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Tuesday, 26 December 2006 15:10 |
By DAVID FORBES
WOODFIN ÇƒÓ The controversial annexation of a proposed development in Alexander ÇƒÓ outside Woodfinës boundaries, was postponed indefinitely Dec. 19, as the Woodfin Board of Aldermen acknowledged that concerns about water, environmental impact and the legality of the move would have to be resolved first.
Residents of Woodfin and the Alexander area packed the meeting room and many of them spoke against it or voiced serious concerns, which they said would open the way for development unfit for the Dry Ridge area ÇƒÓ a region with some of the lowest rainfall in the state.
The
property in question encompasses approximately 50 acres and the
developer, French Broad River Group, planned 160 units, a density level
that many residents of the area said it cannot handle.
"We look at one
development gone wrong and we see more damage than years of work can do
good," Gary Roberts, also a member of the countyës Soil and Water
Conservation Board, said. "I question the financial and fiscal decision
that the town take this in just for tax revenue. Years from now, when
the infrastructure of this site starts falling apart, whoës going to be
responsible for it? I really donët think this is going to be a sound
judgment."
He added that
the development also violated the spirit of the townës zoning
regulations, which recommend that residential areas of this sort of
density should have sewer and water services and suggested that if the
town does annex the area, it should consider three-acre plots instead.
Town
Administrator Jason Young said that the voluntary annexation was legal
and would bring more tax revenue into the townës coffers than it would
expend on police and trash service to the area, while noting that the
subdivision plans would have to meet approval in the future.
"This represents
a consensual agreement.While we open it to the public so people can
comment if they think it affects their property, surrounding property
owners have no standing in law to challenge this," Young said.
However, legal
concerns also arose, as several of the Alexander residents present
noted that when a town annexes outside its limits, as Woodfin would
have done in this case, other towns closer to the property must first
vote to definitively not annex it. As the property is closer to
Weaverville, and that town has taken no such step, Woodfinës Town
Attorney Joe Ferikes confirmed that the legality of the move would be
questionable.
Young also noted that the town might want to table the issue to study it further.
However, members
of the public continued to voice their concerns before the board
finally took the vote to put the matter aside until a later time.
"For the town to
be considering annexing this development at this point in time is
grossly premature," Alexander resident Jack Albright said. "Thereës
nothing there, thereës something on a piece of paper that is basically
a pipe dream of what these folks from Miami want to see. This is a cow
pasture right now. Jason (Young) should be collecting money from the
developer, he sounds so ǃÚproë on this thing."
Later, Alexander
resident Peggy Hester, who owns a farm in the area, said that the whole
area should be concerned with the project.
"All weëre
asking for is careful consideration of the issue ÇƒÓ weëre your
neighbors," Hester said. "Weëre down the road and we would appreciate
your consideration of whatës not only best for the Town of Woodfin, but
whatës best for all of us. Tonight, weëre talking about neighborhood.
This is an issue that calls for our best wisdom. The Golden Rule still
exists."
Earlier,
conflict over larger environmental issues tied to the annexation arose
when Heather Rayburn, a member of the environmental group Mountain
Voices Alliance, said that she is alarmed at the way development in
Woodfin is proceeding and called upon the town to adopt stormwater and
steep-slope development ordinances recently passed by the county.
"Weëve learned
that the municipalities do not have to go under those ordinances so Iëm
here to ask that you voluntarily go under them" Rayburn said. "We live
in an area thatës at high risk for landslides and weëve got developers
coming in here who donët know how to develop these mountains. I asked
Jason (Young) if he was concerned about this and he said he wasnët, but
thereës a lot of people who are. All these people are asking for
annexation so they donët have to go under stricter rules ÇƒÓ and I donët
think thatës right."
Rayburn particularly singled out the Reynolds Mountain development as an example of possibly risky development.
In reply, Young
asserted that "in terms of fair disclosure, you are a property owner in
the Town of Woodfin, you do operate rental housing that is admittedly
substandard and has been an eyesore to neighbors and a source of
perennial complaints to the police."
Rayburn shot
back that "I provide affordable housing, weëve had some messy kids
there, but if you have a problem with anything let me know and weëll
clean it up."
In response,
Young said "Well, weëve got some pictures here" and began to produce
photos of the Rayburnës property, when members of the audience started
shouting "Stick with the issue," "Thatës a low blow" and "Thatës
unprofessional."
Putting the
photos down, Young then said, "This is about what development is good
for the Town of Woodfin. I find it somewhat insulting that you would
point to Reynolds Mountain or other developments that have been great
assets to community, who have not been creating erosion problems. Itës
not a low blow to assert that when you come to address this body on
issues of growth and development, you stand responsible for the actions
you take as a property owner."
Rayburn answered
that she had taken steps to address every concern sheëd received from
police or the town and called on Young to "just be nice." At the end of
her remarks, many members of the audience started applauding.
Meanwhile, Woodfin resident Don Yelton said that the countyës ordinances could not be replied upon to protect the environment.
"The stormwater
ordinance in Buncombe County is stupid and does not work," Yelton said.
"There are other things you folks should study. I suggest you take a
tour over to Gaston Mountain. Thatës a development everyone in the
county should pay attention to. Ignore what everyone else has done and
use common sense."
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