PROCEDURES FOR WAL-MART PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 11

On Tuesday, April 11, Asheville City Council will hold a public hearing to consider conditional zoning of property located on Smoky Park Highway and Cooper Boulevard from Highway Business District and RS-4 Residential Single-Family Medium Density District to Highway Business District/Conditional Zoning for a proposed Wal-Mart Super Center Store and additional retail development. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. in the Council Chamber located on the second floor of City Hall.

Procedures for the meeting include:

TIME ALLOTMENT: The developer or developer's representative will have 30 minutes to address City Council. Organized groups will have 30 minutes to address Council, and an additional two hours will be devoted to public comment. Organized groups will be given ten minutes to speak, individual citizens will have three minutes and citizens using interpretation services will have six minutes. See more information about organized groups and interpretation services below.

PRIORITY GUIDELINES: The opportunity to speak during the public hearing will be filled on a first come, first served basis taking into consideration the following priority guidelines: 1) residents of adjoining properties will be given first priority; 2) citizens residing in the city of Asheville will be given second priority, and; 3) others wishing to speak will follow. Citizens must sign up to speak prior to the public hearing.

SIGNING UP TO SPEAK: Signing up does not guarantee the opportunity to speak - it only helps determine the order in which citizens will address Council during the time devoted to public comment. Citizens wishing to speak during the public hearing can sign up in one of two ways:

1. Online Registration: An online registration form will be available at www.ashevillenc.gov at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 7. Online registration will be limited to 25 citizens in order to leave room for others who do not have access to e-mail and wish to register the day of the public hearing.

2. On site Registration: Registration tables will open in front of City Hall from 3-5 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

INTERPRETATION SERVICES: Spanish interpretation services will be provided during the Wal-Mart public hearing through headphones and listening equipment. Citizens can pick up equipment at an onsite registration table. A number of seats will be reserved inside the Chamber for citizens using interpretation services. Those speaking during the public hearing can help by talking slowly and clearly.

OVERFLOW SEATING: Because a limited number of seats are available in the Council Chamber, overflow seating will be available on the first and sixth floors of City Hall. The meeting will be televised in those rooms.

ORGANIZED GROUPS: Representatives speaking for organized groups must have their members of their group on site during the meeting, and those members must agree to forfeit their three minutes of speaking time. Organized groups will be asked to sign in and verify their membership at the registration table. In order to make room for as many speakers as possible inside the Council Chamber, the city asks that only the speaking representative sit inside the Chamber. Other group members may sit in the overflow rooms.

WRITTEN COMMENTS: Written comments can be sent to City Council via e-mail at walmartcomments@ashevillenc.gov.

FURTHER INFORMATION: If you have any questions about the process for the upcoming Wal-Mart public hearing, please contact City Clerk Maggie Burleson at (828) 259-5601 or mburleson@ashevillenc.gov.

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