Asheville City Council Approves Meadows at New Haw Creek After Months of Community Negotiations

Asheville City Council Approves Meadows at New Haw Creek After Months of Community Negotiations

Decision Follows Extensive Talks between the Community and Property Developers

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — After a tenuous period of dialogue and negotiations that lasted several months, conditional zoning has been granted for a 27-acre property development situated off New Haw Creek Road. The Asheville City Council, following an extensive public hearing that lasted for hours, finalized this decision on the evening of Tuesday, July 24th, 2024.

84-Unit Development Plan Clears Way for 35 New Townhomes

The development project, officially christened “Meadows at New Haw Creek”, encompasses 84 units, 35 of which are townhouses. The original proposal had recommended the construction of 95 units.

“We have unanimously agreed from the very inception of this project that our stand isn’t categorical refusal. Instead, our aim was and still is, to work cohesively with the community to arrive at a reasonable compromise. Our efforts over the past few months have been aimed at identifying four specific changes we wished to see in the proposal,” said Chris Pelly, a former member of the Asheville City Council and the current president of the Haw Creek Community Association.

Negotiations Yield Positive Results, Receive Praise from Mayor

The developer, Kevin Jackson, was at the helm of several discussions with a group represented by Pelly. Jackson expressed his satisfaction with the outcomes, whereby he managed to address several issues raised by the concerned parties, yet still ensuring the project remained financially feasible.

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer acknowledged the efforts of all involved parties and attributed the success of the negotiations to the unity and organization of the local community.

Major Issues Addressed: Sidewalks, Affordability, and Tree Canopy Preservation

The Meadows at New Haw Creek development underwent several iterations on their proposal in an effort to address community concerns about the inclusion of sidewalks, ensuring greater connectivity within the property, providing affordable housing units, preserving the existing tree canopy, and providing buffer zones between the new development and existing neighborhoods.

Prior to the agreement, approximately 50% of the property was covered by a tree canopy. According to the new plans, the canopy will cover approximately 6 acres of the property.

Next Steps for Meadows at New Haw Creek

With the conditional zoning approval received, the development team is preparing to move onto the next step involving more technical approvals. These will be ascertained by staff members as part of the technical review committee’s process.

🔗Further Updates on this Story

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