[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6060020,"mediaKeyId","3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87","parentId",3293290,"title","Neighborhoods, students and alumni urge city support to preserve 45-acre UNC Asheville woods","audioSeconds",788,"startMs",3575000,"endMs",4363000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87&start=3575&end=4363","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87/thumbnail_3575000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060020/Asheville-City/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Neighborhoods-students-and-alumni-urge-city-support-to-preserve-45-acre-UNC-Asheville-woods","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060020-bb8ff8e38a1c8efe9320904900f10cc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168880&Signature=eWN4q2tOOFCEdXhi0pfc0J1VeuEhjPM3NrLO6uahdJp3FxCEGmrYlVJ6cW2KoInJZwx33qIDzzoRn7vJ-8CTM~Ng4B1KKT5ypFSe8FforQAwbtIqNBzsU78vrV0-hIeesyRlrQlToW8d1QI44aKwr0pFjqKGJRlkoKCImyy2P2CCM4JkMU5qEgUlWYqWcpRVk1B1-wSzB3YNVb1tsdXrEA4LjCx3fAtwSD~ntCQafXR3LyKASBcMlNcoloW1OHM45JBo9fOvb58JpONIFyqU0AxDY0YQdVyUoocl5cFtbpcDpy1POW8DR23-BNLf~8EHABhRtwPFNcIgJBB5YObmZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Asheville City, NC","date","2025-05-13T18:46:03Z","article","Several residents, faculty and alumni urged the Asheville City Council to publicly support preserving a 45-acre urban forest owned by the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA), and asked the city to pass a resolution backing conservation of the site.

David Clark, a botanist and UNCA faculty member, described the site as a contiguous natural area that contributes to habitat connectivity, urban biodiversity and neighborhood recreation. \"I am here asking for your help on this issue,\" Clark said. He and other speakers said they discovered exploratory clearing and drilling on the property and that the campus's designation conversations and a so-called 'millennial campus' status could enable public-private development on the woods.

Speakers widely requested that the council pass a resolution urging UNCA to preserve the site, accelerate public involvement, and resist commercial redevelopment. Former and current students, alumni and neighborhood organizers said the woods are used daily by neighbors and students for recreation and study and described mental-health and ecological benefits of mature urban forest. Heather Rayburn, a UNCA alumna and 30-year resident of the 5 Points neighborhood, said students, faculty and staff had packed listening sessions and urged greater campus responsiveness.

Why it matters: The 45-acre tract is adjacent to built neighborhoods one mile from downtown Asheville. Preservation or redevelopment would affect neighborhood access to green space, stormwater and climate resilience, wildlife habitat, and local recreation. Speakers argued that whatever private or public development might be proposed would not necessarily increase the city's tax base but would reduce environmental and community benefits.

Claims and legal context

Commenters raised concerns about UNCA's use of the \"millennial campus\" designation and invoked state-level governance and public-private partnership rules. Speakers referenced an \"Umstead Act\" in the conversation and said millennial-campus revenues may compete with private taxpayers; those legal and fiscal assertions were presented by speakers as arguments for caution and do not represent a finding by the council.

Community requests and next steps

Speakers asked the council to: adopt a resolution supporting the preservation of the UNCA woods; request transparent information from UNCA about plans for the site, including any development scenarios and environmental assessments; and to join community listening sessions and the public charrettes already organized by neighborhood groups. Several speakers asked the council to help ensure resident involvement in selection of any future plans and to press UNCA for public notice before exploratory site work.

