WNC overdevelopment (Swannanoa, Fairview, Tryon: home, neighborhood, to buy)

[sheasway22]

Yeah, this opposition to zoning is a regular problem. In doing land conservation in North and South Carolina we often advocate for stricter zoning measures to protect the community, prevent poorly planned development, and preserve everyone's property values. However, the traditional "keep the gov't out of my property" mentality often makes landowners in the areas weary, or directly opposed, to zoning. We have found, though, like most things - if there is an oppotunity to educate these folks (who are opposed) they generally see the overwhelming benefits to zoning and good planning in a community and come around in the end. Like most touchy subjects, a good dose of communication and education about the subject are key. Simply showing the before-and-after of communities that HAVE utilized good planning vs. those which HAVE NOT is often very effective as the results speak for themselves. Quite simply, it is the difference between ample greenspace, protected single family residencial areas, greenways/bike trails/walking communties that characterize a well planned area versus the massive sprawl, eradication of green/open space and slopeside development that denote communites that have not been forethinking on the zoning/planning issue. I encourage all those in the Southeast U.S. who care about and value their communites to educate yourselves on the issue and advocate for it in your community. It is certainly a viable and much needed solution to our rapid development issues.

[mm_mary73]

Originally Posted by sheasway22

Yeah, this opposition to zoning is a regular problem. In doing land conservation in North and South Carolina we often advocate for stricter zoning measures to protect the community, prevent poorly planned development, and preserve everyone's property values. However, the traditional "keep the gov't out of my property" mentality often makes landowners in the areas weary, or directly opposed, to zoning. We have found, though, like most things - if there is an oppotunity to educate these folks (who are opposed) they generally see the overwhelming benefits to zoning and good planning in a community and come around in the end. Like most touchy subjects, a good dose of communication and education about the subject are key. Simply showing the before-and-after of communities that HAVE utilized good planning vs. those which HAVE NOT is often very effective as the results speak for themselves. Quite simply, it is the difference between ample greenspace, protected single family residencial areas, greenways/bike trails/walking communties that characterize a well planned area versus the massive sprawl, eradication of green/open space and slopeside development that denote communites that have not been forethinking on the zoning/planning issue. I encourage all those in the Southeast U.S. who care about and value their communites to educate yourselves on the issue and advocate for it in your community. It is certainly a viable and much needed solution to our rapid development issues.

Several of the larger family lands and farm acreage in northern Iredell County have done this.

[lovencmtns]

Boone is not what it used to be. There are cheap looking apartments everywhere! It doesn’t have that quaint mountain town feel anymore. Yes, it's a college town, but it used to have character. Recently a friend was given a weekend in a downtown condo as a birthday gift. She invited several coworkers to join her; we all saved, planned and looked forward to our cool weekend away from Charlotte. What a disappointment! Downtown was like animal house, it was wild all night long & in the morning there were broken bottles, empty beer cartons and trash everywhere. Someone had even vomited in the parking lot next to our car. This wasn’t the Boone I used to love. There are still some great mountain towns that haven’t sold their soul. Brevard has great music. Damascus, Abington and Hendersonville were also nice mountain places the last time I visited them.

[sheasway22]

Boone, by the way, is starting to take a more progessive stance on zoning and planning because of some steep slope fiascos (READ: Big apartment building project on the side of the mountain in the city valley) and seems to be back on the right track. Keep in mind that many of these areas, like Boone, have never experienced this rate of growth. It takes a lot for the county and city administrators in these mountain areas to make the connection that all growth does not equal positive development. The folks in Watauga County, and Boone in particular, have made this connection and have even allocated in their budget for a nationally recognized planning firm to do an audit and make planning recommendations to the city. In short, change is occuring...but it takes time.

And I, for one, still like the Boone area. But Ill admit, the city itself will need a few years of heading back in the right direction before it is as charming as other villages in the area. Banner Elk, Grandfather, Foscoe, Valle Crucis, Sugar Grove, etc. still make this area very charming overall - and Boone is still a neat place in its own regard.

[kjtfreyes]

We feel like we have found our lost tribe. Thought this forum was crawling with opportunist. You guys are the preservist part of the population. My apologies. My wife and I, are trapped in Orlando. We hope to get there before the sea of roofs invades Haywood County. Wish us luck.

[Bear Creek]

It's strange, I have told by friends living in Jackson County, that since the moratorium was placed on developments, sales of existing homes are way down. Almost nil. Maybe it's because the market is down everywhere. I don't know. Anyway, it's odd to me, that I thought if there was a moratorium on developments "some" buyers would turn to buying existing homes in the same area. I was wrong. Maybe it's a good thing.

[Letterhead]

Originally Posted by EasyLivin

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.

That's a damn shame. Where was your previous farm?

Just for the record, I am one suburbanite NYer who has been looking at the western NC area for a few years, and you have my solemn pledge that I if I move down there, I am NOT coming there to bring my NY ways and to make WNC more like NY. I do not want to tear up the landscape (I don't have the money to buy property anyway) and you will NEVER heard the words, "We do it differently up north" from my mouth!!!

[Zooropa]

I'm not originally from here either, but it's nice to know there are a few people left who aren't trying to make this an Aspen of the east.

[Fitz]

You've heard of Reynolds Mountain, meet Rose Hill Plantation.



This used to be beautiful rolling pasture with a stand of mature trees at the top.

[cooperwx]

Those are the beautiful views people flock here for! Nicely done (again), developers!!