Asheville Central Business District Meeting

March 23, 2016 from 4 PM - 7 PM in Lord Auditorium in Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St - The City of Asheville will hold a drop-in meeting about development issues in downtown Asheville NC.  City Council is interested in making changes to development rules for the Central Business District. These rules were last written in 2010, after the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan in 2009.

The recent surge in downtown development has caused some reconsideration of how projects are reviewed. At the meeting, three main topics will be discussed:

• Levels of review
• The process for Level III projects
• The hotel development process 

Council has indicated that they would like to review more projects in the Central Business District. Currently projects have to be larger than 175,000 square feet or 145 feet tall before they are heard by City Council. Below this level, Level II projects (above 20,000 square feet and under 145 feet tall) are heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission for final approval.

The second issue is about Level III projects in the Central Business District. Currently, there is an area called the Traditional Downtown Core. Large projects within this boundary are reviewed as Conditional Zonings, outside of this area, large projects are reviewed as Conditional Use Permits. The difference between these two processes are technical, but have an impact on both how City Council receives information about the project, and how the project is reviewed.

The third issue centers on hotel development. City Council and some citizens have expressed concerns about hotels in downtown. Hotels could be reviewed under a Conditional Use Permit or Conditional Zoning as a category. One possibility is that hotels over a certain size or number of rooms could be considered either Conditional Use or Conditional Zoning. No thresholds have been determined yet.

Staff will give a short presentation at 4:15 PM and then again at 5:45 PM, which will give attendees background and an understanding of the issues under consideration. After each staff presentation, participants can visit any or all of the stations for each of these topics.

For more information contact The Asheville Downtown Association.

Asheville Downtown Association Holds Annual "State of the Downtown"

January 20, 2016 - The Annual Sate of the Downtown Luncheon, presented by First Bank will be held on Wednesday, January 20 beginning at noon in the US Cellular Center Banquet Hall. The program will focus on the association's strategic plan as well as the top priorities and challenges facing downtown in the upcoming year.

The ADA will also present the 2015 Downtown Heroes Awards to individuals or organizations who have significantly impacted Downtown Asheville NC. Tickets are $12 for members and $15 for potential members and include lunch. This event typically sells out. Tickets are available online.

Asheville Downtown Association Calls for Volunteers

Volunteer for Race to the Taps: South Slope 

The Asheville Downtown Association needs at least 2 more course marshals and 5 more volunteers for the water stops.

The Asheville Downtown Association is partnering with Asheville Radio Group on the South Slope series of Race to the Taps on August 8, 2015. They are looking for volunteers to help out with the event.  Association members an earn points toward the perks for the end of year volunteer party.

Make note that the volunteer meeting is mandatory for course marshals and water stop volunteers on August 5 at 5:30 PM at Twin Leaf Brewery.

 Details about the different volunteer jobs: On-site registration and Packet Pick up helps participants pick up their bibs and shirts. Food Crew consists of slicing banannas and bagels as well as handing out water to the runners. Course Marshals direct runners to the correct path of the course and stop traffic as runners pass. Water Stop Volunteers hand out water to participants and manage the water stop set up and clean up.

SIGN UP HERE

The Asheville Downtown Association Creates New Media Showcase

The Asheville Downtown Association presents Downtown Digital: A New Media Arts Showcase. Downtown Digital will feature works by digital media artists in a one-night showcase at The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design’s covered parking lot at 67 Broadway on Thursday, April 16 from 7-10 PM.

Student, emerging and professional artists have submitted work including single channel projections, short films and abstract animations for this one-night event. The Asheville Downtown Association worked with the Asheville Area Arts Council, UNCA and The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design to create a concept to display digital media, which may be replicated for future events in Downtown Asheville NC. Downtown Digital is also supported by the Buncombe County Community Recreation Grant Program.