Rescheduled: Infrastructure Recovery Board (Hybrid) (Jan 12, 2026)

Infrastructure Recovery Board Meeting Recap: Shaping Asheville's Parks for the Future (January 12, 2026)

On January 12th, the City of Asheville's Infrastructure Recovery Board (IRB) convened in a hybrid meeting to discuss crucial steps toward rebuilding and improving our city's parks, particularly those along the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. This meeting followed extensive community engagement efforts aimed at gathering input on how to “build back better” after recent storm damage, aligning with the city’s vision for a resilient and vibrant Asheville.

Key Decisions & Approvals:

The board made several significant decisions, including unanimously approving revised rules of procedure that clarify membership, participation options (including virtual attendance), and disciplinary procedures. More importantly, after reviewing detailed feedback from surveys, open houses, and focused discussions, the IRB identified three top priorities for each of the Azalea Parks & Infrastructure Recovery and French Broad Riverfront Parks projects. These priorities will guide design concepts moving forward. For Azalea Park, the focus is on flood resilience, ensuring safe access and transportation options, and prioritizing nature-focused trails. For the French Broad Riverfront Parks, discussions centered on similar themes of resilience and accessibility.

Discussion Highlights: Listening to the Community:

A major focus was on analyzing community input gathered through a comprehensive engagement process. Over 2,300 residents participated in surveys and open houses, sharing their visions for these parks. Recurring themes included a desire for accessible, resilient spaces that celebrate nature and support local businesses along the river. Board members repeatedly emphasized the importance of considering climate change, ecological stewardship, and improved accessibility for all residents. Concerns about pedestrian safety, particularly around access to the parks, were also frequently raised.

Community Input: Voices Heard & Addressed:

The meeting highlighted the importance of ensuring all voices are heard in this recovery process. While acknowledging strong participation, project teams noted a need to reach underrepresented communities – including BIPOC residents, low-income individuals, renters, and younger adults. Future engagement efforts will focus on addressing this gap to ensure a truly inclusive vision for our parks.

Action Items: What's Next?

Several key actions emerged from the meeting, setting the stage for future progress:

• Consultant Collaboration: The IRB's prioritized themes will be shared with the consulting firms (OLIN for Azalea and Sasaki for French Broad) working on the park designs.
• City Council Presentation: The board's recommendations will be presented to City Council for consideration on January 13th.
• Funding Discussions: Upcoming meetings (February 3rd & 10th) will focus on exploring grant funding opportunities and strategies for ecological restoration.
• Collaboration with Urban Forestry Commission: The board will explore ways to collaborate with the Urban Forestry Commission regarding fee-in-lieu funds for reforestation efforts.
• Addressing Missing Perspectives: The project teams will actively work to incorporate feedback from underrepresented communities in future phases of the engagement process.

Why This Matters to You:

The Infrastructure Recovery Board’s work directly impacts the quality of life for Asheville residents. By prioritizing community input and focusing on resilience, accessibility, and ecological stewardship, the city is striving to create parks that are not only beautiful but also safe, inclusive, and prepared for the challenges of a changing climate. This is an ongoing process, and opportunities to provide your input will continue as the project progresses – stay tuned for updates on the City of Asheville website.