Asheville City Council
January 28, 2025
Regular meeting
Other City businessHelene recoveryStreets and transitBudget and taxes
The short version
9 decisions: 7 approved together in one consent-agenda vote, and 2 voted on separately.
- Council changes a contract for recovery management services from Tropical Storm Helene.
Council voted to change its contract with Hagerty Consulting Inc. for recovery management services from Tropical Storm Helene.
- Council changes a contract for the lodging for essential employees and first responders working on rescue and recovery efforts.
Council voted to change its contract with Biltmore Farms Hotel Group for the lodging for essential employees and first responders working on rescue and recovery efforts.
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 residents raised
The topics public speakers raised, as the minutes list them. These are residents' comments, not findings.
- need for an affordable housing plan for low income families
- urge the City to do what they can to expedite efforts regarding variances for historic structures without expense and delay to property owners
- new drugs for mental health
- resume boards and commissions
- look at Asheville’s future through the lens of economic sustainability and the sustainable sector of our local economy
- displacement confusion and local housing policy impacts
- work with property owners to overcome challenges to build and rebuild in our City
- concerns of mass deportation
- need for the City to work with landlords to be less exploit tenants
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Council approves the 2025 City of Asheville Legislative Agenda.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
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Council voted to approve the 2025 City of Asheville Legislative Agenda. It also directs the City Attorney to provide the resolution to the members of our legislative delegation.
- “Local Governments, and the residents they serve, will depend upon this support for months and years to come, in the form of much needed grants, loans, local government revenue opportunities, and related legislative action.”
- “His four requests were about rental assistance for low-income households; funding for temporary housing; tenant protections; and state housing tax credit.”
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
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Council voted to adopt the proposed text amendments to Chapter 7 of the Asheville Code of Ordinances sections 7-2-4, 7-2-5, and 7-12-1.
- “Councilman Hess said that he would like to take a moment to explain my reasoning behind my vote on the proposed flood ordinance changes. “This decision has not been easy, and my concerns for our small businesses remain at the forefront of my mind.”
Approved together on the consent agenda
7 items, approved in one vote without separate discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council changes a contract for recovery management services from Tropical Storm Helene.
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Council voted to change its contract with Hagerty Consulting Inc. for recovery management services from Tropical Storm Helene.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “This amendment adds $4,994,885 to the contract, bringing the total amount not to exceed $5,994,885.”
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.
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Council voted to change its contract with Biltmore Farms Hotel Group for the lodging for essential employees and first responders working on rescue and recovery efforts.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “This contract amendment adds $72,009.70 to the existing contract, for a total of $372,009.70.”
- “These included law enforcement officers from Raleigh PD, Cary PD, Greensboro PD, Winston-Salem PD, Renfrow Security Group, out-of-area Search and Rescue Units, Drone Pilots and K-9 Units.”
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, after the fact, a contract with Renewal for remaining option years.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “With Via Transportation Inc. for Transit Scheduling and Planning Software by $26,000 for a total contract amount of $115,500 for the final option year; and 1-28-25 Page 5”
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.
- After the fact:
- Council approves something the City already did. This often happens in an emergency, when there's no time to wait for a meeting.
Official title
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “DSD is therefore requesting that Council ratify this contract and all previous spending under the contract, which has been $69,000, plus authorizing an additional $46,000 to cover the end of the initial five-year term, for a total of up to $115,000 to be spent on this 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.
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Council voted to direct staff to send the “response to the auditor’s findings, recommendations, and fiscal matters” to the secretary of the department of state treasurer regarding the city’s 2024 audit, upon obtaining signatures from the majority of city Council members.
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.
More
Council voted to appoint vice-mayor s. Antanette Mosley as the ex-officio non-voting member on the Buncombe County tourism development authority.
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
7 consent-agenda items, approved together in one vote.
PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS
Manager’s report
“Affordable Housing Plan Implementation Through Lens of Recovery Director of Community & Economic Development Nikki Reid outlined the following key takeaways from their presentation as follows: (1) City staff are rebooting the Equitable and Affordable Housing and Stability strategy with an eye…”
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to consider zoning text amendments to Chapter 7 of the Code of Ordinances to better align Existing City regulations with the North Carolina State Building Code
“Mayor Manheimer said that this item was discussed and the public hearing was open and closed on December 10, 2024.”
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution adopting the Asheville City Council 2025 Legislative Agenda
“City Attorney Branham said that this is the consideration of adoption of the Asheville City Council 2025 Legislative Agenda and direction to share with Asheville’s Local Delegation.”
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.