From Staff Reports

Asheville City Council on July 10 passed a set of building restrictions intended to tighten the cityís existing steep-slope development rules.

The new rules, which were passed 5-2, are intended to prevent landslides, avoid infrastructure problems and protect scenic views.

Mayor Terry Bellamy and Councilman Carl Mumpower voted against the measure, arguing that the rules were too complicated and would cause further problems.

The new rules govern construction at elevations above 2,350 feet. These supplement previously passed rules that regulate any development over 2,200 feet, the elevation of City Hall.

The city planning staff said that under the old rules, a property owner with land above that elevation with a slope of 33 percent could have graded roughly 60 percent of the property. Under the new rules, only 30 percent could be graded.

To give an example, engineer Bernie Kessel said that Town Mountain has slopes likely no more than 10 percent.

The rules also limit the density of housing units on steep slopes from the previous standard of one and a half units per acre to 0.6 units per acre under the new requirements.

Environmentalists and some residents praised the changes, saying they were necessary to prevent landslides and the destruction of scenic views.

However, opponents of the measure said it will increase construction and housing costs while violating property rights.

In a subsequent e-mail exchange with activists, Mumpower said that ìAshevilleís draconian steep slope ordinances are a special interest indulgenceî and argued that the number of incidents involving landslides in Western North Carolina is ìstatistically insignificant.î