Swannanoa and Leicester both would like to incorporate. This is viewed as a defensive strategy against annexation by Asheville. NC General Statutes require areas wishing to incorporate to seek the approval or disapproval of any municipality within five miles with a population over 50,000. Asheville has not given either initiative a straight answer.
Tuesday night, however, Asheville gave proponents of Swannanoa incorporation a definite maybe to take to the legislature. It was an approval with three concerns. Members of council expressed hesitancies because too much rural land would be incorporated. This did not suit council’s sense of the word “municipal.†Claims were made that advocates of incorporation were being disingenuous or unreasonable in their beliefs that they could adequately provide city services to such a spread-out population at such a low tax rate. City Attorney Bob Oast was concerned that a conditioned approval could be viewed as a disapproval.
Council voted to send their letter of conditioned approval to the General Assembly via the incorporation proponents, and a second letter voicing additional concerns.
