Balsam Mountain Preserve failed dam

Balsam Mountain Preserve has failed so far in its promise to make things right following a dam break that unleashed a wave of sediment into more than eight miles of mountain streams, according to state and federal environmental agencies. Balsam Mountain Preserve, a 4,400-acre development in Jackson County promoted as eco-conscious, has not acted quickly nor aggressively enough to clean up the sediment, according to agency reports. Meanwhile, the window to catch the sediment and get it out of the creeks is narrowing. And in some cases, neglect to keep tabs on sediment traps stationed along the creeks is causing even more erosion, according to the agencies. The dam held back an artificial pond used for irrigation of the golf course. It was constructed of packed earth — 36-feet high at its tallest point — that was pushed downstream by the wall of water behind it. When the dam broke, the initial sediment plume reached eight miles from Balsam Mountain Preserve to the Tuckasegee River, clogging Sugarloaf and Scotts creeks as it went, and continuing another dozen miles to Lake Fontana. Wildlife experts believe the mud slurry killed most fish and aquatic life in Sugarloaf and Scotts creeks.

Well & Septic on 3/4 acre lot?

The Grand Highlands at Bearwallow Mountain was described Thursday as both the most beautiful development you've ever seen and a "desecration" of the 4,200-foot peak on Henderson County's eastern skyline. Those two opinions were offered by residents who live on Bearwallow Mountain as the Henderson County Planning Board grappled with the issue of how many of the 320 homes planned for the site can have private wells.

Moratorium on large new developments?

Mary Jane Pell says a "little grassroots movement" is growing to get Henderson County Commissioners to put a moratorium on large new developments until countywide zoning is in place. The Etowah resident was disappointed when the county Planning Board on Thursday night voted to allow the Seven Falls Golf and River Club to develop 50 home sites with temporary wells and septic systems."Golf courses take a lot of water. We are trying our best to limit our water usage with our gardens," she said. "We have fire hydrants that don't work, yet we're considering more and more water for these huge developments."Engineers representing Seven Falls said the project will use water from lakes and ponds, not the city water it plans to run to the 1,400-acre site off Pleasant Grove Church Road, to water its golf course.They, along with planning board members, also assured about 50 Etowah residents who turned out that bringing Hendersonville city water to the 900-home project will improve water pressure for surrounding homes."The developer desires to connect to city water but it's not yet been designed, voted on by City Council or funded," Jay DeVaney, attorney for Seven Falls, told the board and residents.

Polk eyes subdivision moratorium

Developers of major subdivisions may have to take a break from building in Polk County. Commissioners are considering imposing a moratorium on major subdivisions. The moratorium was proposed by commissionera after setting a public hearing on the moratorium for March 19. A major subdivision in Polk County includes 11 or more lots. The length of a possible moratorium has not yet been discussed. In 2003, the county imposed a six-month moratorium on major subdivisions in order to complete a land use study. The moratorium would also give the county time to develop a strategic plan and get a new county manager and a new county planning director in place. The current county manager, Michael Talbert, resigned a few months ago and will be leaving at the end of next month. The county is also looking for a planning director, a position that has been left open for several years.

Jackson may put temporary stop to growth

Jackson County commissioners have taken the first step toward temporarily stopping new subdivision development, calling for a Feb. 27 public hearing on a six-month moratorium.
Commissioners voted 4-1 to call for a public hearing on the moratorium, an action that stops in its tracks any subdivision plat not yet submitted to the county. Close to 200 audience members packed into the commissioners’ board room, spilling out into the hallways, standing along the boardroom walls and sitting on the floor Monday night. Commissioners have called for the planning board to author a document that would create minimum standards for subdivisions such as lot size and road width, as well as prevent steep slope development. Jackson has seen a rapid increase in the number of large subdivisions throughout the county, such as the new River Rock development at the old Singing Waters campground near Tuckasegee. An overwhelming majority of the 24 public speakers commenting on the issue were in support of a subdivision ordinance, but the sticking point was the proposed moratorium on development while the planning board works on the ordinance.

