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Buncombe County releases draft Helene recovery plan, seeks public comment through Oct. 3
Summary
County staff released a draft long-term recovery plan listing 114 projects across Buncombe County and its municipalities and opened a public-comment period running through Oct. 3 ahead of a planned November adoption vote.
Buncombe County released a draft Helene recovery plan on Sept. 16 and opened a public comment period that county staff said will run through Oct. 3, with the county aiming to present a revised plan for adoption at the board—s second meeting in November.
"The thing that I'm most excited to talk to you about today is the release of our draft Helene recovery plan," said Rachel Sawyer, Strategic Partnerships Director and the county—s recovery lead, when the plan was presented to commissioners. The draft compiles projects submitted by Buncombe County government, the City of Asheville and the five towns of Black Mountain, Biltmore Forest, Montreat, Weaverville and Woodfin.
The plan lists 114 projects across jurisdictions, staff said. County officials described the document as an organizing tool that connects short-, mid- and long-term recovery activities and that will be used to sequence funding and implementation once adopted. Staff said they are already applying for grants tied to projects in the plan and expect full project management to begin after adoption.
The county has published the draft in the commissioners— meeting packet and on its public input page at engage.buncombecounty.org; a survey will be available there through Oct. 3, staff said. Commissioners were told the Helene Resource Center at 94 Cox Avenue remains open daily to help survivors and direct residents to programs cited in the plan.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff framed the plan as the county—s roadmap for recovery and future resilience investment. The document will guide grant applications and staffing decisions, including the planned establishment of a Helene Recovery Office to manage awards and project sequencing.
Staff emphasized coordination with other bodies: the draft reflects projects and priorities gathered through the Envision Buncombe survey and was created in collaboration with municipal partners. County staff said they will present updated drafts to the seven elected bodies in the county before returning to the board for final consideration.
Next steps: The public comment period runs through Oct. 3. Staff plan to collect feedback, revise the draft as appropriate, and return a recommended plan to the board for consideration in November.
