Annual Council Priorities - The City of Asheville

The City of Asheville is committed to transparent, data-driven decision-making to create equitable outcomes for everyone in our community. Regular reporting on progress toward Council-defined priorities is a key component of that commitment.

Each tab below lists projects from the City of Asheville’s Organizational Work Plan for the given fiscal year, organized by that year’s City Council priorities.

Asheville operates on a fiscal year (FY) basis that runs from July 1 through June 30, with the fiscal year designated by the year in which it ends. Thus, FY23 began on July 1, 2022 and ended on June 30, 2023.

View Council Vision 2036 Focus Areas

Annual Reports

The City’s fiscal year runs from July 1 – June 30 each year. Annual reports serve to highlight many of the achievements and successes from throughout the year and the work that was done to fulfill the City Council’s vision and priorities.

Annual Report FY 2023-2024 English
Annual Report FY 2023-2024 Spanish

Council Priorities (FY25)

Priorities are developed each year by the Asheville City Council at their annual retreat.

Homelessness Strategies
- Through partnerships, make homelessness rare, brief and non recurring by targeting strategies recommended by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Equitable and Affordable Housing and Stability
- Implement anti-displacement strategies while increasing housing supply in strategic areas/corridors and reducing barriers to construction.
- Incentive access for low income residents/households with emphasis on equitable growth
- Continue to update the Unified Development Ordinance
Neighborhood and Climate Resilience
- Through engagement and partnerships, prioritize resources and capacity across our climate, sustainability, and neighborhood plans to maximize impact.
Reparations
- Maximize and support collaboration with the Community Reparations Commission and community partners to effectively implement short and long term recommendations including the audit findings and long term accountability strategies
- Grow reparations investment by maintaining funding commitments and continue to look for additional revenue sources and funding partners.
Reimagining Public Safety
- Improve community safety outcomes by securing funding, increasing and diversifying programming and partnerships to address quality of life issues.
Improve and Maintain Infrastructure and Core Services
- Hire and retain excellent staff
- Prioritize and increase investments in municipal assets
- Strengthen regional partnerships and explore creative and ambitious untapped revenue sources including federal, state, regional and bond funds, etc.

Work in Support of Council Priorities (FY25)

Neighborhood and Climate Resilience

FY25 Council Priority

Inclusive and Accessible Government (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Outfit 5 community spaces with hybrid meeting capability for more accessible and inclusive participation in City government decision-making and create a Community Engagement Academy for leadership development and capacity-building in historically disenfranchised communities.
Solid Waste Master Plan (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Evaluate the City of Asheville’s existing solid waste management system and provide short- and long-term recommendations to improve and enhance the efficiency and quality of the system and increase waste reduction and diversion.

Improve and Maintain Infrastructure and Core Services

FY25 Council Priority

Community Cleanliness Improvements (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Engage contractors to carry out ongoing cleanup of roadside litter and sites containing biohazardous material to address community cleanliness concerns.
Advanced Water Metering Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Replace aging water meters with state of the art equipment to reduce water loss, allow customers to proactively monitor their usage, and reduce staff burden.
Lead Awareness Project (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Develop a service line inventory, replacement plan, consumer education campaign, and consumer funding options for lead pipe replacement in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.
McCormick Field In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Re-invigorate McCormick Field with improved fan amenities and public spaces that will maintain the ballpark as a vital landmark sports and entertainment destination for Asheville and the entire region with the aim to regularly attract local and regional visitors to the city.
Permitting/Land Management Software Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Replace the current software system used for permitting and land management with a modern version.
2024 GO Bond Referenda Development (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Identify capital project needs or changes to the long-term Capital Improvement Plan that are candidates for potential funding through a 2024 General Obligation bond.

Other Work

Work that falls outside current-year City Council priorities.

Duke Energy Downtown Substation Community Engagement In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Keep the community informed about Duke Energy's project progress and opportunities for public input.
American Rescue Plan Act Grants Management In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Manage $26.3M in internal and community grants to significantly impact affordable housing, homelessness, neighborhood resilience, and other Council priorities while creating a more collaborative grantmaking model for increased impact and transparency.

