Asheville City Council
April 14, 2026
Regular meeting: City Council Meeting (In-Person)
Other City businessPublic safetyHousingWaterBudget and taxes
The short version
12 decisions: 8 approved together in one consent-agenda vote, and 4 voted on separately. 1 vote split.
- Council changes City law (Chapter 4 of the City Code).
Council voted to change City law (Chapter 4 of the City Code) to insert a new Article VIII, "Abandoned Structures," to provide for the repair, closing, or demolition of abandoned structures deemed health or safety hazards.
Passed. Voted no: S. Antanette Mosley.
- Council changes the zoning conditions for 30 Buchanan Pl.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
- Council approves the Finance Director of the City, or his designee.
Council voted to approve the Finance Director of the City, or his designee, with advice from the City Attorney and bond counsel to file an application with the Local Government Commission for its approval of the issuance of Water System Revenue Bonds, to include a refinancing of the currently outstanding 2015 Water System Revenue Bonds and certain related matters- Resolution Book No. 46 - Page 284.
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 3 city projects from the Tourism Development Authority Legacy Investment from Tourism Grant.
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.
- need for documents/videos, etc
Voted on separately
Each of these had its own motion and vote.
Council changes City law (Chapter 4 of the City Code).
Passed. Voted no: S. Antanette Mosley.
More
Council voted to change City law (Chapter 4 of the City Code) to insert a new Article VIII, "Abandoned Structures," to provide for the repair, closing, or demolition of abandoned structures deemed health or safety hazards.
- What the City says it's for: “This ordinance will provide enforcement staff an additional tool to initiate and pursue cases within our current compliance path.”
Council changes the zoning conditions for 30 Buchanan Pl.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More
- “She was concerned about the backlog we currently have of open records requests and how long it’s taking members of our community to understand how we do the people’s work, along with the concern of what it means for us to uphold democracy where the press is able to tell the story of how our government works.”
- “Project Location and Contacts: The project site totals 8.25 acres located at 30 Buchanan Pl (PIN 9648-47-8566) Owner: City of Asheville Summary of Petition: Project Site The project area consists of 8.25 acres located at 30 Buchanan Pl and is identified in the Buncombe County land records as PIN 9648-47-8566.”
- “The site is currently zoned Institutional - Conditional Zone (INST-CZ) by Ord.”
What that means
- Conditional zoning:
- Zoning for one property with conditions the owner must follow, such as a site plan or a cap on size.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More
Council voted to pass, on first reading, a change to City law (Article VI, Regulation of Graffiti) to amend the definition of graffiti.
What that means
- First reading:
- The first of two votes on this ordinance. It needs a second vote at a later meeting.
Passed. Everyone present voted yes.
More
- “Asheville Tourists staff has secured a naming rights sponsor and proposes to rename the facility to ‘Hometrust Park’ after the sponsor, publicly traded and locally operated regional bank, Hometrust Bank.”
- “Regarding Hometrust Bank, (1) Headquartered in Asheville; (2) Frequent award winner - Best places to work; Most loved workplaces; Best banks; and Best banks to work for; and (3) Company Fundamentals align with City Council visions and priorities - Literacy initiatives; Affordable housing; Financial education; and more.”
Approved together on the consent agenda
8 items, approved in one vote without separate discussion. Any member can pull an item out for its own vote.
Council approves the Finance Director of the City, or his designee.
More
Council voted to approve the Finance Director of the City, or his designee, with advice from the City Attorney and bond counsel to file an application with the Local Government Commission for its approval of the issuance of Water System Revenue Bonds, to include a refinancing of the currently outstanding 2015 Water System Revenue Bonds and certain related matters- Resolution Book No. 46 - Page 284.
- The money, in the minutes' words: “Background: In May 2024, City Council adopted a resolution providing staff with authorization to enter into a contract with Wharton-Smith, Inc, including contingency, totaling $26,888,196 for the construction of the Mills River Water Treatment Plant Improvements Phase 2.”
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.
- Bonds:
- Bonds are loans the City pays back over many years, with interest.
More
Council voted to approve a contract with US ISS Agency, LLC on Behalf of the City of Asheville for a Police Applicant Background Check and Polygraph Testing Provider, with two additional one-year options to renew upon budgetary approval by Council for each fiscal year, worth up to $360,000.
- “APD is currently understaffed and does not have sworn administrative staff available to complete these hiring functions given the volume of new personnel needing to be vetted for hire.”
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.
- 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.
More
Council voted to approve an agreement with the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA) for supplemental Asheville Police Department personnel to serve all HACA properties.
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.
- 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.
More
Council voted to approve applying for the 3 city projects from the Tourism Development Authority Legacy Investment from Tourism Grant. 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 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.
Official title
More
- “Instead, this excess unopened portion of the right-of-way area has served as driveway access to the parcels/homes there, and until recently the property owners were unaware that their properties did not access Saint Dunstan's Road.”
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
8 consent-agenda items, approved together in one vote.
Public Hearings
Public Hearing to consider amending the conditional zoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 5180) for property located at 30 Buchanan Place for the purpose of making amendments to the project conditions
“Principal Planner Will Palmquist said that this is the consideration of amending the conditional zoning ordinance (Ordinance No. 5180) for property located at 30 Buchanan Place for the purpose of making amendments to the project conditions.”
New Business
First Reading of an ordinance amending Article VI, Regulation of Graffiti, of Chapter 10, Nuisances, of the Asheville Code of Ordinances to amend the definition of graffiti
“Assistant City Attorney Carly Gillingham said that this is the consideration of the first reading of an ordinance amending Article VI, Regulation of Graffiti, of Chapter 10, Nuisanances, of the Code of Ordinances to amend the definition of graffiti.”
Ordinance amending Chapter 4 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Asheville to provide for repair, closing, or demolition of abandoned structures
“Director of Development Services Mark Matheny said that this is the consideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 4 of the Code of Ordinances to provide for repair, closing, or demolition of abandoned structures.”
Resolution authorizing the renaming of Lewis McCormick Field located at 30 Buchanan Place in the City of Asheville, North Carolina, to Hometrust Park
“The City of Asheville owns Lewis McCormick Field, opened in 1924 and named after the then staff bacteriologist Dr. Lewis McCormick who started the ‘Swat That Fly’ campaign in 1905 to reduce the area’s burgeoning problem with the housefly.”
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.