Welcome to the City of Asheville's Development Services Department (DSD) online application for new commercial site development permits.

Use this online form to submit a new permit application for the following commercial site development project types:

• Level I
• Level II/Major Subdivision
• Level III/Conditional Zoning

Click here to submit a revised application, amendment or response to comments.

For technical or zoning compliance questions about your project, please contact the Zoning Hotline at 828-259-5450 or POD@ashevillenc.gov.

Don't know your zone? Find your zoning district here.

Your proposed project requires Level I site plan review to ensure compliance with the zoning provisions found in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

Before moving forward with this application, prepare the following application materials:

• Development site plans (see site plan checklist for requirements)
• Completed Level I site plan checklist 
  • Projects Under 10,000 square feet (of land disturbance)
  • Projects Over 10,000 square feet (of land disturbance)
• Streetscape Plan checklist
  
  • Required for projects with any existing or proposed building set back 0’-5’ from the sidewalk or located in CBD, RAD or HR districts
• Fire Protection Water Supply Analysis request
• Water Letter of Commitment/Availability (if applicable)
• Financial Responsibility Ownership form (for projects with land disturbance)
• Third Party Inspection Agreement (for projects with ≥25,000 sq. ft. disturbance)

Save all of plans and documents in .PDF format to upload at the end of this application.

 

Your proposed project requires Level II site plan review to ensure compliance with the zoning provisions found in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).  Please complete the following steps to submit your application for Level II Site Plan Review.

 

Pre-Application Phase

Pre-Application Meeting: 

Level II or Major Subdivision site plan review requires you attend a pre-application meeting with the City's Technical Review staff. No applications for Level II or Major Subdivision site plan review will be accepted until this meeting has been held.

Click here to schedule a TRC Pre-Application meeting now.

 

Required Neighborhood Meeting:  

The City's Unified Development Ordinance requires all applicants for Level II and Major Subdivision site plan review to hold a meeting with all property owners within 400 feet of the subject development site prior to submitting an application for development review.

This meeting must be advertised by certified mail to all properties owners within 400 feet of the development site. The advertisement must provide at least 14 days notice. The meeting date must occur no less than 10 days and no more than four months prior to submittal of any application for development review. 

For additional information, review the Neighborhood and Community Meeting Guide for Development.

Click here to report a required neighborhood meeting now or visit the Development Portal to report a neighborhood meeting later. 

 

Application Phase

Before moving forward with this application, prepare the following application materials:

• Development site plans (see site plan checklist for requirements)
• Completed TRC site permit checklists
• Streetscape Plan checklist
  • Required for projects with any existing or proposed building set back 0’-5’ from the sidewalk or located in CBD, RAD or HR districts
• Approved MSD Allocation letter
• Approved Water Allocation letter
• Financial Responsibility Ownership form (for projects with land disturbance)
• Third Party Inspection Agreement (for projects with ≥25,000 sq. ft. disturbance)

 

Save all plans and documents in .PDF format to upload at the end of this application.

 

Your proposed project requires Level III or Conditional Zoning site plan review to ensure compliance with the zoning provisions found in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Please complete the following steps to submit your application for site plan review.

 

Pre-Application Phase

Pre-Application Meeting: 

Level III or Conditional Zoning site plan review requires you attend a pre-application meeting with the City's Technical Review staff. No applications for Level II or Major Subdivision site plan review will be accepted until this meeting has been held.

Click here to schedule a TRC Pre-Application meeting now.

 

Required Neighborhood Meeting:  

The City's Unified Development Ordinance requires all applicants for Level II and Major Subdivision site plan review to hold a meeting with all property owners within 400 feet of the subject development site prior to submitting an application for development review.

This meeting must be advertised by certified mail to all properties owners within 400 feet of the development site. The advertisement must provide at least 14 days notice. The meeting date must occur no less than 10 days and no more than four months prior to submittal of any application for development review. 

For additional information, review the Neighborhood and Community Meeting Guide for Development.

Click here to report a required neighborhood meeting now or visit the Development Portal to report a neighborhood meeting later. 

 

Application Phase

Before moving forward with this application, prepare the following application materials:

• Development conceptual plans (see packet for requirements)
• Completed Conceptual Site Plan Review packet
• Streetscape Plan checklist
  • Required for projects with any existing or proposed building set back 0’-5’ from the sidewalk or located in CBD, RAD or HR districts
• Approved MSD Allocation letter
• Approved Water Allocation letter

Save all plans and documents in .PDF format to upload at the end of this application.

 

Confirm that your property is located in the City of Asheville’s permitting jurisdiction and look up a parcel identification number (PIN) on SimpliCity.

 

Please enter "TBD" for address and only enter the PIN for location(s) that have not yet received a legally issued address found on an occupancy permit. Submitting an unofficial or incorrect address for this property will add processing time to your application and delay permit issuance.

The applicant will receive automated email notification at the email address they provide on this application when review comments are available for pick-up or permits have been approved and issued.

Optional: Enter email addresses below for additional contacts to receive automated email notifications for this permit. 

Use the "Upload" buttons below to upload your application's required forms and plans:

• Development Site Plans
• Completed Site Plan checklist(s)/packet
  • Level I
    • Projects under 10,000 square feet of land disturbance
    • Projects over 10,000 square feet of land disturbance
  • Level II/Major Subdivision/Final TRC
  • Level III/Conditional Zoning
• Streetscape Plan Checklist
  • If project has an existing or proposed building that is setback from 0'-5' from the sidewalk; OR
  • Located in CBD, RAD or HR districts
• Water Letter of Commitment (or copy of document stating not needed)
• MSD Allocation Letter (Or copy of document stating not needed)
• Financial Responsibility Ownership form (for projects with land disturbance)
• Third Party Inspection Agreement (for projects with ≥25,000 sq. ft. disturbance)
• Stormwater Calculations (if installing stormwater infrastructure)
• Fire Protection Water Supply Analysis request (for Level I projects)

 

All materials must be submitted in .PDF format. There is a 100 MB maximum per individual files. Please ensure plans are flattened before submitting. 

 

Click here to view digital submission guidelines that outline digital formatting requirements for .PDF forms and plans.

 

Ensure .PDF files are flattened and unlocked to allow for mark-ups, file combining and processing. Failure to unlock files will results in longer processing and administration time. 

 

Tip: Desktop software, like Adobe Acrobat, or free online programs, like www.ilovepdf.com, are helpful for converting documents to .PDF, merging individual pages into one .PDF document, and organizing .PDF pages.

 

After you have submitted your new application, please monitor the applicant's email address for correspondance regarding permit fee payment and next steps. Click here for information about nexts steps, including checking permit status.

I hereby make an application for a permit and inspection of work described in this submittal. I certify that I am the authorized agent of the owner, tenant, and or contractor. The information submitted is correct to the best of my knowledge. All work will be done in accordance with all applicable Federal, state and local laws and regulations, including current North Carolina State Building Code as adopted by the North Carolina Building Code Council and 87-14 Workers’ Compensation. The Development Services Department will be notified of any changes in the approved plans or specifications for the project as permitted.

• I am authorized to submit this paperwork on behalf of the General Contractor or Financially Responsible Party. 
• I understand that incomplete information may delay the processing of the submittal. Furthermore, I agree to be available at the phone number or email address above to respond to questions and concerns.
• I attest that the email address I have provided is accurate and active and that, pursuant to NCGS 160D-404, the City may use it to serve me with notices and/or other documents as necessary.  
• I understand that any payment due as a result of this submittal will prohibit new inspections from being scheduled until the balance is paid. Payments can be made online.