Council Priorities (FY24)

Priorities are developed each year by the Asheville City Council at their annual retreat.

Homelessness Strategies
- Through partnerships, make homelessness rare, brief and non recurring by targeting strategies recommended by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Equitable and Affordable Housing and Stability
- Implement anti-displacement strategies while increasing housing supply in strategic areas/corridors and reducing barriers to construction.
- Incentive access for low income residents/households with emphasis on equitable growth
- Continue to update the Unified Development Ordinance
Neighborhood and Climate Resilience
- Through engagement and partnerships, prioritize resources and capacity across our climate, sustainability, and neighborhood plans to maximize impact.
Reparations
- Maximize and support collaboration with the Community Reparations Commission and community partners to effectively implement short and long term recommendations including the audit findings and long term accountability strategies
- Grow reparations investment by maintaining funding commitments and continue to look for additional revenue sources and funding partners.
Reimagining Public Safety
- Improve community safety outcomes by securing funding, increasing and diversifying programming and partnerships to address quality of life issues.
Improve and Maintain Infrastructure and Core Services
- Hire and retain excellent staff
- Prioritize and increase investments in municipal assets
- Strengthen regional partnerships and explore creative and ambitious untapped revenue sources including federal, state, regional and bond funds, etc.

Work in Support of Council Priorities (FY24)

Homelessness Strategies

FY24 Council Priority

Permanent Supportive Housing at Ramada Inn (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Support the creation of 113 new units of permanent housing by funding on-site wrap-around services to address the needs of homeless individuals and veterans at the former Ramada Inn.
Implement Homelessness Recommendations In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Implement the recommendations of the 2023 National Alliance to End Homelessness needs assessment.

Equitable and Affordable Housing and Stability

FY24 Council Priority

Affordable Housing Plan (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop a new affordable housing plan to guide City policies and investments in order to comprehensively address the City’s long-term affordable housing needs.
Missing Middle Housing Study (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Identify regulatory and policy barriers to building missing middle housing, such as townhomes, accessory dwelling units and multiplexes, and recommend steps to overcome them.

Neighborhood and Climate Resilience

FY24 Council Priority

South Slope Vision Plan (Postponed)(Began in FY22, due to complete in FY24) Create a framework to guide long-term development in the Southside South Slope area. Work on the plan originally started in late 2017, but was interrupted by the COVID19 pandemic. It was restarted in FY22.
Inclusive and Accessible Government (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Outfit 5 community spaces with hybrid meeting capability for more accessible and inclusive participation in City government decision-making and create a Community Engagement Academy for leadership development and capacity-building in historically disenfranchised communities.
Emergency Operations and Continuity of Operations Plans (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Conduct a comprehensive review and update the City’s emergency operations and continuity of operations plans to ensure that we can effectively respond to and recover from any hazards that threaten our community.
Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Plan In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term use and development of the City’s Parks and Recreation facilities and programming to ensure that community needs are served well and efficiently.
Pack Square Plaza Vision (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Collaborate with the community to develop an inclusive high-level concept of the Pack Square Plaza space and next-steps recommendations.
Downtown Patton Avenue Corridor Study In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Identify ways to enhance the design of downtown’s western gateway and improve connectivity between neighborhoods and mixed-use centers.
Single-Use Plastic Reduction (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Create a phased approach to reduce the consumption and associated pollution of single use plastic bags and expanded polystyrene food containers.
Urban Forestry Master Plan RFP Preparation (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Develop a request for proposals for the development of an Urban Forestry Master Plan.
Solid Waste Master Plan (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Evaluate the City of Asheville’s existing solid waste management system and provide short- and long-term recommendations to improve and enhance the efficiency and quality of the system and increase waste reduction and diversion.
Municipal Climate Action Plan Phase I: Tracking and Reporting (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Track and report on technical assistance provided to departments and develop a program to make climate and sustainability-related data progress towards goals publicly available.

