City Council Meeting (In-Person) (Mar 10, 2026)

City Council Meeting Recap: March 10, 2026

The Asheville City Council held a regular meeting on March 10, 2026, which included a budget work session and a formal public session. The meeting addressed post-Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, proposed fee changes for the upcoming fiscal year, and two public hearings regarding conditional rezoning for new housing developments. All recorded votes on the agenda passed unanimously (7-0).

Key Decisions and Votes The Council approved a series of resolutions and budget amendments, all passing with a 7-0 vote:

• Housing Trust Fund: Rescinded a loan allocation of $1,052,850 to Reasonable Development, LLC for the Stewart Street Cottages project. Staff determined the developer’s requested changes to the project structure did not comply with City policy regarding long-term affordability.
• Recovery Funding: Adopted budget amendments to accept $2,487,500 from the Office of State Budget and Management for the Azalea Park Recovery Project and $10,000,000 from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality for water resilience improvements at the North Fork Water Treatment Plant.
• Contracts and Grants: Authorized the City Manager to amend the contract with Marathon Health LLC through June 30, 2026; sign a $145,000 amendment with GHD Engineering for the DeBruhl Water Treatment Plant; and enter into a $606,638.39 contract with Global Public Safety LLC to outfit 45 new police vehicles. The Council also authorized applications for a Department of Justice grant for a Crime Gun Intelligence Center and a N.C. Department of Commerce grant for sewer infrastructure in Enka Commerce Park.
• Zoning: Approved conditional rezoning for 230 Sardis Road (from Industrial to Residential Expansion - Conditional Zone) and 383 N. Louisiana Avenue (from Office to Office - Conditional Zone).
• Consolidated Plan: Approved an amendment to the City’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan to add affordable rental construction as a priority need and goal for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.
• Scheduling: Amended the budget schedule to move the March 24, 2026, budget work session from 3:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Discussion Highlights The meeting began with a joint statement from Mayor Esther Manheimer and Police Chief Jackie Stepp regarding recent gun violence in Asheville, outlining the Asheville Police Department’s increased presence and encouraging residents to share information via the "Tip to APD" app. The Council also proclaimed March 2026 as Red Cross Month.

During the budget work session, staff presented proposed fee increases for Fiscal Year 2027, including a 7.5% increase in stormwater fees and adjustments to water rates to address historical subsidies where residential customers paid more than their share of costs. Staff noted that a typical residential household would see an annual increase of $67.14 across solid waste, stormwater, and water services.

Recovery Coordinator Bridget Herring presented an update on post-Helene recovery, noting that while the Department of Homeland Security shutdown has caused some delays in FEMA reimbursements, the City is not delaying work. She reported that the City Manager has revised Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery allocations to reserve $2,125,000 for future resilience hub investments.

Community Input Several members of the public provided comments during the meeting:

• Andy Paul (Asheville for All) expressed support for the 230 Sardis Road project, emphasizing its potential to provide much-needed housing.
• Andrea Golden (Boulder Emma Neighborhood Council) voiced support for the 383 North Louisiana Avenue project, noting the neighborhood council’s appreciation for the dialogue regarding affordable housing.
• Paul Howell raised concerns about the prioritization of new construction over renovating existing community assets, specifically citing the closure of Walton Street Pool.
• Gino Perez advocated for prioritizing transit coverage over ridership in the city's transit plan to protect vulnerable populations from route cuts.
• Natasha Schwade urged the council to consider the true cost of development, including resilience against future disruptions such as fuel price increases.

Follow-ups Staff explicitly agreed to explore widening sidewalks along North Louisiana Avenue and Hazel Mill to 6 feet, as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Additionally, staff will provide a detailed explanation of recommended parking fee adjustments at the March 24, 2026, work session.

Impact on Residents The approval of the two zoning petitions paves the way for a 180-unit apartment complex at 230 Sardis Road and an 89-unit, 100% affordable rental complex at 383 North Louisiana Avenue. The 383 North Louisiana Avenue project includes a 30-year affordability requirement for households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. The budget amendments ensure that state and federal funds are formally allocated to repair infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Helene, including the Azalea Park and North Fork Water Treatment Plant projects.