“I’m still against approval because of flooding, traffic, no affordable housing, school and school bus safety, and impact on environment issues.”

“I’m still against approval because of flooding, traffic, no affordable housing, school and school bus safety, and impact on environment issues.”
“As existing neighborhoods with Asheville’s iconic tree canopy and low population density became saturated — more crowded, hotter, busier and therefore less desirable — property values would definitely drop, diminishing, as Paul wrote, the “pricing power that landowners wield,” but not before developers had made some significant pocket change.”
“Greater density development in the Haw Creek neighborhood must be respectfully designed, including leaving some old-growth tree areas, effective visual shielding and more realistic assessment of flooding impacts.”
“If The Meadows is built, a few people who have been lucky enough to look out at woods on others’ property will instead see yards and houses, like most of the rest of us, and there will be a bit more traffic.
“The developer has offered no solutions to community concerns so far. Public hearings to date have been widely attended and in opposition to the project as proposed.”
“This property is within the city limits. Building homes there would decrease sprawl into more environmentally sensitive areas of Buncombe County.”
“As an Asheville and Haw Creek resident, I must ask our City Council members: Why would you approve a rezoning that is so openly opposed by the community and in direct conflict with a well-thought-out comprehensive plan?”
“The Board of Commissioners’ actions raise the question: Is this how they are going to deal with the affordable housing crisis?”
“Like all of us, these young people want to see true democracy, wherein there are systems and places for active engagement. Unfortunately, the commissioners’ meeting was not an example of that.”
“Are you OK with your local and state taxes helping these weapons industries?”
“Did the Board of Commissioners listen and act on behalf of their informed and passionate constituents? Not a chance.”
“We chose to buy our homes in this neighborhood and should have a voice in how the land is used.”
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Richard Sneed, whose tribe owns two casinos in Western North Carolina, had lobbied the board to oppose the rival operation at an Aug. 4 briefing. He argued that the Catawba Indian Nation, members of which primarily reside in South Carolina, were not properly authorized to operate gaming across state lines.
Civil engineer Mike Anderson compared the plans for the Freedom in Christ property in Candler to those of other Christian facilities in rural Buncombe, including the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, Ridgecrest Conference Center and the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly.
The county planning department supports changing the roughly 6.4-acre property from its current residential zoning to commercial service. The Buncombe County Planning Board, however, recommended denial of the rezoning in a 6-1 decision on Oct. 21, citing concerns over resident displacement and steep slopes.
County planning staff members say special and family subdivisions have been abused by developers to skirt regulations on infrastructure and hillside protection. The Board of Commissioners will consider whether to approve new rules to fix those issues during its regular meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15, in room 326 at 200 College St.
Republicans Mike Fryar and Robert Pressley, as well as Democrats Amanda Edwards and Al Whitesides, stood against the 1.05-acre rezoning, while Democrats Brownie Newman and Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, along with Republican Joe Belcher, gave their approval. The county planning board had recommended against the proposal, citing concerns over steep slope development.
Habitat plans to use the money to provide down payment assistance for 38 affordable housing units at its proposed Old Haywood Road neighborhood in West Asheville. Households earning 80% or less of the area median income ($52,800 for a family of four) would receive $20,000 toward a home purchase.
At Asheville City Council’s June 25 meeting, Council member Julie Mayfield flipped on her previous opposition to the project, joining Mayor Esther Manheimer, Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler and Vijay Kapoor to complete a majority vote that allowed the rezoning of the historic building for hotel use.
County Manager Avril Pinder recommended no substantive changes to Buncombe’s fiscal year 2019-20 budget following a June 4 public hearing, and board members are scheduled to vote on the spending plan. The budget contains over $9.1 million in general fund capital spending, roughly $7.58 million of which will be financed through debt.
While Mayor Esther Manheimer recommended in October that local hoteliers Pratik Bhakta and Monark Patel resubmit their proposal to Asheville City Council in at least “a year’s time,” the two aren’t waiting. Their hotel is back on the agenda for Council’s meeting of Tuesday, March 12, less than five months after its first consideration.