Reparations

FY24 Council Priority

Finalize Reparations Commission Recommendations (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Support the work of the Reparations Commission to develop clear recommendations on actions to repair harm done by public and private systemic racism to the Black community in Asheville, including strategies to create generational wealth and boost economic mobility.
Audit and Recommendations to Cease Further Harm (Complete)(Began in FY24, Completed in FY24) Implement an audit of City policies and practices that harm the local Black community as recommended by the Community Reparations Commission.

Reimagining Public Safety

FY24 Council Priority

Downtown Safety Initiative and Community Cleanliness In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Develop a sustainable approach to address community safety and cleanliness issues in the downtown business district.
Implement Community Responder Program (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Test a multidisciplinary response team to proactively assist people who are unsheltered and/or experiencing addiction or behavioral health issues to better connect them to services, reduce the number of business interruptions, and reduce load on public safety employees.

Improve and Maintain Infrastructure and Core Services

FY24 Council Priority

Stephens Lee Improvements (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Exterior and interior improvements that significantly enhance usability while extending the life of this historic community asset.
Memorial Stadium and Mountainside Park Upgrades (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Create a new track and walking trail and upgrade restroom and playground facilities to improve community health, community-building, and track events hosting.
Comprehensive Facilities Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Complete a comprehensive assessment of City facilities and develop a long-term facilities management strategy to ensure that facilities investments are efficient and effective.
Contracting Disparity Study (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Complete a full analysis of the availability and the City’s utilization of minority and women-owned businesses to assess our progress reducing disparities and provide direction on what can be done going forward.
Strategic Partnership Fund Program Revision (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Implement immediate operational improvements to reduce barriers to participation and build a foundation for continuous improvement of program impact on the opportunity gap for low- and moderate-income youth enrolled in Asheville City Schools.
New Equity Action Plan (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Using tools from the Government Alliance on Racial Equity, develop equity actions plans for each department and for the City as a whole to ensure that equity is incorporated into all City policies, procedures, and practices, leading to more equitable service delivery.
Staff Professional Development (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Developed a robust set of leadership values and competencies with definitions, as well as built coursework aligned with those competencies. Conducted an organizational survey about the equity of departmental processes for providing outside professional development opportunities to employees. Implemented new leadership and development plan which led to the successful implementation of a new integrated learning management system (NEOGOV Learn). Impact: This project successfully developed a clear framework and pathways for employee growth and advancement to improve retention, reduce employee relations issues, and build leadership and management capacity within the City.
Human Resources Information System (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Purchase and implement a new HR information system to reduce manual data entry, improve reporting and data management, and reduce friction for applicants, new hires, supervisors, and employees.
Outdoor Dining Program Updates (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Update the City’s outdoor dining program (as applied to public streets and sidewalks) including revised standards, fees and management practices that will help ensure accessibility and maximize public benefits.
Police Recruitment Strategy (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop and implement a recruitment strategy to attract and hire diverse, qualified candidates for employment at the Asheville Police Department.
Community Cleanliness Improvements (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Engage contractors to carry out ongoing cleanup of roadside litter and sites containing biohazardous material to address community cleanliness concerns.
Integration of Climate Justice Initiative into City Operations (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Create procedures to incorporate Climate Justice Initiative recommendations into departmental project planning and execution.
Parking Garage Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Assess existing public parking garages to identify repair needs and their associated costs, as well as forecast for future repairs and upgrades of these structures.
Transit Master Plan (Canceled)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop a sustainable path forward for funding transit that reflects community needs, while aligning with available funding for operational and capital needs.
Advanced Water Metering Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Replace aging water meters with state of the art equipment to reduce water loss, allow customers to proactively monitor their usage, and reduce staff burden.
Lead Awareness Project (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Develop a service line inventory, replacement plan, consumer education campaign, and consumer funding options for lead pipe replacement in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.
McCormick Field In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Re-invigorate McCormick Field with improved fan amenities and public spaces that will maintain the ballpark as a vital landmark sports and entertainment destination for Asheville and the entire region with the aim to regularly attract local and regional visitors to the city.
Disposition of City Owned Land Postponed(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Develop redevelopment strategies for City-owned properties to ensure their redevelopment meets community needs and aligns with City Council strategic goals.
Enhanced Strategy for Constituent Services (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Review and assess current systems for responding to community member inquiries and develop strategies to improve them for better community service.
Permitting/Land Management Software Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Replace the current software system used for permitting and land management with a modern version.
City Board Member Compensation and Accommodations (Postponed)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Review advisory board member accommodations and compensation at the City of Asheville and across a variety of NC and US local governments to develop recommendations for consideration by City Council.
NC Benchmarking Project In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Join the UNC School of Government NC Benchmarking Project to track service performance data and compare with other NC cities.
2024 GO Bond Referenda Development (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY25) Identify capital project needs or changes to the long-term Capital Improvement Plan that are candidates for potential funding through a 2024 General Obligation bond.
Employee Performance Reviews (Postponed)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Develop a Citywide framework for performance management practices to provide clear expectations for employees and an equitable process for employee feedback and recognition with the goal of increased employee retention.
Asset Management (In Progress)(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Assess required financial and staff resources to add management of the Transportation and/or Parks and Recreation departments’ assets into the City’s current asset management system.
GAP Plan/ADA Implementation In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Identify and begin executing on near-term action steps from the Close the Gap plan adopted in 2022.
Implement Recommendations from Independent Review Committee on Water Outage In Progress(Began in FY24, due to complete in FY24) Review and begin implementation of the recommendations of the FY23 Independent Review Committee on the December 2022 water outage. Recommendations are focused on three major areas: water system operations, communications, and emergency response and operations.

