With the new year around the corner, we wanted to look at some of the civic projects that will propel our city forward in 2019.

In the last few weeks, Asheville and Buncombe County announced five funding resolutions and grants that will shape new projects in our area over the next year. The funds will go toward arenas including energy, education + the arts. Here’s the big picture:

💡 The Renewable Energy Resolution for Buncombe County

- By 2030, Buncombe County will be powered by 100% renewable energy sources.

🎒 Early Childhood Education Funding

- $3.6 million has been approved for early childhood education and childcare in Buncombe County. The County is still working out where the money will come from.

🌆 Tourist Development Authority Grants

- 6 local organizations were awarded a total of $9.5 million for projects that will improve local communities and draw in more tourism.

🔓 MacArthur Foundation Grant

- The county received $1.75 million as part of the National Safety and Justice Challenge to reduce incarceration rates in jails.

🎨 Visiting Artist Project

- $50,000 dollars will go to a team of artists that will work with local artists + youth to create an art installation honoring Asheville’s African-American history and future.

Take a deeper dive into each project and find out the mission, timeline + goals here.

🍃 100% Renewable Energy Resolution

Passed | October 23, 2018

The Renewable Energy Resolution sets its sights on powering Buncombe County with 100% renewable energy sources by 2030… so, 12 years from now. Atlanta, Georgia, Boulder, Colorado + Columbia, South Carolina are on a similar timeline for their own sustainability initiatives. The City of Asheville also adopted a 100% renewable energy resolution last month.

DYK: According to the Sierra Club, there are already six cities in the United States powered by 100% renewable sources, such as wind, solar, landfill + hydropower

Progress | The County is planning a solar farm on a non-operation landfill in Woodfin, and the City of Asheville is working with Duke Energy to reduce the region’s reliance on fossil fuels, and the city has ordered new electric buses that are due in net year.

📖 Early Childhood Education Funding Package

Passed | October 30, 2018

Funding | $3.6 million

The shortage of accessible, affordable early childhood education + care has been an ongoing conversation in Asheville. For perspective, there are more than 11,000 kids under 4 in Buncombe County, but only a third of them are enrolled in an educational program.

This investment hopes to address the issue by providing funding to create classrooms + teaching centers, as well as aggressive recruitment of quality early childhood ed teachers.

Progress | Currently in planning and development stages.

🌆 Buncombe County Tourist Development Authority Grants

Passed | November 1, 2018

Funding | $9.5 million

The money will be split between six different projects. Check them out below:

Buncombe County Recreation Services | $6 million

💰: Expand + improve Buncombe County Sports Park + Bob Lewis Ballpark by adding new fields, rec centers, lights + parking; create the Enka Heritage Trail, which will consist of 2 miles of new greenways + paved sidewalks

LEAF Global Arts Center | $705,000

💰: Create a mini-theater, global immersion with a virtual reality, underground sound room with instruments from around the world + a small stage. The 3,300 square foot arts center will open on Eagle Street and highlight music, art + culture from around the world.

African American Heritage + Cultural District + Interactive Museum | $100,000

💰: Fund the African-American Heritage + Cultural District and an interactive museum. The cultural district will connect downtown to historically African American neighborhoods, and the museum will be added to the Stephens Lee Recreation Center. The project was designed by the Riverfront Development District.

YMI Cultural Center Improvements | $800,000

💰: Update the YMI’s gallery space and auditorium, and contribute to a state of the art media system for the auditorium.

Center for Craft, Creativity + Design | $975,000

💰: Create a Craft Innovation Hub that will include expanding the first floor gallery and adding an auxiliary gallery, lecture space, classrooms, workshop, coworking space + artist parklet. The Hub will serve as a cultural gateway along the Broadway-Pack Square-Biltmore corridor.

NC Arboretum | $905,000

💰: Expand the Arboretum’s decorative lighting in the garden and allocate part of the money for additional parking + landscaping.

🔓MacArthur Foundation Grant

Awarded | 2018

Funding | $1.75 million

This grant, which is part of a national initiative called the Safety + Justice challenge, hopes to empower Asheville to “address the main drivers of the local jail population.” The funds will be used to reduce the incarceration rates for Buncombe County by focusing energy on low-income communities, people of color + people with mental health and substance abuse issues, redirecting to mental health facilities, and lowering recidivism rates.

Progress | The Buncombe County government will be rolling out strategies over the next two years.

🎨 Visiting Artist Project

Awarded | October 2018

Funding | $50,000

The Visiting Artist Project, or the VAP, is part of Asheville’s Public Art program. This program in particular focuses on creating an artist work in Eagle + Market Streets, the historically African American district of downtown. Check out our previous coverage on the process of choosing the artist.

Progress | In the next year, Art Ecologie will work with a local team to create a cube installation between S. Market Street and Eagle Street across from the YMI building to commemorate the the businesses, homes + communities that were displaced by gentrification + city planning.

I’m excited about all of these projects, particularly the move towards renewables – which I think will also be great for the local economy as new and expanded green industries come to town, the MacArthur funding to create more equity in the criminal justice system, and the arts + culture funding for places like the Center for Craft, the YMI, and the Enka Heritage Trail.

It’s great to see when money is channeled into innovative projects that are going to better Asheville and Buncombe County. We’ll keep tracking all of these initiatives to update you over the next year.

What local project or improvement do you want funded? Let us know by commenting here or telling us over on Facebook or Instagram.

– Ali + Stephanie (AVLtoday intern)