Buncombe County Community Briefing | March 5, 2025
March 4, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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Event Recap
Buncombe County Community Briefing Recap: March 5, 2025
The Buncombe County Community Briefing on March 5, 2025, provided residents with crucial updates and information regarding ongoing recovery efforts from Tropical Storm Helene, wildfire safety precautions, and a range of county programs. The meeting, attended by key county officials including County Manager Avril Pender and representatives from the City of Asheville, focused on informing citizens about available resources and upcoming deadlines.
A significant portion of the briefing centered around recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, which continues to impact many residents. The Board of Commissioners approved a significant decision: accepting an $845 million zero-interest loan from the state of North Carolina to support disaster response activities related to the storm. Residents were reminded of several critical deadlines: March 8th for FEMA applications, March 10th for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and April 15th for private property debris removal. The County is encouraging residents to report any storm-related damage through buncombecounty.org/damageform and utilize the resources detailed in the Helene Recovery Resource Guide, available at bonecomready.org. Adjustments have been made to Community Care Station services, and Owen Pool Station remains unchanged.
Beyond storm recovery, the briefing addressed wildfire safety concerns. A burn ban remains in effect until Friday at 9:00 AM due to low humidity and strong winds, impacting open burning of yard waste, debris, and land clearing. However, cooking fires in pits or grills under 3 feet are permitted. A Code Purple is currently active for individuals experiencing homelessness during cold weather, activating overflow beds at shelters and illuminating Register of Deeds and HHS buildings with purple lights. Residents were also reminded to anticipate FCC Environmental bills covering services from January through March and to prepare for the upcoming property reappraisal, with notices being mailed starting March 10th.
The Board of Commissioners formally adopted the county's legislative agenda, which prioritizes securing recovery funds for local governments, bolstering law enforcement and public safety funding, finding primary permanent housing solutions, and supporting the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. Details on this agenda are available at www.bunkhamcounty.org. Additionally, Arts AVL is offering both an Emergency Relief Grant for artists and a new Arts Business Relief Grant with a March 14th deadline (artsavl.org/relief).
While the meeting primarily focused on providing updates, it did include valuable information from city representatives regarding water testing and storm debris removal. Deborah Campbell and Clay Chandler reported positive progress on Asheville's water quality testing, reassuring residents about the safety of the city’s water supply.
What's Next? Residents are encouraged to stay informed and take action by adhering to the burn ban, utilizing available recovery resources, meeting application deadlines, reporting damage, and bookmarking engage.buncombecounty.org/buncomberecovers for ongoing updates. Businesses should explore the Arts AVL grant opportunities, and county officials will continue advocating for state and federal funding to support ongoing recovery efforts. The CDBG-DR grant program includes a period for public feedback (March 4th - April 3rd) with scheduled sessions in March.
This briefing served as a vital communication channel, ensuring residents are well-informed about ongoing recovery efforts and essential safety precautions.