Downtown Master Plan Updates Happening Now Downtown Public Space Management – Thank you for your input! Staff is working with a Committee of the Downtown Commission on the development of Downtown Public Space Management Guidelines as the first section of updates to the Downtown Master Plan. The Public Space Management Committee is chaired by Andrew Fletcher and generally meets on the first Thursday of the month at 2 p.m. More information about the Downtown Commission and its Committees is here. A survey was available between August 12 and September 23 to get feedback on how downtown public spaces (most specifically streets and sidewalks) are currently used and experienced, and to get input on what priorities should be considered in the guidelines. On October 22, the Committee participated in a workshop to review survey results, rank priorities and identify focus areas to be addressed by the Guidelines. Notice: summary of survey results Notice: full survey results Informed by survey feedback and guidance of the Committee, staff is currently drafting the Public Space Management Guidelines. Once a draft is complete, the Committee will reconvene to review and provide feedback (anticipated early Spring). The Guidelines will then go to the Downtown Commission for review before getting approval from City Council. Background The Downtown Master Plan Updates will build on the Downtown Master Plan and Appendices (completed in 2009), to take a deeper dive into specific topics of focus related to the public realm. The Master Plan Updates will help address concerns about management of public spaces, enhancement of community character and expanded options for place-making. The Updates will respond to the growing popularity and number of people experiencing downtown, with goals to expand downtown vitality, facilitate local business and enhance livability while managing growing demands on downtown services and competing interests for use of space. The Downtown Master Plan Updates will result in policy statements, best management procedures, possible UDO changes and downtown corridor/district studies to create better management guidance for downtown. There will be three sections of the updates. Public Space Management Public space management guidelines Management framework Urban Design and Ordinance Updates UDO amendments Zoning map amendments Design Guideline updates Preservation Plan recommendations Corridor and District Placemaking and Streetscapes Downtown-wide development/streetscape standards (such as lighting, signage, seating, crosswalks) Consideration of sub-district areas that may have unique elements/standards that pertain to the character area/neighborhood of downtown such as sidewalk patterns, trees, seating and other enhanced place-making Planning for additional green spaces in downtown in order to enhance quality of life and quality experiences Contact Information Dana Frankel, Downtown Specialist 828-251-4051 Todd Okolichany, Planning and Urban Design Director 828-259-5840 Updated 01/27/2020 Related Services Apply for a commercial film or photography permit Information about commercial filming and photography work involving city-owned property, sidewalks, streets, and parks. Apply for a special event or festival permit Information about hosting an event on city-owned property, sidewalks, streets and parks. Cold weather emergency shelter When extreme cold weather is expected, the Asheville Homeless Coalition issues a Code Purple Alert. Participating homeless shelters voluntarily add space beyond their normal capacity to keep as many people as possible out of the cold. To find out when Code Purple is in effect, visit the Homeless Coalition’s Code [...] Sign up for city e-newsletter Receive City News in your inbox! Watch livestream of city council meetings View live televised Asheville City Council meetings, at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Explore city data Public datasets and maps are available on the open data portal at data.ashevillenc.gov. Gun safety Learn how to prevent deadly gun accidents and teach your children what to do if they come across a firearm. Find financial support for your Asheville business Learn about financial support that may be available for your business. Find or register a minority, women or disabled-owned business Resources for finding or registering a minority, women or disabled-owned business. More Related Services Downtown Master Plan Updates News Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to South Slope, bringing fun along with traffic/parking impacts Posted on February 19, 2020February 24, 2020 by Polly McDaniel This Sunday, Feb. 23, the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to the South Slope. The parade begins at 3 p.m. Lineup and float assembly will take place in surface parking lots along Asheland Avenue. The parade begins on Hilliard Avenue at Asheland Avenue, down south Coxe Avenue and wraps along the streets of [...] Charlotte Street Road Diet construction beginning soon Posted on February 17, 2020February 14, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Initial phase will be sidewalk work The construction phase of the Charlotte Street road diet is scheduled to begin in February and continue through May. The first phase of construction will entail a lane closure as contractors reconstruct portions of the sidewalk on the north end of Charlotte street near Edwin Place. Once complete, repaving of the [...] City of Asheville launches survey to help guide accessibility to City Council agenda and related documents Posted on February 5, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville is working on ways to make the City Council agenda and related documents more useful and accessible. To help guide this process, staff has launched a survey on Open City Hall Asheville to get feedback on how people access these materials now. We’re looking for input about the experience our residents [...] More Downtown Master Plan Updates News
Apply for a commercial film or photography permit Information about commercial filming and photography work involving city-owned property, sidewalks, streets, and parks.
Apply for a special event or festival permit Information about hosting an event on city-owned property, sidewalks, streets and parks.
Cold weather emergency shelter When extreme cold weather is expected, the Asheville Homeless Coalition issues a Code Purple Alert. Participating homeless shelters voluntarily add space beyond their normal capacity to keep as many people as possible out of the cold. To find out when Code Purple is in effect, visit the Homeless Coalition’s Code [...]
Watch livestream of city council meetings View live televised Asheville City Council meetings, at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.
Explore city data Public datasets and maps are available on the open data portal at data.ashevillenc.gov.
Gun safety Learn how to prevent deadly gun accidents and teach your children what to do if they come across a firearm.
Find financial support for your Asheville business Learn about financial support that may be available for your business.
Find or register a minority, women or disabled-owned business Resources for finding or registering a minority, women or disabled-owned business.
Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to South Slope, bringing fun along with traffic/parking impacts Posted on February 19, 2020February 24, 2020 by Polly McDaniel This Sunday, Feb. 23, the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to the South Slope. The parade begins at 3 p.m. Lineup and float assembly will take place in surface parking lots along Asheland Avenue. The parade begins on Hilliard Avenue at Asheland Avenue, down south Coxe Avenue and wraps along the streets of [...]
Charlotte Street Road Diet construction beginning soon Posted on February 17, 2020February 14, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Initial phase will be sidewalk work The construction phase of the Charlotte Street road diet is scheduled to begin in February and continue through May. The first phase of construction will entail a lane closure as contractors reconstruct portions of the sidewalk on the north end of Charlotte street near Edwin Place. Once complete, repaving of the [...]
City of Asheville launches survey to help guide accessibility to City Council agenda and related documents Posted on February 5, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville is working on ways to make the City Council agenda and related documents more useful and accessible. To help guide this process, staff has launched a survey on Open City Hall Asheville to get feedback on how people access these materials now. We’re looking for input about the experience our residents [...]