Asheville City Council roundup: Bears, bike lanes, buildings and I-26 update
ASHEVILLE - On the heels of a two-hour work session on McCormick Field funding, Asheville City Council heard a packed agenda Feb. 14, including plans for a new development on New Leicester Highway, funding commitments for betterments of the I-26 Connector project and updates on several long-awaited capital asks.
Here are the details.
141-units approved for New Leicester highway, plus $1.6M in city tax abatements
City Council unanimously approved both a conditional rezoning for an 141-unit senior living development at 157 New Leicester Highway and a $1.6-million Land Use Incentive Grant request, or LUIGI, the city property tax abatement program that offers savings in exchange for affordable housing units.
Previous coverage:141-unit senior living development proposed for New Leicester Hwy, 20% affordable
More: 141-unit senior living development proposed for New Leicester Hwy passes planning board
About the project:
A new four/five split-story multifamily building with 141 apartments for residents 55 and older.
Located on a 4.92-acre parcel, currently a wooded, vacant lot about 1 mile north of Patton Avenue.
29 units, or 20%, will be deeded affordable at 80% area median income for a minimum of 30 years. According to the city's AMI appendix, 80% AMI for a one-person household is $45,000 and $51,400 for two people.
Project will include about 150 parking spaces.
At 161,100 square feet, submitted plans for the building show a common area and observation balcony.
Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project with conditions on Dec. 7.
According to December reporting from the Citizen Times, the applicant hopes to break ground in April or March. With 18-22 months anticipated for construction, units could be available for lease in early 2025.
LUIGI details:
The developer estimates a taxable value after construction at $26.5 million.
Of the 29 units to be deeded affordable, 15 will be one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom.
Of the estimated $106,795 annual city property tax estimated post completion, the city will grant back $105,519 annually after payment for 16 years, totaling $1.6 million, or an about $58,217 subsidy per unit.
Council comments:
Said Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore, "This is a project we sorely need in Asheville."
Council OKs funding letter to NCDOT regarding improvements for sections of the I-26 Connector project
Sometimes billed as the most consequential development in Asheville's history, in talks for three decades, the I-26 Connector project intends to build new roadway and bridges that will allow I-26 north of Asheville to join up with I-26 south of Asheville much more seamlessly. The $1.2-billion project will be one of the largest highways projects in Western North Carolina.
On Feb. 14, City Council heard a presentation from the I-26 Aesthetics Committee, which was appointed in 2018 to advise the city regarding recommendations for aesthetic improvements to the I-26 Connector project.
Previous coverage:Answer Man: Asheville I-26 connector project update? (Hint: big news for the fall)
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The committee was seeking a funding letter of commitment to the N.C. Department of Transportation for its recommendation of $7.3 million in funding. Of this total, $5.8 million is aesthetic improvements to be added to the previously budgeted $1.4 million in bicycle and pedestrian improvements currently in the city's capital improvement plan.
In order to maintain the project schedule, NCDOT needed a funding letter of commitment from thecity by Feb. 15. This letter is the first step in the approval process, and a formal agreement will follow. Final payment is not due until October 2029.
The treatments to be included in the funding letter are for project sections B and D. Section B begins at a point south of the Haywood Road bridge and ends at US 19-23 (Future I-26) near Broadway Street, and section D begins at a point south of Hill Street and ends at Broadway Street.
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Overview of requested commitments:
Bowen Bridge: $3.8 million for improved lighting, safety railing, pedestrian and bike surfaces, monument pillars.
Haywood Road: $1.45 million for improved lighting, safety railing, pedestrian surfaces, monument pillars, median treatments, tiered retaining walls.
Hill Street/I-240 Pedestrian Bridges: $306,000-plus for improved lighting, safety railing.
Patton Avenue East: $23,000 for downtown style lighting, median treatment.
Greenway and Riverside Drive pedestrian safety lighting: $140,000.
Interstate Corridor: $88,500 for green light poles to match those approved in section A.
Patton Avenue West: $89,000 for improved median treatment.
Landscaping at Bowen Bridge, Haywood Road, Patton Avenue (starting three years after interstate completed) estimated $75,000 per year.
Lighting leased on Bowen Bridge, Haywood Road Bridge, Hill Street Bridge, Patton Avenue East, Riverside Drive and Greenways: estimated $126,000 per year paid to Duke Energy (starting after interstate completed).
Capital project updates
Jade Dundas, the city's capital projects director, and Jessica Morriss, assistant direction of transportation, offered updates on a number of ongoing city projects.
Previous coverage:Merrimon Avenue? College & Patton? What are the city's plans to expand its biking network?
College Street and Patton Avenue downtown bike lanes
Project scope: a buffered bike lane to College Street between Spruce Street and Pritchard Park, and on Patton Avenue between Pritchard Park and Biltmore Avenue.
What is a buffer? Space separating the bike lane from adjacent motor vehicle travel and also utilizes vertical protection tools, like delineators or "armadillos," which can still be navigated by emergency vehicles.
Concerns? Adding bike lanes would require one lane of vehicle travel to be removed on each roadway.
From Morriss: They are taking a step back to conduct additional public engagement.
Project schedule: Additional public engagement in March/April. Anticipated construction award date in June/July.
Project budget: $100,000.
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Downtown public restroom
Project scope: Installation of a freestanding public restroom and supporting park improvements. The project will likely be developed near the intersection of College Street and Rankin Avenue.
Project schedule: Designer selections currently underway. Design award anticipated for March. Construction estimated for winter 2023 to summer 2024.
Project budget: $650,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Broadway Public Safety Station
Project scope: Three-bay fire station, emergency operations center, police substation, public art and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification, a green building program.
Project schedule: Completion in May. Occupancy in June.
Project budget: $14.7 million.
Don't feed the bears
Included in council's consent agenda, which typically encompasses routine, noncontroversial items that do not require discussion, was a number of code changes to enhance regulations concerning human interaction with wild animals, intending to increase the safety of all parties involved.
According to the staff report, the changes came due to a "significant escalation in human-bear interaction" in Asheville and Buncombe County identified by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
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This includes increasing reports of purposeful feeding of wildlife, including bears. The report says feeding, and similar attractants, create a dangerous, and potentially deadly, environment for both wildlife and humans.
Says the report: "As part of its education and outreach strategy to address this growing problem, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recommends that the City strengthen its existing ordinance related to wildlife feeding."
The amendments, unanimously adopted by council, contain the following updates:
Reducing the time frame for correcting violations from 60 to 14 days.
Expanding the definition of prohibited activity to include actions that would attract wild animals which would create a danger to the public or the wildlife.
Defining dangerous activities as those that may result in injury or death and increased disease transmission for humans and wildlife.
Expanding the enforcement authority to additional members of city staff as appropriate.
Penalties for noncompliance remain unchanged. Fines are $50 for first offense, $100 for second and $150 for third.
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville City Council roundup: Bear ordinance, bike lanes, bathrooms
