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Committee recommends moving abandoned‑buildings ordinance to full Council
Summary
Development Services and Code Compliance presented a draft ordinance (section 4‑223 et seq.) using authority in N.C. Gen. Stat. 160D‑1201 to identify and remediate abandoned structures; the committee voted to forward the ordinance to the April 14 Council meeting for consideration.
The Asheville Public Safety Committee voted March 26 to recommend that the City Council consider a proposed ordinance to clarify how the city identifies and remediates abandoned structures.
Development Services Director Mark Metheny told the committee the draft ordinance (linked as section 4‑223 in the presentation) would give the compliance team an additional enforcement tool under North Carolina General Statute 160D‑1201. He said the change would allow the city to pursue repair, closure or demolition of structures that pose public‑health or safety risks, and that the draft covers both dwellings and non‑residential buildings.
Metheny said eight residential buildings meeting the city’s abandoned‑structure criteria have been demolished since 2023 through owner action or sale, and that the amendment is not intended to create a proactive demolition program without additional staff and funding.
Committee members asked about owner supports and the financial implications of a more proactive program; Metheny said the ordinance simply broadens available compliance options and that more extensive demolition efforts would require additional human and financial resources.
The committee moved to send the ordinance to the full Council for the April 14 meeting; a roll call vote was recorded and the recommendation passed unanimously.
Next steps: the item will appear on the April 14 Council agenda for deliberation and any public hearing required by city code.