Ending

Council members expressed concern and asked staff to follow up on public records and engagement options. No ordinance or formal council resolution was adopted at the meeting; community speakers said they would continue organizing and requested a formal statement from the city in support of conservation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting – May 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents, alumni and students urged the Asheville City Council to support preserving a 45-acre urban forest owned by UNC Asheville and to request transparency and public involvement from the university about any plans tied to a 'millennial campus' designation.","taxTitle","Asheville City, Buncombe County, North Carolina","taxId",3915,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060024,"Residents, designers press NCDOT on I-26 connector flyover and call for alternatives",1080,3530000,4610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87&start=3530&end=4610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87/thumbnail_3530000.jpg","/articles/6060024/Asheville-City/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Residents-designers-press-NCDOT-on-I-26-connector-flyover-and-call-for-alternatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060024-030bfcd8982a8b32896c34bda707912d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168880&Signature=evMYH7IU7KdKpG2F7OvSfr9fTPh-pVskijJxbs-UC-g5RIBKgNdx8ktcW2WTTgLQYcLlXNE~8LbdlvbrTS85v-F4tbz2xrK4X4e8hDy2y25ut~7-d32c3MbMWf6jyYv0EtaAcF832WoGP2YUK3hjLE2R0NjhJCEQhsSbXLQtbQa4FGvIJtgumF69~~5hYUVc4k2ZwUFIVud1sI1wFcyfBSg~8j07hYW9SP6e0xdUbk~ZhmAL9eNeGw1W-Mm8LOf7RZPLdhwL211LO4TlIiHfPhxOnp-KAhD4kp1wg8CVWxClhs9gtjqvmlPr7D9hREwosgcaf1ZbWo13bpKmLC3iIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents, neighborhood activists and urban-design advocates used the Asheville City Council's public-comment period to press the council and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for changes to the proposed I-26 connector plan, particularly a flyover alternative that commenters said would worsen environmental and civic impacts.

William Warner, a Cortland Place resident, told council the new right-of-way could require the city to take homes by eminent domain and harm younger families in his neighborhood. \"The flyover ' it is a far worse proposal than the one we were left with in 2018,\" Warner said. \"I urge you, please, to influence the Department of Transportation any way you can to amend and come up with a better plan than what they've got.\" Sonia Marcus of the 5 Points neighborhood thanked council for amplifying community concerns and asked city staff to add community members to the rapid-response team and to accelerate reconvening the aesthetics committee.

Urban design critics and technical experts also weighed in. Joe Minicozzi, an urban-design consultant and owner of Urban3, said DOT's recent materials assert there are no additional impacts and therefore no new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required; Minicozzi argued the agency had not completed required EIS analysis for the flyover and that DOT has previously agreed to alternatives keeping the interstate under Patton Avenue. \"Not only is this worse to have the highway up in the air, they also went against our agreements,\" Minicozzi said, asserting DOT's earlier commitments in 2009 and 2008 supported keeping the highway below grade.

Why it matters: The configuration of the I-26 connector will shape land-take, traffic flows, neighborhood continuity and development patterns in central Asheville. Residents and design advocates said the proposed aerial section would impose environmental harms, reduce property values and sever neighborhoods unless the city and NCDOT revisit design choices and conduct broader aesthetic and multidisciplinary review.

Community requests and next steps

Speakers urged the council to: press NCDOT to reconsider the flyover design; restore commitments to keep the corridor under Patton Avenue where possible; include community members on the city's rapid-response team for the project; accelerate appointments to an aesthetics/design committee; and ensure multidisciplinary review teams (including designers and landscape professionals) are part of decision-making. Commenters invited councilmembers to attend upcoming community design charrettes with NCDOT and local partners.

Claims and responses

Minicozzi and others asserted procedural and legal concerns, saying DOT's environmental review and public-involvement steps were incomplete or inconsistent with past agreements. Those claims were presented as statements of opinion and interpretation by the speakers; the council did not render a legal finding during the meeting and did not take a formal vote on project design changes.

Ending

Council members acknowledged the public concern, asked staff to coordinate further engagement, and several attendees said they would continue organizing community design sessions and a public charrette scheduled that weekend. The council did not adopt any ordinance or formal directive at the meeting.","Multiple residents and local design advocates criticized the North Carolina Department of Transportation's proposed I-26 connector flyover during public comment, urging the city to press DOT for alternatives, restore prior agreements to keep the road below grade at Patton Avenue and to involve multidisciplinary design review.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060030,"Council approves initial resolution to pursue up to $35 million in bonds for McCormick Field improvements",186,3166000,3352000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87&start=3166&end=3352","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87/thumbnail_3166000.jpg","/articles/6060030/Asheville-City/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Council-approves-initial-resolution-to-pursue-up-to-35-million-in-bonds-for-McCormick-Field-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060030-45e2679814e4f6f1f0b5d9daa4499a9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168880&Signature=cfBU-DjswcF8mF~qjlRPq4weAA7aUwYEZG6GCYgZUSEj~jgVdl49ntxWPdzfaSzEVxu7wzv5DgCSn04DgDcvWFLAwHUF-TRjj2XRCZTcsS5NOD46nz-ZXSTBq0WOH7cAxohz5tJ~lwsX57lNMlL5lvMrLFogTMnWF4b2XItG7qUprF3sxZd8Jb98WLGxB6kd40TBGCetb7SZjIYQv~YMEekaGVrQAaneAxxhzvNTRh4IbKTjbCzQHwUA7PXIsKB5jA0XirBa2O6dtlknt5woQstuIHO5-PfCvhMg5EiWTsJ8Mgjj6kb5qst-2vpq4dx4jnUxZ8bcQtxK-oIX6~iaBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Asheville City Council held a public hearing on proposed financing for McCormick Field and adopted an initial resolution authorizing the city manager or finance director to pursue limited-obligation bond financing not to exceed $35 million for capital work at McCormick Field.

