ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A panel of national land use and economic development experts delivered comprehensive recommendations Friday for rebuilding Asheville stronger and more resilient following Tropical Storm Helene’s devastating impact last September.
The Urban Land Institute advisory panel, which spent a week analyzing the city’s recovery needs, presented strategies spanning physical infrastructure, economic diversification and organizational reform during a public forum at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center.
Water management and flood control
The panel’s recommendations centered on adopting a “one water” approach to regional planning, calling for creation of a unified council involving city and county officials to coordinate water quality improvements and flood warning systems.
Civil engineer Ronnie Dietz, who led the water resilience analysis, recommended Asheville begin planning for a fourth water treatment plant now and secure land for future redundancy. The panel also suggested strengthening stormwater management standards to require developers to capture the first 1-1.5 inches of rainfall on-site…