Planning and Zoning met March 3 and heard from numerous community members before voting to approve the Larchmont Project off Merrimon Avenue, at the site of the former U.S. Navy Reserve office.
Author: David Forbes
Showing 1996-2016 of 2705 results
Asheville City Council: A more aggressive approach?
Council begins annexation process, approves map for more possible annexations City facing $1 million deficit this year, $5 million next year Council asks for more information on art grant projects Asheville may soon get bigger. At its Feb. 23 meeting, City Council voted 5-2 to start the process of annexing 12 properties. Most are small, […]
Bar none
"When Stuart was sentenced to 44 months, there was quite a community reaction. I think a lot of people wanted to know: Why did that happen? What can we do to prevent that from happening again?" noted Mediation Center Director Laura Jeffords at the start of an informal Feb. 19 gathering of concerned citizens and […]
Planning and Zoning appointment raises questions
With little fanfare, a majority of Asheville City Council members voted Feb. 23 to appoint Holly Shriner and Mark Brooks to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Each Council member chose two candidates, and Shriner and Brooks garnered the most votes. The appointment of Brooks, an engineer, hasn't attracted much attention. But questions have arisen over […]
Planning and zoning appointment raises questions
The appointment of Holly Shriner, a housewife with no formal planning background, to the Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission has raised concerns about her qualifications.
City, Chamber huddle on economy, health care
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce representatives sat down with city officials Feb. 17 to discuss how they might best cooperate during the coming year. Key topics included cheaper health care, landing one of Google's recently announced experimental fiber-optic networks, and using "the viral world" to promote tourism. Deliberating: Chamber Executive VP Kelly Miller listens to […]
Buncombe County ranked 25th healthiest in state
Buncombe County is the 25th healthiest among North Carolina's 100 counties, according to national rankings released Feb. 17. The county also ranked third in the state in clinical care, sixth in health behaviors, 12th in social and economic factors, and 13th in physical environment. The rankings were produced by the County Health Rankings initiative, which […]
Cloud computing coming to WNC?
The Community Cloud Computing project is seeking federal stimulus dollars to establish a potent local digital network. Cloud computing involves aggregating — and massively increasing — computer power over an extended network. "Most people don't have access to this kind of computing power," project coordinator Wally Bowen explains. "This is a step toward treating it […]
Smith’s proposal for domestic-partner benefits politically motivated, mayor charges
In a dramatic Feb. 17 appearance on WCQS-FM's "Conversations" program, Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy charged that Council member Gordon Smith was exploiting the issue of same-sex, domestic-partner benefits to boost his prospects in a future mayoral bid. "This issue was put forward in a way that was very divisive," said Bellamy. "I think it was […]
Asheville City Council considers budget, annexation and supporting artists
Asheville is facing a $1 million shortfall this year. Mostly due to sales-tax decline. Projections for next year’s city budget show a $5.1 million deficit. Mayor Bellamy says the city needs to plan how to replenish savings and asks, “We need to ask how low is too low.”
Asheville City Council preview: Deficits and annexation
On the agenda for Asheville City Council’s Tuesday, Feb. 23, meeting are a financial report that brings grim tidings and the beginning steps to a series of annexations near Airport Road.
Bellamy defends domestic-partnership vote, says issue politically motivated
Mayor Terry Bellamy, along with City Manager Gary Jackson, appeared on the Conversations radio show on WCQS last night. Bellamy defended her controversial vote against same-sex domestic-partnership benefits and said that the issue was a way for Council member Gordon Smith to boost his own chances at a future mayoral run.
City, Asheville Chamber talk about economic situation, new initiatives
Better health care, getting Google and taking tourism to “the viral world” were all topics of discussion at a meeting today between the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and city officials.
Buncombe County ranked 25th healthiest in the state
Buncombe County is the 25th healthiest of North Carolina’s 100 counties, according to national rankings released today.
City, county officials discuss budget woes
Early on the frigid morning of Feb. 12, members of the Council of Independent Business Owners gathered in the Biltmore Square Mall food court to hear Buncombe County and city of Asheville elected officials summarize their respective financial situations and goals. The setting seemed appropriate to a discussion of the economic downturn, as the mall […]
A civil sweep
Asheville City Council member Cecil Bothwell has proposed a sweeping civil-liberties resolution that includes clauses banning racial profiling, surveillance of political-advocacy groups and helping federal officials enforce immigration laws. It would also require businesses contracting with the city to provide things like janitorial services or lawn care to pay their workers a living wage. Liberating […]
Buncombe Wi-Fi: Gone
The free wireless connection that once covered much of downtown Asheville has been inoperable for most of the past year, and due to the county's budget crunch, there are no plans to repair it in the near future, county staff confirmed today. Starting last March, "parts of the wireless system went down, and we'd get […]
City, county officials ruminate on budget “sugar” and economic peril
Early this morning, in the food court of the Biltmore Square mall, members of the Council of Independent Business Owners gathered to hear elected officials from Buncombe County and the city of Asheville summarize their situations and goals.
Buncombe Free WiFi no more
The Buncombe County free wireless connection that once covered much of downtown hasn’t worked for most of a year, and due to the county’s budget crunch, there are no plans to repair it in the near future, county staff confirmed today.
Bellamy votes against same-sex partner benefits: What do you think?
In her last campaign, Mayor Terry Bellamy avoided taking a position for or against same-sex domestic-partner benefits for city employees. At last night’s Asheville City Council meeting, she left little doubt to where she stood, stating her opposition to such benefits and voting against pursuing them. Does Bellamy’s vote help or harm your opinion of the mayor?
Buncombe Commissioners: Naming names
Buncombe County commissioners Feb. 2 meeting Commissioners briefed on Forsyth prayer ruling $500,000 in state home-repair funds County seeks federal grant for Eco-Panels The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners kept its Feb. 2 meeting short, dealing mostly with such routine matters as stepping up efforts to collect outstanding property taxes and handing out unused grant […]