Boards and Commissions Last updated or reviewed on December 2, 2025 Announcements: Advisory Board and Commission Meeting Suspension Update NOTICE: All regular meetings of the following 13 advisory boards will remain meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise: Affordable Housing Advisory Committee African American Heritage Committee Asheville-Buncombe Riverfront Commission Asheville Downtown Commission Audit Committee Community Entertainment Facilities Commission Human Relations Commission Multimodal Transportation Commission Neighborhood Advisory Committee Noise Advisory Board Public Art & Culture Commission Sustainable Advisory Committee Urban Forestry Commission Members of boards that are meeting on an as-needed basis have the following pathways to propose new tasks that have not been directed by City Council: Ask their board’s representative on the Helene Recovery Boards to present the idea to their respective Recovery Board. Communicate the idea to a Council Committee. Communicate the idea to City Council. Ask their board chair to present the idea to the department director who provides support to their board (e.g., Urban Forestry Master Plan, Arts & Culture Plan, Home Repair, Resilience Hubs, etc.). For more information regarding this continued pause, please refer to the City-wide news posting, updated June 24, 2025. What are Boards and Commissions? Alex Smith, Assistant City Clerk, and Michelle Smith, Deputy City Clerk, speak about what Boards and Commissions are and how you can get involved, anywhere from becoming a member of a board, to submitting questions and recommendations as a member of the public. Your Voice Matters Have you ever wanted to make a difference? Have you wondered, “Can the City benefit from my experience and knowledge?” Do you want to have a voice in the City’s growth and future? Do you want to be a part of the body that is responsible for making decisions regarding policy, service and education? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s time to take that initial step forward and put your perspective, leadership and knowledge to task by serving on one of the many committees we have to offer. Through a variety of boards and commissions established by Asheville City Council, members of the public may provide input on the policies that shape their government and their city. Board members and commissioners generally serve as unpaid volunteers, but the rewards can be gratifying: members meet other residents with similar interests, they learn about the city, and they help shape the future of Asheville. Being on a board or commission requires a significant personal commitment, so applicants should consider their ability to commit their time and personal energy before applying. Board and Commission Resources Board and Commission Resource Folder – folder containing Board and Commission policies, handbooks, resources, and annual reports, etc. Board and Commission Member Resource Hub – centralized webpage for board member resources and announcements Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)– for anyone considering serving on a City board or commission City Engagement Hub– Online hub for Board and Commission meetings and public participation information Want to be notified when new vacancies are announced? Contact boards@ashevillenc.gov to be added to the distribution email list. Have an issue accessing or participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know! Board and Commission Vacancies Below is a list of current and upcoming board and commission vacancies. The deadline for applications for the boards listed below is Sunday, January 25, 2026, unless noted otherwise. Consideration of appointments is scheduled for the February 24, 2026, City Council meeting, unless noted otherwise. Please visit each board’s webpage for more information about their scope of work. Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (2 vacancies) preference for applicants who represent the diverse viewpoints of community stakeholders on affordable housing Asheville Buncombe Riverfront Commission (1 vacancy) applicant must be a Housing Authority resident/staff or voucher recipient who resides in the committee’s service area Audit Committee (1 vacancy) applicant must be a CPA or CPA-retired Board of Adjustment (1 vacancy) applicant must be a City resident Neighborhood Advisory Committee (4 vacancies) applicants must be City residents 1 vacancy for 28805 representative 1 vacancy for 28804 representative 2 vacancies for at-large representatives Public Art and Culture Commission (2 vacancies) preference for applicants from the private sector of the community Sustainability Advisory Committee (1 vacancy) The deadline for applications for the boards listed below is Monday, December 1, 2025. Consideration of appointments is scheduled for the December 9, 2025, City Council meeting. Planning and Zoning Commission (1 vacancy) applicants must be City residents Application Application Process Prospective Applicants First, determine which board or commission interests you. Board and commission meetings are open to the public, so potential applicants are encouraged to attend monthly meetings or watch recordings of previous meetings. Meeting dates, times, and locations vary and are available on individual board and commission web pages. You may apply for up to three boards at a time. Please review our FAQ’s for more information. Note: Complete application forms are subject to NC public records laws and are posted online for the City Council and public review. Application Note: You may apply for up to three boards at a time. After your application is received, you will receive a receipt of application e-mail from the City Clerk’s Office. If you do not receive that receipt within a day after submittal, please contact boards@ashevillenc.gov to make sure that your application has reached the City Clerk’s Office. Once an application is received, the city will place your name on the resource list for that particular board. Applications are kept on file for consideration for one year. If you are not appointed within a year, you will need to submit a new application for further consideration. Qualifications City residents are given preference. However, Council may appoint a non-City resident to some hard-to-fill seats, seats requiring special skills or expertise, or unless otherwise specified or provided for by law or Council action. Some board seats have specicific eligibility requirements. All requirements will be listed above in the “board and commission vacancies” section, please carefully review the requirements prior to submitting your application. Interview When vacancies occur, the City Council will review the resource list and may schedule interviews. You will be contacted directly if it is necessary for you to interview for an appointment. ADA Accommodations The City prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability with respect to all terms and conditions of access to its activities, programs, and services. If you need any reasonable accommodation to