Swannanoa recovery takes shape as county seeks input on Owen Park, resilience plan

SWANNANOA, N.C. (828nesNOW) — Nearly two years after Helene reshaped Swannanoa, Buncombe County is moving into another major phase of recovery, with residents being asked to help shape plans for Owen Park and the community’s broader future.

The county is working on a new design for Charles D. Owen Park, developing a Small Area & Resilience Plan for Swannanoa and seeking more than $20 million in state funding for long-term recovery projects.

County officials say community input will play a major role in all three efforts.

Owen Park redesign takes shape

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation will host a public workshop Aug. 27 to give residents a look at the final draft design for Owen Park before it goes through formal approval.

The drop-in workshop will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at ArtSpace Charter School, 2030 U.S. 70, in Swannanoa. Spanish-language interpretation will be available.

Residents can stop by anytime during the two-hour event to review the design, talk with members of the project team and provide feedback. A virtual review also will be available for people who cannot attend in person.

The redesign follows months of community engagement.

Residents shared their ideas and experiences during a March workshop, and hundreds more weighed in during June on two conceptual designs developed from that feedback.

The project team, led by Hoerr Schaudt, used that input along with landscape design, engineering, sustainability and accessibility considerations to develop the final draft.

Owen Park suffered the most extensive storm damage of any Buncombe County park during Helene and remains closed.

The Swannanoa River breached its banks, flooding and destroying the park’s fishing ponds and cutting a new channel through the property. Fields, pavilions, playground equipment and other infrastructure were damaged, while the storm also significantly altered the landscape and affected the stability of the land.

The county is approaching the park’s rebuilding in two phases.

The first phase has focused on surveys, site inventories and planning for elements such as stormwater management and riverbank restoration. The second phase will include detailed construction plans, permitting, a public bidding process and construction.

Broader Swannanoa plan also seeks public input

At the same time, Buncombe County is asking residents to review a draft Small Area & Resilience Plan developed over the past year by the Swannanoa Small Area Plan Steering Committee.

The plan is intended to help guide Swannanoa’s long-term recovery and development following Helene.

The county held community review events Aug. 1 and Aug. 7 at the Swannanoa Community Center, with another event scheduled for Aug. 13 at the Swannanoa Fire Bee Tree Substation.

Residents who cannot attend can review the full draft plan and submit comments online through Aug. 17.

The plan is expected to go before the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners after the public review period.

County seeks millions for recovery projects

The county also is seeking more than $20 million through North Carolina’s competitive Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Community Infrastructure program.

Buncombe County’s Helene Recovery team has developed three potential projects that have been pre-screened by the state.

One proposal would provide funding to rebuild and restore damaged parks, including Owen Park, Alexander Park and Lake Julian.

Other proposals would add permanent power redundancy at critical county facilities and improve road access to the Buncombe County Ferry Road affordable housing site.

County officials say the housing project is particularly important as the region continues to recover from the loss of thousands of rental units during Helene.

The county has said it does not have authority over many traditional infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges and utilities, but is looking for opportunities where it can use disaster recovery funding to strengthen community infrastructure.

Residents can comment on the proposed projects during a Buncombe County Board of Commissioners public hearing at 5 p.m. Aug. 18.

Comments also can be submitted by email to helenerecovery@buncombenc.gov with “Community Infrastructure Comment” in the subject line, by phone at 828-250-6100 or by mail. The county is accepting mailed comments through Aug. 28.

For Swannanoa residents, the various efforts represent different pieces of the same larger recovery process — from rebuilding a park dramatically altered by Helene to planning for the community’s long-term resilience and deciding where limited recovery dollars should be invested.