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Board approves 168‑unit Bluemont affordable housing development over neighbors' objections
Summary
The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment voted 6–1 to grant a special use permit for a 168‑unit affordable multifamily development at 10 Silverwood Farm Road, imposing standard site‑plan, MSD and NCDOT conditions. Neighbors raised concerns about private wells, noise and traffic but the board found the applicant met UDO standards.
The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment on Wednesday approved a special use permit for Bluemont Section 1, a planned unit development of 168 affordable apartment units across seven buildings at 10 Silverwood Farm Road.
The board adopted findings of fact that the application met Buncombe County's special use standards and voted 6–1 to grant the permit. Staff's written order and the board's motion require the project to be built as depicted in the approved master site plan and to meet several preconstruction conditions: coordination with Metropolitan Sewerage District (MSD) on off‑site easement acquisition and force main alignment, NCDOT driveway and encroachment approvals, submission of a full site development permit prior to land disturbance, and compliance with any required US Army Corps/DEQ permits.
Applicant counsel Brandon Freeman summarized the developers' position and asked the board to rely on the expert testimony presented: "We believe that we have met every element that is required for the issuance of the special use permit," he said during closing argument. Developers also committed to follow required stormwater controls and to submit detailed grading, retaining‑wall and drainage plans for permitting review.
Neighbors criticized the timing, scope and technical review of the proposal. Robert Keith McCurry, a nearby resident granted standing earlier in the hearing, urged the board to allow third‑party well studies, saying, "That's what I was asking this board for a continuance so we could get this expert analysis in." Several residents testified they rely on private wells and said they feared the grading and retaining walls could affect groundwater or require long sewer force mains and pump stations.
County and applicant witnesses described technical safeguards. Civil engineer Cody Tutti testified that the project would connect to Weaverville municipal water and MSD sewer and that a stormwater control measure (SCM) system is designed to detain and filter runoff on‑site so it will not increase off‑site groundwater impacts. Traffic expert Bridal Stevenson said intersection improvements (including a potential exclusive left‑turn lane to be reviewed and approved by NCDOT) are part of mitigation planning.
The order approving the permit was read into the record and signed at the meeting. Staff will not issue site development permits until required technical submissions — including final grading, retaining‑wall engineering and detailed stormwater plans — are reviewed and approved by the appropriate permitting agencies.
The board's approval clears a significant step for the developer; Freeman noted the project is pursuing state and federal affordable‑housing funding and faces timing pressures to meet application deadlines, but that required permits and site engineering remain to be completed.
