Sep 8, 2024

Roney’s Sierra Club Questionnaire 2024

1) Would you like your candidacy to be endorsed by the Sierra Club and why? 

Yes, as an environmental advocate committed to climate & neighborhood resiliency and striving for a zero-waste campaign, I would be honored to again be endorsed by the local chapter of Sierra Club as a candidate for Asheville City Council! As friends and neighbors, we are connected to each other and our ecosystem while climate change is an existential threat to humanity. I appreciate the opportunity to stand together in the work to take better care of each other and our mountain home.

2) The French Broad River has been named an “impaired river”. 

  • Would you support enhanced storm water regulations to protect the river and its tributaries? 

Yes. Regulations are necessary and we need to use every tool we can given challenges with our outdated and overburdened stormwater infrastructure, releasing wastewater during storms, and continued agricultural runoff into our watershed. Having participated in the French Broad Riverkeeper Partnership, I hear and appreciate that relationships can help to make change upstream too as participants across sectors share their reasons for taking better care of our watershed, participate through leaderful skillsharing, and own responsibility for meaningful change. 

  • Should the city minimize storm water runoff by requiring/incentivizing more green infrastructure, retention or detention basins, rain gardens, or other methods to reduce surface water runoff and flooding?

Yes. One of the ways the City of Asheville can be more proactive is to incentivize green infrastructure during development by implementing and updating community benefits tables for new development while prioritizing infill on major corridors with existing stormwater infrastructure. We can start with updating our community benefits table for lodging and hotel use and match that if/when a similar approval process is used for residential development. 

3) Single use plastics are a major contributor to water pollution including microplastics found in water samples in the French Broad River. They clog storm drains, the recycling center, and our landfill. Would you vote for a policy requiring the city to reduce the use of single use plastics? While a single use plastic bag and Styrofoam ban for restaurants, grocery stores, and retail establishments in the city is no longer possible due to actions by the NC Legislature, would you work to get local retailers and restaurants to no longer use plastic bags and Styrofoam take out containers? 

Yes. I was deeply moved by my water quality testing experience with French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. I am eager to support plastic reduction through leadership at the City, and have taken initiative to recommend solutions such as: compostable waste bags for our offices and in dog parks, bulk purchasing of to-go containers to support local businesses and changes in municipal purchasing tied to supporting MWBE businesses. While we work to build a coalition for change at the City, I continue to elevate community advocacy, lean into my relationships as a former service-industry worker, support partnership funding for waste reduction, and work with local businesses and organizations to move towards plastic-free and waste-reduction solutions.

4) Asheville City is undergoing an Urban Forestry Master Plan.

  • How would you protect open space in Asheville and are you in favor of Tree Canopy Protections? Please explain why or why not. 

Yes. Repair and maintenance of our urban tree canopy as our living infrastructure is fundamental to successful storm water mitigation while also alleviating the heat island effect, improving air quality, and impacting quality of life. We have several recommendations for amendments to our Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) by the Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) that can strengthen the connection between our tree canopy, watershed, and entire ecosystem along with the aspirational goals in our Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan for: a Livable, Built Environment; a Healthy Community, and Harmony with the Natural Environment. As liaison to the Urban Forestry Commission, I support processes and carry recommendations to the full Council. I also knit connections in my role as liaison to the Human Relations Commission and Neighborhood Advisory Committee, carrying that connected advice forward as a member of Council’s Equity & Engagement Committee. Using my public platform and the privilege of my position, I amplify and support the work of advisory boards, aid in member recruitment, and invite public engagement. I recognize the importance of public engagement in shared accountability and shared success, critical to securing funding of our first Urban Forester and the upcoming Urban Forestry Master Plan.

Partnership opportunity: There have been several barriers to advancing tree canopy protections advocated for by the UFC. I hope the Sierra Club might consider joining in civic engagement and support for their work, and I am happy to help foster and support connections.

  • Should the City require open spaces? 

