ENKA — An update on Asheville’s development task force was followed by praise for the city’s efforts voiced by several local developers during a Jan. 9 meeting of the Council of Independent Business Owners. 

The task force update was presented by Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, with a few additional comments provided by City Manager Gary Jackson and city Development Services Director Shannon Tuch.

Manheimer began the presentation at CIBO’s first meeting of 2015 by noting, “It’s a pleasure to be with you on this freezing cold morning.”

 She prompted some laughter when she  quipped, “I think most of you just want to hear about the City Hall flooding.”

The mayor noted that “this task force... was designed to further fine-tune the permitting center... to make it more streamlined and efficient, and customer-friendly... All different professions are on that task force... We were able to hear one interesting comment, I thought — that we’ve come a long way as far as a one-stop shop.”

Among the recommendations from the task force was that “plans should be able to be submitted digitally.”

Other priority recommendations she cited included the following:

• That the process will limit the amount of resubmittals needed for approval

• That the staff be empowered to make final decisions.

• That the DSD be open on Fridays.

• That inter-departmental communication be improved.

“A long discussion about the permitting center being open on Fridays” has taken place and “I think it eventually will be,” Manheimer said.

“Some of these changes are already underway — and some of these will take a while before they are brought about,” she added.

(In a handout to the CIBO members, the city noted, “This task force was the beginning of a review and improvement process. The appropriate staff will continue to review the feedback to establish appropriate actions that can be taken and the prioritization of implementing those challenges. The next steps include a report from task force members to the Planning and Economic Development Committee and then City Council members.”)

Kirk Booth, a local realtor, said, “I just want to applaud the city and the inspection department. As an active working coordinator in the field, it is better.

“Things are going smoother and people (in the city’s development services office) are friendly and helpful,” Booth said.

An unidentified task force member said, “We (the task force) met over four months and finished up in December... as we were meeting, the city was reacting and making changes.

He added, “To see the staff react... when you realize what they have to look at from the small job to the large job... They do an excellent job.

CIBO member Mac Swicegood said that “if you have competent inspectors in place, it’s a whole different animal altogether. “ However, he wondered if “the city had an adequate staff to handle the load.”

The mayor referred Swicegood’s concert to Tuch, who replied, “We’re definitely staffing up. It’s difficult to do this in this climate, as many other cities are doing the same thing.... I think we should be fully staffed soon.”

Wayne Gentry, a local residential contractor said that “even though we have inspectors we like, they don’t (always) really understand what the code is trying to do. Is there any answer on finding people with core competency, as opposed to people who can (merely) pass the test?”

Again, the mayor referred the question to Tuch, who said, “Experience really is an important part of performing in these positions very well... We also have senior inspectors in each of the trades. If you’re ever uncomfortable, you should contact the senior inspector. They will come and check it out for you — and you guys can figure out what is the best solution.”

Prior to making a separate presentation, Jackson, the city manager, noted, “One additional followup on that topic... Believe it or not, our biggest challenges are not (with) the biggest commercial projects... It’s the really small projects by people who’ve really never done anything — people with no previous experience.. This is our biggest problem. 

“Fortunately, we’ve got a very strong customer service ethic” in the development services department.. “That’s where the breakdowns occur” — with “these small and very difficult experiences.  ... You all are great to work with, believe it or not,” Jackson said to the developers at the CIBO meeting.