Henderson County Homes added to large subdivision

One of the biggest subdivisions ever planned in Henderson County got a little bigger Thursday night.River Stone, now being built between Butler Bridge and North Rugby roads, won county approval last year as a "planned unit development" of 524 homes on 176 acres. Under changes the Board of Commissioners approved Thursday, River Stone will have 538 homes. The developers got the go-ahead to buy 3.86 additional acres where they plan to build the 14 additional homes.Even before Thursday night's action, River Stone was the second largest subdivision ever approved in Henderson County. The only one bigger is Carriage Park, with 695 homes, county planner Matt Card said.River Stone is part of a Henderson County development boom that saw a record 2,647 subdivision lots approved last year.The project's homes will be clustered on 132 acres, leaving 47 acres of open space, said Drew Norwood, president of Windsor-Aughtry Co., which is building River Stone.Homes in the development will range from $145,000 for a 1,500-square-foot, three bedroom, two bath home to $250,000 for ones up to 3,000 square feet. Originally planned with 250 "starter" homes geared toward young families, the project now plans 176 in that category, Norwood said. The number of homes geared toward retirees has been increased from 125 to 225, with the balance planned as larger "first move up" homes.The new homes will be of the larger type. They will be located in the north portion of the land, once part of a dairy, near the eastern one of two entrances off Butler Bridge Road. With large subdivisions popping up across the county, commissioners recently appointed an "alternative revenue task force" to explore ways to raise revenues for new schools other than the property tax. Windsor-Aughtry voluntarily agreed to contribute $250 to Henderson County Public Schools for each home sold in River Stone.

Hendersonville neighbors of proposed development express concerns

Neighbors of a proposed development that would bring 280 condo units to Signal Hill Road expressed concern about traffic during a planning meeting Thursday.Florida-based CSMK LLC is seeking city approval for a gated community with four six-story residential buildings complete with underground parking, an outdoor pool and tennis courts. Fountain View Resort Residences would be on eight acres of undeveloped land behind Home Depot off Signal Hill Road near Hyder Street.

Keowhee

View from Lake Keowhee. This developer plans on placing about eight more of these units on the lake front? I've been going to this lake since I was a child. It's becomong more and more like Lake Norman.

Polk board gives initial nod to 32-unit Warrior Ridge project

A proposed townhome development on Warrior Ridge that sparked controversy about building on mountaintops is a step closer to moving ahead.The Polk County Planning Board approved last week the preliminary plat for the 32-unit project, although it appeared to do so reluctantly.Gorden Threlfall, the board’s acting chairman, said the project complies with current county requirements, so there’s no basis for rejecting it. “As a member of this board, I must follow the law, even if it breaks my heart to do that,” he said.Following the planning board’s unanimous vote to grant approval, Threlfall took a moment to address the crowd of concerned residents “as an individual.” He explained that the planning board asked county commissioners to adopt stricter land use requirements for mountaintop subdivisions, but the county board declined to do so.“If you have an argument with this board (about this decision), I would suggest that it’s not with this board,” he said. “We can’t change state law or county law, we can only make recommendations and we made that recommendation (to the county board).”

Slope regulations for Polk may wait for GIS

Residents who want to regulate mountainside development in Polk County by incorporating slope regulations into county ordinances may have a while to wait. Polk County commissioner Jack Lingafelter requested at Monday’s commissioners’ meeting an update on the status of the county planning board’s efforts to regulate building on slopes. Lingafelter said it seems that more and more counties in Western North Carolina are becoming concerned about building on slopes. He asked planners what Polk County can do. Erin Burris of Benchmark, the county’s planners, said that slope regulations would be best implemented after the county’s geographics information system (GIS) is complete, which could be two years from now.

Haywood County Slope proposal supported at hearing

A public hearing on a proposed slope development ordinance in Haywood County revealed what appears to be a shift in attitudes toward mountainside development. Several years ago, a public hearing of that sort would have drawn crowds of angry protestors insisting on freedom to do what they pleased on their land. But no such comments were voiced. Instead, one speaker after the other — many from within the development community itself — agreed that it was time to regulate steep slope development. The ordinance requires developers to submit a slope stabilization plan if a cut-and-fill slope exceeds certain thresholds. Currently, anyone with keys to heavy machinery can slice a road through the mountain or carve out a house site. The ordinance would require a certified professional — such as an engineer — to develop a slope stabilization plan for development that exceeds the threshold.

When the mountains are all gone, what will be left?

A Nature Conservancy ecologist once said, “We are drowning in information and starving for wisdom.” That aptly expresses my frustration with the mountain top / steep slope development in our community. Irreversible environmental damage and the economic impact of destroying our mountains will be devastating to the tourism industry. When the mountains are no longer beautiful, tourists will go elsewhere. Is tourism income not as critical to the local economy as construction? The difference is the building bubble will eventually burst, leaving us with a plethora of monopoly homes and McMansions — and the majestic mountains will be gone.