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BY THE RECORDASHEVILLE
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Asheville City Council

September 26, 2023

Regular meeting

WaterPublic safetyOther City businessHomelessnessHousingBudget and taxesStreets and transit

What it did

Votes recorded
13
Voted on separately
3
Routine items, one vote
10
Votes that split
1

Why it matters

Regular meetings are where Council votes on laws, the budget, contracts and zoning. Routine items pass together in one vote, called the consent agenda.

The recording

From the City of Asheville's YouTube channel. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.Open on YouTube
Agenda Minutes The City's meeting page

Everything on the agenda

From the minutes, in the order the City lists them. Each item's first lines are the minutes' own words.

PROCLAMATIONS

  1. Proclamation proclaiming October, 2023, as “Fire Prevention Month” 9-26-23: page 2

    “Mayor Manheimer read the proclamation proclaiming October, 2023, as "Fire Prevention Month " in the City of Asheville.”

CONSENT AGENDA

  1. 10 routine items, passed together in one vote.

PRESENTATIONS & REPORTS

  1. Manager’s report

    “Cease the Harm Audit Update Equity & Inclusion Director Brenda Mills outlined some key takeaways from her presentation (1) The Commission passed an immediate recommendation for an audit to be conducted to assure the cessation of harms to African-Americans in the City of Asheville and Buncombe…”

PUBLIC HEARINGS

  1. Public hearing to consider conditionally zoning 115 Fairview Road from urban village to residential expansion/conditional zone

    “At the request of the applicant’s attorney, Councilwoman Turner moved to continue this public hearing until December 12, 2023.”

  2. Public hearing to consider a Conditional Zoning 4 Grandview Place, 2 Grandview Place and 1177 Tunnel Road from RS-8 residential single family high density district and Commercial business i district to to Commercial business…

    “Urban Planner Clay Mitchell said that this is the consideration of an ordinance to conditionally zone 4 Grandview Place, 2 Grandview Place and 1177 Tunnel Road from RS-8 Residential Single Family High Density District and Community Business I District to Community Business 1/ Conditional Zone.”

  3. Public hearing to conditionally zone 1 Oak Street from Central Business District to central business expansion district/conditional zone

    “Principal Planner Will Palmquist said that this is the consideration of an ordinance to conditionally zone 1 Oak Street from Central Business District to Central Business Expansion/Conditional Zone for the purpose of approving a conceptual master plan for the development of several multi-story…”

NEW BUSINESS

  1. Resolution to adopt the Pack Square Plaza Vision Plan

    “Planning & Urban Design Director Stephanie Dahl, said that this is the consideration of a resolution to adopt the Pack Square Plaza Vision Plan.”

INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT

  1. Public comment

    • request for adoption for a Medicare for All resolution
    • reputational harm

Voted on separately

Each of these had its own motion and vote.

  1. Rezones 1 Oak St, with conditions, from Central Business District (CBD) to Central Business District Expansion - Conditional Zone (CBD EXP-CZ).

    Passed. Voted no: S. Antanette Mosley, Kim Roney.

    More from the minutes
    • “He said that staff concurs with the Planning & Zoning Commission and recommends approval of the proposed conditional zoning.”
    • “Councilwoman Mosley said that when she hears people discuss how unaffordable it is now and how it was fine 20 years ago, she is able to draw a direct line from redlining to the lack of affordable housing today.”
    • “That said - an incomplete story was told about that overlay map, I did not vote to include this lot for the hotel overlay map because I did not think surrounding our historic Black neighborhoods of EEVS and Southside was appropriate, we wouldn’t do that to other neighborhoods.”

  2. Rezones 4 Grandview Pl, with conditions, from Residential Single-Family High Density (RS-8) and Community Business I (CBI) to Community Business I - Conditional Zone (CBI-CZ).

    Passed. Everyone present voted yes.

