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.”
Tag: annexation
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Biltmore Lake residents’ annexation lawsuit against city of Asheville
A lawsuit filed in response to a 2007 decision by Asheville City Council to annex the Biltmore Lake subdivision in Enka will be heard in Buncombe County Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The 2007 action was stalled by a petition from residents, who have not had to pay city property taxes in the intervening […]
Biltmore Lake annexation trial slated for Tuesday
The Biltmore Lake annexation fight will come before Superior Court this Tuesday, when annexation foes and the city of Asheville will make their cases.
Woodfin backs away from annexation plans
The town of Woodfin backed away from a massive proposed annexation when the Board of Aldermen voted unanimously on Sept. 15 to indefinitely suspend the expansion.
Woodfin annexation opponents turn out in force, promise fight
Declaring that they’re ready for a fight, about 400 opponents of a massive annexation proposed by the town of Woodfin packed the Woodfin Elementary gym for Tuesday night’s public hearing. The residents of the 3.5 square mile slice of Erwin Hills and Leicester argued that they’ll see higher taxes but little or no benefits if forced to join the town.
Woodfin pursues major expansion
Woodfin is pursuing an annexation that would bring 3,360 people — almost half the town’s current population — from the Erwin Hills and Leicester areas into the town.
Asheville City Council preview: May 26 meeting
Downtown Master plan public hearing, tethered dogs, Overlook Park and the Sullivan Acts and a special work session for a budget review. What else do you need?
At what price?
A small group of people in the Swannanoa Valley are proposing to form an incorporated township. But after listening to their reasoning, I’ve heard nothing to justify this. I have a personal reason for opposing incorporation. I came to the Swannanoa Valley in 1958 to work at Kearfott in Black Mountain. In 1959, I bought […]
Asheville City Council
Council members air budget gripes Asheville to Raleigh: No annexation moratorium Federal brownfields grants earmarked for River District? It collected only four votes, but that’s all that was needed for Swannanoa’s incorporation bid to advance to the next stage. Supporters and opponents had made their respective cases before the Asheville City Council on several occasions, […]
Asheville City Council
City cuts event co-sponsorship costs Mumpower again raises immigration issue A proposed statewide moratorium on forced annexation could postpone a decision on four Asheville annexations that are currently tied up in court, City Attorney Bob Oast reported during City Council’s May 20 work session. The band plays on: The Asheville Holiday Parade was spared cuts […]
Asheville City Council
The Asheville City Council chamber has seen its share of controversy … but helmets? Scores of people wore protective headgear to Council’s Feb. 26 meeting—not because of physical danger, however, but to show support for a new city bicycle plan. On a roll: Helmet-clad cyclists showed up in droves to support Asheville’s bike plan at […]
Asheville City Council
They’re the bane of many city residents: drivers who ignore the posted speed limits on Asheville’s residential streets. But outside of more police enforcement, the methods used to slow speeders down often is too costly and too slow to come about because of a complicated and time-consuming process necessary to erect traffic-calming measures such as […]
Town and country
A push to incorporate Swannanoa has gathered speed—and petition signatures—over the past year, but some community residents aren’t happy about it. A new town: A map of the proposed town limits of Swannanoa. “There’s a sense among a lot of people that yes, this is a good thing,” says Swannanoa native Dave Alexander, one of […]
Asheville City Council
Asheville City Council agreed at its May 15 session to begin the process of annexing three areas abutting city limits. The law won: Asheville City Council may boost the police budget by $1 million, providing for more personnel and additional tools to combat drugs and other crimes. photo by Jonathan Welch Unlike recent Council meetings […]
Asheville City Council
The Asheville City Council made short work of its March 20 meeting agenda. In a scant two hours, Council members ran through a number of agenda items, a couple of which will have a long-term impact on the city. Besides kicking in money for a new city park, Council approved the voluntary annexation of a […]
The incredible expanding town
The town of Woodfin has been perched on Asheville’s northern border since 1971, when it incorporated to avoid annexation by the city. High on the mountaintop: Reynolds Mountain, which has raised the ire of some activists, as seen from Woodfin. The developer will own and fund much of Woodfin’s new downtown. photos by Jonathan Welch […]
Asheville City Council
With nearly two dozen annexation foes on hand, many sporting red shirts in a show of solidarity, the Asheville City Council spent a good portion of its marathon Feb. 27 meeting examining its ability—or rather inability—to lawfully expand the city limits. Take me to the river: Gradual rezoning of Asheville’s River District could help transform […]
Asheville City Council
“Brevity,” wrote Shakespeare, “is the soul of wit.” That particular bit of wisdom, however, isn’t generally reflected in Asheville City Council meetings, which typically drag on and on, leaving those in attendance at — well, at their wits’ end. But The Bard would probably have approved of the Oct. 12 formal session, which clocked in […]