Swannanoa Incorporation dies at the poles (Asheville, Wilson: low income, 2009, house)

[eiafjam]

Good or not Swannanoa will not be incorporated this year.

[the Parkies]

That's a great "typo." Swannanoa incorporation died at the polls because too many folks were poles apart. Those at the North Pole--let's freeze this idea--won.

[Cofga]

Jan--since you live over that way what was the main polarization? My understanding (very limited) was that they basically wanted to block any future moves at annexation by Asheville. Did Asheville back off on any future annexation or were the folks just not concerned enough about it?

This whole mess with cities being able to annex county land without the approval of the residents really bugs me, especially since I am in an area already under Weaverville's extraterritorial jurisdiction and therefore am ripe for annexation by them. They just took 2 sections of Woodland Hills and my section on the west side of I26 could be swallowed up next. On the other hand Woodfin to the south might decide to annex county land right up to Weaverville's boundary, and Asheville could also try to lay claim to that section of the county. So I already feel like a rat tossed into a roomful of hungry cats

[the Parkies]

I hear ya, Cofga. We are only about a mile outside Asheville city limits (just east of the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Folk Art Center). We pay County taxes only, but if we were annexed we'd pay both City and County taxes for virtually no additional services. And we'd have no voice in that process under current law. Not good--but there are many ways to look at that. We remind ourselves that, while we wouldn't want to part with any more of our money, we thoroughly enjoy all the wonderful services and amenities within the city of Asheville. Wherever our house happens to sit, we enjoy Asheville's clean streets and sidewalks and safe evening walks and restful parks. Why shouldn't we have to help pay for all that? It gives one pause...

But no--annexation wasn't the central issue in Swannanoa, from all that I've read. It would be highly unlikely that AVL could annex SWAN because of scattered huge tracts of public land between them--Warren Wilson College, for one. And AVL wasn't threatening to annex.

The issue as I understand it was that some SWAN folks wanted self-identity as a town and improved local services like road repair and police protection. Other folks--many on fixed low incomes counting every penny--were concerned about how they'd pay the new taxes and unconvinced that new taxes would significantly improve their services anyway, at least in their lifetimes. There were heated arguments on both sides. The Cliffs at High Carolina would pay most of those taxes, some said. Others said The Cliffs may not even get built--look at what's happening all over WNC to high end developments. Our children want their own nice community. No--our children want to be able to afford to live here. And so on. The anti-incorporation conservatives won 61% to 39%. I read today that this same battle was waged in the 1950s, again in 1975, and now in 2009 (after three years! of work and strained community relations). The issue will probably not be brought to the table again any time soon.

What's interesting to me is that leaders on both sides say they're happy today--because this often hostile debate has in the end "galvanized" the town and made Swannanoa a little darker dot in its residents' mental map.

We all like happy endings.

[eiafjam]

Originally Posted by the Parkies

That's a great "typo." Swannanoa incorporation died at the polls because too many folks were poles apart. Those at the North Pole--let's freeze this idea--won.

Not a typo....you got the meaning

[eiafjam]

Originally Posted by the Parkies

I hear ya, Cofga. We are only about a mile outside Asheville city limits (just east of the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Folk Art Center). We pay County taxes only, but if we were annexed we'd pay both City and County taxes for virtually no additional services. And we'd have no voice in that process under current law. Not good--but there are many ways to look at that. We remind ourselves that, while we wouldn't want to part with any more of our money, we thoroughly enjoy all the wonderful services and amenities within the city of Asheville. Wherever our house happens to sit, we enjoy Asheville's clean streets and sidewalks and safe evening walks and restful parks. Why shouldn't we have to help pay for all that? It gives one pause...

But no--annexation wasn't the central issue in Swannanoa, from all that I've read. It would be highly unlikely that AVL could annex SWAN because of scattered huge tracts of public land between them--Warren Wilson College, for one. And AVL wasn't threatening to annex.

The issue as I understand it was that some SWAN folks wanted self-identity as a town and improved local services like road repair and police protection. Other folks--many on fixed low incomes counting every penny--were concerned about how they'd pay the new taxes and unconvinced that new taxes would significantly improve their services anyway, at least in their lifetimes. There were heated arguments on both sides. The Cliffs at High Carolina would pay most of those taxes, some said. Others said The Cliffs may not even get built--look at what's happening all over WNC to high end developments. Our children want their own nice community. No--our children want to be able to afford to live here. And so on. The anti-incorporation conservatives won 61% to 39%. I read today that this same battle was waged in the 1950s, again in 1975, and now in 2009 (after three years! of work and strained community relations). The issue will probably not be brought to the table again any time soon.

What's interesting to me is that leaders on both sides say they're happy today--because this often hostile debate has in the end "galvanized" the town and made Swannanoa a little darker dot in its residents' mental map.

We all like happy endings.

i agree

[Cofga]

Thanks for that nice explanation. We looked over that way in Swananoa Hills, Riceville, and in Sondley before ending up in Woodland Hills. My wife was just asking me something about the UNCA center for creative retirement you were talking about in another post--can I tell her to contact you? Thanks--Larry

[the Parkies]

Originally Posted by Cofga

Thanks for that nice explanation. We looked over that way in Swananoa Hills, Riceville, and in Sondley before ending up in Woodland Hills. My wife was just asking me something about the UNCA center for creative retirement you were talking about in another post--can I tell her to contact you? Thanks--Larry

Definitely ask your wife to contact me--and thanks. The Center for Creative Retirement is a wonderful opportunity for all of us, so I love to sing its praises! I'm not paid, BTW--lol!

Jan