Interested in where to find information about the City of Asheville’s proposed bond referendum? A new interactive tool maps out where the City of Asheville would make improvements under three bond referendums that go before voters in the Nov. 8 general election.
The Proposed 2016 Bond Referendum Story Map guides voters through some examples of projects included in the proposed bond package.
Purple dots represent Transportation infrastructure projects; green dots represent Parks and Recreation projects; and the blue dot represents an Affordable Housing project. Some large City projects are not charted on the interactive map because they encompass the whole City, not just one particular location.
In August, Asheville City Council approved a general obligation bond referendum that would generate $74 million for public improvements financed by the bonds. The public improvements are divided into three categories:
- Housing Affordability, $25 million
- Parks & Recreation, $17 million
- Streets, Sidewalks and Bike Lanes, $32 million
Voters will vote separately on each category.
The proposed projects align with strategic focus areas adopted by City Council. The Parks & Recreation Bonds would address the strategic focus of promoting a healthy environment and the Housing Affordability bonds would address the strategic focus on creating livable neighborhoods. The bonds for Streets, Sidewalks and Bike Lanes would address the strategic focus on providing quality transportation.
In addition to the bond mapping tool, the City has a bond referendum information page with frequently asked questions, a timeline, impact on taxes and more. Comprehensive information on the bond referendum is gathered on this page.