Letter: New housing does not threaten Asheville families

I am embarrassed on behalf of Haw Creek for the vitriolic reactions that the proposed zoning variance has elicited from some of my neighbors. Unfortunately, some residents responded to a proposal for new housing with fearmongering, delay tactics and a lack of concern for Asheville as a whole. The behavior of Haw Creek residents at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on March 20 this year was disrespectful of the tremendous efforts of city staff and board members to hear out residents’ concerns. Letters printed in opposition to this project in this paper and others have often struck an alarmist or sarcastic tone instead of adding productively to the conversation.

To decide whether or not to approve this zoning variance, the city has undertaken a careful, slow, widely publicized negotiation between tens of interested parties. Yet it has been met in this paper with calls to other neighborhoods to “protect their families, homes and quality of life” [“The Failure of the Conditional Zoning Process,” Aug. 14, Xpress]. It has been called out of alignment with the city’s comprehensive plan even as city staff present the detailed reasons this project meets the city’s priority to build more housing.

Let me be totally frank: Asheville families are not under threat from new housing; they are under threat from a lack of housing. That’s why we have a process for zoning variances in the first place!

There are fantastic ways to make your voice heard in Asheville, and I want to commend the Haw Creek Community Association (HCCA) for working with the city and developer to the fullest extent possible. HCCA was thoughtful about gathering input, proactive in generating solutions, transparent in their communications and ultimately supportive of the negotiated outcome. HCCA made its voice heard in a way that improved the discussion and the project.

City Council members, Planning and Zoning Board members and city staff are also to be commended. They made a huge effort to take the concerns of the neighborhood seriously. Watch the City Council meeting where the zoning variance was approved to see Council member Maggie Ullman discuss the research she put into wildfire safety after hearing the concerns of Haw Creek residents. HCCA has now requested funds to produce an evacuation plan — surely a massive benefit to the community that came through this participation.

I am not here to say there are no downsides to new construction. Mitigating these downsides is the purpose of the zoning variance process. That is why it is so important to engage with constructive speech and specific requirements rather than engaging in alarmist rhetoric. Real concerns like wildfire safety were thoughtfully considered by City Council.

Overall, I’m happy with how our city government responded to this zoning variance, and I applaud most of the interested parties for being so productive. I hope the next time we have this conversation as a city, we can raise the level of discourse.

When new people move into Asheville, it does not threaten Asheville; it makes Asheville stronger. Telling people that what they have is under threat is a great way to get negative reactions but not a great way to solve any problems the city faces. And the city faces a steep housing shortage, which we are addressing the only way we can: by densifying our neighborhoods. If you feel left behind by this process, it’s time for you to step up and engage with it. HCCA has shown you the model.

— Joel Shuman
Asheville