February 23, 2021Asheville City Council
From the minutes, not yet reviewedCouncil adopts new hotel rules that make affordable housing and reparations the top public benefits.
Hotel developers can choose to give public benefits from a points table to get a faster review. Under staff's new table, half the points must go to affordable housing or reparations. Staff said a big 100-room hotel downtown would have to give at least $4,000 a room, or $400,000, plus other benefits.
- Passed. Voted no: Kim Roney.
What this changes: If developers use the table, they must deliver what they pick. The City can enforce it as a zoning violation.
Official title: Council approved amendments to Articles II, III, V, VIII, IX, and XVII of the UDO with the conditions that the public benefits table be amended to reflect the prioritization of affordable housing and reparation options, an overall increase in the required total points, and adjustments to point allocations intended to incentivize equity-related benefits
Carried 6–1
From the minutes: This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Wisler and carried on a 6-1 roll call vote, with Councilwoman Roney voting “no”.
Read the motion as recorded
“Councilwoman Kilgore moved to approve the proposed wording amendments to Articles II, III, V, VIII, IX, and XVII of the UDO with the conditions that the public benefits table be amended to reflect the prioritization of affordable housing and reparation options, an overall increase in the required total points, and adjustments to point allocations intended to incentivize equity-related benefits, and find that the proposed amendments are reasonable, are in the public interest, are consistent with the City’s comprehensive plan and meet the development needs of the community in that the amendment will (1) responsibly manage the growth of new hotels, (2) offset the impacts of hotels by incentivizing the provision of public benefits into new hotel development projects, (3) promote quality architecture, building design and placemaking, and (4) provide a clear and transparent development review process for hotels by coming to the City Council Planning & Economic Development Committee for quarterly review and the full Council.”
Open the minutesMotion text in the minutes