Local Politics · Buncombe County
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution at their Tuesday meeting opposing a state constitutional amendment that would limit local governments' authority to raise property taxes, citing the need for budget flexibility after Hurricane Helene and ongoing state underfunding of public schools. The proposed amendment, placed on this year's general election ballot by the General Assembly's Republican majority, provides no specifics on what restrictions would be enacted later. Commissioners also unanimously approved a letter supporting the Fairview holiday parade on Charlotte Highway, signed off on a $480,000 state grant for a health care clinic in Black Mountain operated by Appalachian Mountain Health, and heard progress reports on a countywide pedestrian plan and a Swannanoa development plan expected before commissioners this winter.
Local Politics · Asheville, NC
With two weeks until Election Day, Asheville mayoral candidates Esther Manheimer and Kim Roney discussed affordable housing and homelessness at a community forum Tuesday evening, Oct. 20, held at Highland Brewing. The event was hosted by Homeward Bound of WNC and the Carolina Real Estate Investors Association. Manheimer said she secured $225 million in CDBG-DR funds for housing, economic recovery and infrastructure following Hurricane Helene, and called for rewriting Asheville's zoning code, which she noted has not been updated since 1987. Roney proposed sector-based housing to place workers closer to jobs and pointed to home-repair programs in other cities as more cost-effective than new apartment construction.
Community News · Woodfin, NC
The Town of Woodfin announced on Oct. 20 that construction on the $4.8 million Taylor's Wave project on the French Broad River is complete and the "Stay out of Water" advisory has been lifted. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23 at the wave, located adjacent to Riverside Park. The town said the attraction may close temporarily over the next few months for performance improvements. Former Asheville Vice Mayor Marc Hunt created the project in honor of his son Taylor Hunt, who died in a whitewater accident. Construction began in summer 2024, was halted by Hurricane Helene in September, and resumed in April 2025.
