Preview: Asheville Council weighs budget, rezonings on June 24

On Tuesday, June 24, Asheville City Council will vote on the annual budget, which holds the property tax rate steady and pumps millions into capital improvements such as sidewalks on Hendersonville Road, greenways at Town Branch and Clingman and a roundabout at Five Points.

According to the agenda, Council will also review a rezoning request that allows Roots & Wings School of Design to turn existing buildings at 573 Fairview Road into offices, instructional services, artist studios and an arts-education facility. The property’s current zoning classification, Neighborhood Business, “does not permit instructional services, schools, artist studios or day care/pre-school uses,” according to the city staff report. On June 4, Asheville Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the request.

A public hearing is also set for considering an expansion of the Central Business District to include five parcels located at the southwest corner of Hilliard and Asheland Avenues. In the past year, Council has approved similar requests on Asheland. This one comes from city staff and the Asheville Downtown Association.

City staff note that expanding the CBD at the site is “consistent with City-adopted plans and strategic goals for development in this area,” which, in the Downtown Master Plan, has been identified as an area with potential for urban growth.

The rezoning, if approved, would be paired with an ordinance change allowing new buildings on the site to be as as high as 145 feet. The current zoning limits the height to 80 feet.

And this from the city clerk:

PRIOR to the formal meeting, City Council will be holding pre-arranged interviews for the Neighborhood Advisory Committee and the Public Art & Cultural Commission, beginning at 3:58 p.m. in Room 209 of City Hall.

To review Council’s Tuesday, June 24, agenda, click here. The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. in City Hall’s second-floor Council chambers.

And for coverage via Twitter, follow #avlgov.

 

 

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.