    More from the minutes
    • “The project site totals 0.87 acres located at 4 Grandview Pl, 2 Grandview Pl, and 1177 Tunnel Rd (PINs 9648-09-4109, 9648-09-3101, and 9648-09-1095)”
    • “The project site consists of three properties totaling 0.87 acres located at 4 Grandview Pl, 2 Grandview Pl, and 1177 Tunnel Rd.”
    • “The properties are currently zoned Residential Single-Family High Density (RS-8) and Community Business I (CB-I).”

  3. Adopts Reimagining Pack Square: A Vision Plan.

    Passed. Everyone present voted yes.

    More from the minutes
    • What the minutes say it will do: “The Plan provides ten design-based ideas for moving the community themes for improvement forward.”
    • “Overall, The Vision states that Pack Square Plaza in the future should: be more usable and accessible; provide new experiences and amenities; be a place for sharing stories and addressing past harm; and better connect to The Block.”

Routine items, passed together

The consent agenda: items Council approves in one vote, without separate discussion. A member can ask to pull an item out for its own vote.

  1. Resolution authorizing the City.

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • The money, in the minutes' words: “The bid included pricing for the Greenway construction (including allowances) in the amount of $2,860,536.80 and pricing for the Bleachery Blvd bridge improvements in the amount of $1,026,081.15”
    • “This Swannanoa River Greenway Construction Project will install approximately one mile of greenway along the Swannanoa River where no bicycle or pedestrian facilities currently exist.”
    • “Once completed, the constructed greenway will connect the one mile stretch along the Swannanoa River from Glendale Ave. to Bleachery Blvd.”

  2. Changes the contract with Labor Finders for temporary Staffing at Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville.

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • What the minutes say it will do: “This request will add funds for fiscal year 2024.”
    • The money, in the minutes' words: “9-26-23 Page 7 Action Requested: Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to amend the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville’s (HCCA) contract with Labor Finders, to increase the total contract not to exceed value to $360,000, for temporary staffing.”

  3. Lets the City Manager approve the donation of Asheville Police Department surplus radios to the Woodfin Police Department.

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • The money, in the minutes' words: “Equipment to be donated consists of 14 Motorola APX Radios, at an estimated cost of $300 each for a total of $4,200.”

  4. Applies for the U.S. dept. of Housing & Urban Development the City of Asheville’s…, and accepts it if awarded.

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • “Quality Affordable Housing”

  5. Signs an agreement with Paymentus for the Water Resources Department Interactive Voice Response Payment Acceptance and Electronic Billing…

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • What the minutes say it will do: “This agreement will continue to provide customers with interactive methods to pay their utility bills via phone, text, email, and web.”
    • “This product will integrate with our upcoming AMI customer portal which is currently in the implementation phase.”

  6. Lets the City Manager enter into a professional services supplemental agreement with Schnabel Engineering South P.C. for the North Fork Dam -…

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

  7. Lets the City Manager enter into a supplemental professional services agreement with Black & Veatch International Company for the rehabilitation…

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

  8. Amends Section 19-213 of the code of Ordinances regarding the use of wheel locks and making…

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • “Proposed revisions to the Fees & Charges Manual are generally presented to City Council for their consideration and approval as part of the annual budget development and approval process.”

  9. Lets the City Attorney condemn easements needed for the Swannanoa River greenway project.

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • “This Swannanoa River Greenway Construction Project will install approximately one mile of greenway along the Swannanoa River where no bicycle or pedestrian facilities currently exist.”

  10. Lets the City Attorney condemn easements needed for the New Haw Creek Road sidewalk project.

    Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.

    More from the minutes
    • What the minutes say it will do: “This project will install a +/-1 mile of sidewalk along New Haw Creek Rd. from Beverly Rd. to Bell Rd., where no safe pedestrian facilities currently exist.”

The plain-language lines are written by fixed rules from each item's official title, which is on each decision's page. Every vote the minutes record is listed; procedural motions, like approving the minutes or adjourning, are left out.