Asheville City Council
February 11, 2025
Regular meeting
Other City businessStreets and transitHomelessnessHelene recoveryBudget and taxesHousing
The short version
11 decisions: 9 approved together in one consent-agenda vote, and 2 voted on separately.
- Council changes the budget by $225 million.
Council voted to change the budget by $225 million for the total amount of the CDBG-DR allocation, noting that these funds are subject to HUD approval of the CDBG-DR Action Plan and are not anticipated to be available for expenditure until later in calendar year 2025.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Council approves city staff to submit an Administrative Action Plan for the CDBG-DR grant to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Council voted to approve city staff to submit an Administrative Action Plan for the CDBG-DR grant to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to access up to 5% or $11,250,500 of the total allocation to pay for and reimburse the city for grant related administrative costs. It also approves the City Manager to execute all documents necessary to give effect to this resolution.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
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.
- immigration issues
- multi-modal transportation
- the UDO text amendments regarding cottage development and flag lot standards
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Council changes the budget by $225 million.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More
Council voted to change the budget by $225 million for the total amount of the CDBG-DR allocation, noting that these funds are subject to HUD approval of the CDBG-DR Action Plan and are not anticipated to be available for expenditure until later in calendar year 2025.
What that means
- Budget amendment:
- A change to the City's spending plan after it's passed. It adds money that came in, or moves money to a new use.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More
Council voted to approve city staff to submit an Administrative Action Plan for the CDBG-DR grant to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to access up to 5% or $11,250,500 of the total allocation to pay for and reimburse the city for grant related administrative costs. It also approves the City Manager to execute all documents necessary to give effect to this resolution.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “On January 16, 2025, HUD announced that the City of Asheville will receive a direct allocation of Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds in the amount of $225,010,000.”
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.
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- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a budget amendment in the amount of $500,000 from Debt Proceeds in the Street Cut Fund for the purpose of the acquisition of equipment needed to continue operations of the utility cut program.”
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.
- Budget amendment:
- A change to the City's spending plan after it's passed. It adds money that came in, or moves money to a new use.
Council changes a contract for portable facilities for Tropical Storm Helene recovery.
More
Council voted to change its contract with Garbage Pal Inc. for portable facilities for Tropical Storm Helene recovery.
- What the City says it's for: “The requested amendment will pay previously accrued invoices.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract amendment with Garbage Pal LLC for $43,790 to increase the total contract amount to $133,690 for portable restroom and hygiene facilities to support recovery efforts from Tropical Storm Helene.”
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 change its agreement with Azteca Systems, LLC for hosting the enterprise asset management system software license, maintenance, and support.
- What the City says it's for: “The amendment also allows for more efficient management of Water Resources, Public Works, and Parks & Recreation physical assets and infrastructure.”
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Fiscal Year 2025 Cityworks licensing totaling $116,233.50 Motion:”
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 Buncombe County to administer their matching Code Purple funding.
More
Council voted to approve an agreement with Buncombe County to administer their matching Code Purple funding; and to execute a funding agreement using City and County funds with asheville-buncombe Community.
- “Quality Affordable Housing”
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.
Council approves a contract with Hydromax USA for the Valve Condition Assessment Program Project.
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- What the City says it's for: “This project will supplement internal efforts and be utilized to fully satisfy the IRC recommendation.”
- “Due to the type of the proposed contract, bids were not required for the proposals but submissions did include proposed rate and fee schedules for various tasks, which were reviewed and scored as part of the submittal criteria.”
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 change its contract with Atlantic Emergency Solutions for Heavy Truck Repair and Service to supplement Fleet Maintenance capacity.
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 the City says it's for: “This project will install approximately 1 mile of 6’ wide sidewalk along New Haw Creek Rd. from Beverly Rd. to Bell Rd., where no safe pedestrian facilities currently exist.”
- “The scope of work also includes over 2,600 linear feet of stormwater pipe, 10,000 square feet of retaining wall, water line relocation, and complete roadway repaving.”
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 the month's property tax refunds and releases.
More
Council approved the month's list of property tax refunds and releases.
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.
- Tax refunds:
- State law lets the City pay back or cancel property tax that was charged by mistake or against the law.
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
9 consent-agenda items, approved together in one vote.
PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS
I-26 Connector Project update
“Assistant Transportation Director Jessica Morriss, outlined the recent work on the I-26 connector project as follows: (1) The City has a long history of working with NCDOT on the I-26 Connector Project, including many phases of planning, alternatives review, community involvement, and environmental…”
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to consider amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (1) to increase the threshold for Level III site plan review, adjusting corresponding review thresholds and providing incentives for the inclusion of affordable…
“This motion was seconded by Vice-Mayor Mosley and carried unanimously.”
Public hearing previously held - vote to consider an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance to change the development regulations related to cottage developments 2-11-25
Public hearing previously held - vote to consider an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance in order to update regulations for Flag lot standards
“This is the consideration of a resident-led text amendment to Section 7-16-1 (b) (20) to change the development regulations related to cottage developments.”
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution no. 25-30- resolution authorizing staff to submit an Administrative Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant to the US dept. of Housing & Urban Development in order to access Up…
“TO 5% ($11,250,500) OF THE TOTAL ALLOCATION TO PAY FOR AND REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR GRANT RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ORDINANCE NO. 5119 - BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE CDBG-DR ALLOCATION Community Development Division Manager James Shelton said that this is the consideration of a…”
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.