City Council Meeting (Apr 23, 2024)

The City Council held an agenda briefing work session on April 23, 2024, to review upcoming agenda items, committee matters, and city updates. The session was open to the public and streamed online, though no public comment was taken during this work session. The meeting focused on reviewing the agenda for the subsequent council meeting scheduled for April 23 at 4 p.m. at the Harris Cherokee Center, which included proclamations recognizing April as Less Plastic Asheville Month, National Police Week, and Peace Officers Memorial Day.

A significant portion of the work session was dedicated to reviewing items for the consent agenda of the upcoming regular meeting. The Council approved an ordinance authorizing the demolition of 158 South French Broad, citing public safety concerns and the building's deteriorated condition, with costs to be recouped via a tax lien. Several Asheville Police Department grant authorizations and contract renewals were approved, focusing on crime prevention and community health worker partnerships. Additionally, budget amendments reflecting positive financial performance at the Harris Cherokee Center, Nature Center, and Municipal Golf Course were approved. Other consent items included an amendment to the Nasty Branch Greenway design contract to address stormwater revisions, a lease agreement to relocate Fire Department administrative functions to the Jackson Building, and a change order to resume the demolition of the Vance Monument following a favorable North Carolina Supreme Court ruling.

The Council received updates on several key city initiatives. A budget process update highlighted a focus on compensation and benefits, with staff committing to provide a detailed memo by April 29 and requesting feedback by May 3. The Council approved funding recommendations for Strategic Partnership Grants aimed at closing the opportunity gap for low-to-moderate income youth. Regarding the Housing Trust Fund, the Council discussed a proposed allocation of over $4.6 million across five projects to create 197 affordable housing units, based on a recommendation from the Housing and Community Development Council Committee. Presentations were also given on the National Community Survey results, noting resident praise for arts and culture alongside concerns about affordability and safety, and an overview of the city’s transit system, which highlighted challenges in funding and fleet maintenance.

Looking ahead, the Council outlined the timeline for the upcoming budget cycle, with budget presentations scheduled for May 14, a public hearing on May 28, and final budget adoption on June 11. Staff agreed to continue working on the Missing Middle Housing Study, with an alternative proposal to be presented to the Council in May. City staff will also collaborate with the county on a comprehensive operations and financial assessment of the transit system. Finally, the Council noted that the Vance Monument demolition would be revisited in July.