Planning Board - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Good morning and welcome. This is a call to order for the Bunkham County Planning Board on March the 16th, 2026 at 9:31 a.m. Um, and we'll begin with a few announcements. Um today we have two opportunities for public comment. First will be our general comment period following the approval of the minutes. This comment period will be for any issue wishing to be presented to the board except for comments pertaining to the flood uh damage prevention ordinance tax amendment. Those comments can be made and heard during the comment period specifically for the public hearing for the flood damage prevention ordinance. And if you wish to speak during either of these comment periods, please sign up on the sheet for your specific issue, uh either the flood damage or general comments, and there are sheets on the door available for you to do that. And that's so we'll know who who's speaking. And each speaker will be asked to state their name uh and their general area of the county where they live and will have three minutes to share their concerns. Also today, to ensure there are no conflicts of interest by board members on any of the issues we may vote on today, I'll review the North Carolina statute of 160D-109 regarding conflicts of interest for appointed boards. Members of appointed boards shall not vote on any advisory or legislative decision regarding a development regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter where the outcome of the matter being considered is reasonably likely to have a direct, substantial, and readily identifiable financial impact on the member. An appointed board member shall not vote on any zoning amendment if the land owner of the property subject to a resoning petition or the applicant for a text amendment is a person with whom the member has a close familial business or other associational relationship. Is there anyone who would have an issue with that today?

No. No.

Very good. And uh I think the staff does have some announcements to make as well. Good morning, chair, planning board members, members of the public. Just a couple of uh uh quick updates. One is make sure planning board members you park in your parking lot here, not on the street. Uh we had a planning board member get a ticket. So I can I can work with the ones that uh are are um issued by our parking provider and you all have a little something you placard you can put in your on your dash. So just keep remember to do that. And you're probably wondering when we're eventually going to merge over to the the new boardroom. I still they're still working on a lot of kinks. I think we're close. Uh the latest issue was some echo noise and uh they brought in the um specialist to try to address that. So, we'll uh keep you up to speed as as much as we know and try to get you over there as soon as possible.

Thank you. And I don't think we have any more parking things. Okay. We'll make sure that Aliyah will get you some and okay make sure that those are of a prominent color. Very good. Thank you. Just a reminder sent you guys a message about the school of government training and if you have if you are going to sign up for that let if you're going to sign up for that let alia know so we can get you registered. Okay. you remind us of the dates. I will. Yes. I think it's April [clears throat] 28th. I think it's April 28th.

Um Okay. Um well, we'll hope to be in the new building maybe next month. Maybe early summer. Oh, wow. That long this year. Yes. [laughter] Okay. because they keep moving the parking spaces out there, too. I understand. [laughter] It's It's frustrating. Okay, not your problem. Um, now we'll have the roll call of board members, and we'll begin on my right to the end. Jay Marina, Khan, Nancy Waldrup, Tim Collins, Alan Carson. Very good. And next, we need to have an approval of today's agenda.

I move to approve. Second. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Very good. The agenda's passed. And do we have a motion for the planning minute approvals from February the 16th, 2026? So moved. Um second. All in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? Very good. Um now it's time for the our general public comment period. And as I mentioned, uh hopefully um if you would like to speak for the general comment period, you've signed up on the sheet. Is there anyone who was desiring to do that? All right, Miss Styles. My name is De Styles and I live in Swan, Noah. And what I just want to say one thing. I've been um studying where the debris flow started that came down through Lidle Cove and a number of them seem to be connected to homes or roads that have been built on the steep slope up behind the up at the high ground in Lidle Cove. And I want to say that I really hope that the planning department is looking at connections between where debris flow started and and where there has been steep slope development because I think those two things are connected and uh we really need to work on making sure that we don't put ourselves in the position for the next time there's a heavy rain event like we had in 2024 that we're going to have more debris flows from even more places on the mountain. Thank you.

Thank you. We appreciate that. Anyone else? Very good.

