The Buncombe County Planning Board has submitted
recommendations t
o the county commissioners that would impose zoning rules
limiting the height of buildings, regulating plantings that might obscure views
and mandating low-density development along ridge lines and slopes in Buncombe
County. The rules would apply to over a quarter of the land in Buncombe County.

And why? Largely to protect the view. That?s right,
government regulating what you can do on your land because someone else has
decided their right to a nice view is more important than your property rights. 

Statewide regulations of land development of use on slopes
have been debated in the General Assembly beginning in 2007 ,the debate
continued
in 2008 thru legislation proposed in 2009 and study committee
recommendations, both of which died in committee.    

However a Mountain Resource Commission was created and is
meeting to consider such things as planned growth in the mountain region. Their
next meeting is Sept. 17 in Madison County.  Slope reports and landslide hazard mapping are on the
agenda.

  Stricter land use regulations in Buncombe County are just
another step towards more government regulation of private property across the
state.   We?ve seen abuses of
eminent domain and forced annexation
Steep slope regulations are next.