They say it takes a village to raise a child, but how many members of the community does it take to make a city prosper? (We know there is “how many Ashevillians does it take to change a lightbulb” joke here).
From deciding on the art on our public streets to the expansion of urban trails (greenways), Ashevillians like you + me are integral to creating the city we enjoy daily. How? On 30 city boards + commissions focused on transportation, arts, sustainability, recreation, and more. (A.k.a giving citizens a literal voice in their local government).
Who: 👋Residents of City of Asheville (some County appointed seats are available, as well).
How much time? ⏰ Time commitment varies, but most commissions meet monthly or bi-monthly. Generally, a term is held for 3 years.
How can I apply?💻 Submit applications online here (or visit the city clerk’s office and request an application). You can specify the board or commission you’re interested in, or when vacancies occur, City Council will review the applicants on file already. Once you apply, your application will stay live for a year (and you can be placed when a vacancy occurs).
Are there any openings? Yup, 7. Including the Recreation Board, Multimodal Transportation Commission + Housing Authority. See them all here.
Check out these six committees + see what Asheville’s Boards and Commissions are all about.
🎨Public Art & Cultural Commission (PACC)
9 members; 3-year term. Facilitates art in public buildings + spaces. Advancing Asheville as an “arts destination.” Approves site + content for public art. Developes procedure for selecting art/artists + handles public input. Also: Revisits Public Art Policy every 5 years. (And amends as needed).
Meetings are public: Every 4th Thurs. of Jan., March, May, July, Sept., + Nov. at 4 p.m. in the 1st floor conference room of City Hall. The commission chair is Jay Miller. For more info – jaymiller77@gmail.com.
🌿 Sustainability Advisory Committee (SACEE)
9 members; 3-year term. Creates + upkeeps policies that support sustainable energy, waste reduction, land use planning + more.
Meetings are public: 3rd Wed. every month at 3:30 p.m. in the 1st floor conference room in City Hall. The commission chair is John Noor. For more info – jdnoor1@gmail.com.
🏠 Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC)
At most 9 members (currently has 7).
Works with City leaders to provide affordable housing + implements the Affordable Housing Plan (and updates as needed). Works with housing developers to recommend housing priorities to City Council.
Meetings are public: 1st Thurs. of every month in the 6th floor training room in City Hall at 9:30 a.m. The committee chair is Barry Bialik. For more info – at barry@monkpub.com.
🏞 Asheville Area Riverfront Redevelopment Commission (AARRC)
14 members; 2 from County, 5 from city, 2 from RiverLink, 2 from Council of Independent Business Owners, 1 from Woodfin.
Recommends policy for development + sustainability of French Broad riverfront + managing public resources, assists in getting investments for waterfront projects from businesses and works with stakeholders (property owners, businesses, nonprofits, and more).
Meetings are public: 2nd Tuesday of each month in the Chamber of Commerce Board Room at 4 p.m. The commission chair is Carleton Collins. For more info – carleton@carletoncollinsarchitecture.com.
🌎 Tourism Development Authority (TDA)
11 members; 5 from City Council (4 from hospitality + tourism industry; 1 general), 4 from county, 1 member appointed by the Chamber, 1 member of City Council + 1 member of the Buncombe County Commissioners.
Bettering the future of travel, tourism + conventions at a local to national level.
Meetings are public: 4th or last Wednesday of each month at the Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau at 9 a.m. More info – BCTDA@ExploreAsheville.com.
📖 African American Heritage Commission (AAHC)
9 members; 3 appointed from city, 3 appointed from county + 3 appointed by the six appointed members.
This commission is responsible for promoting the preservation of African American arts, history + culture.
Meetings are public: 2nd Thursday of each month in the first floor conference room of City Hall at 11:30 a.m. The commission chair is Sasha Mitchell. For more info – sasha.mitchell@gmail.com.
