Despite public outcry, FBO at Hominy Creek to close Oct. 15

More than a dozen residents attended the July 16 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting, urging commissioners not to force French Broad Outfitters (FBO) at Hominy Creek to close later this year.

“Today we are publicly requesting meetings to hear the voices of the taxpaying citizens of Buncombe County that clearly want FBO at Hominy Creek to remain as it is. We want a solution that preserves this invaluable community asset that brings joy, recreation and conservation stewardship to Asheville and Buncombe County. Save FBO at Hominy Creek,” said Tracy Hawkins, speaking for about 10 other FBO supporters at the meeting.

The outdoor bar and event space, which has been located at the intersection of Hominy Creek and the French Broad River in West Asheville since 2016, is on county-owned land and is being forced to move because of a stipulation in a land conservation easement agreement between the county and RiverLink.

That easement, signed in 2006, prohibits commercial business on the property except for a sand dredging operation that has since been abandoned.

FBO rents boats and kayaks out of the space, runs a bar and music venue, and hosts events such as the popular putt night run by the Western North Carolina Disc Golf Association.

Dylan Simpson, an employee at FBO, said the staff spends a lot of time picking up trash on and off the property, which abuts a county park. Simpson and others said employees also help clear the area of nefarious activity.

As an example, Simpson shared a story about an individual who previously set up a tent outside FBO’s gate with a sign warning passersby that if they got too close, they would be shot with a crossbow.  Simpson called the authorities, who removed the person from the property. Had the site been a passive park, as it is slated to become, the outcome might have been different, he argued.

More than 1,800 people have signed a change.org petition to save FBO’s status on the site.

Despite the robust opposition to its closure, Buncombe County spokesperson Lillian Govus said there’s nothing the county can do because the land conservation easement is written to last “in perpetuity.”

FBO is scheduled to close at the end of its season, Tuesday, Oct. 15.

In other news

Buncombe’s backup 911 call center and seven other customer-facing county departments are joining the Family Justice Center (FJC) at 35 Woodfin St. after commissioners approved $3.8 million in renovations at its meeting July 16.

The backup 911 call center is relocating from the City of Asheville Municipal building. Tax collections, tax assessment, election services, permits and inspections, planning, air quality and environmental health will also get space in the complex. FJC will retain its current footprint in the building, gain an adjoining secure reception area and add security measures to keep it independent of other departments. Construction is slated to begin in late July.

Buncombe is sending about $1.37 million in expiring federal transit funding to the City of Asheville to support the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) system. The county is sending the funds to the city with the expectation that certain conditions be met. The city should evaluate route changes to its WE2 route to improve the connection between it and the Buncombe County Enka-Candler Trailblazer route and evaluate increasing trip frequency for its S3 and S6 routes serving South Asheville, according to county documents.

Commissioners approved a resolution opposing “unaccountable, taxpayer-funded private school vouchers,” mirroring a similar resolution passed in June by Buncombe County Schools. As part of the resolution, commissioners urged the N.C. General Assembly to substantially increase teacher salaries, allocate significant funding to early childhood education and place a moratorium on private school vouchers until public schools are fully funded.