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 rest from private donors and the landowners’ bargain sale.

The presentation highlighted conservation values: the property lies directly under the Haw Creek Valley overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is visible from two City of Asheville parks (Masters Park and Charlie Bullman Park); it contains six stream segments, including two headwater streams; it is within the Audubon Society’s Bull Creek Important Bird Area; and it scored above average for climate resilience in The Nature Conservancy’s analysis for the region. The presenter also noted an historical association with the Sandley House (listed in the meeting material as a National Register property) about a quarter-mile north of the site, and that the acreage contains social hiking trails with informal connections to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Board members raised questions about public access, steep slopes and buildable home-site details. One board member asked whether the conservation easement could require continued public access to hiking trails; a SHC representative and county staff explained that North Carolina law does not permit an easement to compel a landowner to take a specific management action, so an easement can make access allowable but generally cannot legally require it. Jess (land-conservation staff) added that easements can require conservation plans and recommend best management practices and that NRCS conservation plans are typically referenced in agricultural easements.

A question about access routes drew a response that the owner had assured SHC there is a deeded right-of-way from Sonley (Sondley/Sandley) Road and that title work had just been initiated. Board members asked the presenter to verify steep-slope overlays and to show a more precise building-envelope footprint; the presenter said a roughly four-acre building envelope had been identified on the application and that the parkway’s guidelines for minimizing visibility would be included in easement language.

SHC requested that the board schedule a follow-up site visit. The board did not vote on the Haw Creek Headwaters easement during this meeting; members asked staff to send site-visit options and further maps and materials.

Key details - Property: Haw Creek Headwaters, 63 acres, landowners Terry and Christine Latanich. - Preservation values: viewshed to Blue Ridge Parkway, two headwater streams, adjacency to public parks and trail connections, Audubon Bull Creek IBA, climate-resilience score above local average. - Finance presented: market-value estimate ~$1,100,000; estimated easement value ~60% ($680,000); negotiated purchase price $400,000; SHC requested Buncombe County provide half of the negotiated purchase price and $54,000 toward an estimated $81,000 in transaction costs; private donors named as match. - Status: no board vote; SHC expects a spring closing; staff to arrange site visit and follow-up materials for the board.

Board members asked SHC and staff to provide the title review, steep-slope determination, and the precise building-envelope map ahead of any future vote.