WNC overdevelopment (Charlotte, Asheville, Henderson: sales, apartments, condo)

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Originally Posted by Apple Annie

It already has, like a runaway freight train heading directly at us. As someone else once said, "when you open the floodgates, it's very hard to close them".

We have attempted to rely on the County Commissioners and elected officials, but they are seeing green these days. It's pathetic.

My favorite excuse is "these are second homes and vacation homes, so they won't need as many services, but still pay taxes." Not an actual quote, but basically what has been said. They all have dollar signs in their eyes.

Bright's Creek to add $1.5 billion to Polk tax base (broken link)

[BrianH1970]

It's one of the things that makes me glad I'm leaving. I honestly don't want to be a part of what's going on here. It's brutal. Take a drive down Roberta Road in Concord and those same cookie cutter mansions that I would see go up in Jersey are being built right here.

It's like watching a cartoon character trying to plug a damn. He grows a ton of extra limbs to stop the holes and yet the whole thing manages to break anyway.

[LiveLoveLaugh]

2 years ago I bought 1 of those beautiful 120 year old historic farmhouses that was in need of a new roof, new foundation, new plumbing and new electric. Just the other day I sat on my porch, looking at the farms surrounding me, and thinking to myself if someone offered me 1 million dollars, I could not capture the beauty of what I have. I pray no one ever comes along wanting to buy and develope my land. Last nite we had blizzard like conditions and lost power, today the winds are 40-60 mph. I LOVE it here! I love the people..this is the GREATEST place in the world but it won't be if it turns into another 'surburbia' I agree w/ the poster who wondered why if you are searching for a home in the mountains....then why????...would you want to change it???? It makes no sense to me. I've made many trips to the local museum, people are surprised that I've learned so much about the history of WNC...I'll meet people and when they tell me their name I say..."Oh, I read about your Grandma"...and your family...and your family history...very cool beans! I've never had a Starbucks...I'm too cheap to throw out a few dollars on a cup of coffee...just want to add my $.02

[bargainmom]

Gawd this is depressing. I was born and raised in the DC area suburbs. I have lived here for 30 years and seen the place go downhill. From livable suburbs to a place overrun. Insanely expensive housing, many illegal immigrants, traffic up the wazoo, etc. etc. I am looking to relocate to a place that has jobs but still has some wide open spaces, land, rolling hills, mountains and ponds--I want OUT of the city and now the city is moving to Western North Carolina!

[chisoxfan]

Spent the past week visiting Franklin, Waynesville, Bryson City, Sylva and Dillsboro. It was beautiful as always, but I found the momentum for development downright scary in some of those places. I've heard that Jackson County has put the brakes on unchecked development, but I saw a ton of ads for mountainside subdivisions in Macon and Swain counties -- even more than I've seen on previous visits. And, of course, there's the Super Wal-Mart/Home Depot complex coming soon at the southwest end of Waynesville. It's up to local governments to say "Enough" at some point because you know the developers won't. One need only look at South Florida (an endless expanse of strip shopping centers and zero-lot-line housing developments encroaching on the Everglades) to see what happens when developers and local governments are in bed together. I'm not sure I ever see western North Carolina becoming another South Florida simply because a lot of the land isn't buildable, but even a fraction of what has happened here isn't a good thing.

[sheasway22]

A Potential Solution to these Worries about overdevelopment in Western NC

I am a law student at the Univ. of South Carolina who is currently studying Conservation Easements. I began my internship and study of Conservation Easements because of my deep appreciation for Western NC (Family outside Boone, NC) and the need to find a solution to our hyper-development issue.

A Conservation Easement, (also called a Conservation Agreement) is simply an agreement between the landowner and a non-profit intermediary that the land will never be developed. The land owner still retains title to the land, can sell the land or pass it down to their children as he or she pleases, but they give up the right to develop their property. Many conservation agreements allow the land owner to build minimal additional structures (e.g., 2 new homes) for children or family. Other than that, the present owner and any future purchaser, heir, or inheritor will not be able to develop the land.

In exchange for agreeing never to develop the land the land owner is allowed to deduct the lost "value" of the development right from his/her adjusted gross income come tax time. The total amount of this federal (IRS) deduction can amount to substantial tax savings (as great as $500,000). Many states have laws which allow additional state tax credits or deductions. The Main Point: Landowners can ensure now that their land will never be developed, denuded, or subdivided and will be compensated for their transferred rights to "develop" the land with a great, federally stamped tax incentive.

This is truly an area where the gov't is actually trying to motivate the RIGHT behavior (e.g., Conserve Land) with an effective motivating factor (e.g., $ by Tax deductions). I personally know areas of upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina of immeasurable beauty that have been conserved forever through this process. (E.g., Think Valle Crucis area in NC and Jones Gap / Caesers Head area in SC)

The landowners who make such an agreement with a qualified 'Land Trust', ( a specialized non-profit oprganization), generally are happy and proud of what they achieved. The get to live on their land for the rest of their lives satisfied that they may pass this land on to thier family, and that it will not ever be developed.

This is a BRIEF summary of the entire process provided because I care so dearly for this area. If you would like more info vist LTA.Org (The Land Trust Alliance) which has a very helpful website. This website will direct you to the appropriate 'Land Trust' that covers your area (all of western NC is covered by at least 1) which you should contact and allow them to explain the particulars of the conservation agreements in your area and what the overall affect would be in your unique situation. The people who work for 'Land Trusts' have, in my experience, proven themselves to be honest, passionate about conservation, and easily willing to work with a landowners special needs.

For the sake of Western North Carolina, our jewel the blue ridge, please look into this effective and availble solution. If the websites Ive provided leave you still wanting, feel free to contact my email.

Hope this was helpful...

S. Airey

[EasyLivin]

Quote from
Green Aire Elfwitch on page 3
The real problem is that the owners of all these beautiful plots of land are selling to developers. What can be done about that? Nothing that I know of. It all looks hopeless to me-so sad, so sad to watch the mindless destruction of one of the most pristine areas of the United States.....
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I know what our problem is. No one wants to pay us for our vegetables. We have a small 10 acre organic farm. Everyone is gun ho for organic vegies til they come in, then they want you to give them the vegies free or for practically nothing. We keep our prices at the grocery store for traditionally grown but that's not good enough.

So we can't make a living. We have to sell our farm and move closer to Asheville where they will buy organics. We are totally bummed but it's a fact! Taxes keep going up too because of the property values. But how can you continue to pay them if you lose money every season.

[EasyLivin]

sheasway22 that is an awesome solution! I wish more people knew about this. Thanks for sharing!

[sheasway22]

Thanks! It is a great solution! I hope many others will explore the possiblity of Conservation Easements on their land. It is one key way landowners can keep their land (e.g., not sell out!) and we can all enjoy the benefits of retaining our natural heritage. For those who are lost, check my post just above and follow the link it suggests: LTA.org for more information about Conservation Easements and how they can provide real solutions to the development issues of WNC. Thanks,

S.A.

[roadsscholar]

I live in Polk County and the general concensus is that development is beginning to run amok. However, some of the same people who decry the development are vehement in their opposition to zoning or even any discussions of zoning or ridgetop development.