Who handles development in municipalities beyond Asheville?

While Asheville city and Buncombe County leaders govern the bulk of local development, other municipalities set zoning rules and approve projects within their own borders. Here’s the key information about when and where those decisions are made, as well as how you can weigh in.

Town of Black Mountain

Board of Adjustment

• Website: avl.mx/anv
• Development responsibilities: The Board of Adjustment hears zoning variance requests and appeals, as well as issues special use permits.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month, 6 p.m., at Town Hall, 160 Midland Ave.
, Black Mountain.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted one week ahead of each meeting on the website.
• Public comment: Public comments are allowed at the meetings under the limitations of the quasi-judicial process. People can also submit written comments to Comments@tobm.org if they choose not to attend in person.

Planning Board

• Website: avl.mx/anw
• Development responsibilities: The Planning Board is an advisory board that comments on rezoning applications and major subdivisions, with recommendations going on to the Town Council. The board also provides general insight on land use ordinances and planning efforts.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the fourth Monday of every month, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 160 Midland Ave.
, Black Mountain.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted one week ahead of each meeting on the website.
• Public comment: Public comments are allowed at the meetings. People can also submit written comments to PlanningBoard@tobm.org if they choose not to attend in person.

Town Council

• Website: avl.mx/anx
• Development responsibilities: The Town Council approves all rezoning applications and sets policy on general land use and planning matters.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the second Monday of every month, 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 160 Midland Ave.
, Black Mountain. The board also holds an information-only “agenda meeting” at 5 p.m. on the Thursday prior to each regular session meeting in the same location.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted on the website by the first Tuesday of each month.
• Public comment: Public comments are allowed at regular meetings; residents are asked to sign in at the start of the meeting if they plan to speak. People can also submit written comments to Comments@tobm.org if they choose not to attend in person.

Town of Biltmore Forest

Board of Adjustment

• Website: avl.mx/ant
• Development responsibilities: The board considers quasi-judicial matters, including special use and variance requests. The board also reviews landscaping plans associated with new construction, both residential and commercial, and hears appeals of decisions made by the zoning administrator.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month, 4 p.m. at Town Hall, 355 Vanderbilt Road, Biltmore Forest. Meetings may be cancelled if there is no business to consider.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted on the town website the Friday before each meeting.
• Public comment: Public comments are allowed at the meetings under the limitations of the quasi-judicial process. As of this writing, commenters can participate in meetings remotely via Zoom or in person. People can also email public comments to TownHall@BiltmoreForest.org.

Board of Commissioners

• Website: avl.mx/b3h
• Development responsibilities: The board sets policy via land use regulations and has final signoff on subdivision applications and sign requests.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month, 4:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 355 Vanderbilt Road, Biltmore Forest.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted on the town website the Friday before each meeting.
• Public comment: As of this writing, commenters can participate in meetings remotely via Zoom or in person. People can email also public comments to TownHall@BiltmoreForest.org.

Design Review Board

• Website: avl.mx/prwc
• Development responsibilities: The board reviews all new structures for compliance with the town’s recommended design standards.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held on an as-needed basis on Thursdays immediately following a Board of Adjustment meeting, 5:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 355 Vanderbilt Road, Biltmore Forest.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted the Tuesday before the meeting.
• Public comment: People can email public comments to TownHall@BiltmoreForest.org.

Planning Commission

• Website: avl.mx/b3g
• Development responsibilities: The board reviews potential zoning/land use changes and makes recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on those items; it also conducts preliminary review of subdivision requests. As of press time, board members are in the process of conducting a Comprehensive Land Use Plan review.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held on an as-needed basis, usually on the fourth Tuesday of the month, 5:30 p.m.  at Town Hall, 355 Vanderbilt Road, Biltmore Forest.
• Board agendas: Agendas are typically posted on the town website the Friday before each meeting.
• Public comment: People can email public comments to TownHall@BiltmoreForest.org.

Town of Montreat

Board of Adjustment

• Website: avl.mx/any
• Development responsibilities: The Board of Adjustment hears zoning variance requests, appeals of town zoning decisions and applications for special use permits. Variances must be approved by a fourth-fifths majority, while other matters are decided by simple majority.
• Meeting details: Meetings are generally held as needed on the fourth Thursday of the month, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1210 Montreat Road, Montreat.
• Board agendas: Agendas are generally made available online one week before a scheduled meeting.
• Public comment: Citizen testimony on any quasi-judicial matter must be given in person and under oath at the time of the hearing. Other witnesses may present competent, material and substantial evidence as allowed by the board. To be entered into the record, all comments must be presented in person.

Board of Commissioners

• Website: avl.mx/anz
• Development responsibilities: The Board of Commissioners approves all rezoning applications. The board also sets general town land-use policy.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1210 Montreat Road, Montreat. Each meeting is generally preceded by a public forum at 6:30 p.m. in the same location.
• Board agendas: Agendas are generally made available online one week before a scheduled meeting.
• Public comment: To be entered into the official record of the meeting, all public comment must be presented in person. People can also address unofficial written comments until 5 p.m. the day of the meeting to Info@TownOfMontreat.org.

