Community Weighs In on Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan    

Over the last several months, Buncombe County Planning staff, with support from the 13 volunteer members of the Swannanoa Small Area Plan Steering Committee, have been working to gather community input, identify community priorities, and create a long-term planning vision for the future of Swannanoa. Since July, hundreds of local residents have participated in surveys and public meetings aimed at defining the Small Area Plan study area, naming community strengths, identifying weaknesses, looking for opportunities, and acknowledging challenges facing Swannanoa. 

County staff have compiled an existing conditions study and conducted hazard vulnerability assessments throughout the Swannanoa Valley. The Steering Committee and County staff are continuing to fine-tune the Small Area Plan Vision Statement and boundary areas, based on community input received in online polls that wrapped up in January 2026.

The last major round of in-person community engagement for the Small Area Plan happened in December 2025 with a series of design workshops that gathered community input on needs and priorities relating to land use, housing, transportation, recreation, economic development, and more. A total of 466 people participated in the design workshops, either in-person or online. Residents were asked to weigh in on a wide variety of topics, including the types of housing and businesses they’d like to see in Swannanoa; where sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stops, and bike lanes are needed; what their tolerance is for regulations to mitigate the risks of future floods and landslides; whether they’d like to see a greenway in Swannanoa; and what their vision is for our “downtown” area. You can see a summary of the results under the “Poll Results” tab at engage.buncombecounty.org/swannanoasmallarea. 

In the coming weeks, County staff will be analyzing these results to identify trends and create recommendations to bring to the Steering Committee for review. The public will be invited to provide feedback on the recommendations starting in mid-April 2026. A draft of the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan is anticipated in late May 2026, with the Board of Commissioners expected to adopt the final version in September 2026.

Ultimately, the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan will guide County Planning and Development staff and elected officials as they make decisions around future land use policies, implementation items, and recommendations for development, conservation, resilience, and infrastructure projects. Learn more at engage.buncombecounty.org/swannanoasmallarea.

BeLoved Asheville Receives $2M for Swannanoa Project

A new Swannanoa affordable housing project has received a huge shot in the arm in the form of a $2 million donation from WellCare of North Carolina. In December 2024, BeLoved Asheville — a local nonprofit with a focus on building home, health, equity and opportunity — purchased an 8-acre parcel at 947 Patton Cove Road, just south of I-40, for $1.6 million, with the intent to develop an affordable housing community on the site. The WellCare funding will support the development and construction of this new community.

The need for affordable housing is not new. Our entire area had already been in a years-long affordable housing crisis when Helene slammed into the mountains in September 2024, impacting 60% of properties, destroying 372 homes, and leaving over 11,000 in need of significant repairs in Buncombe County, according to the County’s After-Action Report, which was released in September 2025. Swannanoa was among the hardest hit communities.

BeLoved Asheville plans to build 18 two-three bedroom, multigenerational “deeply affordable” homes on the Swannanoa parcel, providing for greater opportunity and long-term stability for working families. These homes will be targeted toward people earning approximately 30-50% of the area median income. This is currently $19,650-$32,700 for a one-person household and $22,450-$37,400 for a two-person household. BeLoved Asheville hopes to begin construction on these homes this spring, with a target for completion by the end of the year.

Help Envision the Future of "Downtown" Swannanoa

February 5

Residents are invited to continue shaping Swannanoa's future at a community input session sponsored by MountainTrue's Appalachian Design Center ("ADC") on Thursday, February 5. The event will take place at ArtSpace Charter School, 2030 U.S. 70, from 5-7 p.m. This interactive gathering will build on months of prior community feedback to identify community-led projects and initiatives that can help define downtown Swannanoa's character and support its recovery.

While Buncombe County's Small Area Plan focuses on long-term land use, zoning, and infrastructure planning, this ADC-led effort complements that work by identifying projects the community can take on itself—from programming and events to placemaking and grassroots initiatives. Expanding on input gathered through various community pop-up events, participants will actively explore the look, feel, and character they'd like to see for downtown Swannanoa through interactive exercises that help imagine how community-driven efforts could bring that vision to life.

Food, childcare, and translation services will be provided.

Participants at the February 5 meeting will also revisit the consolidated list of community-identified projects from prior input sessions. Beginning February 19, ADC will host a series of topic-specific meetings in Swannanoa where residents can commit time and energy to the efforts that matter most to them. All meetings will be held at Blunt Pretzels (120 Alexander Place in Swannanoa) from 5-6:30 p.m. Here are the meeting topics (dates are still being finalized and will be announced soon):

• Recovery Activities – Coordinate ongoing mutual aid, volunteer efforts, and connections to recovery resources. 
• Business/Economic Recovery – Explore ways to support local businesses and strengthen economic vitality in downtown Swannanoa. 
• Social/Community: Events & Programming – Plan community gatherings, cultural celebrations, and programs that bring neighbors together. 
• Social/Community: Infrastructure & Resources – Discuss shared community spaces and systems for coordinating resources and volunteers. 
• Emergency Preparedness – Build community resilience through emergency planning and support systems for vulnerable neighbors. 
• Recreation & Environment – Develop outdoor spaces, programming, and environmental stewardship projects for the community.

