Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Repair topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Buncombe County parks begin phased reopenings; FEMA hazard-mitigation funds expected to cover storm repairs
Summary
Parks staff reported partial reopenings at several parks and ongoing procurement for larger rebuilds; county staff are writing hazard mitigation plans for FEMA to replace docks and other storm-damaged infrastructure.
Project manager Joseph Guzman told the advisory board on July 8 that several parks damaged by Hurricane Helene have reopened or are in active repair, while others need larger contracting work.
"We're getting slowly but surely getting all the parks back open," Guzman said. He listed open and partially closed sites and said some locations — notably Alexander and Walnut parks — will require more extensive work and likely an RFQ process for design and construction.
Guzman said the county received 11 RFQ submissions for the Owen Park project and 9 submissions for Harmony River Park. On Owen Park the county has completed reviews and is in contract negotiations but cannot name a firm while negotiations continue. He also said the Boston County Sports Park phase 2 (the parks department’s sports-park expansion) will go to bid at the end of the month.
Allison Daines added that docks and other damage at Lake Julian are being addressed through FEMA hazard-mitigation funding, which aims to "build back better." Daines said the county will replace older wood docks with floating "easy docks" that adjust to lake level and that many smaller amenity replacements (tables, benches, trash cans) have been purchased from hurricane-relief funds and submitted for reimbursement.
On FEMA funding, Daines said early park estimates are in the "tens of millions" but that complete totals are not yet finalized. She explained the reimbursement process: the county spends for planning and engineering milestones, then applies for reimbursement once those milestones are completed.
Other updates included new disc-golf signage at Lake Julian, replacement paddle boats, and continued work to clear debris; Guzman said some parks remain closed for regrowth and larger-scale restoration. The parks department is also writing hazard mitigation plans for each river park to match FEMA guidelines for what work will be funded.
Why this matters: the county anticipates major rebuilding and mitigation work paid in part by federal reimbursement and other grants. The outcome will affect access to river parks, sports fields and lake amenities for users across the county.
Less critical details: the parks department expects contracting and construction schedules to be affected by weather and by the pace of engineering approvals; staff vacancies have increased workloads while hiring proceeds.