Good morning. I'm Jeff Dector and I live in Swanoa and I just thought I'd bring to your attention that there and you probably may or may not know this but there was a meeting last week about a greenway in Swano area and it's a funded there's a funded feasibility study for the greenway which will be conducted over the next 12 months. The study area will extend from Warren Wilson campus to Growstone about six miles. It will include Owen Park in Swanoa. Equinox environmental the local business is performing the study. Last week, Equinox connect friends of the Font Flora Trail and others presented information regarding the proposed greenway. Pontto Flora Trail is an officially designated North Carolina trail that will eventually eventually connect Morgan to Ash.

Thank you very much. I think that is getting some news coverage. So that's really nice.

Okay. Uh [clears throat] any other general comments? Then we'll close this session of our our meeting and we'll move on to the um public hearing for ZPH2026-0000002 which is the flood damage prevention ordinance text amendment. Bunkham County is proposing to amend chapter 34 of the Bunkham County code of ordinances to clarify uses allowed with the special flood hazard area SFHA specifically the floodway and non-enrochment area. add clarification definitions as well as changes to the following sections of the ordinance. Article two definitions, article 5, section B, specific standards, and section F, floodways and non-enrochment areas. And we'll begin with a staff presentation and then open it up for the public hearing.

Um, if it pleases the board before Miss Lee gets started, just want to point out a couple of things. Um, one is since we have uh you've seen a couple presentations on this topic before. So today in your packet, you're actually gonna we're just going to go through the text of the changes themselves and then we plan to advance with your blessing this on to the commissioners next month. Okay. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning.

Yeah, my name is Angela Lee. I'm the flood plan administrator for Bookham County. Um so Native mentioned again today we're going to go through the text amendments, answer any questions that you guys have and um clarify any items as well. So we can go through each line item um that we are going to add here and you have the packet in front of you. Uh so under chapter 34 floods of the Bunkham County code of ordinances article two flood damage prevention ordinance we're looking at division one generally um section 34-30 under definitions. The first change we're looking at making is to add the conveyance shadow definition. And this means an area of upstream or of or downstream of an existing obstruction to flood flows. walk through it and if they have any questions they'll talk.

Okay.

Uh that definition is taken from [clears throat] directly from fema.gov. It's their NFIP um appendix D. The next is the letter of map change. LOMC means an official determination you issued by FEMA that amends or revises an effective flood insurance rate map or flood insurance study. Letters of CH map change include and we're going to include the definitions of the letter of map amendment, letter of map revision, letter of map revision based on Phil, um, and conditional letter of map revision. Under letter of map revision based off of fill, there is a [clears throat] Bunkham County specific definition we are adding which is that last sentence um under C. The elevated fill must meet the highest regulatory flood protection elevation of the impacted area. Again, that is um something we're adding to the ordinance that will be specific to Bunkham County. that definition uh the entire definition of the LOMC the letter of map change was also taken from um FEMA under the North Carolina model ordinance definition. The next we're looking to add the repetitive loss definition. Um this was also taken from FEMA the FEMA website fema.gov under their NFIP appendix D. forward. The substantial improvement definition is already in our um flood damage u prevention ordinance. The addition is that last sentence in red, the last addition in red. And a variance is approved by the board of adjustment pursuant to the variance procedures as outlined in this ordinance. It is

clarification um that the process must also follow our v variance procedure. Angela, a question. Yes. On the substantial improvement, what is what is the county's look back period on things like that? Currently, um the look back period is for one year. Um it's for one year on repetitive loss and substantial improvement. Um it is in our the next phase of changes to adjust that time period a lot uh based off what we're seeing too from the combination of tropical storm Fred and Helen to kind of look at the trends and see if we need to make adjustments for um our next ordinance phase.

Okay. Okay, now we're moving into pro section 34-67, provisions for flood hazard reduction. Section B, under specific standards, um the text in black is what is currently present in the ordinance. We are adding and materials to include um the materials requirement for the EAP and um other restrictions for the temporary non-residential structures. [clears throat] And as a reminder, EAP stands for emergency action.

