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Draft 2030 strategic plan enters public comment; some targets narrowed and mental health emphasis added
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Summary
County staff opened a public comment period on the draft Buncombe County 2030 strategic plan and said one target for housing ownership units was reduced from 600 to 400 after subject-matter review; the draft now explicitly highlights mental and behavioral health work and will be revised before a planned November adoption.
Buncombe County staff said they will open a public comment period on the draft 2030 strategic plan from Sept. 16 through Oct. 3 and aim to return public feedback to the board on Oct. 21, with a target adoption date of Nov. 4.
"We will be opening a survey, providing our community members an opportunity to share their thoughts," said Kathleen Blackney of the Office of Strategy & Innovation. Staff said the survey will be part of the same Engage Buncombe public input page used for the Helene recovery draft and encouraged residents to review both documents.
Staff described minor substantive edits to several focus areas: the affordable ownership-unit target under growth and development was reduced from 600 to 400 after subject-matter expert review of feasibility; the plan clarified goals for joining FEMA—s Community Rating System with a target of achieving Class 8 (approximately 1,000 NFIP credit points); and community-health goals were revised to explicitly capture mental and behavioral health work by measuring participation in county-sponsored in-person programs that promote social connectivity, mental health and well-being. Staff said other numerical goals were supplemented with whole-number baselines for clarity but were not changed in substance.
Why it matters: The strategic plan sets county goals across growth and development, economic development, education, community health, public safety, and environment. The public-comment period provides a chance for residents to influence targets before final adoption.
What to watch: Public feedback submitted through Oct. 3, the staff—s Oct. 21 summary of that feedback, and the board—s planned vote on a final plan on Nov. 4.
