ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — City officials have decided not to move forward with a proposal to create a downtown social district, citing concerns about balancing economic recovery efforts with maintaining residents’ quality of life in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene.

During the Oct. 14 Asheville City Council meeting, members discussed strategies to help local businesses rebound after the storm, including a possible social district that would allow open-container alcohol consumption in designated downtown areas.

Mayor Esther Manheimer said that while revitalizing the local economy remains a top priority, the proposed social district did not meet the city’s broader community goals.

“Revitalizing our local economy after Helene is crucial for community health and recovery. However, this must be carefully balanced with ensuring a high quality of life for all residents,” Manheimer said in a news release. “During the October 14 council meeting, it became evident that a social district fails to achieve this delicate balance as an activation strategy, and therefore, it will not be pursued at this time.”

Other economic activation efforts — including the Tourism Activation Program (TAP), event support mini-grants and the Downtown Food Truck Pilot — have been well received by businesses and residents, city officials said.

Council members said they plan to continue exploring additional initiatives to support downtown vitality. One upcoming discussion will revisit proposed adjustments to the city’s event noise exceedance ordinance, scheduled for consideration at the Nov. 18 council meeting.