Advisory board updated on Greenways projects and new Beaver Dam Creek map; Ferry Road purchases expected in August

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation staff showed advisory members recent updates to the Greenways project webpage and new mapping for Beaver Dam Creek and Ferry Road, and outlined next steps in property outreach and acquisition.

Joseph Peterson guided the board through the online Greenways project page, highlighting the Beaver Dam Creek information and a new map that shows sections split for phased work. He said the team added project-stage updates and supporting feasibility reports so residents and stakeholders can track progress online. “This is a good way to see what the whole project is as a whole,” Peterson said when demonstrating the site.

On Ferry Road, staff said the project includes an affordable-housing development paired with recreational greenway elements; earlier work on a design contract was delayed and the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) is holding funds until staff can restart the effort. Peterson told the board that outreach and purchase negotiations for some parcels are planned for August and that the department is coordinating with property owners, utilities and private partners. He named upcoming on-site coordination meetings with Silverline Plastics and Duke Energy.

Board members raised questions about egress and traffic flow at Riverside Park, the potential bottleneck of a single park entrance and how the greenway’s destination points will handle heavy weekend river access. Staff said some of those operational questions are being handled by town staff and project managers and encouraged members to raise them with municipal staff overseeing river access points.

Next steps: staff will continue owner outreach ahead of planned August purchase steps, post updates and feasibility documents on the Greenways webpage, and return to the advisory board with further design and outreach plans.