Council approves permanent zoning for Trinity United ‘Home Hub’ shelter and community services on Haywood Road

Asheville City Council approved a conditional zoning change on Aug. 26 to allow Trinity United Methodist Church’s education building at 587 Haywood Road to operate permanently as a nightly shelter and community hub serving families and other residents. The council’s vote follows a year of temporary operations under the city’s Code Purple emergency rules, community meetings and review by the Planning & Zoning Commission.

The city planner, Will Palmquist, told the council the request rezones the rear portion of the property from Community Business 2 (condition zone) to Community Business 1 conditional zone to permit the shelter use and related services not allowed in the existing district. Palmquist said no structural changes are proposed; the building will be repurposed for a nightly shelter with a stated maximum of 35 beds and “incidental” uses including a community center, preschool, barbershop, consignment shop, workforce training and a learning community.

Why i…