Yes. I voted against the 2022 open space amendment as drafted — here’s why:

  • In July of 2022, a public hearing regarding potential changes to the Unified Development Ordinance included loosening open space regulations with the intention of incentivizing infill housing and improving stormwater mitigation during development of private property.
  • The Neighborhood Advisory Committee and Urban Forestry Commission recommended not approving the open space amendment as drafted. Concerns included: 
    • Inadequate depth of affordability when incentivizing housing development.
    • Impact on neighborhoods vulnerable to gentrification.
    • Impact on tree canopy maintenance and restoration.

In the absence of a community benefits table for new residential development, incentives can be tools to ensure best practices within the confines of legislation that prioritizes for-profit development while protecting our natural resources. If we maintain high standards, developers can still get approval through conditional zoning

The stormwater incentives were sorely needed. Before loosening development standards for open space, Council could have:

  • Incentivized deeper affordability at 60% of the area median income, not 80% as drafted.
  • Paused approval until the new Urban Forester was hired and allowed review for tree canopy impact.

For long-term strategy, by advancing multimodal infrastructure and reliable public transit, we can significantly reduce the amount of space reserved for moving and parking cars, which can make housing development more cost effective while making it easier to protect our natural resources. We have a recommendation from Planning & Zoning regarding reduction/removal of parking minimums, and I anticipate that coming forward to Council in September as we advance strategies towards Council’s goal of Equitable, Affordable Housing. 

One short-term strategy is regular review of UDO amendments and outcomes, as there is plenty of room for improvement on review processes. For example, my preference is that we review the Open Space policy alongside upcoming UDO changes to ensure concerns from 2022 amendments are addressed while also making updates to ensure the policy is working as intended.

5) Asheville City Council has adopted a plan to expand public transportation, including routes, frequency, and hours of operation. Even before COVID, the city did not have the revenue to fund this expansion. How would you propose funding this plan short term? Longer term? 

As a member of the ART-C Coalition that includes [a representive from] Sierra Club, I’m very encouraged that the County is finally joining in funding partnership by rescinding unused Federal transit funding! There is potential for ongoing County funding and changes in the allocation of Federal funding at the regional level. If these conversations finally result in South Asheville service expansion on the S3 and S6 corridors, I agree with ART-C advocates that a stronger leverage for dedicated transit funding requiring County ballot approval is more likely.

6) The city adopted a Close the GAP (Greenways, ADA Transition, Pedestrian) Plan in 2022 to increase the ability for pedestrians to move about safely while enjoying the many health and other benefits of walking & biking and further expand the networks already in place for this. This is part of an ongoing effort by cities and counties to provide other means of transportation besides riding in a car.  What multi-modal transportation priorities do you feel are needed, and would be appropriate for the city to pursue, allowing using cars to become an option and less of a necessity for moving about in Asheville?

As a transit-reliant pedestrian and cyclist without a car since 2008, I bring my experience to my role on Council to advocate with and for multimodal commuters. Some short and long-term priorities include:

  • Land use priorities and planning for mixed-use, transit-oriented development on major corridors so having a car is not a prerequisite to accessing housing, jobs, groceries, education, and healthcare. These priorities can be set at the City, County, and regional level partnerships with our Economic Development Coalition, Land of Sky, and Metropolitan Planning Organization, and accountability for outcomes can come from individuals and organizations. An example: the Ferry Road development will include 650+ housing units as well as commercial/community space and ecosystem preservation connected by greenways and waterways. The development is not yet connected to transit or multimodal transportation options, so residents will be limited to vehicular transportation unless the City and County work together to deliver on accessibility beyond single-occupancy vehicles. Additionally, I have supported transit-oriented housing development and look forward to development of the Talbert lot as another example of planning for success.
  • Private-public partnerships to address gaps in ADA accessibility to ensure safe mobility and accessibility for all residents, workers, and visitors. Not only are there legal requirements for ADA accessibility, but we are also top three ranked per capita in the state for accident ratios involving bike/pedestrians,with wheelchair users included in the pedestrian category. We know that safe road design considering the most vulnerable users benefits every commuter, and the GAP plan recommendations will require funding that might include the transportation bonds that will be on the ballot November 5th.
  • Focus locally, lead regionally, impact globally! During my service on the Governor’s Vehicle-Miles Traveled Reduction Task Force, we focused on reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips because transportation has surpassed energy production as a leading cause of carbon emissions in NC. As a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, I was thrilled to make the motion to advance commuter rail planning and funding priorities for WNC. Long-range visioning and planning to reconnect Western North Carolina via commuter rail not only honors our history of the trains and trolleys residents like my aunt used here in the 1930’s, it represents investment of time and resources in a hopeful future for local commuters, sustainable travel for our visitors, a more resilient economy connecting employees and employers, and a significantly improved environmental footprint compared to the recent, exponential growth of our Asheville-Hendersonville airport.

