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The commission will annually provide its recommended goals and objectives to the civic center director for consideration in his development of the annual budget. The commission or appointed individuals or committees may be consulted by the civic center director in the preparation of the civic center budget proposal. The commission shall be provided with a copy of the proposed civic center budget within five working days after submission to the city council. The commission may submit commentary to city council on the civic center budget. The commission shall have no authority to make or enter into contracts or to authorize the expenditure of funds.
(Ord. No. 2774, § 1, 11-28-00)
Secs. 2-65—2-75. Reserved.
(a) Creation. It is hereby declared that the public welfare and interest of the citizens of the city will best be served by establishing and maintaining a commission for the sustainability and continued development of downtown, a vital urban center of western North Carolina's economic, cultural and visitor activity. To that end, there is hereby created and established a commission of the city to be known as the Asheville Downtown Commission, referred to in this division as "commission."
(b) Composition. The commission shall consist of 11 members, except as provided in subsection (c) below. The appointed composition will be as follows:
(1) Two members appointed by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
(2) One member of the city council appointed by the city council, except as provided in subsection (c) below.
(3) Seven members appointed by the city council from the private sector of the community.
(4) A member of the board of directors or the executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association.
The members appointed by the city council and county commissioners from the private sector of the community shall represent various segments of the greater downtown community such as, but not limited to, property owners, merchants, residents, businesses and institutions; and shall have a willingness to participate actively in commission efforts; and shall possess expertise and interest in the sustainability and development of downtown.
Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their service, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their official duties.
(c) Terms of office. Members of the commission shall serve staggered, three-year terms, with the exception of the city council member, and the person serving in the position allocated for the Asheville Downtown Association, each of whom will serve according to the length of their respective terms of office; provided that the two council members serving on the commission as of the effective date of this amendment may continue to serve until their service on the city council ends, or until one of them resigns, at which time the total membership of the commission shall be eleven, and city council member appointees shall be reduced to one. In the event that a county commissioner is appointed to the commission, her/his term on the commission shall coincide with her/his term of office. At-large members will be eligible for reappointment for one term.
(d) Selection of officers. The commission shall select annually from its members a chair and a vice-chair.
(e) Meetings. The commission shall establish its meeting schedule. Special meetings may be called by the chair or, in her/his absence, by the vice-chair, and special meetings shall be called upon the request of a majority of the members of the commission.
(f) Attendance. The failure of any commission member to attend 75 percent or more of the meetings of the commission held during a 12-month period, without an excused absence being approved by the chair, may be grounds for removal. Removal from the commission shall be at the discretion of the city for its appointees and the discretion of the county for its appointees.
(g) Voting. A quorum shall be constituted by a simple majority of commission members, excluding vacancies. The chair or the presiding member of the commission shall vote on all matters of business considered by the commission.
(h) Transaction of business. The commission shall act as a body in the transaction of all business, unless a committee or member is duly authorized by the commission for a specific purpose. The committee is to be discharged upon the completion of the duties assigned to it, unless it is a permanent committee.
(i) Appointment of committees. The commission is authorized to appoint committees from its membership or the community at large. Committee functions shall be fixed by the commission at the time of appointment. Committees may be standing or ad hoc in nature and shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the commission.
(j) Periodic reviews. There will be periodic reviews by the city council of the progress of the commission as deemed necessary by the city council.
(Code 1965, § 2-101; Ord. No. 1687, 4-26-88; Ord. No. 1884, § 2-101, 2-18-91; Ord. No. 1962, 2-18-92; Ord. No. 2078, §§ 1, 2, 2-15-94; Ord. No. 2287, 6-11-96; Ord. No. 2630, § 1, 10-27-99; Ord. No. 4059, § 1, 2-28-12; Ord. No. 4567, § 1, 3-28-17)
(a) Subject to such limitations as may be imposed by state law or by ordinance of the city, the commission shall be embodied for the following purposes:
(1) Recommend to city council an overall policy for the continued development and sustainability of downtown.
a. Develop and recommend to the city council a comprehensive strategic plan and other plans for downtown. Conduct regular evaluations and updates for the comprehensive strategic plan and all other downtown plans.
b. Recommend to the city council appropriate land development policies for the downtown.
c. Recommend to the city council what assistance, if any, is needed from professional consultants for downtown efforts.
d. Recommend and monitor implementation of downtown planning efforts.
(2) Provide recommendations for effective management of the public resources for downtown and actively pursue and assist private sector investment in the downtown area for the welfare of the citizens of Asheville.
(3) Carry out the powers and duties assigned to the commission as described in section 7-3-8 of this Code.
(4) Cooperate with and evaluate and represent the recommendations of other organizations, including, but not limited to, the Asheville Downtown Association, property owners, merchants, residents, businesses, tenants, institutions and other members of the downtown community.
(5) In order to accomplish subsections (1) through (4) above, the commission shall:
a. Develop financial tools for downtown development.
b. Evaluate existing plans and recommendations concerned with downtown development.
c. Identify appropriate uses for downtown and identify developers/investors for downtown development.
d. Coordinate downtown commercial and residential development with property owners, merchants, residents, businesses, tenants, and institutions within the downtown planning area as established by the commission.
e. Promote and facilitate the improvement of downtown infrastructure, including water, public safety, parks, parking, transportation, utilities, sidewalks, sewer, streetscape.
f. Promote and facilitate marketing programs that focus on the downtown area and meet the goals and mission statement of the commission.
1. Promote and facilitate a program to assist in business retention in the downtown.
2. Promote and facilitate a marketing program to increase sales, visitors and awareness of downtown.
3. Promote and facilitate downtown living.
g. Promote, facilitate and act as liaison to catalytic developments significantly affecting the downtown area.
h. Provide city council with representative community participation in preparing and implementing plans and reports concerning the development of downtown.
(b) To carry out the purposes stated in subsection (a) of this section, the commission shall have the powers as follows:
(1) Subject to limitations as may be imposed by state law or by ordinance of the city, perform those tasks necessary and convenient to carry out the purposes of the commission for the public welfare;
(2) Make studies which further the implementation of its plans; and
(3) Actively encourage and pursue the participation of the private sector and private capital in implementing approved projects.
(Code 1965, § 2-102; Ord. No. 1884, § 2-102, 2-18-91; Ord. No. 2630, § 1, 10-27-99; Ord. No. 4368, § 1a, 4-27-21)
(a) The city manager shall be responsible for providing staff support for the commission. The city manager shall assign an appropriate city staff member who shall direct and carry out the annual work program of the commission and shall serve as secretary to the commission with no voting rights.
(b) Technical experts and consultants outside ordinary city staff available to perform such services needed to complete the approved work program elements shall be recommended by the commission to the city council in accordance with the state and federal law and city policy pertaining to such selection.
(Code 1965, § 2-103; Ord. No. 1884, § 2-103, 2-18-91; Ord. No. 2137, § 1, 8-23-94; Ord. No. 2630, § 1, 10-27-99)
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