ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A proposed Costco in Enka may draw the most attention at Asheville City Council’s meeting Tuesday, Oct. 13, but it’s far from the only major item on the agenda.

Council will also consider accepting $6 million to help prevent homelessness, financing for 112 affordable apartments and changes to federal housing assistance for people experiencing homelessness, including those displaced by Tropical Storm Helene.

Downtown business support and the condition of Asheville’s stormwater infrastructure also are up for discussion.

Here’s a look at what council will consider.

Costco proposal heads to City Council

Plans for a Costco on Enka Heritage Parkway are moving forward after the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval Oct. 7.

The developer is seeking changes to existing zoning conditions for nearly 40 acres at 264 and 274 Enka Heritage Parkway and 1455 Sand Hill Road.

The proposal includes a 168,258-square-foot Costco warehouse, a fuel station with 32 gas dispensers and more than 900 parking spaces.

Traffic remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the development.

The developer’s traffic study estimates the Costco would generate more than 12,000 vehicle trips per day. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is reviewing the analysis and expects to provide comments by mid-November.

The project also would require improvements to nearby roads, including Smokey Park Highway and Jacob Holm Way.

The developer is requesting several exceptions to city development standards, including permission for more parking spaces than normally allowed and a reduction in required tree canopy protection from 15% to 13%.

Plans also call for preserving the historic Enka Clocktower and building a multi-use path through the property.

The store would bring another major retail option to the Asheville area, although the developer has not established an opening date.

City planning staff recommend approval. Council will hold a public hearing before voting on the zoning changes.

$6 million to help prevent homelessness

Council will consider accepting $6 million for a program aimed at keeping Asheville and Buncombe County residents from becoming homeless.

The money would support Right at Home, a three-year national pilot program focused on preventing homelessness before it happens.

Asheville-Buncombe is one of 10 communities nationwide selected to participate.

The program aims to prevent at least 1,000 households from becoming homeless over three years by providing assistance that could include help with rent and case management.

The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, which coordinates the community’s response to homelessness, approved the implementation plan in June.

The city would administer the grant and manage agreements with service providers approved by the Continuum of Care Board.

The funding would come from Destination Home, the nonprofit organization leading the national initiative.

No local matching funds are required, and the program would not use money from the city’s General Fund.

Helene-related homelessness addressed in housing plan

Council also will consider changes to a federal housing assistance plan intended to better address needs that have grown since Helene.

The proposed amendment to Asheville’s HOME-American Rescue Plan allocation plan would change how people are prioritized and referred for assistance.

The changes would establish a preference for people experiencing homelessness, including individuals and families who became homeless for the first time because of Helene.

The proposal would also incorporate the community’s Coordinated Entry system and other eligible referral sources to help direct assistance to households with the greatest need.

The Asheville Regional Housing Consortium unanimously recommended the changes in August.

During the public comment period, a Canton resident who lost her home in the 2021 flooding expressed concern that survivors of earlier disasters could be overlooked as communities focus on Helene recovery.

Council held a public hearing on the amendment Sept. 22. No additional public comment will be taken on the item Tuesday.

If approved, the revised plan would be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for final approval.

The proposal changes how existing federal assistance would be prioritized and accessed. It does not authorize a new allocation of funding.

112 affordable apartments planned near Biltmore Avenue

Another item could help move a 112-unit affordable housing development closer to construction.

Council will consider a required approval for the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville to issue up to $9.75 million in bonds or notes to help finance the project.

The development, known as 319 Biltmore B, is planned for 4 John Walker Ave.

Developer Laurel Street plans to build a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments.

All 112 units would be reserved for households earning no more than 80% of the area’s median income. Of those, 41 would serve households earning no more than 60% of area median income, and 31 would serve households earning no more than 30%.

The apartments would remain affordable for 40 years.

Construction is scheduled to begin in December, with completion expected in June 2028.

The Housing Authority, not the city, would issue the bonds. The city would have no financial obligation for the bonds or the developer’s debt.

Downtown businesses could get construction assistance

Council will also consider a $265,000 budget amendment to support downtown businesses during upcoming construction projects and pay for new seasonal decorations.

The work would be handled by the Asheville Downtown Improvement District.

The agenda does not identify the construction projects or specify how the money would be divided between business assistance and decorations.

Stormwater infrastructure under review

The condition of Asheville’s stormwater infrastructure is also on the agenda, just days after heavy rain from Tropical Storm Isaias caused flooding across Western North Carolina.

Council is scheduled to hear a report on the city’s Stormwater Asset Inventory and Assessment Project.

The project is intended to give the city a better understanding of its drainage infrastructure and help identify maintenance needs and future improvements.

The presentation is informational, with no vote scheduled.

When and where

Asheville City Council will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, in the Council Chamber on the second floor of City Hall.

Residents may speak during scheduled public hearings and the meeting’s general public comment period, subject to Council’s rules.