Montreat News Archive

The Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting will meet by Zoom software on Tuesday, June 30 at 10:30 a.m.  The zoom link will be posted below The meeting packet can be found here Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84681913647 Or iPhone one-tap :     US: +13017158592,,84681913647#  or +13126266799,,84681913647# Or Telephone:     Dial(for higher…

We are preparing a special Montreat photo presentation for the new Town Hall and we need your help! We need your photos. We will have two special presentations on the video screens. One will be Montreat scenes like the ones above. The other will be Montreat activities, like rock hopping, Fourth of July parade, square…

At the May 28th public hearing for the budget, a number of questions were asked. Many of those questions were technical in nature and could be appropriately answered by staff. Those questions were compiled and answered in the document which can be could by clicking here.

Hasn’t the Mountain Laurel been glorious this year!!!  Now that it has just about finished blooming, it is time to prune.  If you wait until late fall or winter, you will diminish the amount of blooms that will appear the following growing season.  Remember that mountain laurel is an extremely flammable plant, so cutting it…

COVID-19 Update Given the expected increase in visitors and activity here, the Montreat Town Commissioners have prepared a letter for all residents, full and part-time. The letter outlines pertinent information for residents and guests about COVID-19 regulations in place at Montreat. Signs have been posted at the gate informing everyone that COVID-19 regulations are in…

The June 11th, 2020 Town Council Meeting will be held electronically via Zoom software at 7:00 p.m. The meeting packet can be found here. The Zoom instructions are as follows: NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING Thursday, June 11, 2020 7:00 p.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The Montreat Board of Commissioners will hold a…

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING The meeting packet can be found here Tuesday, June 9, 2020 10:30 a.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The Montreat Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. electronically using Zoom software.  The webinar is limited to the first 100…

NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING Thursday, June 11, 2020 7:00 p.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The Montreat Board of Commissioners will hold a Regular Meeting on Thursday, June 11, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. electronically using Zoom software.  The webinar is limited to the first 100 people who sign in.  There will be two…

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING Friday, May 29, 2020 1:00 p.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The Montreat Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Friday, May 29, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. electronically using Zoom software.  The webinar is limited to the first 100 people who sign in.  The purpose of this…

Please join the Town of Montreat Board of Commissioners on May 28, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom for the Special Meeting 2020-2021 Fiscal Year Budget Presentation and Public Hearing. The updated meeting document link can be found at the bottom of this email. This meeting can be accessed as follows: Please click the link…

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING Tuesday, May 26, 2020 10:30 a.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The Montreat Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. electronically using Zoom software.  The webinar is limited to the first 100 people who sign in.  The purpose of…

Mayor’s Meeting Summary of Last Night’s Town Council Meeting Hello Montreaters, We continue in this strange way of pandemic life. We’ve adjusted schedules, social calendars, our ways of communicating and so much more. It’s my hope that you are faring well through it and adapting to this new normal. As we did in April, we…

Hello Montreaters, We continue in this strange way of pandemic life. We’ve adjusted schedules, social calendars, our ways of communicating and so much more. It’s my hope that you are faring well through it and adapting to this new normal. As we did in April, we conducted our May Town Council meeting virtually. The meeting…

The revised May 14th Town Council Agenda Packet can be found here

The Montreat Audit Committee will hold a Special Meeting on Monday, May 18, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. in the Town Services Building, 96 Rainbow Terrace to discuss the following topics: -Review the Request for Proposals bids for selection of auditor -Review the Audit Structure for 2020 The meeting is open to the public

COVID-19 Update Everything is pretty confusing given state, county and in some cases, local COVID-19 rules. Hopefully we can clarify some of it for you. Here are a few updates pertinent to all of us at Montreat: As of 5:00pm today, Friday, Buncombe County will move into Phase 1 of reopening. The county still remains…

Please join the Montreat Town Council on May 14th by Zoom at the following link: Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81876253413?pwd=emRFLytmY2lsRXlucHNXdHVQa21YUT09 Password: 898276 Or iPhone one-tap :     US: +13017158592,,81876253413#,,1#,898276#  or +13126266799,,81876253413#,,1#,898276# Or Telephone:     Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):         US: +1 301 715 8592 …

