Boards and Commissions Boards and commissions related to Planning and Urban Design include the Planning and Zoning Commission, Historic Resources Commission, Board of Adjustment, Downtown Commission and Technical Review Committee. Asheville Area Riverfront Redevelopment Commission The AARRC is an advisory board that recommends an overall policy for the continued development and sustainability of the regional riverfront to the City and the County. The AARRC also performs River District Design Review for major works development projects. Board of Adjustment The Board of Adjustment hears variance requests from zoning standards that are stated in the Unified Development Ordinance. They also hear appeals on interpretations made by staff. Design Review Committee The Design Review Committee was created to perform design review for all major works in the River District Design Review area, the Central Business District, and hotels outside of those areas. Downtown Commission The Downtown Commission was created by City Council “…for the sustainability and continued development of downtown, a vital urban center of western North Carolina’s economic, cultural and visitor activity.” In addition to providing City Council with recommendations on all things Downtown, the Downtown Commission carries out Downtown Design Review on major development projects within the Central Business District. Historic Resources Commission The Historic Resources Commission reviews development proposals for properties located within one of the city’s four local historic districts, which include Albemarle Park, Biltmore Village, Montford and St. Dunstan’s, as well as properties designated as local historic landmarks. The HRC also reviews local historic landmark designation applications. Planning and Zoning Commission The Planning and Zoning Commission reviews additions or proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance and makes recommendations to City Council for final action. The Planning and Zoning Commission also reviews development projects, conditional zoning requests, and rezoning requests and makes recommendations to City Council for final action. Public Art and Cultural Commission PACC is responsible for promoting artworks in public buildings and public spaces in the City of Asheville. They assist City staff in identifying potential projects, approving the site and content of public art, and informing residents and visitors of Asheville about public art. They also consider how public art can serve as a major attraction for artists, cultural tourism, and economic development. Technical Review Committee The Technical Review Committee (TRC) reviews the technical aspects of a development project i.e, traffic flow and impact, infrastructure needs, landscaping, and grading and erosion control. The TRC is comprised of city staff from the following departments: Planning & Urban Design, Development Services, Transportation, Public Works and Fire. Contact Information Marie Biddix – 828-259-5856 Updated 4/21/2021 Related Services Learn about large-scale development Keep up to date on current projects and applications. Explore city data Public datasets and maps are available on the open data portal at data.ashevillenc.gov. Schedule a mandatory Technical Review Committee pre-application meeting Schedule your required pre-application meeting for Level II, Level III, Conditional Zoning and Major Subdivision reviews. Apply for a homestay permit Apply for a new homestay permit or apply to renew your existing permit. Look up information about a permit Use online tools to look up information about permits Check whether your address is within city limits Search to see if it is within the City of Asheville's permitting jurisdiction. Find what permits and licenses you need for your business Use Asheville's Open for Business wizard to find out what permits and licenses you will need and an estimate of permit fees. Find location and zoning information Find the zoning information for your project. More Related Services Boards and Commissions News Asheville’s Urban Center zoning initiative moves forward to Planning & Zoning Commission Posted on July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 by Polly McDaniel The Urban Place Form Code District heads to the Planning & Zoning Commission on July 7 as part of the Urban Centers rezoning proposal, initiated by the Asheville Department of Planning & Urban Design. Urban Centers are a component of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Living Asheville. They are intended to foster [...] City of Asheville releases StoryMap about City-owned property and Urban Renewal Posted on June 4, 2021 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville has released a new StoryMap explaining which City-owned properties came from Urban Renewal. With assistance from UNC Asheville faculty, City staff researched, identified, and mapped existing City-owned properties acquired through three Urban Renewal projects in Asheville. The Urban Renewal and City-owned Property StoryMap shows which City-owned properties came from [...] Historic Resources Commission honors two volunteers for restoring and caring for the South Asheville Cemetery Posted on May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 by Polly McDaniel Each year, the Historic Resources Commission awards an individual or individuals in the community who by word or deed has kindled among the citizenry of Asheville and Buncombe County an appreciation for the history or historic resources of the area. The Historic Resources Commission is pleased to honor this year’s recipients, George Taylor and George [...] More Boards and Commissions News
Explore city data Public datasets and maps are available on the open data portal at data.ashevillenc.gov.
Schedule a mandatory Technical Review Committee pre-application meeting Schedule your required pre-application meeting for Level II, Level III, Conditional Zoning and Major Subdivision reviews.
Check whether your address is within city limits Search to see if it is within the City of Asheville's permitting jurisdiction.
Find what permits and licenses you need for your business Use Asheville's Open for Business wizard to find out what permits and licenses you will need and an estimate of permit fees.
Asheville’s Urban Center zoning initiative moves forward to Planning & Zoning Commission Posted on July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 by Polly McDaniel The Urban Place Form Code District heads to the Planning & Zoning Commission on July 7 as part of the Urban Centers rezoning proposal, initiated by the Asheville Department of Planning & Urban Design. Urban Centers are a component of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Living Asheville. They are intended to foster [...]
City of Asheville releases StoryMap about City-owned property and Urban Renewal Posted on June 4, 2021 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville has released a new StoryMap explaining which City-owned properties came from Urban Renewal. With assistance from UNC Asheville faculty, City staff researched, identified, and mapped existing City-owned properties acquired through three Urban Renewal projects in Asheville. The Urban Renewal and City-owned Property StoryMap shows which City-owned properties came from [...]
Historic Resources Commission honors two volunteers for restoring and caring for the South Asheville Cemetery Posted on May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 by Polly McDaniel Each year, the Historic Resources Commission awards an individual or individuals in the community who by word or deed has kindled among the citizenry of Asheville and Buncombe County an appreciation for the history or historic resources of the area. The Historic Resources Commission is pleased to honor this year’s recipients, George Taylor and George [...]