Buncombe County plans to ask its voters for permission to take on $70 million in new debt this November. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Board of Commissioners began the legal process for placing two bond referenda on the general election ballot.
Two documents unanimously approved by the board outline plans to seek approval for $40 million in borrowing for affordable housing projects and $30 million for land conservation. Those amounts, as well as their designated purposes, are similar to the bond issues that Buncombe voters approved in 2022.
At a work session prior to the board’s formal meeting, Strategic Partnerships Director Rachael Sawyer noted that Buncombe had planned spending for all but $3.5 million of the funds approved in 2022. But reaching the goals outlined in the county’s 2030 strategic plan, she said, would take more money: $40 million to subsidize over 500 units of affordable rental housing, and $10 million to support conservation of about 700 acres per year. Developing new parks at Deaverview Mountain and Ferry Road would require at least another $10.7 million.
Sawyer did not outline the potential impact of those bonds on property tax bills. However, a May 5 presentation by Ryan Olson with the nonprofit Trust for Public Land estimated that $70 million in new borrowing would raise taxes on a median home — valued at $465,000 — about $52 annually for 20 years. That would represent a roughly 2.6% increase over Buncombe’s proposed property tax rate.
Although the county had previously discussed another referendum on bonds to support school capital projects, that issue won’t be on November’s ballot. Commissioner Terri Wells, who chairs Buncombe’s School Capital Fund Commission, said at the work session that education leaders were instead aiming for a vote in 2028.
Buncombe will hold a public hearing on the proposed referenda Tuesday, June 16. This year’s general election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Buncombe holds budget public hearing
Commissioners offered a formal opportunity for comment on the county’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27. Nine speakers took that opportunity, offering a broader range of perspectives than residents had shared at the board’s previous meeting.
In line with that previous critical feedback, several commenters encouraged the board to limit spending and mitigate the county’s roughly 11% proposed increase to property taxes. Among them were Rob Stetson, a Republican candidate for the Board of Commissioners District 1 seat.
“I tell everyone that you will draw upon your own personal experiences to develop and adopt a budget based on what makes sense by cutting things that are not necessary. And I just hope that I’m not lying to the people out there when I tell them that,” Stetson said.
Other speakers, however, advocated for the county to maintain or increase spending for specific priorities. Riceville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tom Kelly noted his firefighters’ need for expensive turnout gear — the personal protective equipment that helps ensure their safety. Pepi Acebo, a member of the Asheville City Board of Education, argued that the state legislature’s proposed budget plan would create an unfunded mandate for local school districts to raise salaries for some teachers.
County Manager Avril Pinder noted that changes to her recommended budget were likely prior to Tuesday, June 2, when commissioners are scheduled to vote on its adoption. When approached after the meeting by BPR, neither she nor board Chair Amanda Edwards shared further information about what tweaks residents might expect to see.
Other tidbits
- The county held a public hearing on potential projects for the Commercial District Revitalization Program managed by the N.C. Department of Commerce. Using $111 million in federal funding, the state will award grants of up to $10 million each for improvements to commercial areas damaged by Hurricane Helene. No member of the public spoke; a second public hearing on the matter will take place Tuesday, July 21. Residents can also submit comments by email at HeleneRecovery@BuncombeNC.gov or by calling 828-250-6100,
- Commissioners heard an update from the U.S. Forest Service regarding Hurricane Helene recovery. Jennifer Barnhart, district ranger for the Pisgah National Forest’s Appalachian Ranger District, noted that USFS had worked to reduce wildfire risk from downed trees and restore access to recreational areas. Road and parking lot access in Shope Creek reopened in April, but vehicle access to Douglas Falls in Big Ivy likely won’t be available until next summer.
- The board adopted a resolution formally accepting properties from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Federal Hazard Mitigation Program, popularly known as FEMA buyouts. FEMA has so far acquired 189 properties impacted by Helene at a total cost of over $88 million, with another 72 under review. County government can use the land for low-intensity purposes such as parks and greenways.
- Buncombe accepted $606,000 in insurance money for vehicles damaged during Helene. The funds will replace seven vehicles with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and one with the county’s tax assessor.
- The county declared May as Older Americans Month. An accompanying resolution noted that over 82,000 Buncombe residents are 60 years of age or older, nearly 30% of the county’s overall population. That proportion exceeds the national average of roughly 24.4%.
Every first and third Tuesday, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meets at 200 College St., Room 326, in downtown Asheville, beginning at 5 p.m. The board’s next regular meeting will take place Tuesday, June 2.
See the full recording and documents from the May 19 meeting.