Okay. Moving into section 34-70, floodways and non-enroachment areas. The text in black is what is currently in our ordinance and we are adding to the end. Um, number five, no new travel trailers, RVs, or travel trailer parks will be permitted to encroach or be placed in the designated floodway and non- encroachment areas. Um, adding number six, no temporary storage of floatable materials, including mulch, lumber, containers, sheds, etc. shall be permitted in the designated floodway and non- encroachment areas. Number seven, no temporary storage of junked vehicles or mechanized equipment shall be permitted in the designated floodway and non- encroachment areas. And number eight, no new development inclusive add of additions to existing buildings shall be permitted within a conveyance shadow.

Question again on number six. Um, if there is temporary storage already existing, will that be have to be removed or is that grandfathered in? Well, it's grandfathered in, but [clears throat] quite frankly, most of it is not there anymore. Oh, well, I'm old, so I'm sure about it. Sure. But yeah, you you have to grandfather existing uses in there, but

we, you know, this this we just found that this would be the time to close the loop on these inappropriate uses. And again, it's not the fringe or the 100year. This is the flood way. and non- encroachment areas if you're in a limited detail study area.

This is also very specific to temporary storage. So, um if they had a permitted use for temporary storage, then they would be grandfathered in. Um however, there was already a plan for that to be temporary. So, um at some point it would be removed um and [snorts] relocated um unless it was fully permitted as a continuous temporary storage. Any other questions or requirements for clarification?

Just go ahead and open it up for your public hearing and then go from there. Okay. I

think we will now open up the public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to make comment for the public hearing? Okay. Okay. um because I have um been to the past couple of meetings where this flood material has been gone over in detail with videos on the screens and um I the comment that I have may not directly relate to what we just heard but I know that during the other sessions there There was talk about if um a land owner was going to put [snorts] something near the river and they wanted to make a field to raise the land high enough to um be above a foot above the flood stage. Um that might that was going to be permitted. And I began to think about okay so if the river is coming along in in the past it could spread out wide and slow down. If you put a a raise, if you put fill and raise it so the river can't uh spread out in that direction, then more of the water is going to go in the other direction, which is going to be more of a danger to the people on the other side of the river. The other thing is suppose the guy on the other side of the river also wants to put fill. Now the river instead of being able to spread out is going to be contained in a much narrower channel which will make the water go a lot faster. And I think that some consideration has to be given to how you're going to prevent that from

happening because when the water is squeezed into a narrower channel, it moves much faster. And when it leaves that channel, um it's going to do a lot more damage to whoever is downstream from that. particularly if there happens to be a bend in the river right below that where it would just go straight across and into somebody else's property. So I do think that needs to be looked at about how you're going to keep people opposite each other in the river from filling it up to build something on that. Thank you. Thank you D.

A point of clarification if it pleases the board. Um, Phil is prohibited in the floodway as it stands now and we are actually strengthening the floodway standards. Phil is permitted in the 100year or fringe. We are going to be looking at those standards as well. In fact, you're going to um hear from Jillian in just a moment on numerous things in this want to know small area plan, including trails, greenways, and also uh some overlays that will be studying the uh provision of fill in the fringe areas. We're just not to that point yet. Also, further clarification, um fill in the fringe areas is currently studied in the model. So that it's is it's already studied in the basis of the special flood hazard area and maps. Yes, we have the opportunity to do some things to restrict that and we are going to be looking at that in the future. It's it's a very [clears throat] delicate balance because we also want to um do things that that preserve our developable land which as you all know is very little. So that that will be coming in the future.

Great. Thank you. Okay. Can I ask one little question? Does this flood thing ordinance changes? Does that apply just to the [clears throat] river or does this also apply to the French? No, DD it applies to all special flood hazard areas. So any map special flood hazard areas and unincorporated county, not just this one. Okay. Thank you. All right. Next, Mr. Victor.