Finance Director Tony McDowell told the council the project began last fall and is slated for substantial completion in April 2026; to date the city has spent an estimated $10 million to $15 million on the work. McDowell said the financing plan calls for limited-obligation bonds (LOBs) and that debt service will be funded in partnership by the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, the Tourism Development Authority and the Asheville Tourist minor-league baseball team.

\"We want to make sure we issue the debt before June so that we can get the cash in to cover those expenses that we've already incurred,\" McDowell said. The council adopted an initial resolution at the meeting and will be asked to approve a final, authorizing resolution at a subsequent meeting; McDowell said the sale and closing calendar anticipates a bond sale in mid-June and closing later in the month.

Why it matters: The initial resolution and public hearing are statutory steps required by North Carolina law before municipal debt is issued. The council took action to preserve the city's ability to reimburse pre-issuance costs and to lock the financing schedule; the city and its partners will still be required to complete further approvals, including by the Local Government Commission.

Key details

The project budget for McCormick Field is roughly $35 million to $37 million including one-time contributions, McDowell said. The city published required public notices and staff said the initial notice specified $34 million but staff increased the maximum requested in the resolution to $35 million to preserve flexibility given market conditions and issuance costs.

Schedule and next steps

McDowell outlined the statutory schedule: the council must hold a public hearing (completed), adopt an initial resolution (completed), adopt a final approving resolution at a subsequent meeting (planned), receive review from the North Carolina Local Government Commission (agenda for June 3) and proceed to market for the sale (anticipated June 11) with a closing targeted for June 25 to place bond proceeds in the current fiscal year cash flow.

Action taken

Council adopted the initial resolution authorizing staff to pursue limited-obligation bonds for McCormick Field improvements. The council did not adopt final debt documents at the meeting.

Ending

The city will return with a final resolution for council approval and then seek required state approvals; staff emphasized the action taken preserves the city's reimbursement options and its ability to close financing within the current fiscal-year timetable.","The Asheville City Council held the required public hearing and adopted an initial resolution authorizing staff to pursue limited-obligation bond financing of up to $35 million for McCormick Field improvements; debt service will be shared by the city, Buncombe County, the Tourism Development Authority and the Asheville Tourist baseball team.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060035,"Asheville manager proposes FY 2025–26 budget with 3.26¢ tax-rate increase to cover compensation, recovery costs",192,2986000,3178000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87&start=2986&end=3178","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293290-527ebc0a4c98fa170e8d0171ce63af87/thumbnail_2986000.jpg","/articles/6060035/Asheville-City/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Asheville-manager-proposes-FY-202526-budget-with-326-tax-rate-increase-to-cover-compensation-recovery-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060035-dee709051f61a3514226fa25e4b2ed9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168880&Signature=gQ0acfLVZwjBFwby8~~598rs~2v7BowjmzZG9bnwLRQkEW9PFmFk4VbGZ7RhrvL4Wkfd4N1v3GzaJfgWMiFNR5iAvNbKjBgew57v0LLCEkvN2uGWMXNFwGYIyGC~vGoUMYNzQvtwNk16phyzm7eiKA1VMxcJ9daF92VpCKlLjAv~llFrqIp6lS9ffCLlAPAi3uYyuV3ySd~cSt-rBxGOm0vAZvdXMUPbSPD89kbHWxde1PjO9k~qmkcAeQoe941dj9QoiTgtFTwiFdjPbqotBLkeWk~dxgKIIEZT21BIqBQkR78QZ-mVzSp-cTTchSXNyghsNpsd8Ypi1do7pAuItg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Deborah Campbell and Finance Director Tony McDowell presented the city manager's proposed fiscal year 2025'026 operating budget to the Asheville City Council, asking the council to adopt a $256,080,000 plan that includes a recommended property tax-rate increase of 3.26 cents per $100 of assessed value.

