At its regular meeting on April 12, Asheville City Council passed a strongly-worded resolution calling for the repeal of House Bill 2. Citizens and Council members reflected on the impact of the law on many aspects of life in North Carolina, striking a chord of near-unanimity in wholehearted dissent.
In addition to her new role as Vice Mayor, Asheville City Councilmember Gwen Wisler serves on a long list of important city boards and commissions, as well as civic organizations. Xpress talks with Wisler to find out what’s on her mind as she leads city projects from the budget to the update of the citywide comprehensive plan.
The city asked for input on downtown development review standards and, if turnout can be considered an indication, it certainly got it. At least 124 members of the community signed in for an open house-style meeting about development issues in downtown Asheville on March 23.
One clear winner from the 2015 City Council elections: local hopes for a public space for the city-owned lots facing the Basilica of St. Lawrence and the U.S. Cellular Center. Not so clear: exactly what kind of space Asheville needs and who will pay for it. The city’s Planning and Economic Development committee took up the hot potato issue to try to figure out how to move forward.
In its first full meeting since three newly-elected Council members were seated, City Council moved in new directions on a public space for a city-owned lot on Haywood Street and on including some accessory dwelling units in the city’s homestay ordinance for short-term rentals. Council also considered downtown development review standards and passed a resolution on the I-26 connector project.
Supporters of a public park on the site of a city-owned lot across the street from the Basilica of St. Lawrence and the U.S. Cellular Center are gearing up to present 4,389 signed petitions in favor of a park at the Dec. 8 meeting of City Council.
With four cranes silhouetted against the skyline, construction fencing blocking sidewalks and hundreds of construction workers on the job every day, downtown Asheville is buzzing with development activity. Despite the blazing pace of new construction, City Council has reviewed only four downtown projects since 2010. At its Dec. 8 meeting, City Council will reconsider the thresholds that trigger Council review.
Newly-elected Asheville City Council members were sworn in on Dec. 1. The new Council selected Councilwoman Gwen Wisler as Vice Mayor. Mayor Esther Manheimer pronounced the short, upbeat meeting a “good start” for the new body.
Newly-Elected City Council members Brian Haynes, Julie Mayfield and Keith Young will take the oath of office in Council chambers on the second floor of City Hall on Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. A new Vice Mayor will be elected from the seven-member Council.
Local business owners have banded together under the mantra UnChain Asheville in an attempt to sway the public toward shopping with small businesses rather than chains.
State-level PACs don’t typically get heavily involved in campaigning for municipal candidates. But, as in so many things, Asheville broke the mold.
While early voting results showed candidates Julie Mayfield, Keith Young and Marc Hunt in the lead, results quickly moved all up and down the board. Ultimately, Vice Mayor Hunt lost his bid for re-election, and Young, Haynes and Mayfield (in that order) won Ashevilleans’ votes and the three City Council seats.
“This City Council election is pivotal. There are three candidates who have the interests of citizens at heart and three that might not.”
“Given that affordable housing and environmental protection are two of the greatest challenges our city faces, Brian is more than deserving of one of my three votes for City Council.”
“I am backing Rich Lee and Brian Haynes because both will be loyal to the people of Asheville, with particular concern to affordability, the overmarketing of Asheville by the hotel industry and listening to what the people want.”
“We don’t need another building downtown — we need green space, and for Sierra Club to take the side of more development was disappointing.”
“The three candidates for City Council who support that green space deserve our support — Brian Haynes, Keith Young and Rich Lee.”
Though they share many of the same policy positions and goals for Asheville, each of the six city council candidates still in the race must now highlight for voters the qualities and experiences that make him or her unique. At the latest candidate forum, candidates worked to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
The Asheville Downtown Association tried something different at the Wednesday, Oct. 14 Asheville City Council candidate forum. Rather than bringing the candidates up on stage, the forum blended candidates into the audience to interact with and answer questions directly from the voters.
Brian Haynes Website: brianhaynesforavl.com Employment: Showroom assistant manager at Habitat for Humanity Party affiliation: Registered unaffiliated, votes in Democratic primaries NEW! Notable endorsements: All Souls Pizza, The Amp Shop, Appalachian Realty, Asheville Face Painting, Beauty Parade, Blue Dream Curry House, Bon Vivant, The Burger Bar, The Cork & Keg, The Double Crown, Echo Mountain Recording, Empire […]
“I support Brian Haynes for Council member because he is the only candidate whose message is: ‘Slow down” and think.'”
