When Asheville City Council members takes their seats for the Tuesday, Dec. 10 meeting, it will be with a new member (Gwen Wisler) and, after eight years, a new mayor (Esther Manheimer). Along with Council members Gordon Smith and Cecil Bothwell (who each won a second term), Manheimer and Wisler will be sworn in. Council will also select a new vice mayor at a ceremony before the regular meeting.
It looked like Council’s first meeting would involve a vote on a controversial East Chestnut development, which narrowly passed the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission last month. But the developer is requesting a delay in that vote until Jan. 28, and Council usually grants those.
However, there’s still plenty of development decisions to go around. Council will decide on a bevy of oversight measures for the River Arts District, merging the riverfront design committee into the redevelopment commission and assigning that group the ability to review all projects in a set area around the district.
Also, Council will vote on rezoning allowing the 192-unit Avalon apartment complex on vacant industrial property near Sweeten Creek Road. The project does not dedicate any units for affordable housing, though the staff report on the matter notes that there are ongoing discussions about providing some.
Asheville City Council meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, in Council’s chambers in City Hall. The swearing-in ceremony begins at 4 p.m.
Swearing on City Council? My money is on Esther. I’ve heard that in private, she curses like a sailor.
Oh. Swearing-in.
Never mind.