Waynesville council approves Strive Week, No Mow May enforcement pause, 10-year sewer plan and bridge study

The Town of Waynesville Town Council on May 6 adopted several resolutions and approved measures addressing transportation promotion, seasonal code enforcement, sewer capital projects and infrastructure evaluations.

The council voted to declare May 16–24 as "Strive Week," a Land of Sky Regional Council and French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization initiative to promote walking, biking, carpooling and transit. Land-use administrator Alex Mumbi told the council Strive Week "promote[s] walking, biking, carpooling, taking transit," and listed local events including a bike ride on May 23, a children's bike drive run with First United Methodist Church, and a Haywood County Transit free-ride week May 19–23.

The council also approved a locally proposed No Mow May initiative to support pollinators by suspending code enforcement for tall grass during May for property owners who opt in. Presenter Tyler Anderson said the town "would not enforce our tall grass ordinance for this month" for participants, and the council voted to approve the promotion and the temporary suspension of enforcement.

On capital projects and utilities, Town Manager Rob Neal presented revisions to the town's capital improvement plan (CIP) and requested council approval to adopt a 10-year sewer CIP and to authorize application for state funding through the State Revolving Fund (SRF). Neal told the council the project at the Little Champion gravity sewer area requires building a pump station that the…