With flat land at a premium, how can new housing developments arise to accommodate the influx of new Ashevilleans without sacrificing water quality or the majesty of unspoiled vistas? Some conservationists say the answer lies with “sustainably developed” neighborhoods.
“Rain barrels don’t catch much, but you can do an open-ground dry stream with stone and a creek bed,” explains Steve Ambrose about the craft introduced to him by friend and business partner Rafael Moreno-Baron. “It will last forever, and you can build it with stuff you found onsite.”
On Tuesday, Jan. 8, Council will hold a public hearing on how to reallocate nearly $1.4 million in HOME funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Two other public hearings concern conditional zoning modifications for residential developments, including a 137-acre project on Ferry Road.
The Land Use Incentive Grant point maximum will increase from 140 to 200, with every 10 points worth a rebate of one year of city property taxes above a property’s pre-development total. But developers will also face stricter conditions when applying for LUIG money: The minimum period for which a project must guarantee affordable housing will increase from 15 to 20 years.
The self-guided tour will feature a wide range of garden designs established both at older homes and newly constructed residences.
Area Realtors and architects are paying close attention to the effects of climate change on the built environment — and gaining new skills to help clients consider climate-related issues as they make real estate decisions. The Asheville chapter of the American Institute of Architects is hosting a conference, titled “Where Building Science Meets Climate Science,” at The Collider on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 2-3.
Rooftops offer businesses the opportunity to turn under-utilized space into blooming (and buzzing) food-production spots.
From the Ani Katuah to white settlers and tobacco farmers, barns and buildings have played a central role in defining the culture of the Southern Appalachians. Shelter on the Mountain: Barns and Building Traditions of the Southern Highlands traces the evolution of local building practices.
As the two-month campaign nears its close, donations are surging toward the philanthropic project’s second-year goal of $60,000. Anyone thinking about making a donation is urged to do so quickly. The effort to raise funds for 47 outstanding WNC nonprofits ends at the stroke of midnight, Dec. 31.
Asheville
Thirty years is a long time to devote to any pursuit, and Karen Cragnolin, the oft-honored founding mother of RiverLink, can attest to that. During that time, she says she held every job in the organization and was planning to finally move on this year when, during surgery, she suffered an aneurysm that robbed her […]
Citizen activists, members of Asheville’s Tree Commission and city officials are exploring the possibility of increased oversight on how trees are managed within the city limits. But with a lack of definition in key parts of the city’s policy, and obstacles at the state level impeding regulations on private property, updating Asheville’s tree ordinances is proving to be an uphill battle.
Local wellness, food and art vendors converged on Pack Square Park on Sunday to celebrate all things organic and sustainable.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Mills River production facility recently became one of only two breweries in the country to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.
What does a catchphrase like “sustainable tourism” mean here in Western North Carolina? How do you make it work at the ground level? Local businesses, organizations and public officials weigh in on what such a model might look like in the region.
The Mother Earth News Fair returned April 9-10 to the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, bringing to the area a host of workshops, demonstrations, vendors and exhibits related to homesteading, natural health, small-scale livestock production, renewable energy, gardening, green building and more.
You’ve seen them popping up everywhere, tiny homes the size of your mom’s garden shed. Maybe you’ve seen them on a trailer in a parking lot, in transit. Or perhaps your neighbor just put one in his backyard and is renting it out on airbnb.com. It seems like everyone is talking about tiny homes, from […]
Six local breweries were awarded the Solar Energy Industries Association Solar Champion Award Monday afternoon for their leadership in bringing solar energy to Western North Carolina and the brewing industry.
The iconic community-owned food market and grocer has announced initial plans to expand its current space on the 60-100 block of Biltmore Avenue and is reaching out to community organizations and the city of Asheville to begin discussions on the possibility of a massive multiuse facility.
Amid a hostile legislative climate in Raleigh, innovative, sustainable design and construction are flourishing in Western North Carolina. The WNC Green Building Council was founded in 2001. Since then — and despite an unstable housing market — local interest has grown steadily, says Maggie Leslie.
