A public hearing over the final proposal for the Meadows at Haw Creek housing development will come before Asheville City Council during its Tuesday, July 23 meeting at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville.
The 27-acre project at 767 New Haw Creek Road has drawn opposition from the East Asheville community since L.B. Jackson and Company proposed the development last year.
According to City Council’s agenda, landowner, Margaret B King, and the project’s applicant, Warren Sugg of Civil Design Concepts, are seeking a rezoning of the parcel in order to construct an 84-unit residential development consisting of 49 single-family homes and 35 townhomes, as well as associated parking, resident amenities and stormwater infrastructure.
Proponents of the rezoning say it implements goals in the Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan, including walkable streets and pedestrian infrastructure, and builds out the city’s greenway network.
Opponents say the project will change the character of the neighborhood, bringing traffic congestion and infrastructure-related problems.
In other news
A public hearing will take place before City Council confirms the designated amounts for a general obligation bond. The Council will then finalize the placement of the bond on the November 2024 ballot. The proposed $80 million bond includes $20 million for housing, $20 million for transportation, $20 million for parks and recreation and $20 million for public safety.
Consent agenda and public comment
The meeting’s consent agenda contains 22 items, which will be approved as a package unless singled out for separate discussion. Highlights include the following:
- A resolution that would permanently close an unopened right-of-way at 34 Hiawassee St., and set a public hearing for Tuesday, Aug. 27. Closure of the unused right-of-way would allow a land exchange with Duke Energy, facilitating Duke’s plan to rebuild the downtown substation as well as possible future expansion of the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.
- Authorize City Manager Debra Campbell to execute a contract amendment with Walker Consultants for the engineering of various repairs at the Wall Street, Rankin Avenue, Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville and Biltmore Avenue parking garages in an amount not to exceed $525,000. The work will extend the life of the parking garages and prove less costly than a replacement strategy. Conversely, shut downs in the parking garages could inconvenience neighboring businesses and residents.
Council members will gather at 5 p.m. at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville banquet hall, 87 Haywood St. The meeting will also be carried live on Charter/Spectrum Channel 193 and livestreamed through Asheville’s public engagement hub and on the city’s YouTube channel. Members of the public can listen live by calling 855-925-2801, meeting code 7037.
Those who wish to speak during the meeting must attend in person and sign up at the door. No live remote comments will be permitted. Prerecorded voicemail messages can also be left at 855-925-2801, meeting code 1286; written comments can be sent to ashevillecitycounciljuly232024@publicinput.com until 9 a.m. July 23. General comments for City Council can be sent at any time to AshevilleNCCouncil@AshevilleNC.gov.
The full meeting agenda and supporting documents can be found here.
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