“It’s not going to be fun to point out how historically some things haven’t worked out so great and they have bad impact on business and the residents,” Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods president Rick Freeman told the audience at the Coalition of Independent Business Owners meeting April 5.
Asheville on Bikes has recently drawn attention for its successful advocacy at City Hall, but it’s just one of many community organizations that seek to pull the levers of political power in Asheville. Xpress spoke to several of these groups to learn more about how they pursue their agendas.
“We believe that this extreme attempt at dismantling this worthwhile system … will result in a less inclusive, less transparent, top-down form of governance that’s not in the public’s best interest.”
“Until the professed advocates of affordable housing and assistance for the homeless get off their BUTS and honestly attack these issues, nothing significant will happen.”
“Do we really believe that reducing open space in order to build more units per development will actually produce more affordable housing?”
“As with water and air pollution, noise pollution is a recognized public health issue that contributes to increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbance, depression, stress and hearing loss.”
The new rules will take effect Wednesday, Sept. 15.
Scheduled for a vote at Council’s regular meeting is a series of revisions to the city’s noise ordinance that would set specific decibel levels for downtown, as well as commercial and industrial areas, as measured from any property away from the source of the noise.
“Asheville deserves a noise ordinance based on proven science that will create a safer, healthier, more sustainable, more socially just and more livable Asheville for everyone.”
Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods’ Chair Amy Kemp shares her perspective on issues that had the greatest impact on the city’s neighborhoods in 2018.
“The city allowed the builder to go through all the expensive steps required to get total approval from all regulatory agencies, and then several Council members announced their intent to vote against it because, in their great wisdom, they have made the arbitrary decision that Asheville already has too many hotels.”
“We strongly encourage including a certain percentage of affordable houses or apartments in every project.”
A push for more restrictive noise rules throughout the city is making its way to Asheville City Council’s Public Safety Committee this afternoon, March 26. One proposal, from a member of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, seeks changes to Asheville’s rules, such as designating singing, musical instruments and “noisy parties” after 10 p.m. as potential nuisances.