Other Work

Work that falls outside current-year City Council priorities.

Duke Energy Downtown Substation Community Engagement In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Keep the community informed about Duke Energy's project progress and opportunities for public input.
Realignment of Boards & Commissions In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Work with stakeholders to recommend structural and operational improvements to the Boards and Commissions program to provide the community with a broader array of accessible ways to participate in policy discussions, and to give Council and board and commission members a clear path for connecting community ideas and input to Council policy decisions.
American Rescue Plan Act Grants Management In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Manage $26.3M in internal and community grants to significantly impact affordable housing, homelessness, neighborhood resilience, and other Council priorities while creating a more collaborative grantmaking model for increased impact and transparency.

Council Priorities (FY23)

Priorities are developed each year by the Asheville City Council at their annual retreat.

Homelessness Strategies
- Through partnerships, make homelessness rare, brief and non recurring by targeting strategies recommended by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Equitable and Affordable Housing and Stability
- Implement anti-displacement strategies while increasing housing supply in strategic areas/corridors and reducing barriers to construction.
- Incentive access for low income residents/households with emphasis on equitable growth
- Continue to update the Unified Development Ordinance
Neighborhood and Climate Resilience
- Through engagement and partnerships, prioritize resources and capacity across our climate, sustainability, and neighborhood plans to maximize impact.
Reparations
- Maximize and support collaboration with the Community Reparations Commission and community partners to effectively implement short and long term recommendations including the audit findings and long term accountability strategies
- Grow reparations investment by maintaining funding commitments and continue to look for additional revenue sources and funding partners.
Reimagining Public Safety
- Improve community safety outcomes by securing funding, increasing and diversifying programming and partnerships to address quality of life issues.
Improve and Maintain Infrastructure and Core Services
- Hire and retain excellent staff
- Prioritize and increase investments in municipal assets
- Strengthen regional partnerships and explore creative and ambitious untapped revenue sources including federal, state, regional and bond funds, etc.

