At its Tuesday, Oct. 24 meeting, Asheville City Council will hold a public hearing to further discuss the South Slope Vision Plan, which outlines a series of goals and steps to develop the South Slope area. Council held the first public hearing for the plan at their March 28 meeting.
“South Slope: A Southside Neighborhood Vision Plan” is a 92-page document that grew out of the Downtown Master Plan and has been six years in the making. The plan aims to channel the growth and development of the area, located south of the downtown core and its surrounding neighborhoods, including South French Broad, East End Valley Street and Oakhurst.
The document is organized around promoting five core themes: a quality built environment; unique and inclusive sense of place; strong local economy; multimodal transportation; and strategic infrastructure and natural environment.
While the plan’s executive summary states that it “does not suggest any sweeping changes for the area,” it does advocate for building upon existing infrastructure and regulations to create a unified design and improved connectivity between neighborhoods and commercial areas. Some projects outlined in the plan include a gateway to reconnect McCormick Field and Memorial Stadium with downtown, public art installations and commemoration of the neighborhood’s African American history. The plan does not include specific funding commitments for capital projects or investments.
Consent agenda and public comment
The consent agenda for the meeting contains 14 items, which will be approved as a package unless singled out for separate discussion. Highlights include the following:
- A budget amendment to the HCCA Operating and Capital Funds in the amount of $1.4 million for expenses related to repairs and upgrades to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. The requested funds will be utilized to repair the HVAC systems, as well as to design and install a catwalk system in the auditorium attic.
- A resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office for use of Asheville police radio channels. If approved, the agreement will permit the Madison County Sheriff’s Offices to use the APD radios channels in the case of emergencies.
- A resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an interlocal agreement with Buncombe County to administer matching Code Purple funding. If approved, the city will allocate $50,000 to help support Code Purple emergency homeless shelters through the winter.
Council members will gather in their chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 70 Court Plaza, starting at 5 p.m. 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 2764.
Those who wish to speak during the meeting must attend in person and sign up at the door. No live remote comment will be permitted. Prerecorded voicemail messages can also be left at 855-925-2801, meeting code 2764; written comments can be sent to AshevilleCityCouncilOct242023@publicinput.com until 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24. 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.
Really? Wasn’t the time for a South Slope “Vision Plan” about 10+ years ago? In the meantime, the character of the neighborhood has already been shaped by all that the city has approved, and all of the economic activity which has played out in the area.
This report only took 14 years from the time it was called for in the 2009 master plan, and NOW there are going to be public hearings? If only someone had the “vision” needed to realize that allowing for an outdoor concert venue right in the heart of the area might have implications for the quality of life for those who live there currently, and who will live in the several housing projects which have already been approved. If only someone had asked before permitting so many breweries and bars to open in the same area whether the city really wanted or needed some Asheville equivalent of Bourbon Street.
Perhaps rather than a “vision plan,” this should be renamed a “hindsight plan,” listing all of the missed opportunities to really shape the area’s redevelopment.
But this is just the kind of non leadership so well demonstrated in AVL…why do elected democrats DESTROY cities?
Sigh… As critical as I am of many of the decisions (or non-decisions) made by several of the incumbent council members, let’s just focus on the substance of those decisions, and critique the council on that basis, without falling back on tired and thoughtless political caricatures which offer no real insight into the issues under discussion.
I “wish” wise decision making and thoughtful leadership followed party lines — it would make the job of citizens very easy. Unfortunately, any kind of objective look at things at any level of government quickly dispels any such magical thinking, and leaves us with the difficult task of actually trying to evaluate individuals on their own merits/demerits.