7) Given that global climate change is with us, Asheville City council has adopted a 100% Renewable Energy Goal by 2030 for all city government operations including adoption of LEED Gold Standard for green buildings and installing solar panels on some city owned buildings and property. The city is missing its target of reducing carbon emissions of a 4% reduction per year.

-Do you support the continuation of these programs? Are you willing to continue to reinvest the savings from these programs into the Green CIP, the nation’s first municipal energy savings capital improvement fund, to continue to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy?

  • Yes, we must continue programming and oversight for accountability in reaching our carbon reduction goals. The 2019 Cadmus report commissioned by the City and County recommended pathways for meeting the 100% renewable energy goals, but without an affordable renewable energy alternative offered by Duke Energy, we know the City is very limited in being able to meet the community wide goal. Partnerships are necessary to leverage greater accountability as Duke’s Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) relies too heavily on fracked gas. We need to see another scenario from Duke that considers pathways for non-Duke owned resources like community solar and creative financing enabled by an allowance of third party sales to rapidly deploy renewable energy. 

Some additional strategies I’m using to transform our approach in City Hall:

  • Leveraging private-public partnership by holding the standard for renewable energy in new development. I have continuously requested renewable energy options and paths for future renewables for every conditional zoning process since I’ve been on Council. Because staff and developers are familiar with my consistent line of questioning, it has transformed the process and conversation and led to voluntary installation of solar, solar readiness, and EV charging. City staff has responded with proactive conversations with developers, supporting them by sharing info about tax credits and incentives. When the Housing Authority reached out to say that my questioning led them to pursue solar, I was thrilled to bring one of my student advisors with me to turn on the solar panels at Maple Crest, which will also reduce utility costs and keep the units affordable for longer!
  • Connecting to Climate & Neighborhood Resilience: In 2021, I worked with Councilmember Smith to get Neighborhood Resilience with Climate Justice goals named as a Strategic Priority of Council, priorities set during the annual Council budget retreat informing our budgets, plans, and policies. I appreciate ongoing Council support and updates to this strategic priority. This year, we have an opportunity to engage the public and community partners to inform on the bond program, ensuring renewable energy goals are prioritized on public facilities under the umbrella Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency.
  • While limited in what we can do, doing what we can! Programming like Electrify Asheville-Buncombe makes it possible for everyday people and local businesses to afford transition to renewable energy with the City and County helping to bridge gaps through programming and funding. From individual to business and organizational levels, I’m committed to engaging and informing the public about their opportunities in transitioning to renewable energy, and to use my role on Council to amplify this work in public space. For example, when IRA funding becomes available for more households to transition to renewables, the City can use platforms to increase public awareness and participation.

As our energy monopoly, Duke Energy should be considering the cost of inaction to ratepayers. Storm recovery and grid modernization are only more costly if we continue to pump more carbon into the atmosphere. We need to think about resilience and distributed renewable energy resources and storage should be a greater part of their IRP.

-Would you support putting more Solar Panels on city buildings and/or putting solar farms on city owned or leased property? 

Yes. Here are some pathways to implementation:

  • The bond package that is on the ballot November 5th is an opportunity for funding to implement our Climate Justice Initiative, secure food and water systems, follow through with neighborhood plans to synchronize Council’s Strategic Goal of Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency, and install solar with battery backup in parks & rec, transit, and public safety facilities.
  • Community-led infrastructure solutions are some of the reasons I support participatory budgeting, a key tool for ensuring public engagement is met with meaningful action.
  • Partnership with Buncombe County like installing solar on public schools, public land, and housing subsidized with public tax dollars–and it will result in cost savings that can be reinvested for more renewable energy solutions to advance our goals exponentially by reducing demand while increasing production!

