Menu
Log in
Forgot password


Log in


Sidewalk, Greenways & Pedestrian Safety Committee Meeting Notes

<< BACK TO COMMITTEES PAGE

05.19.2023


5/19/23 Arco Road Greenway Planning Meeting Notes

In attendance: Shelley McKechnie, Bebe Tarleton, Jack Tarleton, and Chris Pelly


Discussion of how to get on the radar of the City of Asheville for this project. Ideas considered include presentation during the public comment section of City Council meetings during which we would have up to ten minutes to make our case. We also discussed inviting individual council members for a walking tour of the greenway site. We decided, since part of the greenway will be within Haw Creek Park, to invite Pete Wall, a senior Parks and Recreation staff member, to meet with us to seek his advice. Chris agreed to contact Pete Wall.
We discussed demonstrating community support for the greenway by asking surrounding community institutions to sign a letter endorsing the project. These include Haw Creek Elementary School, Evergreen Community Charter School, Haw Creek Commons, Haw Creek Mews Apartments, Creekside Taphouse and East Asheville Public Library. Others? Shelley agreed to draft this letter.

We discussed a similar letter of endorsement members of the general public could sign lending their support. This could be posted to the association website. No action taken.

We discussed the Memorandum-of-Understanding (MOU) negotiated between the Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway and the City of Asheville. It defines the responsibilities of each party regarding that greenway. We anticipate having to eventually do the same for the Arco Road greenway. 

We briefly discussed fundraising for this project. We recognize there will be a need for funding but until we can identify specific needs and costs it is premature to undertake a fundraising program.


07.06.2022


Attendees

Sarah Hess, Woody Kloesel, Deborah Francis, Susan Michael, Jim Brunner, Chris Pelly
Unable to attend

Phil Trunnell, Meghan Quinn, Sorrel June, Jack Murphy, Anne Desotelle

Chris chaired the meeting and reviewed the message from Traffic Engineer Chris Cairns on the status of additional signage and lowered speed limits for lower Beverly Rd. Signage changes coming soon and speed limit change coming before City Council July 26th.

Discussion next on proposed Share the Road Sunday idea for Old Haw Creek Rd. As the community has expressed desire for sidewalks on New Haw Creek and Old Haw Creek roads, and as current improvements have taken decades, the idea of instead starting a community conversation about a limited test and closing one lane of Old Haw Creek Rd–Share the Road Sunday–was discussed.

Much conversation about the importance, given the significance of the proposed change, that this proposal requires broad community outreach and education as well as actively listening to community feedback. This might require literal door-to-door visitation of residents, especially along Old Haw Creek Rd, to answer questions and seek support. Our initial goal is to make the case this might be a reasonable alternative to the fact Old Haw Creek Rd likely will never have sidewalks.

Among the actions agreed upon to begin this process:

  1. Sarah will work with a graphic designer to make the current text more engaging and suitable for public distribution

  2. Chris to share proposal with Ken Putnam and Chris Cairns with the CoA Transportation Dept. to ask they consider the idea and offer suggestions for strengthening the proposal.

  3. This committee unanimously endorsed the ‘Share the Road Sunday’ proposal allowing it to be brought to the full board of directors at the 7/20/22 meeting.

  4. Creation of a list of community partners with whom we will want to consult as the idea advances. Among those are; The Fire Dept, Asheville Transit, Haw Creek Elementary School and Evergreen Community Charter School among others.

  5. Potentially speaking in the public comment section of City Council meetings to help build support at City Hall.

Next meeting date undetermined.

Chris Pelly, Chair
Sidewalks, Greenways & Pedestrian Safety Committee of HCCA

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software