Event Recap
Meeting Overview On March 5, 2026, the Asheville City Council held a virtual Agenda Briefing Worksession. This informational meeting was convened to review upcoming agenda items for the March 10, 2026, regular City Council meeting and to preview the schedules for the Housing and Community Development and Planning, Economic Development, and Environment committee meetings scheduled for March 17, 2026. No formal votes were taken, and public comment was not accepted during this session.
Upcoming Council Business and Committee Agendas The primary focus of the briefing was a preview of the March 10, 2026, City Council agenda, which includes a budget work session at 3:00 p.m. and a formal meeting at 5:00 p.m. Staff outlined several key items scheduled for that date, including a public hearing on a conditional rezoning request for 383 N. Louisiana Avenue to allow for an 89-unit affordable housing building, and a public hearing for a 180-unit multi-family development at 230 Sardis Road. The agenda also includes resolutions to approve a $10 million budget amendment for water resilience improvements at the North Fork Water Treatment Plant, a $2,487,500 budget amendment for the Azalea Park Recovery Project, and a contract for police vehicle upfitting. Additionally, the Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution to rescind a Housing Trust Fund loan for the Stewart Street Cottages project and to apply for a federal grant to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center.
The briefing also covered the agendas for the March 17, 2026, committee meetings. The Housing and Community Development Committee, meeting at 10:00 a.m., will review updates on the CDBG-DR multi-family housing program and discuss 2026 CDBG program funding. The Planning, Economic Development, and Environment Committee, meeting at 1:00 p.m., will discuss the Asheville Rides Transit Comprehensive Operations Analysis and a contract for operations and maintenance.
Costco Development Update A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to an update on the potential Costco development site. Mayor Esther Manheimer provided details on the city’s ongoing efforts to address concerns raised by the Technical Review Committee regarding stormwater issues and berming, noting these are primarily site-related challenges. The city is currently supporting Costco’s grant application for a sewer connection and is working with state legislators to secure funding for transportation infrastructure improvements near the site.
Discussion Highlights and Follow-ups During the briefing, Councilwoman Kim Roney inquired about how future property tax revenue might be factored into project reviews and expressed concerns regarding the reliability of transit services. In response to these inquiries, staff agreed to explore ways to provide speculative property tax revenue estimates for future projects during the review process. Additionally, staff committed to providing letter responses to Costco’s concerns and preparing a letter supporting the grant application for the sewer connection. The City Manager and staff will continue working with state legislators on securing funding for the transportation infrastructure related to the Costco development.
Next Steps The City Council will proceed with the March 10, 2026, budget work session and regular council meeting to vote on the items previewed during this briefing. Following that, the Council will review the agendas for the Housing and Community Development and Planning, Economic Development, and Environment committee meetings on March 17, 2026.