Several hotly anticipated amendments to the city of Asheville’s Unified Development Ordinance will be open for public hearings at City Council’s Tuesday, April 24, meeting, including language that would tighten review standards, allow public hearings for subdivisions and cap construction on steep slopes.
The four separate public hearings come after a year of ratcheted up attention and public calls for changes to the UDO in light of Asheville’s rapid growth. Several developers in recent months have pursued conditional-use permits for developments, noting that they can build a standard subdivision without any Council oversight. And increasing development on surrounding mountains has inspired discussion of the aesthetics and safety concerns of building on slopes and ridge tops.
Other amendments making an appearance at the meeting are open-space regulations and retaining-wall requirements.
The meeting takes place at 5 p.m. in Council chambers at City Hall. The entire agenda, including documents describing the UDO proposals, can be found here.
— Brian Postelle, staff writer.