Work in Support of Council Priorities (FY23)

Homelessness Strategies

FY23 Council Priority

Homelessness Needs Assessment and Strategy Recommendations Complete(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Engaged the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) to carry out a comprehensive assessment of needs related to unsheltered homelessness. Their report and recommendations were presented at a Asheville City Council/Buncombe County Board of Commissioners joint meeting in January 2023. The recommendations focused on improving governance and systems-level planning and coordination, developing service provider capacity to improve system performance, data collection, and housing development, and are currently being implemented with leadership from the Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee. Fiscal Year 2023 also represented the first full year of the new Homelessness Strategies Division. This four member team supports the work of the Homelessness Advisory Committee and associated work groups focused on implementing the recommendations from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The team also works in the following ways to improve partnerships and enhance our community response to address homelessness: (1) Manages federal grants including the Emergency Solutions Grant and the Continuum of Care funding, (2) Provides training and technical assistance to service providers for community capacity building, (3) Improves data collection and use of the Homeless Management Information System, (4) Builds coalitions across the community to build partnerships Impact: Improved governance and coordination between government agencies and community partners to improve prospects for long-term reduction in homelessness.
Permanent Supportive Housing at Ramada Inn (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Support the creation of 113 new units of permanent housing by funding on-site wrap-around services to address the needs of homeless individuals and veterans at the former Ramada Inn.

Equitable and Affordable Housing and Stability

FY23 Council Priority

Affordable Housing Plan (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop a new affordable housing plan to guide City policies and investments in order to comprehensively address the City’s long-term affordable housing needs.
Missing Middle Housing Study (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Identify regulatory and policy barriers to building missing middle housing, such as townhomes, accessory dwelling units and multiplexes, and recommend steps to overcome them.
Open Space Text Amendment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) On July 26, 2022, the Asheville City Council adopted updates to the City’s Open Space standards that primarily affect the development of private property. The updates align with the City’s adopted comprehensive plan, Living Asheville, by improving the quality of open spaces, balancing preservation of the natural and built environments and accommodating the need to provide new and diverse housing. Impact: Creation of more affordable housing units in the city to increase supply and release housing pressures by removing a significant regulatory barrier that has limited infill housing over the past two decades.

Neighborhood and Climate Resilience

FY23 Council Priority

South Slope Vision Plan (Postponed)(Began in FY22, due to complete in FY24) Create a framework to guide long-term development in the Southside South Slope area. Work on the plan originally started in late 2017, but was interrupted by the COVID19 pandemic. It was restarted in FY22.
Inclusive and Accessible Government (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Outfit 5 community spaces with hybrid meeting capability for more accessible and inclusive participation in City government decision-making and create a Community Engagement Academy for leadership development and capacity-building in historically disenfranchised communities.
Silo Buster (Neighborhood Issue Tracker) (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Created an internal information repository for neighborhood issues and interactions to ensure that City employees are informed about issues that matter to specific communities when planning projects and establishing priorities. Impact: Higher quality service and improved accountability provided to Asheville residents.
Emergency Operations and Continuity of Operations Plans (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Conduct a comprehensive review and update the City’s emergency operations and continuity of operations plans to ensure that we can effectively respond to and recover from any hazards that threaten our community.
Park Maintenance Facility Relocation (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Created a central maintenance facility to replace the facilities, utilities, and yard storage areas at Parks’ existing operations headquarters at 3 Hunt Hill Place & Gashes Creek Road. The project included an upfit of an office/warehouse building on approximately 3 acres located at 81 Thompson Street through a lease agreement with NCDOT - Rail Division. Renovations began in November 2022 and Parks and Recreation staff moved in at the beginning of April 2023. Impact: Reuse of existing city buildings for community recreation, reduction of the impact on surrounding neighborhoods and improved internal operations.
Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Plan In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop a comprehensive plan for the long-term use and development of the City’s Parks and Recreation facilities and programming to ensure that community needs are served well and efficiently.
Pack Square Plaza Vision (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Collaborate with the community to develop an inclusive high-level concept of the Pack Square Plaza space and next-steps recommendations.
Downtown Patton Avenue Corridor Study In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Identify ways to enhance the design of downtown’s western gateway and improve connectivity between neighborhoods and mixed-use centers.
Single-Use Plastic Reduction (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Create a phased approach to reduce the consumption and associated pollution of single use plastic bags and expanded polystyrene food containers.
Update City Ordinances to Prohibit Plastic Leaf Bags (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) The City Council passed an update to City Code 15 to prohibit the use of plastic bags for leaf waste. The change took effect August 1, 2023. To ease the transition for residents, the City is distributing paper leaf bags at Community Centers and Fire Stations through the fall while supplies last. Impact: Reduced consumption and pollution associated with single use plastic bags.

