The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on March 18 to contribute $240,000 toward the purchase of nine acres in the Haw Creek valley next to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a park.

About 20 residents, who had lobbied for the money, applauded their decision after the vote.

The land off Maple Drive in East Asheville will be used to create a public trail from the valley to the parkway and the adjoining Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which spans from the Smokies to coastal North Carolina.

The county’s pledge contribution constitutes one-third of the property’s $720,000 assessed value. Private developers and the City of Asheville will contribute the remainder.

Chairman Nathan Ramsey and Commissioner David Gantt, who both voted for the allocation, said it represented a positive partnership between the public and private sectors.

But Commissioner Carol Peterson, who cast the sole vote against the funding, said the allocation should have been part of a master plan for parks and recreation.