Buncombe County air board backs 50% permit-fee reduction for Helene-affected homeowners, schedules special meeting

The Buncombe County Air Quality Agency Board of Directors voted to send the agency nd county proposed permit-fee reduction for storm-affected homeowners to public notice and to reconvene June 17 to consider final adoption.

Agency Director Ashley (last name not specified) told the board the proposal would provide a 50% reduction on certain permits for owner-occupied dwellings damaged by Hurricane Helene, effective June 1 through Dec. 31, with eligibility verified against FEMA or county damage assessments. "In order to qualify, you would have to either have had your home assessed by FEMA or the county," Ashley said, adding the agency will check permit requests against county and FEMA databases in Exela, the county permits system.

Why it matters: The board and county are seeking regulatory relief to reduce rebuilding costs for residents. The board discussed estimates of the program—inancial impact, with staff describing the county nalysis as conservative and the worst-case estimate large relative to typical revenue but likely overstated for Buncombe County's permit mix.

Board discussion and fiscal context: Board members asked for clarity on the budget impact and timing. Ashley said the county nalysis used FEMA damage categories and treated many structures conservatively as residential demolition jobs; she noted many structures handled under FEMA contractor programs could be classified as commercial for asbestos/permitting purposes and therefore would not receive the residential discount. Agency staff said the county—alculation showed a potential revenue reduction as high as about $127,000 in a worst-case scenario but that staff—stimated a realistic impact closer to $20,000 nd that additional unplanned permit fees (about $40,000) tied to storm-driven demolitions could offset part of that loss.

Procedure and next steps: The board pproved a motion to accept the Reduce-to-Rebuild proposal for public notice and to hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. June 17 to adopt the fee change after the 30-day notice period. The board noted this adoption will then be ratified by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners because the county must approve disposition of county property and certain fee changes. The board also clarified that the county commissioners had approved parallel changes for environmental health, inspections and planning at their Tuesday meeting; agency fees remain under the air-quality board's authority.

Implementation details: Under the proposal, reductions apply only to owner-occupied residential permits verified in county/FEMA databases. The agency lready has a Helene-related checkbox in Exela for permits; the proposed change would add stricter verification against damage records before applying the fee reduction. Staff said most residential demolition permits are $200; a higher $480 fee applies where asbestos is known. The board directed staff to publish public notice and to return for the June 17 meeting to take the single action to adopt the amendment after the comment period.

Board concerns and follow-up: Some board members asked for a broader discussion in the fall about revenue and fund balance, saying longer-term revenue stability should be evaluated as storm-related relief and other pressures continue. Director Ashley also noted the agency is still awaiting certain federal (EPA Region 4) funds and expects an update at the regional director meeting in June that may affect budget planning.

Ending: The board's approval sends the Reduce-to-Rebuild proposal to public notice and sets a date for final action, while staff proceed with database verification procedures and coordination with FEMA and county permitting workflows.