Asheville launches Open City Hall forum on River Arts District draft form-based code

The draft form-based code for Asheville’s River Arts District has been released, and the City needs your feedback now more than ever.

The draft code is basically a recommended rezoning for the project area, but it is not yet final. Staff expects that there will be many changes made to the draft to make sure it fits with the community’s vision for the area.

Here’s where you come in

Community members are encouraged to visit Asheville’s new online engagement tool, Open City Hall to review the draft and provide input.

Why a form-based code?

Recently in the River Arts District, the City and its federal partners have worked with the community to develop a plan for more than $40 million in multimodal transportation infrastructure investments. Plus the New Belgium Brewery is redeveloping a 14-acre brownfield site for its East Coast expansion brewery, and all of the existing buildings that can be renovated are at or near completion. Additionally, the City’s economic development office created a Riverside Drive Development Plan, a re-use strategy for 10 acres of publicly owned land in the middle of the District. Current zoning does not support the urban and walkable development called for in the plan.

This new, form-based code is tailored to known issues in the RAD, including housing affordability, maintaining an industrial and art-centered atmosphere, the presence of the flood plain, contamination issues and adjacency to the railroad right-of-way.

The form-based code is intended to address both current uses and form in the district as well as future buildings and uses. Several goals of the form-based code are to:

Maintain the industrial and creative arts feel of the River Arts District;
Retain an environment that supports working artists and their studios;
Support the adaptive re-use of existing buildings; and
Add predictability for residents, tenants, and owners.

Please weigh in!

The process began with an extensive public input process including a kick-off meeting and a multi-day charrette July 25–29, 2015.

Now that we have a draft code, we need to hear from you! We are collecting input until May 8 through Open City Hall.

In addition, City staff will be analyzing the recommendations and comparing it with other standards in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and give additional feedback to the consultants. The code will be amended over the next six months, and a final draft will go through an approval process including community meetings, hearings at the Asheville Area River Redevelopment Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.

It is important to remember that these are draft zoning districts, but do not represent decisions that have been made. Your feedback will be helpful to refining the recommendations!

Project timeline

March 7: Draft code released.

March 22: Drop-in session, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center, 285 Livingston St.

April 7: Public Meeting on the draft code, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center.

May 8: Open City Hall public comment period ends on the Draft Code

May – July: Continued revisions to the draft code, staff works with consultant.

Aug – Sept.: Second draft released. Work session with the Asheville Area Riverfront Redevelopment Commission and Planning & Zoning Commission Public meeting

Oct – Nov.: Draft Code brought forward for endorsement to Asheville Area River Redevelopment Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission and for adoption by City Council.

Other ways to give input

Written comments may be submitted in person at City Hall, 5^thfloor or you can send an email to Project Manager Sasha Vrtunski at svrtunski@ashevillenc.gov.

For more information, visit visit the City of Asheville RAD form-based code project page.