Asheville, North Carolina Board & Commission Meetings, 25 Aug 2023

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From YouTube: Downtown Commission, 2 of 3 – August 25, 2023

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Due to streaming interruptions, this is Downtown Commission video 2 of 3.

Regular meeting of the City of Asheville Downtown Commission.

Access the agenda and other meeting materials at the City of Asheville website: https://www.ashevillenc.gov/departmen...

Participate before and during the meeting on our public engagement hub: https://publicinput.com/W0132

A

Believe it's uh it has to be vacant for two years before there's no longer negative points. I, don't I've worked on this particular part of the Matrix um and thought it was an important aspect of it. I believe it's vacant for two years before um sorry, I should use the mic vacant before two years before um there's no longer a point deduction.

B

And that's an application time, so that would mean this would still.

C

Have they have they identified? What community B benefits they're going after.

D

They have not uh that's typically done later in the process. um We haven't had any any any indication from them about what they're um proposing.

B

It's interesting to not be able to have that, as you all talked about impacts, is it.

D

Yeah, um we usually have some idea, or it's built into the design, based on some of their elements that they're getting.

C

Like a, they, don't have public art.

B

And I thought that they had to application they're submitting and then saying we'll. Let you know about this benefits table.

C

They don't have to do it until the final TRC I think.

D

Yeah or even uh prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy is usually the um that's that's when it's required. Basically, they they can't get a CO unless they meet those requirements.

B

Well, they have to implement by them, but but when they come to council, we certainly know, but.

D

This project would becomeing the council, so yeah.

B

We might want to tighten that up a little that's an odd.

D

Yeah, it's something something the consider is is maybe sooner um is obviously better than later for.

C

For some reason, I had it in my mind that was required for entitlement.

B

We, when we asked about the previous Hotel, they didn't have their all sill out. Either we didn't ever have the whole. Do you remember too I don't know if y'all were I mean we discussed it in this room a lot, but one of the concerns I had about that process was who would decide some of the decisions on that table? Would it be developer? Leed staff Leed Community input Leed like how would they decide, depends.

A

On who's on Planning and Zoning, I think.

B

D

B

Influence there, because I was always worri.

C

You mean as to which Community benefits they they are going for. It's always been developer. You know they submit. These are the ones that we are applying for and because it's uh basically we're trying to come up with a use by right as long as they come up with the right number. The developer submits that.

B

It just seems like we would need to know that earlier as part of the conversation.

C

Well, I would think that P there should be someone your.

A

Question, like maybe staff, who decides whether compliant or non-compliant.

B

Well, even which options on there are.

A

B

Like I think it should be all developer at that point, um but in some cases I've heard well, we heard from so and so they'd like this and we heard from staff that we'd like they'd, like this and I. Just I worry about that part of the process to me that it's not submitted at this point.

D

Yeah, um it's it's pretty typical to be honest at this point for for hotel projects that we don't know the exact makeup of the commity benefits. So let me.

C

Let me make sure I understand y. They have to meet Community benefits in order to go forward as a hotel, but that's not part of the entitlement process. That's part of the uh Co process, certificate of occupancy process.

D

That's my understanding, but I I could be wrong in that regard, um usually by final TRC. They have those numbers pretty.

C

Well, in that I mean I can't get stuff for really ridiculous reasons. Sometimes, um okay.

A

I mean: could you really have an entitlement and then be denied a CO because of this? That seems.

C

uh That would that seems to be a.

A

Sticky Wicket.

C

B

C

Know the a lot of the community benefits are kind of a they're not integral to the design. You don't have to change the.

D

Design, you just have contributions to affordable housing, trust fund.

B

Guys about impact.

C

Yeah, that's that's what our our role is. We can't we can't really do that until it's after the fact.

B

Yeah I, don't like how do you you discuss your impacts? If you don't know what they're doing I mean that could be green built, it could be money to Housing, Trust, Fund or reperations. It could be solarized, it could I mean there's so many things living wages and that's really what y'all are you know not just that? But what are the impacts to that neighborhood that street the.

C

B

The downtown it's very interesting.

A

I've made a note of it.

B

For future updates.

A

Does seem like we should be to entitled.

C

um Are we having a.

B

Problem with recording do any.

D

Some tech problems um and then just to Circle back um so I think Andrew was was correct that you get negative 20 points if you displace a business place within the previous or projected 24 months. So.

B

D

Months, if there was a that that existing house building, if that I, don't know if that would be considered a business.