Reparations

FY23 Council Priority

Approved Implementation of the“Stop the Harm” Audit Recommendation of the Community Reparations Commission (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) The City of Asheville approved implementation of the recommendation of the Community Reparations Commission, to collaborate with Buncombe County to engage an outside consultant to carry out an audit of policies and services to ensure that cessation of harm to the African American community has actually occurred and that the City of Asheville and Buncombe County are in compliance with federal and state laws, regulatory bodies, codes of conduct, court orders and consent decrees, etc. Buncombe County launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) in May 2023 and announced the selected firm in August 2023. Impact: Assessment of the County’s and City’s compliance, operation, and performance in ceasing harm directly impacting the African American community and a better understanding of possible on-going impacts of City and County services, policies, and programs to the Black community.
Finalize Reparations Commission Recommendations (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Support the work of the Reparations Commission to develop clear recommendations on actions to repair harm done by public and private systemic racism to the Black community in Asheville, including strategies to create generational wealth and boost economic mobility.

Reimagining Public Safety

FY23 Council Priority

60-Day Downtown Safety Initiative Complete(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) The City conducted a 60-day pilot initiative in May and June 2023 to improve safety and cleanliness downtown. The effort involved coordination across many City departments as well as with community organizations and businesses. Efforts included a new Community Responder Pilot program led by the Fire Department, enhanced downtown patrol and business outreach efforts by the Police Department, cross-departmental safety assessment walks to identify opportunities to make improvements, volunteer cleanup events, improvements to lighting, and detailed tracking of actions taken. The effort transitioned to ongoing services on July 1, 2023, along with increased investments in cleanliness and security funded through the FY 23/24 budget. Impact: Improved safety and cleanliness downtown.
Community Responder Program Pilot (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Tested a multidisciplinary response team under the Asheville Fire Department in May and June 2023 to proactively assist people who are unsheltered and/or experiencing addiction or behavioral health issues to better connect them to services, reduce the number of business interruptions, and reduce load on public safety employees. The effort carried out 146 wellness checks and addressed 12 first aid/wound care needs over a 60-day period, and also gathered valuable qualitative and quantitative data on resource needs. This effort transitioned to an ongoing city-wide program on July 1, 2023. Impact: Assisted in connecting people to services, a reduction in the number of business interruptions, and longer-term reduced load on public safety.

