Council approves 304‑unit Sweeten Creek conditional zoning with EV, solar and sidewalk conditions

Asheville City Council on Feb. 25 approved a conditional zoning for a 18.64‑acre site at 3183 Sweeten Creek Road that will allow a mixed residential development totaling 304 units: 280 apartments and 24 three‑bedroom townhomes. Council added conditions requiring minimum electric‑vehicle charging infrastructure, rooftop‑solar readiness, and an upgraded pedestrian amenity along Sweeten Creek Road.

Planning staff presented the project as substantially in conformance with the Living Asheville comprehensive plan’s residential neighborhood designation and noted the property’s location near transit and commercial nodes. Sam Starbaum, planner with the Planning and Urban Design Department, said the development would include five apartment buildings, six townhome buildings (24 townhomes), a community center, garages and onsite parking; the gross floor area for the project was reported as 115,050 square feet.

Staff described several requested technical modifications, including a five‑foot internal sidewalk (in lieu of the 10‑foot standard for residential expansion), a request for a 5‑foot sidewalk with a 10‑foot grass strip along Sweeten Creek Road, and limited disturbance into a 30‑foot stream buffer for a sewer connection with restoration to follow. Transportation staff recommended a wider pedestrian realm on Sweeten Creek Road; council directed staff and the applicant to provide an 8‑foot sidewalk with an 8‑foot planting strip along Sweeten Creek Road, and the applicant agreed.

At council’s request and after negotiation, the applicant offered two additional conditions to the CZ: (1) provide a minimum of four EV chargers on site and pre‑install wiring to facilitate additional chargers as demand grows; and (2) design and construct all buildings to incorporate features that facilitate the future addition of rooftop solar capacity. Council also accepted a friendly amendment to include accommodation for a future bus‑stop easement on Sweeten Creek Road, to be determined in consultation between transportation staff and the developer.

Developer representatives said the site design includes stormwater controls and stream‑buffer avoidance for buildings; the plan keeps residential elements out of the stream buffer and locates stormwater management areas within preserved open space. Public comment from a nearby neighborhood association raised concerns about traffic and visibility (building height and grade) and the cumulative effect of development along Sweeten Creek Road; the applicant and staff discussed traffic, parking, and access. Staff reported the project would provide 492 parking spaces (the city minimum is 328 and maximum allowed is 609) and 24 bicycle parking spaces.

Council approved the conditional zoning by voice vote after adding the EV, solar, sidewalk and bus‑stop‑easement conditions; an amended motion recorded the additional conditions and found the rezoning consistent with the comprehensive plan and supportive of housing near transit and services.