The draft plan includes projects for Asheville, Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Montreat, Weaverville, Woodfin, and unincorporated Buncombe County
In response to last year’s devastation from Tropical Storm Helene, Buncombe County and its municipal partners, including the City of Asheville, have developed the draft Helene Recovery Plan.
Asheville community members participated in building the plan’s roadmap of 114 projects (including 31 projects for the City of Asheville) that are designed to rebuild housing, repair infrastructure, restore natural resources, strengthen disaster preparedness and support long-term community resilience throughout the county. Through Oct. 3, 2025, the Asheville community is invited to provide feedback on the draft plan at https://engage.buncombecounty.org/envisionbuncombepathforward.
During the initial input phase, more than 2,600 people participated through online platforms and 28 in-person events across 13 zip codes, including six municipalities and unincorporated areas. Feedback from the City’s Helene Recovery Priorities and CDBG-DR Action Plan engagement was also used to inform the City’s portion of the draft plan.
Participants identified top recovery priorities as:
- Investing in infrastructure: water, roads, bridges, telecommunications – 74%
- Disaster preparedness and resiliency investments – 55%
- Wildfire prevention – 53%
- Floodplain management – 49%
- Restoring streambanks – 48%
- Rebuilding parks – 47%
Participants also emphasized the importance of inclusive, climate-resilient recovery, support for vulnerable populations, and economic diversification.
Feedback will be provided to the Asheville City Council, which will look to take action on the draft plan later in the year.
View the draft Helene Recovery Plan here.
For more information or to sign up for updates, go to https://engage.buncombecounty.org/envisionbuncombepathforward.