Woodfin reports debris‑removal progress, Silver Line Park to be used temporarily for river cleanup

Town staff gave the Woodfin Town Council an update on March 18 on disaster recovery and debris removal following the recent storm, reporting steady progress on emergency repairs and the debris program while flagging remaining permitting and design steps.

Staff said the engineering consultant for stormwater and street repairs has been selected and is being onboarded to produce FEMA‑compatible cost estimates. Work on the emergency bank repair was reported at roughly 90% complete; staff said that completion will allow crews to shift to work on a cofferdam and associated dewatering and liner replacement. The town said it may start the wave structure repairs in May, with a possible earlier start if contractors finish preparatory tasks.

Silver Line Park has been cleaned with volunteer assistance from Mountain True, Asheville Greenworks and an AmeriCorps coordinator. Staff reported the playground structure and boardwalk appear structurally sound in preliminary checks, but they said the river cleanup contractor will use part of Silver Line Park — the former daycare staging area and the boat ramp — as a temporary debris staging area for material removed from the French Broad River. Because the town expects river debris removal there within a few weeks, staff said reopening the park briefly would be impractical. Officials said the river cleanup contractor will stage material temporarily and move it offsite within days and that the staging area will be restored when finished.

On broader debris work, the town said it secured a second debris site (off Aiken Road) and is operating both sites. The goal is to finish chipping and remove material from the original soccer‑field site so heavy equipment can stop entering that location; staff said they expect no new material to be brought to the soccer‑field site and that it will later be graded and reseeded. The town also plans to make some ground mulch available to residents via two Woodfin sites once contractors process a finer grind at the disposal location.

Financially, staff said Woodfin received a state bridge loan of $664,000 — a 0% interest, five‑year loan intended to help cash‑flow recovery projects while FEMA reimbursements are pending.

Staff also reported ongoing FEMA coordination on Silver Line permitting and a needed invitation for bids; they said the town has usable design plans from within the last four years that will be adapted for reconstruction permitting. Waterway debris removal team progress was described as “very good,” with smaller tributaries largely complete and the French Broad River scheduled next.

Other updates in the administration report included selection of a consultant for a comprehensive code update, two conditional zoning applications and a flood‑ordinance text amendment expected before the planning board in April, an emergency home‑repair matching agreement with Mountain Housing Opportunities using $25,000 in town funds to leverage $50,000 in outside funds, and contract updates with Equinox Environmental for recovery permitting and design.

Why it matters: debris and river cleanup affect park access and sometimes require temporary use of public land for staging; bridge loans and FEMA coordination determine whether the town can keep moving repairs while awaiting federal reimbursements.

What’s next: staff said private‑property debris removal has over 100 applications in process (Running Ridge listed), waterway debris removal will move into the French Broad River within weeks, and Silver Line Park will be used briefly for staging before restoration and subsequent permitting and bid solicitations for reconstruction.