Last Updated on October 10, 2026 12:58 pm
BOONE — The Boone Town Council meets Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m. in the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road for its regular meeting.
The agenda includes an informal discussion of a proposed 332-unit apartment development off the U.S. 105 Bypass, a request to reverse the direction of part of Howard Street, a Watauga Arts Council public art proposal, a public hearing to close out a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project for the Deck Hill water tank replacement, and a possible change to the November and December meeting schedule.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF BOARD VACANCIES
The town is soliciting applications for three alternate positions on the Board of Adjustment, one student position on the Cultural Resources Advisory Board and one regular position on the Planning Commission. The next application deadline is Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. Applications are available from Town Clerk Nicole Harmon at 828-268-6200 or nicole.harmon@boonenc.gov, and on the town’s website.
REQUESTED APPEARANCES
Ridgehouse development: BREC, an engineering firm, will give a presentation for an informal discussion with Council about an annexation and zoning request for property on the U.S. 105 Bypass. The proposal is a multifamily development with 332 units made up of 716 bedrooms on a 63-acre site owned by Scout, Inc. The preliminary plans list a maximum building height of 40 feet, a minimum of 33 percent common area and green space, and 738 parking spaces, with a 30-foot yard setback.
Howard Street: Ian Robinson will continue a discussion that began with his public comment at the Sept. 23 Council meeting. He is asking Council to reconsider the one-way direction of Howard Street between South Depot Street and Appalachian Street as part of the ongoing Howard Street Improvement Project. The block currently runs from Appalachian Street toward South Depot Street, and his proposal would reverse it so traffic moves from South Depot Street toward Appalachian Street. No change is requested for other sections of Howard Street.
Robinson’s proposal says reversing the direction would send traffic toward the Rivers Street and Appalachian connection instead of the King Street and Depot Street area, which he describes as an already busy pedestrian area. It says the new parallel parking being added to Howard Street would also sit on the right side of the travel lane under the reversed direction. The proposal lists 12 downtown business owners and managers who told him they support the change.
Watauga Arts Council: Amber Bateman will tell Council about two public art projects. The first is “Taking Flight,” a community-created butterfly mosaic bench the Arts Council wants to place on the Greenway park loop behind the Levine Center off Deerfield Road. The second is a Bird Art Trail on the Greenway. According to the proposal, the bench is a community donation funded by grants, donated materials and volunteer labor, and the Arts Council is not requesting town funding. The request asks the town for help with site preparation and installation through Public Works.
PUBLIC HEARING
Council will hold a public hearing on the closeout of a CDBG project for the Deck Hill Water Tank Replacement. Public comment follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
Water loss audit: A $150,000 professional services agreement with Cavanaugh, funded by the Asset Inventory and Assessment (AIA) grant, so the town incurs no expense.
Work management software: A $46,583.75 purchase of Mavtrek software from Thinking Hats Technologies, with $40,000 funded through the AIA grant.
New River Hills Lift Station: A $342,400 engineering services agreement with McGill Associates for the lift station hazard mitigation project, funded through the town’s Hurricane Helene allocation, so the town incurs no expense.
Holiday parade road closure: An ordinance, required by NCDOT, closing King Street (U.S. 421) between Hardin Street and the Poplar Grove Connector, and Water Street, on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. for the annual downtown holiday parade.
Budget amendments: $6,000 donated by Back our Blue Watauga for rifle slings and weapon lights for the Police Department, and $42,000 from fund balance for the town manager search and hiring process.
Minutes: The Sept. 23 regular meeting.
COUNCIL MATTERS
Meeting schedule: Staff proposes canceling the Nov. 11 regular meeting because it falls on the Veterans Day town holiday, and moving the Nov. 25 meeting, the day before Thanksgiving, to Nov. 17, 18 (daytime) or 19. For December, staff suggests keeping the Dec. 9 meeting and either canceling the Dec. 23 meeting or moving it to Dec. 14, 15 (daytime), 16 or 17.
Workforce housing program: Staff asks Council to discuss a possible application to the CDBG-DR Workforce Housing for Ownership Program. The town appears to be an eligible applicant if materials are ready before the Dec. 13 deadline. A staff concept plan would use about 0.7 acre of the town’s roughly 2.9-acre water tank property off WYN Way for five single-family homes of about 900 to 1,400 square feet. Staff notes WYN Way is narrow in places and additional right-of-way may be needed. Staff asks Council to approve submitting a pre-application for the concept plan, with a final application coming to Council on Dec. 9, or to decline the program.
CLOSED SESSION
Council plans a closed session under North Carolina law to review, approve and seal closed session minutes from prior closed sessions; to consult with the town attorney and receive legal advice concerning one or more potential legal claims; and to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee. Council may take action following the closed session before adjourning.
The full agenda and meeting packet are available on the Town of Boone’s agenda portal.
