Buncombe Commissioners Apply for State Grants to Repair Swannanoa Sidewalks

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to authorize the County Manager to submit multiple grant applications to the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program to support the Swannanoa Sidewalks Project in Beacon Village. The move aims to repair and extend walkways damaged by Tropical Storm Helene and to fill funding gaps identified after a prior award.

Commissioners approved two resolutions at their Feb. 3 regular meeting that direct the County Manager to pursue separate phases of the project. The applications follow a December 2025 award of $979,000 for sidewalk improvements off Whitson Avenue. County officials say further assessments showed that work in Beacon Village will require additional funding, with any extra dollars earmarked in part for sidewalks along Railroad Street.

Buncombe County’s Economic Development Program requested authority for the applications, and the Board’s action allows the County Manager to apply for additional grants under the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program. The program is administered through the Department of Commerce and carries a $1 million cap per project and a $5.5 million total award cap per county. The program is part of a broader $55 million state initiative to support small business and community recovery across western North Carolina.

Local business owners and county staff framed the project as central to Beacon Village’s recovery and economic life. Daniel Lancaster, owner of Short Sleeves Coffee and a Swannanoa resident, said, “This is a big deal for our families, visitors, and small businesses. Beacon Village is Swannanoa’s downtown, and as we rebuild, we’re seeing more and more folks coming to take advantage of what makes our part of the valley so special. We all know we need more sidewalks in Swannanoa to keep people safe, and this project moves us in the right direction. As a business owner, this is very exciting, and as a dad with little ones, it’s even bigger news.” E.B. Odderstol, Intergovernmental Affairs Economic Development Analyst, added, “We’re looking forward to working with the Department of Transportation on the management and construction of this project. Improving Swannanoa’s sidewalk infrastructure will substantially contribute to the area’s recovery, revitalizing the economy and investing in the community’s future.”

The Board also received updates on recent winter emergency operations. Emergency Services reported that more than 100 county employees worked during Winter Storm Fern to shelter more than 80 people, and staff outlined expanded Code Purple sheltering efforts. Commissioners held and approved a public hearing to join the state NC C-PACE program, a financing mechanism for commercial property improvements in energy and resiliency.

What comes next for Swannanoa is a combination of paperwork and planning. County staff must submit the grant applications and specify requested amounts; at this stage it is unclear how much the County Manager will request. The Board is expected to accept the earlier $979,000 award at a future meeting under the county’s grant management rules, and residents can follow the Board’s proceedings on the county’s Facebook page. If the new applications are successful, Railroad Street and other Beacon Village walkways could see construction funding that would improve safety, business access, and pedestrian connectivity in Swannanoa’s downtown.