“Today, Asheville’s a tourist destination fueled by wealth-take-all capitalism beset with growing urban issues such as parking, pollution, land use, development, affordable housing, crime and allocation of tax revenues. Yet are all these intractable problems with only temporary solutions? Not really.”
“I have watched as the number of small and larger businesses have grown in the once-residential neighborhood. With that has come the frustration of chronic parking issues and escalating traffic volume.”
Downtown representatives, transit experts and Montford residents discuss the various impacts of Asheville’s parking woes.
Members of Asheville City Council discussed transit, parking revenues, personnel costs and weighed funding options for the newly approved updates to Memorial Stadium.
“Preservation at all costs is not the answer.”
“All of this begs the question: Who is this city built for? “
“The parking is tough, and this is not unusual for many cities, but we need to come up with a solution for local folks just trying to utilize our wonderful independent restaurants, shops, etc.”
ASHEVILLE, N.C.
On Aug. 29, 1920, The Sunday Citizen asked readers, “Why should the city provide places in the streets for the prolonged parking of motors?” Responses to the question varied.
“There’s not a simple solution,” says Sage Turner, who chairs both the Downtown Commission and its Parking and Transportation Committee. “The reality is, at peak hours when everyone wants to be downtown, there is just not enough parking.”
“My suggestion is that you return at least half of the $23 million to the city for pothole repair, public services and maybe even some wage assistance.”
Parks and Recreation Director Roderick Simmons fielded criticism over the parking changes from multiple community members and athletic groups. The city’s efforts to reduce the burden of event parking in the East End, Edgehill, Hunt Hill and Oakhurst neighborhoods, they said, had hampered their access to the athletic facility.
“Parking is becoming more and more a racket in Asheville.”
Asheville City Council will hear public comment on two proposed hotel projects and an economic development incentive grant at its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11. City parking fines will rise on Feb. 1, 2019.
“I was hoping the village would become a vibrant community of businesses, restaurants and shopping. That has not happened.”
ASHEVILLE, NC
“Like others, I have been deeply offended by the heavy-handed manner in which our airport authority has coerced more people to park in the new parking deck: by closing off 300 spaces in the long-term surface lot.”
City residents will comment on Asheville’s $180 million spending plan at Council’s regular meeting in council Chambers at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22. Police equity concerns and Strategic Partnership Fund grants are also on the agenda.
City Council will shine a spotlight on the River Arts District at its Oct. 24 meeting, with agenda items including a proposed 70-room lodging reuse, parking problems and adoption of a zoning code intended to encourage vibrant mixed use in the area.
Asheville, N.C.