Tuesday, May 12, 2020 10:30 a.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The agenda packet can be found here. The Montreat Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. electronically using Zoom software.  The webinar is limited to the first 100 people who sign in. …

FIREWISE ASSESSMENT WEBINAR WHEN:  Wednesday, May 6, 4-5 PM WHERE:  On your computer via Zoom! Justin Query, Wildfire Mitigation Forester with the NC Forest Service, visited Montreat on March 3 and performed a Wildfire Risk Assessment for our community.  In this webinar, he will present the result of his findings, speaking to us live and…

COVID-19 Update Here are several COVID-19 updates pertinent to the Montreat community: This morning, Buncombe County eased its ‘stay home’ restrictions to coincide with the governor’s order. Additionally, the county will likely follow the state’s directives on any future orders. The immediate impact is that groups of up to 10 people can gather together as…

FIREWISE ASSESSMENT WEBINAR WHEN:  Wednesday, May 6, 4-5 PM WHERE:  On your computer via Zoom! Justin Query, Wildfire Mitigation Forester with the NC Forest Service, visited Montreat on March 3 and performed a Wildfire Risk Assessment for our community.  In this webinar, he will present the result of his findings, speaking to us live and…

Don’t Forget to Thank the Stone Masons Today! Everyone loves the stone work that makes the new Town Hall so distinctive. Today, Monday, April 27, at noon there will be a “drive by” to thank the stone masons for their amazing work on the Town Hall. We’ll organize ourselves in the parking lot next to…

COVID-19 Update Here are several COVID-19 updates pertinent to the Montreat community: Yesterday Governor Cooper extended the “Stay Home” Order until at least May 9, depending upon how certain key indicators look at that time. However, the Buncombe County “Stay Home” order, which is slightly more stringent than the Governor’s, is still indefinitely in place.…

Willa Roberts! Willa Roberts, age 9, is the winner of the Mayor’s Chalk Art Challenge. Willa’s masterpiece, Rainbow Dog, was a runaway winner against the other eight entries of the contest.  Willa was inspired by her own dogs as well as the color palette in her chalk box. Willa is a third grader at Black…

April 20, 2020 Have You Voted? The artwork submission phase of the Mayor’s Chalk Art Contest is closed. But, voting is open until the end of the day today. So please check out the entries and make your vote with a “Like”. To vote on your favorite, go to the Town Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/TownofMontreat, scroll…

Greetings Montreaters, Here we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and it has changed our lives significantly. Life here in Montreat is different—very quiet and somewhat secluded. But it is even more changed outside of the gate. However, we are not letting the virus stop the work of the Town. After checking with…

Mayor’s Meeting Summary of Last Night’s Town Council Meeting Greetings Montreaters, Here we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and it has changed our lives significantly. Life here in Montreat is different—very quiet and somewhat secluded. But it is even more changed outside of the gate. However, we are not letting the virus…

Please join the Montreat Town Council for a special meeting held electronically through Zoom software on April 16, 2020 at 5 p.m. Only the first 100 people to sign in will have access. The Packet can be found here. The purpose of this meeting is as follows: Presentation of the Texas Road Bridge design Presentation…

Have You Drawn Your Chalk Masterpiece? Last Wednesday we announced the Mayor’s Chalk Art Challenge. We are encouraging everyone to use their “Stay Home” time to create a chalk art masterpiece, take a photo of it, and enter it into our contest. Montreaters will also be the judges by voting. Read about voting below. With…

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING Thursday, April 16, 2020 5:00 p.m. Will be conducted electronically using Zoom software The Montreat Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. electronically using Zoom software.  The webinar is limited to the first 100 people who sign in.  The purpose of this…

Join the Mayor’s Chalk Art Challenge! We are three weeks into the Stay At Home order. It’s good that we are doing so to manage the COVID 19 spread. But, we suspect you are getting tired of Netflix , jigsaw puzzles, playing Sudoku, cleaning closets, watching old ACC Championship games and spending money on Amazon.…

