“This is a straight rezoning, not a project,” Mayor Esther Manheimer said. “A sidewalk is not a requirement we can make.”
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“This is a straight rezoning, not a project,” Mayor Esther Manheimer said. “A sidewalk is not a requirement we can make.”
“We’re creating a budget that has recurring expenses,” Mayor Esther Manheimer said. “You’ve got to have a source of revenue that continues year after year.”
‘That’s just what it’s like working in a bar,’ some say. Others might push it aside for financial reasons — ‘Don’t you want more tips?’ But local advocates say addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence is key to preventing it from continuing. Especially in the hospitality industry, where it is prevalent.
With the general election six months away, Xpress asked each candidate about campaign strategy and lessons from the trail thus far.
“Let’s prioritize candidates who propose practical policies to ensure our city remains a safe, thriving place.”
“There are lots of things we can’t do, but are we doing what we can?” asks Council member Kim Roney, who is up for reelection this year.
Safety and hospitality ambassadors for a downtown Asheville business improvement district would be perceived as a welcome addition by some — additional “eyes and ears” on the street. But others aren’t sure that such a program is a priority.
As the saying goes, “All politics is local.” At Xpress, we firmly believe this, which is why we’ve focused our primary election guide on local races that pertain specifically to Buncombe County. There will be a lot of new faces on local boards, offices, councils and benches. Asheville Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore is one of several […]
A 25th anniversary concert celebrating the Asheville Gay Men’s Chorus. Plus, the 26th annual Bluff Mountain Festival; The Big Secret returns; and more.
The decision comes after an extended back-and-forth between Council and staffers on whether the city could freeze rates for residential customers while still generating the revenue needed for water infrastructure maintenance and other expenses.
During Council’s last scheduled work session for the fiscal year 2023-24 budget on April 11, some members appeared to reverse course on a previous push to freeze residential water fees.
Residential customers pay higher rates for water than do commercial or industrial water consumers — $4.77 and $4.20 per cubic foot for single-family and multi-family housing, respectively, compared to as little as $2.29 per cubic foot for large manufacturers. Several members of Council said that the discrepancy was troubling.
The “aesthetic treatments” approved as part of the package include improved lighting, safety railing, pedestrian and bike surfaces and monument pillars.
An agreement between Asheville and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, approved by City Council in a 4-1 vote Jan. 24, will allow the APD to use a county-operated camera network to monitor the public.
Asheville’s water may be restored, but the spigot of information from city officials is still clogged.
At the request of Council member Kim Roney, six consent agenda items pertaining to the Asheville Police Department were singled out for discussion and separate votes. Over an hour of deliberation and public comment followed.
“There is a significant number of citizens who want to see a Council that is serious about transparency, mitigating local effects of climate change, particularly through sensible and innovative programs, and real commitment to our natural environment …”
With a unanimous vote during their Nov. 15 meeting, Asheville City Council members approved their fourth land use incentive grant of 2022. The award to South Carolina-based Orange Capital Advisors LLC brings the city’s spending on the affordable housing program this year to nearly $5.4 million.
Complete Democratic control of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, a better-than-expected performance by Jasmine Beach-Ferrara and $70 million in new spending for county initiatives all emerged from this year’s midterm election results.
“More resources without strategy that apprehends the true nature of the challenge won’t get the public safety and public health job done.”
“In this election cycle, two of the most progressive candidates are not Democrats and have no party affiliation. They are mayoral candidate Kim Roney and City Council candidate Andrew Fletcher.”