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Tuesday, 05 December 2006 17:44 |
By DAVID FORBES
The rent for the U.S. Army Reserve Center on Louisiana Avenue will be reduced to previous levels plus an annual cost of living increase, as Asheville City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 28 to rescind an earlier rent increase.
The decision comes after the increase drew the ire of some veterans and conservatives, including threats and insults directed at Mayor Terry Bellamy.
After looking over additional information, council decided to reconsider the move.
"Looking
at the reports of other reserve centers here and around the state, itës
clear weëre out of the norm here," Councilman Bryan Freeborn said. "In
that light, Iëm happy to reconsider my previous vote on escalating the
rent. We should follow the norm with other reserve centers throughout
the state."
In September, council voted 6-1 to more than double the rent of the Reserve Center from $60,000 annually to $112,000 annually.
The dissenting
vote came from Councilman Carl Mumpower, who asserted that the increase
sent the wrong message to the military and that the new rent was far
too high.
The center was
originally given a 50-year lease in 1950 for $1 a year. When that lease
expired, the city set a six-year lease at $60,000. The new lease is
also for three years at $60,000, with an annual increase tied to the
cost of living index.
Mumpower said that he is satisfied with the new proposal.
"This has been a
contentious issue and I believe weëve come up with a good compromise
proposal," Mumpower said. "Some of us felt the previous increase was
excessive. We received a lot of feedback that illustrated that point. I
believe that now you (Bellamy) and staff have crafted a reasonable
proposal."
In September,
council members supporting the increase noted that it was part of an
attempt to bring the amount charged on the six-acre site up to market
value.
Prior to the vote, several citizens expressed support for rescinding the increase.
"Acting in its
capacity as a landlord, the city certainly can charge whatever it
thinks the traffic will bear," Walter Plaue said. "But for me the issue
is not one of how much the city can legally get, but itës a matter of
what is the right thing to do from a larger viewpoint."
He added that the city should not underestimate the impact of the issue on its reputation.
"What you decide
will be viewed as symbolic of your attitude to our service members,"
Plaue added. "Ten years ago, you received recognition as an
ǃÚall-Americanë city. That was extremely important to the growth of our
tourism industry. But nothing will destroy a good reputation faster
than bad press. Thatës what the city risks by an action that many
members see as an insult to our servicemen and women."
Later,
Councilman Brownie Newman noted that while he agreed with the
compromise, the city should look at the cost that Ashevilleës citizens
have to bear because the city houses so many public facilities within
its limits.
"Ashevilleës
taxpayers pay higher taxes because so many public facilities are
located here," Newman said. "They carry a lot more than their fair
share of the burden because those sites contribute no property taxes.
As leases come up in the future, we need to be asking our partners to
contribute a little more."
In other action, council:
ï Voted 4-2 to
designate the St. Dunstanës neighborhood a Historical Preservation
District, which will limit the modifications that can be made to the
homes. However, approval of the measure requires a two-thirds majority
of council and because Freeborn was absent due to illness, the proposal
will return to councilës agenda on Dec. 12.
Residents of the
neighborhood requested the change because of concerns about preserving
its historical early 20th century architecture.
"Weëve seen two
cases of doublewides come in with absentee landlords," resident Mike
Byer said. "We want the character of the neighborhood to stay the same."
But Vickie
Schomer, a green building consultant who runs a bed-and-breakfast in
St. Dunstanës, asserted that "once you have this overlay, making green
building retrofits to your home is basically impossible."
Historic
Commission Director Stacy Merten informed council that the exact nature
of retrofitting allowed would depend on guidelines established if the
district is created.
"Thatës
something for the area to decide," Merten said. "In some places, like
Montford, they donët allow some kinds of green retrofitting. Itës about
the look of the neighborhood, though. Solar panels are allowed even in
Montford, but they canët be visible from the street."
Those who voted
for the measure, including Councilwoman Robin Cape, a major proponent
of green building techniques, noted that "this is something coming from
the neighborhood" and so she would support it.
But Newman, another advocate for green building, voted against the measure.
ï Voted 4-2 to
allow "homestays," or renting out rooms to travelers, in single-family
homes for up to 30 days. Because the matter requires a two-thirds
majority of council, it will re-emerge next Tuesday.
Proponents of the measure, includingCape, asserted that it allows citizens to make some money off extra rooms in their houses.
"This is used
successfully throughout the country and all throughout Europe," Cape
said. "It helps the community and it helps the income of the people who
can do it. You shouldnët have to have a large house to be able to take
advantage of this."
However, Bellamy
and Councilman Jan Davis, who voted against the measure, asserted that
it constitutes an intrusion of commercial activity into residential
neighborhoods.
"Thereës some
good to this," Davis said. "But itës just too much ÇƒÓ itës not something
Iëm comfortable with. We donët need to be allowing this sort of thing
to creep into our residential neighborhoods."
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