Tonight, Asheville City Council will take another swipe at its strategic plan. The four focus areas are: Are we affordable enough? Are we green enough? Are we safe enough? Are we sustainable enough?
Notable goals, objectives, and action items making the penultimate cut include:
• Develop and implement the comprehensive affordable housing plan.
• Partner with the housing authority to develop a comprehensive plan for public housing.
• Reduce energy consumption in privately owned buildings.
• Work with regional partners to create incentives for green building and energy conservation.
• Expand city education programs to include climate awareness, etc.
• Develop a Municipal Action Plan for Climate Change.
• Complete the Greenway Master Plan process.
• Develop a sustainable funding structure for Asheville Transit.
• Explore the concept of forming a Community Peace and Justice Committee.
• Work with communities throughout the region to develop a comprehensive growth management plan.
• Pursue a stronger riverfront redevelopment partnership.
• Complete the Downtown Master Plan process.
• Partner with other institutions to achieve goals in health and wellness, workforce development, etc.
• Enhance diversity among city employees so the workforce more closely resembles the community.
And thus we see that:
• Government is the great leveller charged with ensuring equal outcomes for incongruent effort.
• Yes, Virginia, this is a welfare state.
• It is the role of government to train citizens to think like Democrats.
• Long-range, regional planning funded by the federal deficit is a sustainable practice.
• The looming threat of climate change trumps inalienable rights.