-Weaverville now has EV Police Cars. Would you support replacing fossil fuel powered city vehicles, police cars, and buses with electric powered vehicles as they need to be replaced?

Yes, as a member of the Multimodal Transportation Commission and Transit Committee for seven years, I supported staff efforts to present an electric fleet replacement schedule for transit that didn’t move forward to Council due to costs and concern that the technology is not yet advanced enough to handle our terrain. More advanced technology is and will become available, and this needs to be part of our climate justice efforts for our school transit as well. The life of electric fleet vehicles is typically longer than fossil fuel vehicles, so the narrative of costs should be–can we afford not to shift our investment? 

While recent decisions to purchase hybrid buses has shifted after issues with our electric Proterra buses resulted in them not being able to be used, I worked to provide oversight and staff support to limit purchase of diesel vehicles. I have also voted against purchase of diesel vehicle fleets when other options were available.

8) Sierra Club members and City residents are gravely concerned about climate change.  While we are waiting for Washington to act to curb carbon pollution, communities all over the country are working with their electric utilities to transition off their dependence on coal and natural gas– a primary contributor to climate disruption.  As a member of council, will you use your leadership position to call on Duke Energy to invest more heavily in clean energy, battery storage and energy efficiency?

I will absolutely continue in the work to tackle climate change with the urgency required.  I’m grateful for the local WENOCA Sierra Club chapter’s work with the Beyond Coal campaign and for the continued work to expand renewable energy options. I appreciate WENOCA’s efforts to bring a race and class analysis to the work of climate justice, inviting leaders like William Barber III to bring data-informed strategy to our community.

Some of my leadership while on Council has included: 

  • Publishing an op-ed titled Climate Change Is The Biggest Public Safety Issue Of Our Time;
  • Partnering with colleagues to secure Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency as a Strategic Priority of Council that impacts on budgets, plans, and policies;
  • Joining WENOCA members in going on record opposing the Duke Energy Rate Hike; and
  • Leveraging tree canopy protection, community engagement, and City goals in the ongoing decisions around Duke Energy substation construction; and
  • Continuing to press with you for courageous policy around renewable energy, resiliency, protection of our natural resources, and accountability for Duke Energy as we move towards cooperative and community solutions.

9) Would you be willing to lobby the Tourism Development Authority to help fund more Greenways and Parks in Asheville? 

Yes, and my position on public third spaces is published here. As an immediate reform strategy, I have supported staff efforts to lobby the TDA and have personally discussed infrastructure funding with TDA members and staff directly. As a member of the Policy, Finance, and HR Committee of Council and through our annual legislative agenda, I have consistently led in requesting updates to our state legislation so that a greater percentage of our hotel occupancy tax could be invested in local infrastructure like multimodal, housing, and parks & rec. I remain concerned about our over-reliance on unchecked tourism that overburdens our infrastructure, extracts our natural resources, and displaces our vulnerable neighbors. It is imperative that accountability be leveraged to the fullest extent so that we can improve the quality of life for the people who live and work here, which would also ensure we continue to be a wonderful place to visit.

10) The city is facing an affordable housing shortage and gentrification. What would you do if elected to address these critical issues?

Market-rate housing is not accessible to families in our community, and our affordable housing is based on area median income (AMI) that doesn’t reflect the working and poor people who make Asheville special, so we’re going to have to choose to set standards for deeply-affordable, equity-building housing or further subsidize vehicular transportation infrastructure for commuters. This is why I’m fighting for deeply-affordable housing through cooperative & creative solutions including:

  • Supporting partners including Haywood Street Community Development, Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust, and the only member of County to support ARPA funding for the Beloved Tiny Home Village;
  • Sector-based housing, cooperative-ownership models, and tenant rights; and
  • Zoning updates to remove barriers to solutions for deeply-affordable housing.

One way to expedite processes towards ambitious goals might look like an overlay map using the corridors in the Missing Middle Housing Study to show where we start immediately and measure outcomes. We should expedite transit corridors as well-documented smart development and best practice. From Council’s July agenda briefing, it seems like we may have enough Council support to activate staff on this as well as a displacement protection tool, and we have a work session on this subject scheduled for September.

