Special Meeting: Downtown Commission (Virtual) (Sep 12, 2025)

Recap of Special Meeting: Downtown Commission (Virtual) (September 12, 2025)

This recap summarizes the findings and discussions from a special virtual meeting of the Downtown Commission (DTC) held on September 27, 2023. The primary focus of the meeting was to appoint representatives from the DTC to the newly established Economy and Housing Recovery Boards, created by City Council in response to the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. Additionally, the meeting provided updates on the current state of downtown Asheville’s economy and safety initiatives. The meeting was a collaborative effort, aiming to support the city's recovery efforts in a forward-looking and optimistic manner.

A key outcome of the meeting was the appointment of Eva Michelle to represent the DTC on the Economy Recovery Board and Robin Raines as the representative for the Housing Recovery Board. These boards, along with Infrastructure and Environment boards, were established by City Council to gather public input and provide advice during the city’s recovery period, which is slated to continue until June 2027. The existing members of the Design Review Committee, Brian Moffitt and Ricardo, will continue in their roles. The meeting clarified that advisory boards can engage in recovery efforts through both top-down (assignments from City Council or department directors) and bottom-up approaches.

Significant discussion revolved around the current state of downtown Asheville’s economy, with attendees noting a shift towards an event-driven model. Several speakers highlighted how different events are attracting diverse crowds, influencing the downtown landscape. Steph Monsendahl (Planning and Urban Design Director) outlined the scope of work for both recovery boards, emphasizing their roles in providing policy recommendations and supporting existing operations. Aiden shared data on visitor trends, which will be published monthly to aid business decisions. A public safety panel is scheduled for September 18th at the YMI, organized by the Downtown Association and Downtown Improvement District.

Looking ahead, the DTC members are expected to actively monitor the activities of the recovery boards and provide input as needed. City Council and staff will continue to support these boards and coordinate efforts across departments. The Downtown Association and DTI are tasked with continuing the publication of visitor trend data and organizing events like the upcoming public safety panel. Finally, officer elections (Chair and Vice Chair) for the DTC are scheduled to take place in future meetings.