Press release from Buncombe County:
Private Property Debris Removal Application Now Open, New FEMA Hours & Environmental Health Updates
Storm Debris
As of this morning, over 180,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected in Buncombe County. Currently, there are 39 trucks operating in Buncombe County, removing debris from all zones in the County.
Private Property Debris Program: the Private Property Debris Removal program is now active with the online application option now live.
- Buncombe County property owners (unincorporated areas and cities) impacted by Hurricane Helene, who do not have debris removal insurance or have exhausted their insurance, may apply to have qualified disaster debris removed from their private or small business commercial property at no cost. The program also covers demolition of eligible unsafe structures.
- For more information on eligibility, how to apply, what documents to bring, and more, read this article.
FEMA
Important updates for the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Asheville Mall:
- Starting on Monday, Nov. 25, the center at the Asheville Mall will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The center will now close on Sundays.
- It will be closed from Nov.28 – Dec. 1 for Thanksgiving weekend. The DRC will reopen 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2.
This week, the center is open regular hours. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Please use the Barnes and Noble entrance when arriving before the Asheville Mall opens at 11 a.m.
This new schedule applies to all DRCs in the state. To find a DRC location, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a ZIP code to 43362.
Buncombe County Parks and Recreation
Buncombe County Parks and Recreation is actively working on reopening as many parks as possible. Currently, North Buncombe Park fields, Cane Creek Playground, Bent Creek River Park, Hominy Valley Park, and sections of Buncombe County Sports Park are open.
Staff are finalizing plans on what this year’s Festival of Lights will look like, and we anticipate having more details by the end of the week.
The CORE (Community Outreach and Recreational Experiences) van will be out at Grovemont Park near Beacon Village and the Buncombe County Sports Park in the coming days. CORE provides free and engaging recreational activities that travel to various areas around Buncombe County.
Hazard Mitigation
Buncombe County residents can receive funding to make their homes more resilient through home projects that reduce the long-term risk and impacts of natural hazards, such as floods, wildfires, and storms.
Through the program, there are three home or property projects including elevation, home mitigation reconstruction, and acquisition. Aspects of this program include raising the elevation of the home, foundation and new construction, and/or acquisition of the property.
In all three of these programs, there is no cost to the homeowner and so far, 582 applications have been submitted for this program. Applications are open now and can be submitted online.
Contractors Begin Substantial Damage Assessments
Buncombe County has begun the process of working through assessing damaged structures as a part of FEMA requirements. Over the coming days and weeks, county staff along with staff from Tetra Tech will work to complete the assessments within FEMA’s required timelines. Here’s what to expect as these teams begin work within the community:
- Teams will begin assessing structural damage curbside from vehicles today.
- Teams may take photos of damaged structures from their vehicles.
- In some instances, these teams may be on foot to take multiple photos and record basic information such as the property address.
- Each team will be using handheld electronic devices such as tablets and smartphones to record necessary information.
- Each contractor will be wear a blue vest and carry credentials they can share via a QR code.
WastePro Schedule for Week of Nov. 18
Today, Tuesday, WastePro will operate normal routes for household trash and recycling. Residents should use the Transfer Station or Landfill if WastePro is unable to access them.From Thursday, Nov. 20 through Friday, Nov. 22, WastePro will operate normal routes for household trash and recycling in accessible locations. WastePro will also be located at the following locations for residents they are not able to access from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This is for household bagged trash only.
- Wednesday: Hearts with Hands – 850 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa.
- Thursday: Ingles Fairview – 225 Charlotte Highway, Asheville.
- Friday: North Buncombe Pool – 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville.
Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund
The Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant fund is open for businesses in Buncombe County and the city of Asheville that are eligible to receive grants of up to $25,000 to support recovery expenses not covered by insurance or other funding sources.Applications are open through Nov. 27 and can be found at mountainbizworks.org/abgrants. Applications are also available in Spanish.
Water Distribution and Community Care Center
Even with the City’s great news that the Boil Water Notice is lifted, water distribution operations, laundry and showers will continue to be available at Community Care Stations. We are working to coordinate these resources for our community based on need and we will be sure to communicate about any changes to the sites. Our Community Care Stations are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Environmental Health
As part of the Helene response, food service establishments, childcare centers, lodging facilities, tattoo artists, and public swimming pools were allowed to operate under an Emergency Operations plan while the boil water notice was in place. Environmental Health processed 1099 EOPs. Some establishments decided to remain closed until the boil water notice was lifted.Regardless of whether the facilities regulated by Environmental Health chose to operate under an EOP or chose to remain closed, any facility that was impacted by the boil water advisory should follow these guidelines before resuming operation.
Note that many of these guidelines, like flushing the water for 5 minutes, differ from what the City of Asheville recommends for residences. This is because facilities that serve the public and are regulated by Environmental Health have higher standards to meet in order to protect public health.
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