The proposed budget, Campbell said, is balanced using a mix of operating revenue, one-time disaster recovery resources and a FEMA community disaster loan. \"This proposed budget was prepared in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 159-11 and represents many months of work by staff throughout the organization and by council and the community,\" Campbell said. Finance Director Tony McDowell highlighted that the package includes a hybrid compensation adjustment and steps toward a fourth shift at the fire department.

The city projects a 2.1% increase in total spending compared with the current year and is asking homeowners with a $350,000 assessed value to expect an average annual tax increase of about $114, or roughly $9.50 per month. McDowell said the city plans a hybrid pay adjustment: a 3% increase for employees earning above the median of $58,000 and a flat $1,740 increase for those below that median; police and fire pay-plan adjustments are handled separately in the proposal.

Why it matters: Asheville continues to recover from Tropical Storm Helene (Sept. 27, 2024), which damaged infrastructure, businesses and homes and reduced near-term local revenue. The proposed tax-rate increase would preserve core services, fund compensation adjustments and maintain the city's policy goal that unassigned general-fund balance remain at 15%.

Details and trade-offs

Campbell told the council the manager's budget relies on several one-time measures. McDowell said a $5 million FEMA community disaster loan was included to help balance next year's books and that staff also expects to use Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds (CDBG-DR) to support recovery projects. \"With the inclusion of that revenue from the loan, staff was able to balance the budget, including those compensation adjustments,\" McDowell said. Community Development Division Manager James Shelton explained that the city has submitted its action plan for the CDBG-DR grant to HUD and is awaiting approval; he said the city's CDBG-DR action plan does not currently include a dedicated rental-assistance program, although it does include housing-services dollars for counseling and rapid rehousing.

Council members pressed staff on several points: whether additional budget work sessions could evaluate options short of a tax increase; whether more of the fund balance could be used now; and whether the city could include an immediate step to add firefighters to avoid losing personnel trained in disaster response. One council member requested that staff \"show the council how to fund this expansion\" of fire staffing either via cuts or other adjustments. Campbell and McDowell told council they would prepare additional information and consider a follow- up work session.

Spending drivers and cuts

McDowell said the budget faces two pandemic- and storm-era revenue impacts: a projected 1% drop in the property-tax base and a conservative 5% drop in sales-tax receipts for the coming year. He said salary, wages and benefits account for about 60% of the city's spending and that unavoidable increases in health insurance and state retirement costs are major upward pressures. To close a gap that otherwise would exist, staff identified roughly $5 million in one-time reductions and pauses, including pausing the city's contribution to the other-post-employment-benefit (OPEB) trust, pausing the housing trust fund contribution for one year, and pausing strategic partnership grants. McDowell warned that many of those are one-time measures and that similar choices will reappear in future budgets.

Fire staffing and the fourth shift

The proposed budget includes $205,000 to begin implementing a supervisory structure needed for a fourth shift in the Fire Department, a change intended to reduce average firefighter work hours. The proposal does not add fully funded additional firefighters in year one; several council members asked staff to model adding four to five positions beginning midyear to help retain first responders who gained disaster-response skills during Helene.

Next steps

Campbell and McDowell said council will receive additional materials and that the formal public hearing on the budget is scheduled for the council's next regular meeting, with final adoption slated for the June meeting. Staff also noted that revaluation next year and the limited duration of one-time funding sources mean the council will likely confront another budget decision in the next fiscal cycle.

Ending

Council did not adopt the budget at the meeting; staff plans follow-up briefings and will bring the budget back for a public hearing and adoption votes in June.","City Manager Deborah Campbell and Finance Director Tony McDowell presented a $256 million proposed budget for fiscal 2025–26 that relies on one-time federal disaster resources, a $5 million FEMA community disaster loan and a recommended property tax-rate increase of 3.26¢ to preserve services and fund employee pay adjustments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Neighborhoods, students and alumni urge city support to preserve 45-acre UNC Asheville woods

Residents, designers press NCDOT on I-26 connector flyover and call for alternatives

Council approves initial resolution to pursue up to $35 million in bonds for McCormick Field improvements

Asheville manager proposes FY 2025–26 budget with 3.26¢ tax-rate increase to cover compensation, recovery costs