B

Might not be in some man, they should be.

D

But made the house structure if that was occupied in the previous 24 months, based on I'm, not sure sure exactly what point in time um that they get negative points for that. You get negative 50 points. If you um demolish a historic structure and I think that might be I, don't know it might be, it might be whether it's listed as a contributing.

C

Structure, it's got to be either contributing.

D

Structure in in a historic.

C

District or it's got to be on the register.

B

That's that's the technical definition. Do we know if it's a contributing structure.

C

uh We can look at the it's not part that that specific part of town is not part of the the downtown district right. I'll look.

D

It up so unless it's a yeah, so unless it's on the register.

C

Itself or it's a local Landmark.

B

D

It's probably it's probably not as the answer, um but we'll double check that all it means is that they have to have additional points to make up for that.

A

D

That they get uh dinged on so to speak.

C

um We've got a bowl of snacks if.

C

B

What do we got here? I haven't had a fig in a long.

C

Time we will, as we continue this discussion, I'm I'm I'm, actually having some heartburn over the fact that they don't even have to list their potential Community benefits to get entitlement right. I, just like I I've got to have flood I've got to have do right away. I've got to have MSD if, if I'm grading on a railroad right, there's all these things that I have to have before I can get entitlement on a project and since that's part of the hotel overlay, I think that that could be now. They can change that.

C

You know there's other ways if they like. If so, if they come up and they go hey, we decided not to do the reparations we've decided to do the housing fund. They could change that. You know and- and it could still be, it's Amendment and it's approved through the as part of the co process, but I really think and I'm talking more as a commissioner that that should be part of entitlement for pnz, yeah, agree and I. Think pnz is the right.

B

Place not necessarily this this.

C

Commission but pnz is the right place for that.

A

But it would help us if we knew what was up. It would help.

C

Us understand.

A

I mean, and let's let's be charitable, let's it it could. Possibly you know make us feel great. Knowing.

B

A

Knowing what they're going to do you know it's? Could it could lead to positive reviews.

B

Here yeah I mean they're dismantling and demolishing black historic church I'd like to see what they're doing too right.

C

And they're going in right beside a.

A

D

C

D

No, it would be helpful to know sometimes folks have an idea and they'll present it. It still does.

B

Could change a.

D

Lot throughout the process, they'll they'll say they're goinging green globe and they realize.

B

D

Of doing whatever.

B

D

Of that is too prohibitive, so they do public art instead, so it can, it can shift, but it's good.

C

To have an idea shift, but they can have an idea. I mean as long I have to have strategies.

B

For all kinds of things.

C

Entitlement then we get into the project like.

B

A

D

I need a retaining wall.

C

I need something different and and there's a there's, a process to go through changing your plans, but.

D

I think, usually by final TRC, we have that information in hand I think that's typically, when we get it I think the co is like the final drop drop, dead.

C

That which is fine yeah, you know like they, they don't have to drop the money into the account.

B

C

Ceo, if they're doing a reparations for.

D

Whatever they're doing.

C

But they should have that box checked before it goes to pnz to get entitlement.

D

C

D

Take I guess the concern would be then, if, um through the final design, if things change, would they have to go back to planning zoning to change their allocation of points.

C

It depends on um uh that's a good question um as long as their points don't drop below, they should have the option.

C

mhm You know I, don't have to go back through pnz for entitlement if um I have to change my landscape plan, no, no I'm, still meeting the landscape plan, but I can't have the for whatever reason. I can't put these trees here. um I have to change the tree mix. um We had to change the canopy preservation plan because uh this one got killed. Somebody back a bulldozer over it, real things and and and right so you go, but you don't I don't have.

D

To go back, that's a that's! Just a that's a staff decision! Yeah we had a hotel project, come back to like to create 72 Broadway project had to return to planning zone because it changed the the mix count within.

B

The building but see that's different and that yeah it's different.

D

So those things had to come back for and it is ministerial site plan review for these level twos. It's not a.

B

It's not a legislative.

D

Review, so it is more just confirming that the zoning is adhered to and the pp benefits is part.

B

C

The zoning so I definitely see the logic.

D

C

But but they should have a we're doing these things.

D

C

Like you know, I got to meet storm water quality, quantity, control, yeah and I, get in the project and I can't put the storm Tech where I thought I could I have to do something different, but I don't have to go back through pnz, but I have.

B

C

That to get entitled right.