On May 4, 2011, freshman state Rep. Tim Moffitt of Buncombe County filed a brief bill calling for the transfer of Asheville’s water system to the Metropolitan Sewerage District. Although the bill didn’t mention the city by name, its language pointed directly to Asheville and Buncombe County. The move sparked a firestorm of protest — […]
In a March 12 Asheville Citizen-Times article, Rep. Moffitt suggests, “Selective timbering under the auspices of a professional arborist is the best thing for a watershed.” Moffitt chairs a state committee that’s considering stripping the city of Asheville of the water system, creating a new regional authority to own and manage the system, handing it off to the Metropolitan Sewerage District, or leaving things the way they are. Here’s a flashback at the controversy over a late-1980s clear-cutting contract in the 21,000-acre North Fork Reservoir watershed.
(A file photo of clear-cut logging at the North Fork Reservoir in the late 1980s.)
If the current water talks end in the formation of a Regional Water Agreement, I was wondering if all the participating members will be burdened by the unfair Sullivan Acts, or will Asheville be singled out again, as it is now? Mr. Moffit? Mr. McGrady? Anyone know? — Leni Sitnick Asheville
Follow #avlh2o for live updates from Xpress reporters throughout the all-day hearing, held by Rep. Tim Moffitt’s Metropolitan Sewerage/Water System Committee.
(Elected officials wait their turn to address the House Select Committee at the Western NC Ag Center Photo by Bill Rhodes)
In 1981, Buncombe County, the city of Asheville and individual water districts in the county came together and created the Asheville/Buncombe Water Authority. In 1995, Henderson County joined in, creating a historic regional group: Here’s the Regional Water Supply and Water Service Agreement adopted by Asheville, Buncombe and Henderson officials in 1995.
A bill that would allow Asheville to spend 5 percent of water revenue on non-water infrastructure is currently in the N.C. General Assembly, according to a legislative update to be presented at tonight’s meeting.
Council pitches compromise on water laws Parks plan needs more work Bele Chere ‘09 scaled back Asheville City Council’s Feb. 24 meeting—all seven hours of it—was book-ended by dollar signs and question marks. It started with a city budget update and ended with a report on the federal stimulus package, both of which presage more […]
The North Carolina Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by the city of Asheville concerning the constitutionality of state laws that regulate the city’s water system. The Feb. 9 decision appears to put an end to the long-running legal battle. In August 2008, the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled against Asheville in its […]
The North Carolina Supreme Court on Friday declined to hear an appeal by the city of Asheville in a long-running legal battle over the constitutionality of state laws that govern how the city oversees its water system
Developer Tony Fraga has decided to abandon his massive Haywood Park proposal for downtown Asheville, which included a pair of 20-plus-story high-rises. Attorney Lou Bissette delivered the news to the Asheville City Council during its Nov. 11 meeting. Walking away: Developer Tony Fraga sent word to Asheville City Council that he was withdrawing his proposed […]
The city of Asheville has announced it will appeal its challenge of the Sullivan Acts to the N.C. Supreme Court by Sept. 23. But it is not entirely clear that the court will hear the case. “City Council feels obligated to proceed with an appeal to the Supreme Court, but we are still committed to […]
The city of Asheville announced on Wednesday that it would appeal a recent ruling in the case of its long-running water battle with Buncombe County and the state of North Carolina.
The city of Asheville lost another round Tuesday in its legal quest to gain control of the city water system’s rates and revenues.
The Asheville City Council put an end to the battle over balconies on a downtown renovation project, ordering staff to draw up a stricter process for approving future sales of the city’s air rights. But local activist Elaine Lite, a City Council candidate who brought the issue into the spotlight by bidding for air rights […]
A flurry of activity by Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners proved fruitless in resolving the ongoing municipal water war. The two bodies were reacting to a bill advanced in Raleigh by the local legislative delegation that could only go forward if Asheville dropped its legal challenge to the state concerning the Sullivan Act.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners met in emergency session Monday night to discuss possible resolution of the county’s long-running battle with Asheville concerning water. No public action ensued, but Chairman Nathan Ramsey announced that the board will reconvene for a second special session on at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2, in Council Chambers.
A proposed 162-unit gated community adjacent to the Asheville Country Club appears to be on hold after City Council indefinitely tabled the developer’s request for a conditional-use permit. Besides placing the ball squarely back in the developer’s court, the case also raised the possibility of updating of some of Asheville’s subdivision regulations. “This is one […]
“We’re going to have to pay up, guys.” — Council member Terry Bellamy on the need to raise the salary for the new city manager Despite making progress on two high-profile issues, Asheville City Council members came away with mixed feelings about the overall effectiveness of their annual retreat. Council did take action on the […]
It’s not every day that a former chairman of the UNC Board of Governors (and a man with a distinguished professorship named after him) takes a complaint to the Regional Water Authority of Asheville, Buncombe and Henderson. But that’s what Philip Carson found himself doing at the Authority’s Nov. 16 meeting, when frustration and even […]
At its Aug. 17 meeting, the Regional Water Authority of Asheville, Buncombe and Henderson heard a few brief updates from consultants and city staff. At one point amid these reports, they voted unanimously, and without much ado, to join the city in funding larger lines for a low-pressure area of West Asheville. And then, just […]
