# Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee (Virtual) (Jul 15, 2025) **Body:** City of Asheville — Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee **Date:** July 15, 2025 1:00 PM EDT (2025-07-15T13:00:00-04:00) **Link:** https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765 ## Summary The Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee approved the minutes from the June 17, 2025 meeting. The committee also voted to pass the Micromobility Policy Refresher. This vote serves as a recommendation for the City Council to adopt a resolution repealing and replacing specific sections of the City Code (Sections 19-1, 19-6, 19-7, and 19-14) with revised language regarding personal micromobility devices. ## Discussion Highlights The majority of the meeting was dedicated to a presentation on Economic Recovery Work Planning, delivered by Nikki Reed from Community & Economic Development and Stephanie Monson Dahl from Planning & Urban Design. The presentation outlined how recovery efforts align with Council priorities in People, Housing, Environment, Infrastructure, and Economy. Key topics included the "FAST Team" initiative, which is wrapping up its immediate work but will continue providing support to property and business owners affected by flooding. The presenters reported that over $1.3 million in grants has been distributed through Mountain BizWorks and Arts ADL, supporting 77 businesses. Marcus Kirkman of the Business Inclusion Office highlighted the office's role in connecting underrepresented businesses with debris removal contracts through Ashbrit, a federal contractor. He noted that 11 local businesses secured subcontracts, leading to job creation and business growth. The discussion also covered efforts to expand the city’s contractor pool through workshops and streamlined Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certification processes. Additionally, the committee discussed the upcoming Urban Land Institute (ULI) Advisory Services Panel, which will help refine the economic recovery work plan and the deployment of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBGDR) funds. Regarding the Activating Asheville Downtown agenda item, the discussion focused on strategies from the Asheville Downtown Association to support local businesses. The presentation outlined initiatives such as a Social District pilot, Open Streets events, and parking voucher programs aimed at increasing foot traffic and supporting the local economy. The Micromobility Policy Refresher involved a review of proposed ordinance updates to align with industry best practices and state law. The revisions clarify definitions for micromobility devices, allowing human-powered devices on sidewalks and greenways, and permitting self-propelled devices in bike lanes on state-controlled streets. The current prohibition on shared e-scooter programs remains unchanged. Staff indicated that a new city webpage with a "Where to Ride" graphic and FAQs will be created, and the Asheville Police Department will be coordinated for enforcement. The committee also reviewed its Fiscal Year 2026 Work Plan, which centers on the City Council’s recovery priorities. The plan details activities for land use and transportation planning, economic development, climate action, and resilience efforts. The committee is scheduled to meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. as needed. ## Community Input The meeting provided an opportunity for public comment via phone, but the transcript summary does not document any specific comments from members of the public. ## Follow-ups Staff indicated that the city will re-advertise opportunities to program the space at 68 Haywood Street for events. Additionally, the committee will work with the ULI Advisory Services Panel to refine the economic recovery plan. The document summaries note that the City will review and incorporate ULI recommendations into the Economic Recovery Strategy in August and September 2025, with the official ULI report expected in late fall 2025. ## Impact This meeting focused on transitioning Asheville’s economic recovery efforts from immediate disaster response to long-term strategic planning. The approval of the micromobility policy recommendation moves the city closer to updating its rules to better accommodate personal transportation devices while maintaining safety. The detailed review of economic recovery initiatives, including grant distribution and contractor pool expansion, highlights the city's ongoing commitment to supporting local businesses and equitable economic opportunities following the recent storm. ## Agenda - [Approval of Minutes (June 17, 2025)](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765/item/3900) - [Economic Recovery Work Planning](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765/item/3901) - [Activating Asheville Downtown](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765/item/3902) - [Micromobility Policy Refresher](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765/item/3903) - [PEDE Work Planning](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765/item/3904) - [PUBLIC COMMENT (3 Minutes Each)](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765/item/3905) ## Votes - Micromobility Policy Refresher — Passed ## Video & Transcript - Recording: https://youtube.com/live/kf46kCh2Kg0?feature=share - Transcript: https://sunshinemeetings.org/transcript/645/segments - Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOwOeRVge74 - Transcript: https://sunshinemeetings.org/transcript/361/segments ## Documents - [1 - PEDE Agenda 7_15_25 (3).pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1979) - [7 - PEDE Workplan, July 15, 2025.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1977) - [3 - Economic Recovery .pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1975) - [agenda_2025-07-15.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1974) - [6-PEDE_Council - Micromobility Policy Updates - July 15, 2025 .pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1982) - [5 - PEDE CMTE STAFF REPORT- Proposed Micromobility Ordinance Revisions (July 2025).pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1988) - [4 - PEDE PRESENTATION (1).pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1985) - [2 - DRAFT - PEDE Action Minutes June 17, 2025.pdf](https://sunshinemeetings.org/event/765?document=1992) ## Sources - [City of Asheville WordPress](https://www.ashevillenc.gov/government/meetings/planning-economic-development-and-environment-committee-virtual-jul-15-2025/)