“Residential construction hasn’t kept up with population growth, and the resulting scarcity pushes up rents and home prices. This means that the folks who make Asheville weird, its artists and young people, are being pushed out.”

“Residential construction hasn’t kept up with population growth, and the resulting scarcity pushes up rents and home prices. This means that the folks who make Asheville weird, its artists and young people, are being pushed out.”
Court rulings and state laws sometimes mean local governments can’t adopt zoning rules their constituents might like — and in some cases, it’s uncertain just how much authority municipalities have, say Asheville City Attorney Brad Branham and other lawyers working in the field.
“Many activists, citizens, eco-groups, the Urban Forestry Commission and the Neighborhood Advisory Committee are justly appalled by and formally opposed to PUDD’s machination.”
“The primary purpose of zoning laws should be to mitigate these externalized costs, to prevent development from being a burden on the community.”
“The town of Woodfin has obfuscated when it should have been more honest and clear.”
Countless existing structures of every shape and size remain vacant throughout the city, many in decrepit condition after years with no occupants. According to the National Association of Realtors’ Q3 2021 Commercial Real Estate Metro Market Report, 26% of Asheville’s currently available commercial space is vacant, including industrial, multifamily, retail and office properties.
“There absolutely should be zoning rules, restrictions and regulations in Buncombe County that prevent investors, who have no interest in an area beyond making money, from creating these stand-alone STRs in established neighborhoods.”
“Every visionary city plan with citizen input here was created exactly to prevent this type of intrusion and destruction.”
“As a neighborhood, many of us would likely extend our heartfelt support for a development project that respects the hard work, discernment and collective visioning of our neighborhood citizens and abides by the present zoning that we have worked so diligently to create.”
“The city of Coral Gables, Fla.. … has been very successful preserving its heritage as well as allowing for the growth that comes with a popular place to live.
Zoning may not deliver the same zing as other hot-button issues in a competitive election cycle, but it’s among the most crucial discussions Asheville leaders and residents face as the city grows. Each candidate has different ideas about what to do first.
Move over, police, protests and the pandemic: At Asheville City Council’s meeting of Tuesday, Oct. 13, the focus shifts to development (at least according to the agenda).
The Buncombe County Planning Board will hear proposals for two massive development projects at its virtual meeting of Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m.
Asheville City Council will take a brief respite from conversations about policing and budgets to consider new standards for tree canopy preservation at its meeting of Tuesday, Aug. 25. Three public hearings will address different parts of the proposed standards.
In Buncombe County, manufactured housing is limited to certain zoning designations, but the county planning board recently voted in favor of an amendment that would expand the list of areas where manufactured homes would be allowed. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing about the change in the coming weeks.
“Crucially, there is no requirement that projects financed this way demonstrate any benefit to their host neighborhood, either before, during or after they are completed.”
“For a town that touts its ‘progressiveness,’ the city of Asheville has shown once again that it is only willing to take the measures that will make our town pretty for its tourists — not livable for its residents.”
“I call foul on the city for engaging in this aggressive, underhanded attempt to further gentrify West Asheville.”
“When local workers can’t find housing they can afford and our less fortunate population — including families with children — is one rent check away from living on the street, this predicament has reached critical mass.”
2018’s annual joint meeting of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners highlighted issues of racial equity, police use-of-force and zoning conflicts affecting Buncombe residents.