Improve and Maintain Infrastructure and Core Services

FY23 Council Priority

Stephens Lee Improvements (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Exterior and interior improvements that significantly enhance usability while extending the life of this historic community asset.
Memorial Stadium and Mountainside Park Upgrades (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Create a new track and walking trail and upgrade restroom and playground facilities to improve community health, community-building, and track events hosting.
Comprehensive Facilities Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Complete a comprehensive assessment of City facilities and develop a long-term facilities management strategy to ensure that facilities investments are efficient and effective.
Contracting Disparity Study (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Complete a full analysis of the availability and the City’s utilization of minority and women-owned businesses to assess our progress reducing disparities and provide direction on what can be done going forward.
Strategic Partnership Fund Program Revision (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Implement immediate operational improvements to reduce barriers to participation and build a foundation for continuous improvement of program impact on the opportunity gap for low- and moderate-income youth enrolled in Asheville City Schools.
Organizational Work Plan (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Developed an organization-wide work plan that helps to prioritize, coordinate and communicate staff’s work throughout the fiscal year to ensure alignment with City Council priorities. Impact: Improved transparency and accountability provided to council and the community.
New Equity Action Plan (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Using tools from the Government Alliance on Racial Equity, develop equity actions plans for each department and for the City as a whole to ensure that equity is incorporated into all City policies, procedures, and practices, leading to more equitable service delivery.
Organizational Risk Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Conducted a high-level risk assessment of key business areas to determine compliance with internal controls, City policies, and all laws and regulations. The assessment will provide a basis for an internal audit work plan. Impact: Reduced risks to the city around compliance and internal control.
Staff Professional Development (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Developed a robust set of leadership values and competencies with definitions, as well as built coursework aligned with those competencies. Conducted an organizational survey about the equity of departmental processes for providing outside professional development opportunities to employees. Implemented new leadership and development plan which led to the successful implementation of a new integrated learning management system (NEOGOV Learn). Impact: This project successfully developed a clear framework and pathways for employee growth and advancement to improve retention, reduce employee relations issues, and build leadership and management capacity within the City.
Human Resources Information System (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Purchase and implement a new HR information system to reduce manual data entry, improve reporting and data management, and reduce friction for applicants, new hires, supervisors, and employees.
Phone System Replacement (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Replace the City’s outdated phone system. Impact: Reduced cost and improved security for the City as a whole.
Asheville App Improvements (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Relaunched the Asheville App with clearer guidance for users’ expectations and revised internal procedures to deliver a consistent response. A new Constituent Services position in the City Manager’s Office in FY24 will lead ongoing system enhancements and process improvements. Impact: Improved guidance for Asheville App users and more consistent responsiveness across all request types. Improved internal procedures and communication aligned with expectations.
Land Development Service Enhancements (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Reorganized staff in the City’s private land development functions in the Development Services and Planning and Urban Design Departments for improved process and better service to community stakeholders. Impact: Improved efficiency in services provided for private land development.
Outdoor Dining Program Updates (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Update the City’s outdoor dining program (as applied to public streets and sidewalks) including revised standards, fees and management practices that will help ensure accessibility and maximize public benefits.
Police Recruitment Strategy (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop and implement a recruitment strategy to attract and hire diverse, qualified candidates for employment at the Asheville Police Department.
Community Cleanliness Improvements (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Engage contractors to carry out ongoing cleanup of roadside litter and sites containing biohazardous material to address community cleanliness concerns.
Municipal Climate Action Plan (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Updated the 2009 Sustainability Management Plan to incorporate all policies, plans, and resolutions for climate mitigation and adaptation. The update will provide a roadmap for ongoing implementation. The plan was adopted by City Council in March 2023 and implementation is underway in FY 2024. Impact: Improved ability to manage adopted goals and prioritize the highest impact activities for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Integration of Climate Justice Initiative into City Operations (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Create procedures to incorporate Climate Justice Initiative recommendations into departmental project planning and execution.
Adoption of GAP Plans (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) In October 2022, City Council adopted the GAP Plan which was produced through the Close the GAP Planning Process. This plan is a comprehensive update to the City’s Greenway Master Plan, ADA Transition Plan, and Pedestrian Master Plan. Impact: A strong, accessible pedestrian network that lowers barriers for the disabled community, improves access to recreational activities, and reduces the need for cars to get around.
Parking Garage Assessment (Complete)(Began in FY23, Completed in FY24) Assess existing public parking garages to identify repair needs and their associated costs, as well as forecast for future repairs and upgrades of these structures.
Transit Master Plan (Canceled)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Develop a sustainable path forward for funding transit that reflects community needs, while aligning with available funding for operational and capital needs.
Advanced Water Metering Replacement (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Replace aging water meters with state of the art equipment to reduce water loss, allow customers to proactively monitor their usage, and reduce staff burden.
Lead Awareness Project (In Progress)(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY25) Develop a service line inventory, replacement plan, consumer education campaign, and consumer funding options for lead pipe replacement in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.
Independent Review Committee on Water Outage Complete(Began in FY23, Completed in FY23) Convened an external multidisciplinary group to review the December 2022 prolonged water outage. The review included an assessment of the city’s emergency response, communications efforts, and an infrastructure analysis to make process and policy recommendations. The external group delivered recommendations to the City Council on June 13, 2023. Impact: Improved water production and service delivery and a more sustainable water system.

Other Work

Work that falls outside current-year City Council priorities.

