UNC Asheville announced it will halt negotiations for its development of portions of its Millennial Campus property, which includes 45 acres of urban forest, in order to continue vetting the project, the university announced Thursday.
This major change follows a vote in late July from the UNC Board of Governors allowing UNCA to enter into a 99-year ground lease using its endowment.
Instead, the university will establish a Millennial Campus Development Commission that will be tasked with gathering community input, exploring alternatives to the south campus plan, and making recommendations on the sequencing and prioritization of projects.
“While this is not a moment for reflexive opposition to any particular idea, nor for blanket assertions that UNC Asheville should forgo development altogether, we do want to ensure the strongest possible process, the clearest possible information, and the broadest possible support while considering the best interest of the University, the UNC System, and the region,” UNCA Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said in a press release Thursday.
Committee members will be jointly appointed by UNCA Board of Trustees Chair Roger Aiken and van Noort with the expectation that the work will be completed by Jan. 2026.
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In early June, UNCA officials announced a proposed development plan for portions of its Millennial Campus that includes a 5,000-seat multipurpose stadium.
The plan has drawn concerns from community members about the lack of transparency and environmental concerts. Save the Woods, a group of concerned citizens, have been vocal in their opposition to the plan.
A Save the Woods spokesperson told BPR the group is encouraged by the news but the work is far from over.
“The citizens of Asheville have made it clear that the publicly owned urban forest is worth protecting. Thousands of people, including public officials, UNCA students and alumni, business owners, development professionals, and civic organizations, have taken a stand in this fight and have used their voices to demand a mutually beneficial future for UNCA and the Asheville community.”
