Planning & Urban Design Director accepts new position with Metro Nashville Government | CITY OF ASHEVILLE: (https://www.ashevillenc.gov)
Planning & Urban Design Director accepts new position with Metro Nashville Government | CITY OF ASHEVILLE: (https://www.ashevillenc.gov)
City of Asheville issued the following announcement on Jan. 6.
Asheville Planning & Urban Design Director Todd Okolichany has accepted a position as Deputy Executive Director of the Planning Department in Metro Nashville, TN government and will leave the City of Asheville January 27, 2023.
During his tenure with the City of Asheville, Todd was instrumental in managing several projects that will have long lasting impacts on the Asheville community including:
- Adoption of the Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan, the city’s fourth ever comprehensive planning document that lays out an environmentally and socially responsible framework for equitable community growth over the next 20 years.
- Creation of the city’s Urban Design and Place Strategies team to implement the public’s vision for community-driven planning, high-quality urban design and inclusive public spaces.
- Rezoning of over 250 acres in the city into “Urban Centers,” a growth strategy from the Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan that encourages the transition of larger underutilized properties along commercial corridors located along high frequency transit routes into mixed-use areas that include higher density residential, affordable housing and commercial uses.
- Adoption of a new hotel development review process, which incentivizes new hotels to provide community benefits, such as contributing toward the city’s Reparations and Affordable Housing Trust Funds, paying living wages to employees and integrating green building elements into hotel building design.
“It has been a pleasure working with Todd,” said City Manager Debra Campbell. “Under his leadership, Planning and Urban Design staff were able to develop and propose new policies and practices that will help positively shape growth in Asheville for years to come. We are grateful for his leadership and wish him well.”
Assistant City Manager Ben Woody will serve as Interim Director.
A selection process for Planning and Urban Design Director will kick off at the beginning of 2023.
Original source can be found here.