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Tuesday, 12 September 2006 19:19 |
By JEREMY MORRISON
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 5 to focus on implementing a storm-water runoff ordinance rather than imposing a temporary moratorium on new housing subdivisions as several residents had requested.
The board instructed county staff to draft the ordinance, noting that it plans to adopt the new rules by Sept. 25.
However, it declined to impose a moratorium initially proposed by Commissioner David Young.
Young
had proposed the ban two weeks ago, saying that he hoped to avoid a
situation similar to the one that happened when the county drafted new
restrictions on steep-slope development earlier this year.
During
the period between the passage of the steep-slope regulations and the
July 1 deadline for the rules to go into effect, developers rushed to
submit applications for 23 new subdivisions.
However, not all of the boardës members agreed with the need to halt developments pending the new storm-water regulations.
"Any discussion
of a moratorium is irresponsible," Chairman Nathan Ramsey said. "Just
because we have a crowd of folks show up at a couple of meetings and we
try to play to that crowd ÇƒÓ in what I think is a certain amount of
political posturing ÇƒÓ is unfortunate."
The meeting
roomës public gallery overflowed with more than 100 people ÇƒÓ many
seated on the floor, anxious to weigh in on steep-slope development,
storm-water runoff and the possibility of a moratorium.
"We need to be
stewards of our culture and our land as well," Linda Metzner told the
board during the public comment period. "It is your job to protect our
region from those who would carelessly destroy it."
While many in
the crowd spoke out against mountain-top development ÇƒÓ citing
environmental and traffic concerns, there were also those who favored
future development.
"I didnët know
whether to bring a pitchfork or a shovel with me," builder and
developer Stan Kayton said, in an apparent lynch-mob reference. "The
building industry drives the economy here ÇƒÓ basically this moratorium
would put me out of business."Also speaking against the moratorium was
Michael Butrum, legislative committee chairman for the Asheville Board
of Realtors. He questioned such a measureës effect on housing values
and the local tourism industry.
"Has the county
considered the economic and practical impact of a moratorium?" he
asked. "How will a moratorium affect local tax revenues?"
Butrum added,
"The economics of the 23 subdivisions in question is very significant,"
referencing the number of development plans submitted just before new
steep-slope regulations took effect in July.
On the other
side of the spectrum, Wolf Cove Road resident Cindy Byron asked the
commissioners to consider requiring environmental reviews for future
and existing development projects ÇƒÓ specifically the Bartrumës Walk
gated community being built near her residence.
"How can anyone realize the impact of this development without an initial environmental inventory?" she asked.
Byron, an
environmental science teacher at Asheville High School, said her
students were conducting their own studies of tributaries of Wolf Creek.
"We wonët talk
about the fact that Reynolds beat yëall so bad," Ramsey joked,
referring to a recent football game between Asheville and A.C. Reynolds
high schools.
Phil Schaffer of
North Buncombe suggested the board consider inserting an exemption
clause in the moratorium, allowing for smaller developments.
"This would
offer a win-win situation for both the land and the economy," he said.
"Itës a simple matter of keeping the door open for developers that
really care."
Venturing off
the subject of development, Barbara Pepper addressed the board on the
subject of dogs. She spoke about a recent dog shooting, as well as an
incident at the Asheville Humane Society.
"Iëm here as a responsible dog owner," she said. "My voice is shaking ...."
She went on to
describe an incident at the shelter during which a puppy was euthanized
hours after being dropped off. She said the puppy was, in her view,
very adoptable and that the facility had not given her a satisfactory
explanation of the situation.
"Thereës all
kind of justification ÇƒÓ I feel thereës no serious accountability,"
Pepper said. "Dogs are being pulled because they bark."
Pepper also
referred to the lack of official response to a recent shooting of a dog
ÇƒÓ "an old, fat Labrador who wondered onto someoneës property and got
shot and the sheriff basically wants to sweep it under the rug."
"I know itës not as critical as housing," she added. "I just wanted to get on record."
The commissioners agreed to look into her allegations.
With the next speaker, the subject turned again to development.
"The citizens of
Buncombe County are begging for increased restrictions," Weaverville
resident Martha Claxton said. "Who is being served?"
Brian Golden, an
attorney with Patla, Straus, Robinson and Moore, said that a moratorium
would speed up development submissions ÇƒÓ much like the new steep-slope
requirements did.
"If you think there was a flood before the July date," Golden said, "thereëll be a huge flood before the moratorium."
In a final
divergence from the development topic, Alan Ditmore talked about
contraception and said the county "should stop funding parenthood."
"How is it fair
that I ÇƒÓ as a tax-paying non-parent ÇƒÓ should be subsidizing such
activities?" he said, referring to playgrounds and other facilities for
children.
Before leaving the microphone, Ditmore declared, "My farm is mine and peeping zoners have no right to look at it."
During the
boardës regular session, County Manager Wanda Greene addressed the
possibility of a moratorium. She said that projects currently underway
ÇƒÓ and those of a smaller scale ÇƒÓ would not be affected by such a
measure.
"The projects
that are in progress will be allowed to continue," she said. "People
are going to be able to work tomorrow ÇƒÓ everyoneës not going to be sent
home."
Commissioner
Carol Peterson suggested that instead of enacting a moratorium while
waiting to adopt a storm-water runoff ordinance, it would be best to
simply quicken the pace towards the ordinance itself.
"All this could
happen without having a moratorium," Peterson said. "This would be a
solution that would address all the concerns weëve heard here today."
To that end, the
board moved to take public comment on the ordinance during its next
meeting next Tuesday. A week later, on Sept. 25, the final version
should be ready for adoption, commissioners noted.
"Certainly this is a positive step," Ramsey said.
In other action, the board appointed the following:
ï Joseph Quinlan to the Abandoned Cemeteries Board of Trustees
ï Susan Fisher to the Airport Authority.
ï Larry Wilson to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
ï Louise Becker to the Reorganization Commission.
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