Do You Need a (Free) Cloth Facemask? In the developing news of the Coronavirus, authorities have changed their position on wearing masks in public and now recommend it. As a result, three benevolent and talented Montreat residents are making cloth facemasks for other Montreat residents. Jacqueline Clark, Lila Ray and Kitty Fouche have put their…

COVID-19 Update Once again, here are several COVID-19 updates pertinent to the Montreat community: Most Town staff continue to work from home. Call 828-669-8002 or email [email protected] for questions or comments. A water bill dropbox has been installed at the Town Services Offices for payment of water bills. It is to the right of the…

It’s trash day in Montreat and we have two crews working hard to get your trash up safely and securely. Please remember to have your trash at the curb at 8:00 a.m. – this will insure your trash gets picked up in a timely fashion. Also please make sure your trash bags are tied!! Stay…

Montreat Minute for March 27, 2020 COVID-19 Update Once again, here are several COVID-19 updates pertinent to the Montreat community: Town administrative staff continue to work from home. Call 828-669-8002 or email [email protected] for questions or comments. A water bill dropbox has been installed at the Town Services Offices for payment of water bills. It…

Crews will be doing heavy hydrant flushing in Town today (3/19) and you may find yourself with dirty water. Please turn on faucets and let them run until the color clears up. Thank you for your patience.

Out of concern for the potential spreading of the COVID-19 virus we are cancelling the March 20th Annual Board Retreat.

Out of concern for the potential spreading of the COVID-19 virus we are cancelling the March 24th Tree Board Meeting.

Out of concern for the potential spreading of the COVID-19 virus we are cancelling the March 19th Planning & Zoning Meeting.

Mayor’s Meeting Summary of Last Night’s Town Council Meeting Hello Montreaters, We were thankful for the 18 people who attended the meeting. Here’s a summary of the discussions. As you know, a full overview will be in the official meeting minutes in April’s agenda packet. Public Forum questions/comments included: Sally Stansil expressed her continued concerns…

Hello Montreaters, We were thankful for the 18 people who attended the meeting. Here’s a summary of the discussions. As you know, a full overview will be in the official meeting minutes in April’s agenda packet. Public Forum questions/comments included: Sally Stansil expressed her continued concerns about high noise levels from traffic near the entrance.…

The March 11th Audit Committee Meeting has been cancelled due to lack of responses to the posted Request for Proposals. This meeting will be rescheduled at a later time.

The First Lady of Trash Brace yourself: In this beautiful, peaceful, quaint place we call Montreat, people throw trash on the ground. Yes, it happens. No doubt you have driven down Assembly Drive and seen drink cups, wrappers and other assorted trash along the road. It aggravates most of us. But for one person, she…

The March Board of Commissioners Meeting will be held March 12, 2020 in the Walkup Building at 7:00 p.m. The Public Forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. Please join us! The meeting packet can be found here.

The Town of Montreat Planning & Zoning Commission will meet Thursday, March 5th at 10:30 a.m. in the Walkup Building to continue their review of the Montreat Zoning Ordinance. The public is as always invited. The meeting packet can be found here.

Montreat Did It Again! Earlier this week we learned that Montreat was once again awarded “Tree City USA” designation. The award is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. Montreat earned the award due to its commitment to effective urban forest management…

The Variance Applications have been withdrawn and the February 27th Board of Adjustment meeting has been cancelled.

Town Survey Closes Wednesday Several weeks ago we announced the availability of a survey seeking your opinion regarding key issues for future planning. Many thanks to the nearly 200 people who have completed it. We will be closing out the survey this Wednesday, February 26. If you have not completed it, we really do need…

Congratulations Daniel Wiggs Back in November, we introduced you to Daniel Wiggs in our Public Works Department. We told you Daniel had a focus on Montreat’s trees, capitalizing on his background in landscaping. After some intense studying, Daniel received his designation as a Certified Arborist from the International Society of Arboriculture earlier this week. To…

We Still Need Your Opinion Several weeks ago we announced the availability of a survey seeking your opinion regarding key issues for future planning. Many thanks to the 140 people who have completed the survey. If you have not completed it, we really do need your opinion. As mentioned previously, the Town engaged in a…

