Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy seeks Buncombe County funds for Haw Creek Headwaters easement

A Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy representative presented the Haw Creek Headwaters conservation easement to the Buncombe County Land Conservation Advisory Board, describing a 63-acre property on upper Haw Creek visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway and connected to local trails and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

The presenter told the board the property is a bargain sale: SHC estimated full market value at about $1.1 million (roughly $18,000 per acre) and estimated the conservation easement value at about 60 percent of that. SHC negotiated a purchase price of $400,000 with the landowners, Terry and Christine Latanich, and requested that Buncombe County provide half of the purchase price. For transaction costs — estimated at $81,000 — SHC requested $54,000 from the county and said private donors (named in the presentation as Brad and Shelly Stanback) would provide the remaining match. The presenter said the county share amounts to about 33 percent of the project budget and that SHC would seek the…