Both the Affordable Housing Plan and Missing Middle Housing Study are coming forward this year with recommendations. Council will need support for implementation, like finally bringing UDO amendments for flag lots and cottage amendments alongside recommendations from the Displacement Risk Assessment. Additionally, I continue to advocate for:

  • A community benefits table will likely be a key tool in setting standards designed to meet our Comprehensive Plan goals while also providing a clear path for development of affordable housing. This can include points for deeply-affordable housing units, green-building, renewable energy, multimodal infrastructure, and MWBE contracting.
  • Updates to our Land-Use Incentive Grants for creative and cooperative solutions are under review to ensure land use and new development work for our growing city while mitigating displacement and healing historic and current racial disparities in outcomes. For reference, consider the THRIVE Asheville report that shows disparities in who is able to access city-subsidized units built in the last decade.
  • Planning for deeply-affordable housing on transit corridors close to resources with a Buncombe-Asheville Transit System that pools resources locally and regionally to improve location affordability and offset the growing costs of transportation while reducing vehicle miles traveled as we work towards carbon reduction. The next step in partnership between the County and the City should be collaboration to increase frequency on the South Asheville corridors, then planning for job and housing growth near Enka/Candler, followed by evening service expansion and a Downtown Circulator as outlined in the Transit Master Plan as we work towards regional transit.
  • Building coalition for state-wide legislation so we can adopt mandatory inclusionary zoning policy that’s not currently available for all municipalities in North Carolina.
  • Leveraging partnerships for home ownership and generational wealth building in vulnerable communities and Black/legacy neighborhoods impacted by Urban Renewal and redlining. Updated recommendations from Urban 3 regarding the disproportionate impact of property taxes on Black/legacy neighborhoods needs to be addressed, and the City of Asheville can’t stay quietly complicit. Thankfully, the County is initiating some new processes and expanding capacity intended to address some of these concerns in this budget cycle.

It can be challenging to balance the urgency that comes with the great need for housing in our community and the need to move at the speed of equity and intentionality in order to avoid repeating the cycles of harm that the City has caused in the past. When I see cities across the country with thousands of new housing units beside growing populations of unhoused neighbors who can’t access the units, I bring caution and curiosity to the table because I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes. 

I have to mention somewhere here my exasperation about unchecked short-term rentals and hope there is shared determination to find solutions. In 2021, I worked with the Vice Mayor and staff to negotiate a permitting process that would have removed no less than 300 illegal short-term rentals from major platforms automatically. That negotiation did not have additional Council support at the time, and now we are told that window has closed. As our residential zoning properties are being transferred to but not taxed for commercial use, I am watching the process at Buncombe County unfold and remain curious about what partnership can look like to ensure lang-use accountability and protection against illegal, whole-home rentals.

11) Would you support higher density infill development and denser development and the zoning changes necessary to implement it?

Yes, and the Council is going through that process now. 

Our whole community will benefit from a healthy, housing ecosystem, but we don’t have that now. Some ways the people of Asheville will benefit from Council’s Strategic Goal of Equitable, Affordable Housing include:

  • Affordability: Location affordability as defined by HUD looks at the intersection of housing and transportation costs. Building housing along transit corridors increases transportation choices, reduces commute and childcare costs, and connects residents with options for education, training, and jobs. 
  • Health & Safety: When people have stable housing, they can take care of their health, their families, and their communities.
  • Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency: Our region is relatively safe from extreme weather events, one of the reasons we’re already feeling the pressure of climate migration. As we work towards pro-housing policies, I have consistently called for renewables in new development to help keep housing and utilities more affordable, part of housing as climate justice.
  • Economic Stability & Mobility: Rent stabilization through land-use incentive grants (LUIG) and eviction protection, and home ownership programs including down-payment assistance, are tools the City is currently sharpening so they work as intended.