Questions? Contact Emily at emily@mountaintrue.org.

Warren Wilson Is Awarded $150,000 for Tiny Home Initiative 

Pisgah Investments Foundation has awarded Warren Wilson College $150,000 over the next three years to expand the college’s student-led Tiny Home Initiative. The funding will enable the college to launch a three-year, design-to-build program which includes academic coursework to study housing challenges, their consequences, and efforts to meet those needs; outreach and fundraising; and project management. Students will gain experience in sustainable development, while engaging in hands-on work to construct environmentally resilient tiny homes.

The initiative, first proposed by Warren Wilson student Maeve Williams just prior to Helene, kicked off with new urgency in February 2025. The first tiny home was completed last spring for a family displaced by Helene. A number of local and regional businesses provided materials, as well as time and expertise, to support the project. BeLoved Asheville served as the community partner, ensuring the home went to a family in need.

All tiny homes built under the Warren Wilson program will be fully functional and environmentally resilient, and will go to residents of the Swannanoa Valley facing housing instability. For more information about the Tiny Home initiative, visit www.warren-wilson.edu/2025/05/07/tiny-home.

Photo courtesy of Warren Wilson College.

Greenways for Connection and Resilience - March 14 

The community is invited to RISING STRONG: Greenways for Connection and Resilience, an informative public event focused on how greenways can help reduce flooding and improve safety while supporting connectivity, quality of life, recreation, and local business growth.


Originally scheduled for January, the event was postponed due to winter weather and will now take place on Saturday, March 14, from 12–5 p.m., at 216 Whitson Avenue in Swannanoa. Community members are encouraged to attend and help shape the conversation around the future of greenways in the Swannanoa Valley.


RISING STRONG will bring together neighbors, local organizations, and subject-matter experts to share new data on flood risks along the Swannanoa River and explore what a greenway could mean for the long-term resilience of the community. The event will also highlight lessons learned from other communities that have successfully developed greenways, with time for discussion around how greenways can support broader community goals as they are planned and built.

Attendees are welcome to drop in for all or part of the program, which includes three sessions:


• Reading the River – What does emerging data tell us about flood risks along the Swannanoa River?
• How Greenways Build Community – Successes, challenges, and lessons learned from other communities
• Connecting Communities – How a greenway can strengthen local connections and link Swannanoa to the Fonta Flora State Trail
  

This event is free and open to everyone, including residents, trail users, local business owners, and anyone interested in learning more about greenways and community resilience. To register and receive event updates, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/rising-strong-greenways-for-connection-and-resilience-tickets-1968312649119).

RISING STRONG is hosted by Thrive Asheville, Connect Buncombe, Friends & Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS), and Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance.

Owen Park Progress Report 

Here’s the latest Owen Park news from Parks & Recreation Director Allison Dains:

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation continues to make steady progress on the Charles D. Owen Park project as part of the County’s broader recovery and reinvestment efforts following Hurricane Helene. Recent milestones reflect both technical progress and strong community interest in shaping the future of this important park.

A key component of the project is community engagement. On December 3, the Parks & Recreation Department participated in the Swannanoa Small Area Plan Workshop at Owen Middle School to gather initial feedback on amenities residents would like to see at Owen Park. The design workshop was highly successful, with 466 participants providing input in person or online. Of those who participated, 93 percent expressed support for a greenway in Swannanoa, and 39 percent specifically requested greenways and wetlands with boardwalks at Owen Park. This feedback is already helping inform early planning discussions and reinforces the community’s desire for connected, nature-based recreational opportunities.

Additional outreach will continue throughout the project. A community outreach plan will be developed to ensure Swannanoa residents have multiple opportunities to provide input as the redesign of Owen Park moves forward. Engagement opportunities will be shared as they’re scheduled, and feedback from residents, park users, and stakeholders will play a central role in guiding design decisions and ensuring the park reflects community needs and values.

From a technical standpoint, survey work at the park has recently been completed, providing critical data on how the landscape and river corridor have changed since Hurricane Helene. This information will help guide resilient design solutions that respond to current site conditions while supporting long-term stability, environmental health, and public use.

The Parks & Recreation team met with the project’s design consultants, Hoerr Schaudtt, in late January for a formal project kickoff. The meeting established project goals, confirmed next steps, and aligned the design team and County staff on priorities for future improvements at Owen Park.

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation remains committed to keeping the community informed throughout the process. Project updates will be shared through the County website, email communications, and public meetings to ensure transparency and ongoing engagement as the project progresses.

Be a FANS 

Newsletter Sponsor 

The FANS E-Newsletter currently reaches almost 3,000 subscribers (and many more via social media). Additionally, approximately 500 print copies are distributed through the library and local businesses. Becoming a FANS newsletter sponsor is a great way to promote your business and show your support for our community. To learn more about newsletter sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.SwannanoaFANS.org and click on the "Initiatives" tab, or write to us at SwannanoaFANS@gmail.com.