GAP Report for 8/17/26
QUESTIONABLE
County Staff Calls for an Impact Analysis – So Why Approve the Rezoning Before It’s Done?
Buncombe County Commissioners will vote August 18 on a request to change two Kampgrounds of America (KOA)-owned parcels near US 70 from commercial to residential zoning. County staff recommends approval, but its own report says vulnerable populations may live nearby and that an impact analysis is appropriate. Commissioners should not approve the rezoning first and study its effects later; they should require the analysis before the vote and use it as the starting point for a consistent, County-wide anti-displacement framework.
PROBLEMATIC
A Better Transit Network for Many Riders — But Not Everyone
Updated 8/18/26: City Council is pressing pause on this issue, removing it from their August 25 agenda. We encourage you to use our updated template to appreciate and acknowledge this move, which is in direct response to community advocacy.
Updated 8/17/26: Council Member Kim Roney responded to our report last week by suggesting that Council pause the vote while additional community engagement is underway and explore whether expanding the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) Passport program could help preserve service to destinations that would otherwise lose it. She also asked how the City is participating in Buncombe County’s transit study and whether that study might offer another option for service between South Asheville and the airport. Her question raises a broader one for us: what opportunities have the City and County explored for a more coordinated transit strategy? (You can read Roney’s full response below.)
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PREVIOUS REPORTS
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