Council voted to grant an easement on City right-of-way for an existing loading dock at 99 Riverside Drive.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “The property owner will be charged fair market value for the square footage that is needed, for a total amount of $5,000.”
- “The Real Estate Office has proposed a permanent easement instead of an encroachment, because this improvement is a permanent part of the building and is an existing issue.”
- “A survey has been completed and the easement area is 312 square feet.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
- Right-of-way:
- Land set aside for a street, sidewalk or path. An unopened right-of-way was never built as a street.
Council extends a contract for Median Maintenance improvements.
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Council voted to extend its contract with Rivertop Contracting for Median Maintenance improvements.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a one year extension of a contract with Rivertop Contracting in the amount of $32,222 for the Median Maintenance contract.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
More
Council voted to amend Chapter 13, Article II, of the code of ordinances relating the Rules and procedures of Police Alarms.
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council approves an agreement with US Cellular at 57 Crestwood Drive.
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What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council accepts the Annual Flood Mitigation Actions Report.
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Council voted to accept the Annual Flood Mitigation Actions Report. It also supports the re-certification as a member of the Community Rating System Program.
- “Staff time is currently programmed into the annual operating budget.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
More
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council adopts an ethics policy for advisory boards and commissions.
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Council voted to adopt an ethics policy for advisory boards and commissions.
- What the City says it's for: “The policy will help ensure that all public meetings are a welcoming, respectful, safe, and productive atmosphere to conduct business.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council accepts land donation at Old Haywood Road and Eastview Circle.
More
- “The parcel is 0.12 acres and is located across the street from Fire Station #10 at the corner of Old Haywood Road and Eastview Circle.”
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Official title
More
What that means
- Consent agenda:
- Routine items Council approves together in one vote, without discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
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 consent-agenda items, approved together in one vote.
PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS
Lead and Copper Rule Revisions - responsibilities of the City of Asheville water system: Water Resources department compliance
“Manager Brenna Cook provided the history of the Lead and Copper Rule; Lead and Copper Action Levels; Lead and Copper Rule Revisions; 6-22-21 Page 15 Water Resources Response; Water Response Responsibilities; and potential responsibility for water customers.”
Noise ordinance update
“Development Services Director Ben Woody updated City Council on the revisions to the noise ordinance.”
MANAGER’S REPORT: Reparation Speaker Series
“City Manager Campbell said that on July 14, 2020, Asheville City Council passed a Resolution Supporting Community Reparations for Black Asheville.”
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public Hearing to conditionally rezone 70 Mills Gap Road from Industrial District and RS-2 Residential Single-Family Low Density District to residential Expansion/Conditional zone
“At the applicant’s request, Councilwoman Turner moved to continue the public hearing to conditionally rezone 70 Mills Gap Road from Industrial District and RS-2 Residential Single-Family Low Density District to residential Expansion/Conditional zone to September 14, 2021.”
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Ordinance adopting the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Annual Operating Budget
“Finance Director Tony McDowell said that this is the consideration of adopting the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Annual Operating Budget.”
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution updating the Land Use Incentive Grant Policy
“Community Development Programs Director Paul D’Angelo said this is the consideration of updating the Land Use Incentive Grant Policy.”
INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT
Public comment
Summaries are written by hand from the minutes, and every number and name in them is checked against the minutes' own words. An item not written yet shows a summary built by fixed rules from its official title. Every item shows its official title. Procedural motions, like approving the agenda or adjourning, are left out.