Yeah. I have a question. You know, when you consider flooding, as DD mentioned, when you constrict the waterway, you increase the you increase the speed of the river and erode the banks. And one of the big areas that became very obvious is that the Witson Bridge where if you're familiar with the Witson Bridge, that's in Swano. It's very constricted there and it created quite a bit of damage and ultimately the bridge was out for the apron where the bridge was uh required a repair that took months many months. So, I'm just wondering how the uh proposal lot amendments will relate to an area that's prone to great uh destruction just because of it. Now,

do you have any questions about that board? I could go into great lengths to explain and we have explained before DOT infrastructure, uh older infrastructure, debris dams. That's a very complicated matter that that we could spend all day on. But a thousand-year event will create debris dams. It will create backwater effects and it will create tremendous amounts of flooding 800 1,000 ft even from the boundaries of the special flood hazard area. So there's an extent of what we can and can't do when we are working with some of the existing infrastructure specifically the Witson Avenue bridge and the river bridge itself. So

so it would be fair to say that all that is being looked into.

Yes, it is being looked into but when I will tell you those bridges are going to stay as they are. So, we have to look at things that and you're going to hear from Jillian and we have uh [snorts] put a tremendous amount of effort into bringing forward in the near future some things that I think you all are going to like some things that I think are going to add some compensatory [clears throat] flow towards some things that I think are going to help to mitigate. Um but also as we move along we ought we we should think of this motto do no harm. That means that we need to preserve commercial corridors, opportunities to add housing stock, but at the same time do things to make the community safer. This amendment in front of you is the first step in that direction on a very um important matter. We did see a lot of loss of light particularly in our campgrounds and our view parks as well. So that's what we have before you today.

Okay. Thank you very much. Any other questions? Nope. Okay. Then um is there any other comments? If not, then we will close the public hearing for the the flood uh damage ordinance and move into a planning board discussion. [clears throat] I think I gave you one copy of the planning board resolution. There should be in your packet as well. The not in there, just the language. So, whoever might want to make a motion, you could just borrow the last page has your comprehensive plan. Okay.

Alignment. So, you're just going to indicate usual like a map amendment or a text amendment when you make your motion. Is it consistent with comprehensive plan or not consistent and that it's in reasonable and in the public interest? Yes. Okay. Is there anyone ready to make a motion or do we have any thing we would like to discuss feelings to express? [laughter]

All right. I'll make the motion.

Sure. I think [clears throat] I think I would make the motion pursuant to 160D 604 that we approve and adopt uh the public hearing draft ZPH 2026-2 the floods uh consistent with uh the Bunk County ordinances and the comprehensive plan. [snorts]

Perfect. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Then the motion passes unanimously. Who has the second? Tim said we'll go with Tim. Okay, this will advance to the commissioners in April. They're only having one meeting in April, so it'll be the second regularly scheduled meeting. Okay, good to know. Thank you all.

Oh, thank you. That was a lot of hard work. And uh now we are ready to uh discuss a Swanoa small area plan, which is a planning board review of the draft vision maps. So, give us one second. Sure. We're gonna pull up the website. We sent you map. Um, and I sent you a lot of background information and we're going to go right into the map. But if you have any questions, let me know. Okay. Give me one second. Sure.

Love a good word cloud. And just to go through what's in your packet, uh we did a big uh vision map or vision workshop, sign workshop for the last public engagement for this. And um [snorts] and these are the results and these these results are what uh we use to draw the maps. The maps have been to the the uh steering committee. Uh the commissioners have seen the maps and we're looking for your input. They have been to the technical expertise committee and um they will go out to the public in the next public engagement phase. And we'll start with uh the lady's plan map and then move to transportation maps. And while we are waiting for maybe technology to work, if you guys would look at this

the chart. Yes, we are proposing two new landings categories for Guanoa and this Guanoa land map would be incorporated into our comprehensive plan. I'm trying.

Well, while you're doing that, I'll just give another shout out to the steering committee and all the work they've done in the for the small Swan Noa small area plan. Uh it's been great to be part of that process and watch the energy that they have put into it and um and the public input that they have kind of disseminated to make into what uh I think you're going to see as a small area plan. It's definitely been a community effort [clears throat]

on this chart. Why is some of the text in red and some of it in [cough] black? The red is the new

That's what I thought. Thank you. See you soon. How do I share?

