Asheville’s proposed 2014-2015 operating budget maintains the property tax rate, according to documents in City Council’s agenda packet for the Tuesday, June 10, meeting. Council will review the budget and take public comment on the proposed $147.5 million proposal, which includes a 3 percent pay increase across the board for city employees but keeps the tax rate at 46 cents per $100 property value. Buncombe County Commissioners are also determining their new annual budget and maintaining the current property-tax rate of 60.4 cents per $100 property value.
For a close look at the proposed budget, check out a new, interactive budget tool co-created by the city and Code for Asheville.
Canine rehab center back on the agenda: a revised proposal for rezoning an historic property on 1 Sunset Parkway in North Asheville. Last month, the city’s Planning & Zoning commission voted 4-0 against a request to rezone the 0.82-acre property, once home to a church but being considered for a canine-rehabilitation facility. According to city staff’s report, the doggie-daycare component of veterinarian Mark Ledyard’s proposal has been dropped. Staff also note building renovation plans (the building has been vacant and is in some disrepair), and changes to the parking and traffic aspects that may address residents’ concerns about the proposed use.
Revisiting residential density in commercial districts: Asheville City Council will also review a proposed Unified Development Ordinance change that would, overall, allow higher residential density in “certain commercial zoning districts.” According to the city staff report, “Most of the commercial zoning districts allow some level of residential density, yet in most of these districts the allowed density would result in less intensity of use than the commercial uses allowed. … [D]evelopers may be unaware of this residential potential.”
The proposed UDO amendment would “provide an incentive for developers to consider using housing as part of a mixed-used development, or as the primary use on underutilized commercial property.”
On May 15, the Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the amendment.
Glad to see Ms. Williams covering these topics. Quite an upgrade from the biased David F. She has a nice neutral style that is informative and appreprite for this part of the paper.
Report in the news section. Opine in the opinion section.