Staff proposes zoning text amendments to allow two homes per lot, align Beaver Dam rules with county standards

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — At an April 2025 Planning Board meeting, Buncombe County planning staff reviewed zoning text amendments in case ZPH-2025-00012 that would change permitted-use and dimensional provisions in the Buncombe County Zoning Ordinance, including a proposal to allow up to two dwelling units per lot in all zoning districts and to add a column for maximum disturbance and impervious-surface limits to the dimensional requirements table.

"What we are proposing is to allow up to 2 homes per lot in all zoning districts," Nathan Pennington, planning staff, told the board during the review of the draft amendments. Staff said the changes aim to simplify development standards that have become fragmented over time, align the Beaver Dam district’s dimensional formatting with other low-density residential districts, and permit alternative-path and conservation subdivisions in Beaver Dam to encourage clustering and preserve open space.

Background and scope: Beaver Dam is a legacy district that pre-dates the countywide zoning framework; staff said Limestone was rolled into the countywide districts but Beaver Dam retained unique standards. Staff told the board that 71% of Beaver Dam zoned land is subject to the steep slope or protected-ridge overlay standards that would continue to apply. Staff said the proposal does not change overlay protections but would replace some anomalous Beaver Dam footnotes and formatting.

Why it matters: Staff framed the measure as allowing household flexibility — for example, accessory dwelling units or a second small dwelling on larger lots where utilities permit — while retaining natural-resource protections through overlays. Staff also said the amendments respond to a comprehensive-plan action to consider allowing two homes per lot in certain areas and to encourage a variety of housing types where water and sewer are available or feasible.

Board reaction and next steps: Planning board members raised concerns about public perception of density and the need for clear graphics. Staff agreed to prepare layered maps that show overlay districts, contours and example lot-level layouts to demonstrate how allowance of a second unit would most likely affect valley floors rather than steep slopes. The board asked staff to hold a work session next month to review the marked-up draft text. If the board endorses the draft at the work session, staff said they would schedule a public hearing at a future meeting.

Administrative votes: The meeting recorded routine procedural approvals earlier in the agenda — approval of the meeting agenda and approval of the minutes from February — and the board adjourned by unanimous voice acknowledgment.

Ending: Staff said it will return with a marked-up ordinance text, a layered slide deck mapping overlays and contours, and a schedule for the board’s work session and subsequent public hearing.