May 28, 2025 - Hendersonville City Council Meeting

Recap of Hendersonville City Council Meeting – May 28, 2025

The Hendersonville City Council convened on May 28, 2025, to discuss a range of community matters including planning, historic preservation, stormwater management, and budget allocations. The meeting included presentations from various organizations and public comment opportunities for residents.

Key Decisions & Discussions:

The Council approved the agenda as presented without discussion and subsequently approved a total budget of $158,120 for nonprofit allocations. Specific funding was designated for organizations including Literacy Connection ($10,000), the Medical Loan Closet ($2,800), and the shuffleboard tournament ($1,250). The Council also voted to enter closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11a5 to discuss negotiating the price and other material terms of a contract or proposed contract for the acquisition of real property.

Significant discussion centered on several key initiatives. Susan Enright Hicks presented the Age-Friendly Community Plan, which utilizes a framework developed by AARP. The plan will be reviewed by a stakeholder group to consider implementation suggestions, particularly regarding projects at the Whitmire Center and Patton Park. The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) presented awards recognizing efforts in historic preservation, highlighted their ongoing "Cookie Caper" initiative which includes educational materials and surveys of historic districts, and outlined plans for future events such as a Halloween cemetery tour. WK Dixon consultants presented an overview of the draft Stormwater Master Plan, detailing data management strategies and a GIS database for tracking infrastructure. The plan estimates $32 million in project costs, prompting discussion about funding opportunities and a proposed motto: "maintenance pays, and repairs cost."

Community Input:

Several residents offered public comments. Requests were made regarding consideration of SNAP benefits and nutritional support for older residents, realtor training concerning historic district responsibilities, addressing the impact of flooding on residents and businesses, and inquiries about photos from the stormwater presentation. Concerns were raised regarding debris removal in Wash Creek and responsibility for drainage on private property.

Follow-Ups & Action Items:

Several follow-up actions were identified during the meeting. Matt Manley will convene a stakeholder group to review the Age-Friendly Community Plan and discuss implementation strategies. The Historic Preservation Commission will explore realtor training regarding responsibilities when selling homes in historic districts. Staff is continuing to collect stories from residents within the five neighborhoods being researched for historic recognition. Mike and his team are working with Dustin to build an online GIS tool (Experience Builder) for city staff. Staff will assess the condition of Third Avenue and address any emergency repairs. The city is working with its budget team to identify funding opportunities for the $32 million in stormwater projects, including exploring federal and state funding options. The county is contracted to remove debris from waterways, starting with Mud Creek and then moving on to Mills River, Wash Creek, and Clear Creek. Finally, staff will bring the finalized nonprofit budget allocations back to the council for adoption on June 5th.