When development is proposed downtown, Asheville's Downtown Commission gets first crack at it before developers seek approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. Upcoming meetings will include review of a massive new downtown redevelopment of Haywood Park proposed by developer Tony Fraga.

And the next few weeks will be busy ones for the commission, which will also have a say in the new Downtown Master Plan being formulated. Below is a schedule of upcoming meetings, which are open to the public and held at the city's Office of Economic Development at 29 Haywood St., unless otherwise noted:

• Fri., April 11, 8:30 a.m.: Informal review for FIRC Group Haywood Park Hotel and Residences

• Tues., April 15, 5 p.m.: Membership meeting at the Orange Peel

• Wed., April 16, noon: Design Review Subcommittee informal review of Mt. Zion Church Redevelopment (Foundry Buildings). This will be a joint review by the South Pack Square Design Review Committee.

• Thurs., April 17, 5:30 p.m.: "Downtown Asheville Tomorrow; Vision and Action," a presentation by Rick Bernhardt, planning director for Nashville/Davidson Tenn. (Held at the Asheville Community Theater)

• Fri., April 18, 8:30 a.m.: Downtown Commission retreat

• Wed., April 30, noon: Design Review Subcommittee informal review of the 51 Biltmore Avenue Mixed-use garage and hotel

• Thurs., May 8, 5:30 p.m. at the Civic Center Banquet Hall: KickOff/First Public Meeting for the Downtown Master Plan

• Fri., May 9, 8:30 a.m. Tentative formal review of the Buncombe County Coxe Avenue garage and tentative formal review of the Haywood Park Hotel and Residences

• Wed., May 14, noon: Design Review Subcommittee informal review of Central Methodist Church addition (note: meeting location to be announced since the conference room was previously assigned)

• Fri., June 13, 8:30 a.m.: Tentative formal review of 51 Biltmore Ave. mixed-use garage and hotel

— Hal L. Millard, staff writer