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Advisory board readies passive‑recreation recommendations as commissioners prepare Tuesday presentation
Summary
At its Nov. 12 meeting, Buncombe County Parks and Recreation staff and advisory‑board members said a staff recommendation on passive‑recreation bond funding will be presented to the county Board of Commissioners on Tuesday; the advisory subcommittee identified projects including Balsam Gardens, RiverLink Gateway Park and Harmony Creek trail work.
Liz Hookwater, recreation division manager for Buncombe County Parks and Recreation, told the Recreation Advisory Board on Nov. 12 that a staff recommendation on passive‑recreation bond funds will be presented to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners at its upcoming meeting.
The advisory board heard from Joseph Guzman, Buncombe County project manager for Parks and Recreation, who said the presentation is still being finalized and urged members and the public to tune in. “There is gonna be a presentation to the board of commissioners this Tuesday on passive rec funds,” Guzman said, adding that he was not one of the staff authors of the recommendation.
Why it matters: The recommendations will determine which projects from a voter‑approved open‑space bond move forward with county support. Board members described the passive‑recreation subcommittee as a mix of appointees from the parks advisory board and conservation partners that reviewed applications before Hurricane Helene, paused during recovery, and reconvened recently to finalize suggestions for commissioners.
Kevin (board member) outlined the subcommittee’s list of recommended projects the advisory board plans to push forward to commissioners, naming Balsam Gardens (a 33‑acre parcel), RiverLink’s proposed Gateway Park on the French Broad River, a small Hawk Creek greenway connector, Harmony Creek trail improvements by Asheville Greenworks, Warren Wilson public‑access trail upgrades, the Town of Woodfin’s Riverside Park, and a reduced request from Camp Greer. He said Beaver View Mountain received state funding and therefore likely will not need county contributions; Town of Black Mountain’s Ridgecrest connector was excluded because some costs did not conform to bond language, and Weaverville withdrew its request to focus on storm cleanup.
Numbers and limits: Board members repeatedly referenced the open‑space bond passed by voters. Anne said the bond totaled $30 million and was divided among farmland easements, greenways and passive recreation. Kevin said $17.5 million had been allocated across 18 projects and described a remaining pool to fund additional projects. The meeting record contains inconsistent phrasing about remaining totals; the advisory board recommended the commissioners review the subcommittee’s formal list and approve allocations per bond rules.
What’s next: Guzman said the commissioners’ presentation will include staff recommendations for how to move forward and that the presentation is being finalized the day before the advisory board meeting. The advisory board plans to follow the commissioners’ decision and provide further input at its January meeting if needed.