Please join your Montreat Board of Commissioners at the February 13th Town Council Meeting in the Walkup Building. The meeting packet can be found here

Condolences Perhaps you have noticed the Black Mountain and Montreat Town flags flying at half staff since Wednesday. The tribute is in honor of the passing of Black Mountain Alderman Carlos Showers. In a news release from Black Mountain Mayor Don Collins: Carlos L. Showers, 64, found peace and comfort after an extended illness January…

Water service will be interrupted on Lower Kentucky Rd, From Arbor Lane down. We apologize for this inconvenient as crews work to make repairs.

The American Flag at the Montreat Town Hall is being flown at half-staff beginning January 28th – February 2nd in honor of our friend and neighbor Black Mountain Alderman Carlos Showers who passed away from an extended illness on January 27th.  Carlos served as Alderman since 2009 and was the second African American to ever do…

1. How many utility bills are run each month? 674 2. Do you print them in house or use a third party printer/mailer? In house 3. Who is your meter vendor and how are they read (i.e., manually, touch read, radio read, etc). Meuller—read by street machine 4. Do you currently take credit cards for…

It’s a slow news week, but here are several important items for your review: Another New Request for Proposal Several weeks ago, we informed you about a request for proposal for a new financial software system. We recently added another RFP, this time for Independent Auditor Services. We have been with our current auditor for…

There will be a water outage in the Kentucy Road area of Montreat due to routine maintanence.  We will update the website as necessary.

Happy New Year, friends. We appreciated the 20 people who came out for the first Town Council meeting of this new decade. There were some lively discussions, and here’s a summary. As you know, a full overview will be in the official meeting minutes in February’s agenda packet. Public Forum questions/comments included: Tom Frist stated…

Mayor’s Meeting Summary of Last Night’s Town Council Meeting Happy New Year, friends. We appreciated the 20 people who came out for the first Town Council meeting of this new decade. There were some lively discussions, and here’s a summary. As you know, a full overview will be in the official meeting minutes in February’s…

Just a reminder that the Town Offices will be closed in celebration of New Year’s Day. The office will re-open on Thursday, January 2nd at 8:00 am. Brush collection will be postponed from Wednesday to Thursday, the 2nd.

Merry Christmas, Montreaters We were grateful for the 19 people who came out into the cold for this last meeting of the year. There was a lot of discussion, so here’s a summary. As you know, a full overview will be in the official meeting minutes in January’s agenda packet. • Public Forum questions/comments included:…

A Summary of Events Leading to Mediation Settlement between Two Texas Road Property Owners and the Town of Montreat Property at 322 Texas Road was purchased for the purpose of building a new house. Due to the slope of the lot, the Town’s steep slope ordinance (adopted in 2009) requiring certain conditions was enacted. The owner…

Montreat Minute for December 13, 2019 Mayor’s Meeting Summary of Last Night’s Town Council Meeting Merry Christmas, Montreaters We were grateful for the 19 people who came out into the cold for this last meeting of the year. There was a lot of discussion, so here’s a summary. As you know, a full overview will…

BE ADVISED: Repair of lower Greybeard Trail begins 12/9/2019. Greybeard Trail will be closed between Assembly Circle and West Virginia Terrace. Yellow and orange signs marked “Greybeard Trail Detour” show the way. To access Greybeard Trail take: Louisiana Road to Virgina Road Virginia Road to West Virginia Terrace (watch for temporary traffic light) West Virginia…

Please join your Town of Montreat Commissioners at the December 12, 2019 Town Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Walkup Building.  The Public Form will begin at 6:30 p.m.  The Meeting Packet can be found here

“Speedy” Reminder With many friends and family visiting Montreat for the Thanksgiving holiday, we want to remind everyone of the increased enforcement of speed limits in Montreat. Due to citizen concerns about excessive speeds, the Montreat Police Department has been more aggressive in citing speeders. Please be aware, and remind your visitors, that the overall…

The Town Hall has been experiencing a phone outage this afternoon.  If you need emergency assistance please dial 911.  Thanks for your patience in this matter.