Downtown Advisory Board

CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE DOWNTOWN ADVISORY BOARD Downtown Program Office | 125 Fifth Avenue West, Suite 200 | Hendersonville NC 28792 Tuesday, May 14, 2024 – 4:00 PM MINUTES – APPROVED AS AMENDED 6/11/24 CALL TO ORDER – In attendance – Nancy Neikirk, Carole Sitzer, John Ryan, Caroline Gunther, Phil Wilmot, Mark Pavao, Sam Simmons, Jerry Fitzgerald, Chris Cormier, Matthew Hickman Absent – Joe Dinan, Michele Woodhouse, Heang Uy, Aaron Adams, Anthony McMinn APPROVAL OF AGENDA – Caroline Gunther requested to switch streetscape and downtown advisory board membership (Items A and B). Matthew Hickman made a motion to approve as changed. Phil Wilmot seconded. All were in favor. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - April 2024 Downtown Advisory Board Minutes – Nancy Neikirk requested an amendment to change nonvoting to 1 voting to 15 in the rules of procedure updates and made a motion to approve as corrected. John Ryan seconded. All were in favor NEW BUSINESS - Event Request: Iglesia de Dias Tiempo de Restaurcion. The event organizer was present and reviewed a request to close the Courthouse block for an event on Saturday, August 24. The agenda packet included information on recommendations for or against a street closure for an event by the Downtown Advisory Board. The board discussed, with questions regarding number of attendees predicted, advertisement, etc. The event organizers would like to close the block for safety. The board suggested several alternatives, including not closing the block and just using the plaza, and also inquiring about the visitor center stage. Caroline Gunther made a motion to decline the event request. Mark Pavao seconded. All were in favor. OLD BUSINESS: Streetscape Update – Lew Holloway gave a streetscape update. Coming soon will be fully closed from MLK and Maple Street intersections. The Grove Street intersection is currently closed. The Maple Street intersection will be closed in coordination with the school schedule. We are currently asking about pedestrian access from one side of Maple to another. Construction timeline – Lew and staff have been trying to pin down the timeline itself. Looking at / talking with Harper – 5 main components of the work: underground work, overhead utilities, MLK/7th intersection, Maple intersection, and sidewalk. Sewer/water is complete in the street. Duke is coordinating with other utilities. Construction at intersection of Maple should be starting soon. City has asked if Grove – Locust can open after the Grove intersection is complete, or if this will significantly delay the project further. DOWNTOWN ADVISORY BOARD – May 14, 2024 Page | 1 The Downtown Advisory Board members expressed their dissatisfaction with the work being completed in a timely manner. Particularly members who have businesses on the street. They observe daily that there is not a sense of urgency or desire to get the project completed in a timely manner. Items of importance for staff to push: 1. Getting to work – additional crews, weekend work, etc. 2. Lane opening – don’t want to extend the timeline and if a lane opening does that we do not want that to occur. 3. Sidewalk timeline – As advance notice as possible for the sidewalk work so businesses can plan appropriately 4. Maple to Locust reopening – can we have at timeline for this 5. Utilities – this is the ‘unknown’ due to the lack of control the city or contractors have on their timeliness of work. Downtown Advisory Board Membership The updates to our rules of procedure and bylaws are included in the Council Agenda packet for June 6. Caroline Gunther requested they include the applications in the packet for council. Jamie Carpenter noted that 3 members are expiring but could reapply for an additional term: Caroline, Matthew and Carole. Jamie will send applications if they wish to renew. OTHER BUSINESS – Jamie Carpenter provided in the agenda packet Workplan / Team Updates – For Reference Only ADJOURNMENT – Matthew made a motion to adjourn. All were in favor. The City of Hendersonville is committed to providing accessible facilities, programs and services for all people in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Should you need assistance or an accommodation for this meeting please contact the City Clerk no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting at 697-3005. DOWNTOWN ADVISORY BOARD – May 14, 2024 Page | 2