“For example, people were not asked, “What is the only thing you would like to do on the property.” In the results of the Open City Hall survey, Public Civic Space did have the highest single total at 351. However, 484 responses asked for a variety of active, locally based mixed uses, retail, commerce or residential space.”
Asheville City Council voted unanimously to accept the recommendations presented by a volunteer citizen panel as the basis for soliciting design services on on Tuesday, March 28. But the community vision presented by the Haywood Street Advisory Team leaves a lot of room for interpretation — and possibly for future controversy about the long-debated best uses for the site.
City staff were called to account for a communication failure that led to the removal of mature fruit trees at George Washington Carver Edible Park last month. City Council approved a land use incentive grant for affordable housing on Simpson Street, amended the process for requesting a variance from the city’s signage ordinance and approved modest changes to the rules that govern downtown street performances.
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Asheville City Council will consider new rules that would limit acoustic performances in two of the city’s most popular busking areas, the sidewalk on Haywood Street in front of Woolworth Walk and the Flat Iron at Battery Park Avenue and Wall Street. Also: a grant to support affordable housing development on Simpson Street and a change to the city’s signage ordinance.
A unique community “visioning process” to determine how Asheville residents hope city-owned property on Haywood Street and Page Avenue will be used welcomed members of the public to two recent open houses.
