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Swannanoa residents urge stronger enforcement, lighting and mixed‑use options at Buncombe Planning Board meeting
Summary
During public comment residents from Swannanoa pressed the board for better enforcement of floodplain rules and more street lighting, parking and mixed‑use building encouragement to support business resilience and safe pedestrian access.
Two Swannanoa residents used the Planning Board public‑comment period on Dec. 15 to press county officials on local safety and resilience concerns.
Dee Dee Styles criticized draft flood‑ordinance language for omitting runoff from steep, impervious slopes and urged the county to address the upland sources of floodwaters as well as in‑stream obstructions. "If you don't address that problem, you're then how are you gonna address the problems with the flood?" she said, and added that enforcement matters: "You can make all the ordinances you want to, but if they're not enforced, it doesn't make any difference." She recommended more erosion‑control officers to ensure compliance.
Jeffrey Dektor asked the board to consider better street lighting and a safer intersection along Route 70, more distributed public parking and well‑lit sidewalks to support local businesses, and whether the county intends to encourage mixed‑use buildings (residential units above commercial space) to increase affordable housing and foot traffic for town centers.
Planning staff acknowledged the concerns and said lighting and zoning items will be addressed in follow‑up work — staff prioritized the flood ordinance for immediate public‑safety attention and said zoning changes (including lighting) would be taken up after commissioners indicate priorities. The public comment period closed and the board proceeded to discuss the flood ordinance draft.