make your board service more effective, please contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Brad Stein, to discuss your accommodation request. The City will consider whether your request can be reasonably accommodated. This will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. For more information about the City of Asheville’s ADA policy and contact information for the ADA coordinator, please visit the Americans with Disabilities Act webpage. City of Asheville Event Calendar The table below includes information for City Managed Boards, for meeting information on Boards/Commissions not managed by the City, but to which City Council appoints members, please visit the Non City-managed Boards webpage. City Managed Boards and Commissions Meeting Information Board and Commission Meeting Information Contact Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Sasha Vrtunski 828-259-5560 African American Heritage Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Sala Menaya-Merritt 828-232-4517 Asheville Buncombe Riverfront Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. David Hazzard 828-417-4306 Asheville City Council Formal Meetings Asheville City Council Agenda Briefing Work Sessions This meeting takes place at 5:00 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, in the Council Chamber located on the second floor of City Hall. These meetings are in-person. Agenda Briefing Work Sessions are held the Thursday before the Council Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. in the First Floor Conference Room of City Hall. These meetings are in-person. Maggie Burleson 828-259-5601 Asheville Regional Housing Consortium This meeting takes place on an as-needed basis. Sofia Bonilla 828-259-5446 Audit Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Frank McGowan 828-259-5811 Board of Adjustment This meeting takes place at 2:00 p.m., on the fourth Monday of each month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Sam Starr-Baum 828-259-5609 Board of Electrical Examiners This meeting takes place at 9:00 a.m., on the first Tuesday of the month for January, April, July, and October. Meetings are virtual. Misty Lipe mlipe@ashevillenc.gov Citizen-Police Advisory Committee Not currently meeting. Samantha Booth 828-259-5813 Civil Service Board This meeting takes place at 2:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. HR Director 828-774-8564 Community Entertainment Facilities Commission (Formerly the Civic Center Commission) Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Chris Corl 828-259-5452 ; ccorl@ashevillenc.gov Community Reparations Commission This meeting takes place at 6:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. Meetings are virtual. Sala Menaya-Merritt 828-232-4517 Design Review Committee This meeting takes place at 12:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Meetings are in-person. Will Palmquist 828-259-5525 Downtown Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Dana Frankel 828-273-5248 Helene Economy Recovery Board The Economy Helene Recovery Board will meet from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of every other month, beginning in November, in the first-floor conference room of City Hall. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. Chris Corl (828) 259-5452 Helene Housing Recovery Board The Housing Helene Recovery Board will meet from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every other month, beginning in December 2025, in the first-floor conference room of City Hall. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. Nikki Reid (828) 259-5729 Helene Infrastructure Recovery Board The Infrastructure Helene Recovery Board will meet from 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every other month, beginning in January, in the first-floor conference room of City Hall. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format. D. Tyrell McGirt (828) 259-5808 Helene People and Environment Recovery Board The People and Environment Helene Recovery Board will meet every other month on the first Monday of the month from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. during the months of December, April, and August, and from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in February, June, and October. Meetings will be held in the first-floor conference room of City Hall in a hybrid format. Kiera Bulan (828) 620-0664 Historic Resources Commission This meeting takes place at 4:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Alex Cole 828-259-5638 Housing and Community Development (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 10:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Meetings are virtual. Katie Noun 828-259-5721 Human Relations Commission of Asheville Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Sala Menaya-Merritt 828-232-4517 Mountain Community Capital Fund This meeting takes place on the first Friday of each month at 9:00 a.m.. Meetings are virtual. Rachel Taylor 828-251-4055. Multimodal Transportation Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Lucy Crown 828-259-5805 Neighborhood Advisory Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Dawa Hitch 828-712-4229 Noise Advisory Board Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Chris O’Brien 828-450-2535 Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 1:00 p.m., on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are virtual. Katie Noun 828-259-5721 Planning and Zoning Commission This meeting takes place at 5:00 p.m., on the first Wednesday of the month at City Hall, in the first floor North Conference Room. Will Palmquist 828-259-5525 Policy, Finance and Infrastructure Committee (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 3:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every other month, beginning in June. Meetings are in person in the City Council Chamber, located on the second floor of City Hall. Talia Stepp 828-641-1579 Public Art and Cultural Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Karli Stephenson 828-259-5627 Public Safety (City Council Committee) This meeting takes place at 11:00 a.m., on the fourth Thursday of every other month, beginning in May. Meetings are virtual. Talia Stepp 828-641-1579 Recreation Board Not currently meeting. Recreation Department Soil Erosion/Stormwater Review Committee This meeting takes place on an as-needed basis. Derek Wainscott 828-259-5548 Sustainability Advisory Committee Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Kiera Bulan 828-620-0664 Urban Forestry Commission Meeting as-needed until June 30, 2027, unless noticed otherwise. Please visit the committee webpages for more information on upcoming meetings. Keith Atkin 828-259-5674 Contact Information General questions: boards@ashevillenc.gov If members of the public are interested in being on an e-mail list to receive updates on the activities of particular boards, they need to contact the individual staff contact for that board. Have an issue accessing or participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know!