Planning and Zoning Commission

• Website: avl.mx/any
• Development responsibilities: The Planning and Zoning Commission issues recommendations on rezoning applications to the Montreat Board of Commissioners and prepares the town’s comprehensive plan. The board also has final say on subdivision approvals.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held quarterly on the second Thursday of January, April, July and October, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 1210 Montreat Road, Montreat.
• Board agendas: Agendas are generally made available online one week before a scheduled meeting.
• Public comment: To be entered into the official record of the meeting, all public comment must be presented in person. People can also address unofficial written comments until 5 p.m. the day of the meeting to Info@TownOfMontreat.org.

Town of Weaverville

Planning and Zoning Board

• Website: avl.mx/ao3
• Development responsibilities: The board reviews zoning text and map amendments and issues recommendations to the Town Council based on compliance with the town’s comprehensive land use plan. This board also reviews development applications for compliance with subdivision standards and conditional zoning district applications.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month, 6 p.m., at Town Hall, 30 S. Main St., Weaverville.
• Board agendas: Agendas and packets of information related to the meeting are posted to the town’s website on the Thursday before the meeting.
• Public comment: General public comments may be made during the meeting or by writing in advance. Written comments can be submitted (1) by putting a written comment in a drop box at Town Hall (located at front entrance and back parking lot) at least six hours prior to the meeting, (2) emailing to PublicComment@WeavervilleNC.org at least six hours prior to the meeting, (3) by mailing written comment (received not later than Monday’s mail delivery) to Town of Weaverville, PO Box 338, Weaverville, NC, 28787, Attn: Public Comments.

Town Council

• Website: avl.mx/ao4
• Development responsibilities: Legislative decisions, such as ordinance changes and zoning text or map amendments are ultimately ruled upon by Town Council, which considers the recommendations of the Planning and Zoning Board.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the fourth Monday of every month, 7 p.m., at Town Hall, 30 S. Main St., Weaverville.
• Board agendas: Agendas and packets of information related to the meeting are posted to the town’s website on the Thursday before the meeting.
• Public comment: General public comments may be made during the meeting or by writing in advance. Written comments can be submitted (1) by putting a written comment in a drop box at Town Hall (located at front entrance and back parking lot) at least six hours prior to the meeting, (2) emailing to PublicComment@WeavervilleNC.org at least six hours prior to the meeting, (3) by mailing written comment (received not later than Monday’s mail delivery) to Town of Weaverville, PO Box 338, Weaverville, NC, 28787, Attn: Public Comments.

Zoning Board of Adjustment

• Website: avl.mx/ao3
• Development responsibilities: The Zoning Board of Adjustment handles all quasi-judicial matters, such as variance requests and appeals of administrative decisions by town staff. As of 2017, Weaverville no longer issues special use permits, which had previously been reviewed by this board.
• Meeting details: Meetings are held as needed on the second Monday of the month, 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 30 S. Main St., Weaverville.
• Board agendas: Agendas and packets of information related to the meeting are posted to the town’s website on the Thursday before the meeting.
• Public comment: General public comments may be submitted during the meeting under the limitations of the quasi-judicial process.

Town of Woodfin

Board of Adjustment

• Website: avl.mx/ao0
• Development responsibilities: The Board of Adjustment approves variance requests and special use permits, as well as considers appeals of staff decisions.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month, 6:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 90 Elk Mountain Road, Woodfin. Meetings are streamed live via Facebook.
• Board agendas: Board agendas are available to the general public two business days before a scheduled meeting. Agendas are published on the town’s website on the Board of Adjustment page
• Public comment: The public is invited to provide comments in person during each monthly meeting under the limitations of the quasi-judicial process.

Board of Commissioners

• Website: avl.mx/ao1
• Development responsibility: The Board of Commissioners adopts land use plans and ordinances and approves the town’s master plan, as well as annexation, rezoning and subdivision requests.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 90 Elk Mountain Road, Woodfin. Meetings are streamed live via Facebook.
• Board agendas: Board agendas are available to the general public two business days before a scheduled meeting. Agendas are published on the town’s website on the Board of Commissioners page.
• Public comment: The public is invited to provide comments in person during each monthly meeting.

Planning Board

• Website: avl.mx/ao2
• Development responsibilities: The Planning Board issues recommendations for or against approval of land use plans and development ordinance adoption/amendments to the Board of Commissioners. The board also makes recommendations on master plans, rezoning and subdivision requests.
• Meeting details: Regular meetings are held on the the first Tuesday of each month, 6 p.m., at Town Hall, 90 Elk Mountain Road, Woodfin. Meetings are streamed live via Facebook.
• Board agendas: Board agendas are available to the general public two business days before a scheduled meeting. Agendas are published on the town’s website under the Planning Board page.
• Public comment: The public is invited to provide comments in person during each monthly meeting.