Asheville City Council approved more than $12 million in recovery and infrastructure spending at its March 10 meeting, while unanimously greenlighting two rezoning requests that could bring 269 new apartment units to the city.
Council authorized a $2.49 million budget amendment for the Azalea Park Recovery Project, partly funded through state Hurricane Helene grants, and approved $10 million for citywide water resilience improvements — a response to infrastructure vulnerabilities highlighted by the September 2024 storm.
Members also authorized city staff to apply for a state grant to extend sewer lines into the Enka Commerce Park, a move intended to attract new business investment to the western corridor, according to city officials.
On affordable housing, council amended the city's 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan to prioritize affordable rental construction, following what city records show was a Feb. 24 public hearing on housing needs.
Two rezoning requests passed unanimously. The first authorizes up to 180 market-rate apartments on Sardis Road. The second approves 89 affordable units in the Emma neighborhood, with a portion designated as family-sized units to address a documented gap in the city's housing inventory, according to city officials.
In a separate action, the Asheville Police Department received a $700,000 federal grant to establish what it calls a Crime Gun Intelligence Center. The center will allow investigators to accelerate gunshot residue detection and potentially improve the tracing of firearms used in violent crimes, officials said.
"Tonight's votes reflect the scope of what this city is managing simultaneously — disaster recovery, housing access, water security, and public safety," said one council member following the session.
The budget amendment and water resilience funds are expected to be deployed in the coming months, according to city officials.
The apartment projects are subject to standard permitting timelines before construction can begin.