Duke Energy Downtown Substation Community Engagement In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Keep the community informed about Duke Energy's project progress and opportunities for public input.
Realignment of Boards & Commissions In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY24) Work with stakeholders to recommend structural and operational improvements to the Boards and Commissions program to provide the community with a broader array of accessible ways to participate in policy discussions, and to give Council and board and commission members a clear path for connecting community ideas and input to Council policy decisions.
American Rescue Plan Act Grants Management In Progress(Began in FY23, due to complete in FY26) Manage $26.3M in internal and community grants to significantly impact affordable housing, homelessness, neighborhood resilience, and other Council priorities while creating a more collaborative grantmaking model for increased impact and transparency.

Council Priorities (FY22)

Priorities are developed each year by the Asheville City Council at their annual retreat.

Reparations
- Maximize and support collaboration with the Community Reparations Commission and community partners to effectively implement short and long term recommendations including the audit findings and long term accountability strategies
- Grow reparations investment by maintaining funding commitments and continue to look for additional revenue sources and funding partners.
Employee Compensation

In Fiscal Year 2019-2020, the City contracted with the Archer Company to complete a Total Compensation Study. There were two phases to the study; the first was an analysis of the impact of raising minimum pay to $31,200 for a 40-hour work week, was completed and implemented in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2019-2020. The second phase, which included an analysis of positions, classifications, salaries, and benefits throughout the City in comparison to the market, was completed in Fiscal Year 2020-2021 and resulted in a number of recommendations, which were implemented in FY 2021-2022.
Reimagining Public Safety
- Improve community safety outcomes by securing funding, increasing and diversifying programming and partnerships to address quality of life issues.
Utilization of ARPA Funding

In 2021, the Federal Government passed the American Rescue Plan Act allocating $65.1 Billion to help communities recover from COVID-19. The City of Asheville received $26 Million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. This federal recovery funding was made available to governmental agencies to respond to the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19, to contain the impacts of COVID-19 on our communities, residents, and businesses, and to lay a foundation for a strong and equitable recovery. During Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the City Council had the important task of deciding how to best leverage the use of these ARPA funds to assist with COVID-19 recovery in the community.

Work in Support of Council Priorities (FY22)

Reparations

FY22 Council Priority

Reparations Process Initiation Complete(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Installed a Community Reparations Commission and engaged a project manager to support its work across five focus areas: Criminal Justice, Economic Development, Education, Health & Wellness, and Housing. Established a Reparations Fund with an initial investment of $2.1 million and an annual $500,000 allocation that will grow by 5%.

Employee Compensation

FY22 Council Priority

Compensation Study Recommendations (Complete)(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Funded the recommendations from the 2021 Total Compensation Study for employees on the public safety pay plans; increased non-public safety employee compensation to recommended minimum or 2.5% increase, whichever is greater; added 8 weeks of paid parental leave and 6 weeks to care for a qualified family member with a serious health condition; and added 2 annual paid holidays, Juneteenth and Veteran's Day.

Reimagining Public Safety

FY22 Council Priority

911 Services Consolidation (Complete)(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) City Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with Buncombe County to consolidate 911 services effective January 1, 2022 in order to enhance safety, provie more consistent and effective service delivery, and expand opportunities for alternate response methods through consolidated training and procedures.
Nuisance Response Restructuring (Complete)(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Moved noise complaints and animal control from the Asheville Police Department (APD) to the Development Services Department (DSD).
Buncombe County Community Paramedic Program (Complete)(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Integrated Buncombe County’s community paramedic program with the Asheville police and fire departments for emergency respose to calls for overdose, suicide, or mental health crises.
Office of Data and Performance (Complete)(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Created the Office of Data and Performance to support the use of data to assess and identify community trends and problems, utilize data to proactively address and solve problems, support cross departmental and community initiatives.

Utilization of ARPA Funding

FY22 Council Priority

ARPA Funding Allocation Complete(Began in FY22, Completed in FY22) Identified guiding principles for the use of $26 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, issued a request for proposals for community and City projects across nine categories and selected 19 external projects for funding, in addition to a number of internal uses addressing homelessness, community engagement, cleanliness, and transportation.