The benefits of pro-housing policies and transit-oriented development are documented, but the cost of pushing forward without an equity lens means continually leaving people behind. We have an opportunity to learn and heal from the past harms of exclusionary, racist zoning practices, to take better care of each other and our mountain home, and to invest in a hopeful future for ourselves and future generations. My shared worked towards equitable, affordable housing includes: 

  • Future Transit-Oriented Housing on Talbert Lot: Council unanimously passed my recommendation to cascade funding for affordable housing and transit capacity while increasing the Reparations Fund. This land acquisition stands out to me as exemplary of staff, Council, partners, and community working together.
  • American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding: Council wrestled with process yet made significant investments in permanently-supportive housing, eviction protection, the THRIVE report, and homelessness response. Unfortunately, I was the lone member of Council to support funding the Beloved Tiny Home Village, an infill model for cottage-cluster housing that should be replicated.
  • Navigating Challenges: The celebration at the Haywood Street Community Development during the groundbreaking was hard-earned! Making time to engage community, find the right location, and secure partnerships was worth it. I supported 208-units on London Road because it has supportive infrastructure, a vote in the same meeting as the adaptive reuse of the historic Cappadocia church that shouldn’t have had to go through such a stringent process. I couldn’t reconcile several projects without supportive infrastructure, and remain baffled by votes at the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) where interstate expansion was prioritized over local roads. I did support Land-Use Incentive Grant (LUIG) funding for micro-housing units because: 1) I think this type of housing is a creative addition to our housing ecosystem and 2) because LUIG incentives work effectively as voluntary rent-control.  
  • Streamlining transit-oriented housing development: Since 2020, I have advocated for a zoning overlay with a public benefits table similar to our hotel overlay process but to streamline deeply-affordable housing on transit corridors. From recent Council work sessions and agenda briefings, it seems both my streamline suggestion as well as Councilmember Moseley’s concept for a displacement protection overlay–which would need to come first–are gaining support.

12) What are the major challenges facing the city of Asheville and what will be your top priorities if elected?

So many in Asheville are struggling to make ends meet as the cost of living rises while unchecked tourism strains our natural resources, burdens our infrastructure, and displaces our most vulnerable neighbors. It’s a matter of priorities–if we ensure this is a great place to live and work, it will be a great place to visit too. That’s why I’m committed to advancing: Affordability, Public Safety, and Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency. 

True public safety is Asheville’s biggest issue and my top priority. Everyone in Asheville deserves to be safe, but a narrow definition of public safety limits successes and creates new problems. True public safety identifies needs and utilizes correct tools. 

Making our community safer doesn’t have to be a distant reality, we should:

  • Partner to expand Buncombe’s Community Paramedicine program with staff uniquely qualified to address behavioral health and substance use crises; 
  • Support community health workers organizing to prevent gun violence and intimate partner violence and facilitating healing for residents, families and their communities; and 
  • Regain our living wage certification so first responders can provide the quality services our community deserves and afford to live in the communities they serve. 

Affordability and Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency are connected to root causes of public safety outcomes. The City of Asheville can:

  • Facilitate creative and cooperative solutions for deeply-affordable housing with supportive infrastructure;
  • Partner for humane, data-driven solutions to reduce homelessness;
  • Leading in a regional transit system at the intersection of equitable access, economic mobility, and environmental sustainability;
  • Secure our food and water systems;
  • Diversify our economy and support local businesses;
  • Implement adopted neighborhood plans and align Neighborhood Grants with our Climate Justice Initiative, including tree canopy restoration and stormwater mitigation;
  • Holding standards for renewable energy in new development; and
  • Center racial equity and follow through with our commitments to Reparations.

If we continue on the same path without meaningful change, we risk repeating past mistakes and deepening disparity. Instead, if we are courageous and dedicated to change with healing as our focus and equity as our goal, we can realize a hopeful, resilient future.

-What do you anticipate will be the most important environmental and environmental justice issues you will face if elected? What actions do you plan to take to address these issues?

Having just completed Emergency Operations Training with our City staff, I am concerned about the long-periods of drought that lead to wildfires and the forecasts of hurricanes and extreme rain events that result in flooding, two of the primary threats identified in our Climate Justice Initiative and neighborhood vulnerability index. I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned, my appreciation for the planning and training City staff is doing now, and building strategies together.

In closing: I look forward to more opportunities to collaborate in climate justice, to take better care of each other and our mountain home!