May 9, 2023

What residents raised

The topics public speakers raised, as the minutes list them. These are residents' comments, not findings.

• clarification on grants for buses
• need community engagement in the grants available from the Legacy Investment from Tourism
• urge Council to keep the Sports Commission as is
• need for traffic calming (had 33 signatures on traffic calming petition) on Deaverview from North Bear Creek Road to Pisgah View Road
• need to have several questions answered before considering HUG’s recommendations regarding the Sports Commission
• support for increased public safety
• need for a plan for new people coming across the border
• need for pay increases for officers in order for them to live in the community they serve
• support for making Asheville Police Department officers the highest paid officers in the state
• need to invest in growing an economic sector that pays a living wage or more
• concern over Asheville Police Department budget increase which does not address the underlying issue of mistrust
• need a citizen committee to hold the police accountability
• need for City to step up with funds for rental assistance and not only rely on the federal government

Voted on separately

Each of these had its own motion and vote.

1. Council changes City law (Chapter 7 of the City Code).

   Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.

   More

   • What the City says it's for: “The amendment also incentivized development projects on 1 or more acres to either: 1) provide a minimum amount of affordable housing, or 2) upgrade sites to meet current stormwater standards.”
   • “The current code provides exemptions in cases where open space standards are not required to be met, including for new construction or additions of less than 1,500 square feet.”
   • “This has become apparent as too restrictive for large sites (over one acre) seeking to add an addition of greater than 1,500 square feet.”
   • “Some sites now would not be required to meet the new open space standards nor be incentivized to redevelop to meet affordable housing or stormwater standards.”

2. Council approves the submission of the City’s fiscal year 2023-2024 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development along.

   Passed. Everyone present voted yes.

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   Council voted to approve the submission of the City’s fiscal year 2023-2024 Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development along with the Annual Action Plan Amendments for years 2019-2020 and 2022-2023 that include prior year resources to be rolled forward into the 2023-2024 CDBG and HOME projects. It also approves the City Manager to sign all necessary documents to this effect.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Currently, there is a total of $193,157.10 available in CDBG-CV funding that remains unspent and needs to be allocated.”
   • “HOME funds support affordable housing activities within the four-county Consortium region including Buncombe, Madison, Transylvania, and Henderson Counties.”
   • “Quality Affordable Housing”
   • “Approval of the Annual Action Plan paves the way for HUD funding to be utilized by partners in the City of Asheville and the region, with funds to be used to create affordable housing and jobs and to make positive impacts in our low and moderate income communities.”

   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.

Approved together on the consent agenda

9 items, approved in one vote without separate discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.

1. Council approves an agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation.

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   Council voted to approve an agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation for the City to make revisions to the existing traffic signal at the intersection of NC 81 (Swannanoa River Road) and Bleachery Boulevard; and to submit payment upon partial execution of the agreement by the City.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “The Tourism Development Authority awarded the City a Tourism Product Development Fund grant in the amount of $2.3 million for this project.”

   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.

2. Council approves a $1.51 million contract for engineering services associated with South Buncombe Pump Station and Concord Water Service Area Improvements Project.

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   Council voted to approve a contract with Hazen and Sawyer for engineering services associated with South Buncombe Pump Station and Concord Water Service Area Improvements Project, for $1.51 million.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign a contract with Hazen and Sawyer for engineering services in the amount of $1,510,550.00 for the South Buncombe Pump Station and Concord Water Service Area Improvements Project. 5-9-23 Page 1 Background:”
   • “If approved, the proposed engineering services described here within will be developed into a subcontract under the conditions of the master agreement.”

   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.

3. Council approves a $50,000 contract with McAdams for the Reed Creek Greenway Extension Feasibility Study.

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   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into and execute a contract with McAdams, in the amount of $50,000, for professional services to prepare the Reed Creek Greenway Extension Feasibility Study.”

   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.

4. Council receives grant funds from the N.C. Homeland Security Grant program to replace an existing antenna on a field communication vehicle that communicates.

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   Council voted to receive grant funds from the N.C. Homeland Security Grant program to replace an existing antenna on a field communication vehicle that communicates that enhances our ability to establish and maintain responder internet connectivity during disaster or network outage.

   • The money, in the minutes' words: “Asheville Fire Department applied for and was awarded a Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $20,000”
   • “The existing units, which were original to the trailer in 2012, have reached their end of life and are impeding the purpose of having satellite communications on the trailer.”

   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.

5. Council approves an agreement with Buncombe County for City of Asheville Food Scraps Drop-Off program management.

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   • The money, in the minutes' words: “For the first year of the agreement, the City will contribute 50% of hauling fees for food scraps drop-off sites located within Asheville City limits not to exceed $15,000 in FY24”
   • “2,300 households have registered for program participation.”
   • “The interlocal agreement with Buncombe County is the proposed instrument that enables the City and County to co-manage and equally co-fund hauling services to support Food Scraps Drop-Off program operations.”

   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.

6. Council approves a contract with Kimley Horn.

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   Council voted to approve a contract with Kimley Horn for the Swannanoa River Road Flood Mitigation and Damage Reduction Feasibility Study to support engineering findings for the Swannanoa Transportation Corridor Resiliency Plan.

   • What the City says it's for: “The project will be managed collaboratively between the Public Works Department and the Transportation Department and is anticipated to begin in June 2023, with an anticipated completion date in December 2024.”

   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.

7. Council approves a contract for the Memorial Stadium and Mountainside Park Phase 2 Improvements project.

   More

   Council voted to approve a contract with Patton Construction Group of Asheville for the Memorial Stadium and Mountainside Park Phase 2 Improvements project.

   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.

8. Council approves a contract with ADC Engineering Inc. for the Nature Center Gateway project.

   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.

9. Council renews a contract for Parks and recreation Software.

   More

   Council voted to renew its contract with Vermont Systems for Parks and recreation Software.

   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.