Countywide Planning

Our family received a letter from the Buncombe County Planning and Development stating that the Buncombe County Commissioners are "currently considering zoning that will impact" my property and that my family's property is considered or designated as "Open Use". Per the definition on the letter, open use would allow industrial activities such as asphalt plants, amusement parks, incinerators, or motor sport facilities.

Now I want to say that I am supportive of planning. It is a tool for a community to define itself. But I also believe that I, like ever other citizen, must be an active and engaged participant in the community by speaking with your neighbors deciding together what you want your community to become. That is what I am doing. Putting the soles of my feet to the road and speaking with my neighbors.

After I got the letter I called the Planning Department and asked what steps I needed to take to have my property considered residential rather than open use. They said that I needed signatures from 100% of my neighbors to get that changed. So, this past Saturday I typed up a petition and began the process of going to each one of my neighbors and asking if they agreed with the change. So far I have 22 homes/signatures. It took me three hours to go to this many homes.

After meeting with each of these people, I began realizing that not everyone knows who to call or how to do this. Every person in my neighborhood said either "I am glad you are doing this" or "I am glad you knew what to do because I sure didn't". So, I decided to call WLOS and share what I am doing. I did this for two reasons:
1) I wanted to let folks know how to get engaged
2) I wanted to spread the word to my neighbors that I have not reached to see if they want to participate in the petition.

I told Pat Simon, the newsreporter, that I have four things to say. If they didn't come across in the report, here they are:
1) I am thankful to David Gantt and the commissioners for supporting planning.
2) The proposed designation for my property does not reflect who we are - we are not an industrial park, we are a neighborhood. None of the designations reflect who we are and we want a designation that does.
3) I am trying to get the word out to my neighbors that there is a petition being circulated and we need 100% of the area in agreement to change the designation. This includes those along Dogwood.
4) We need, as a community, to support local farmers to help them stay in business. Research shows that 72% of the farms that existed in western North Carolina in 1949 have been converted to residential and commercial development. Tax breaks and economic support by buying local is needed.

Post your email or phone contact information here if you are interested in signing the petition.