Overview
The Burton Street Community is a diverse and welcoming neighborhood that celebrates and preserves its unique history and culture and is a model for sustainability through a strong community association; green, affordable development; local economic activity; and a safe, walkable network of streets, parks and productive gardens.
The Burton Street Neighborhood Plan was developed by the Burton Street Community Association (BSCA), in partnership with NCDOT and the City of Asheville, to address potential impacts resulting from the I-26 Connector project and community concerns, to enhance the quality of life of the Burton Street community, and to preserve the strong sense of community among Burton Street residents.
Based on the community feedback provided during the Burton Street community open houses, stakeholder group meeting, and online surveys, a neighborhood vision, plan themes, community goals and strategies were developed. These components served as the framework for the Burton Street Neighborhood Plan
The Plan was adopted as an official neighborhood plan by the City of Asheville in October 2018 and adopted as part of the City of Asheville’s Comprehensive Plan.
The Plan’s Implementation
The City of Asheville and NCDOT are both responsible for funding and implementing the Burton Street Neighborhood Plan. To coordinate these efforts, a working group has been created. This group consists of the BSCA leadership team, City of Asheville staff, and NCDOT staff. The working group serves as a means to coordinate the efforts to fund and implement the items detailed in the Burton Street Neighborhood Plan.
During each working group meeting, members report on the status of each Plan strategy and tasks to kickoff new strategies are delegated. The updates from the working group meetings are then shared with the Burton Street community through a monthly newsletter, on the BSCA leadership website (below), and at the BSCA monthly meeting. The working group meeting minutes and other information about the I-26 Connector Project can be found on the City of Asheville I-26 Connector website.
Plan Implementation Updates
Burton Street Architectural Survey
The City of Asheville is working with the BSCA leadership to help preserve the character of the neighborhood. The City will be hiring a consultant to:
- Complete an architectural survey of the neighborhood.
- Record the neighborhood’s history.
- Present their findings using an online, interactive format called a storymap.
Please read the list below for updates on the project:
- The RFP was issued for the architectural survey and proposals were due on April 30, 2021.
- A consultant team, S&ME, was selected to perform the architectural survey in July 2021.
- The kickoff meeting for the architectural survey was held on July 19, 2021. Weren’t able to attend the meeting? Review the presentation to learn more.
For more information about the survey, view the project website.
Project Background
The proposed State Transportation Improvement Project (STIP) I-2513 I-26 Connector project is a 7-mile interstate freeway that would connect I-26 in southwest Asheville to U.S. 19/23/70 in northwest Asheville.
The Burton Street neighborhood is one of ten communities being impacted by the proposed I-26 improvements. As a result of the proposed widening of I-26 in Segment A, additional right-of-way will be required in the Burton Street neighborhood.
Environmental Justice Designation
Due to the demographics of the community, the Burton Street neighborhood has been identified as an Environmental Justice population that has experienced recurring impacts.
With an Environmental Justice designation, NCDOT can provide additional mitigation opportunities to lessen the burden of the project on the Burton Street neighborhood.