City Council unanimous against Parkside land deal

Posted on by Brian Postelle

At its Tuesday night meeting, Asheville City council voted 7-0 in support of a resolution objecting to the 2006 sale of park land to developer Stewart Coleman by Buncombe County.

The 2006 sale of the .18-acre chunk of City/County Plaza near Asheville City Hall has become one of the main rallying points for opposition to the project. Council was originally scheduled to consider a conditional-use permit on Coleman’s Parkside project, but a last-minute design change reduced the building from 11 stories to nine, thereby circumventing city-council review.

Though the resolution is not legally binding, council members hope it will send a message that county commissioners were remiss in selling the property.

Activists opposing the development hailed the move. “I do applaud you for your resolution tonight,” said Dixie Deerman. “I’ve talked to a lot of people who have never seen a council rise up in this way.”

Council member Brownie Newman called the resolution a first step, indicating that council may explore further plans to challenge the land deal.

On June 24, Buncombe County Commissioners will take up the Parkside issue and explore options for moving forward.

Click here to download a PDF of the resolution. Click here to see an Xpress Files timeline of events and related documents.

— Brian Postelle, staff writer

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2 thoughts on “City Council unanimous against Parkside land deal”

  1. Barry Summers

    This is an important first step, but it will not guarantee anything. Mr. Coleman and the people at the County that helped him to this land will not slink away quietly, is my guess. I hope Council will consider further action. They have other options. If they leave it at this, and don’t at least hint that they’re willing to take it to the next level, Coleman and the County can ignore them and plop this building inside the park, right on their doorstep. We need them to know we are watching everything they are doing, and we expect them to end this.

  2. William P Miller

    Thank goodness for this Council good vote. Now, people, DO NOT re-elect any of the Buncombe County Commissioners who voted FOR this sale. Particularly Stanley and Peterson. Vote them out!

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