[clears throat]

So I'll start going over with you guys and if the public we are looking at this and then this first. Um so once she gets it up we will uh I'll show you the comparison between how we changed it but um based on public input based on conversations with steering committee um we have looked at the detailed area of Swanoa and we'll do this for every small area plan and done a much detailed look at land uses in the area to see what needed to be revised from the existing comprehensive plan map to this. Specifically, when we were looking at the Swan Noah, we were we were thinking about how to deal with the flood plane and how to deal with how to build resiliency in the area. And what we have come up with is a new um a new category on the land use plan map which is river corridor. And if you look on this side um it's intend intended to limit the type and intensity of new development within floodprone areas and prioritize flood storage, wildlife habitat, agriculture and recreation. New development should minimize impervious surface and be limited to use related to the river, recreation, agriculture or small businesses that serve the surrounding community. very low density single family development is permitted and you can see primary and secondary

um land uses

and the intention for this district is to build resiliency is to mitigate future flooding which don't h hope doesn't happen but we want to prepare for it and um we are looking at land use categories when we do other small area plans that we can copy in when we do the other small area plans. So really looking at our river corridors where they flood what we can do to build resiliency in those areas. Now, how this might translate to zoning, it might translate to a zoning overlay sim similar to how we handle steam flow, high elevation or protected ridge where we have an overlay over this area and this area is based on the 500year flood plane. So, we have we regulate the 100-year flood plane in the county, but this area is based on the 500year flood plane. And similar to steep slope pile elevation, we're really um we're really thinking about limiting limiting development make focusing on safety and focusing on again building that resiliency and building flood storage and such. So any questions about that? And is the land use plan category, so it's not changing the zoning, but it could lead to either creating a new zoning district or creating a zoning overlay. [snorts]

So, we're waiting for the website. We are, but I don't think we're going to get the website.

I don't think [laughter] we are either. But if you guys get a chance, if you didn't get a chance to go on to the story map website, there's a slider there where you can slide and see how we changed the map based on the comp the map that's currently in the comp plan to now. Um, we reduced a lot of the mixed use one areas. We increased some of our rural community areas and we did that based on um our debris flow pathways on our steep slope high elevation overlays. We had some mixed use one areas that were in steep slope that included steep slope high elevation. So we got rid of those. There are some areas that changed from mixed use one to mixed use two. Um, we're thinking about again where we could add density, where it's flat, where it's out of our hazard, where it's out of flood plane. If you want to look at the walkable destination site, that is the beacon site and downtown or old town, whichever you want to call it. Um based on public input from that design workshop, that area has increased and the desire in the community is for a mixeduse walkable downtown. Um and then we have added so we increased that walkable destination center. We have added neighborhood centers. And again, just if you slip over, neighborhood centers, higher intensity neighborhood center with a mix of denser housing, commercial and employment land uses tend to daily need for the local community and and provide important

transportation connections to transit and pedestrian systems. And then you can see primary land uses neighborhood level commercial employment and highdensity residential. secondary light capture missing middle residential. So these two areas, one area is if you look at the corner of Warren Wilson Road and 70 where the uh current

housing development is uh we see the potential there with the college with those housing developments to create sort of a neighborhood center there. And then the other one is the um Engle site and surrounding land of the Engle site. But really being intentional about, you know, a higher density, higher density, more compact development in that area. And again, this could be an overlay. It could be a new zoning district. It could be changes to current zoning districts or current regulations. Um is how we could accomplish that. The pol the policy we're laying forward and when developers looking for where to develop is we would like these areas to be a little more intense, a little more traditional design like maybe moving buildings up to the front, maybe putting parking in rear, maybe higher density residential uh you know sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stops, those sort of things in these areas to create little nodes. of neighborhood activity. And again, also thinking in the future as we move through the small area plan um small area planning process, this is something we can replicate for other areas in the county. Any comments? This is your chance, planning board, for comments [clears throat] or anything you see a problem with.

What is the benefit to moving a building forward and putting parking back? What's the goal?

So, the goal is for uh it's more it's to create more traditional design. It's to create more of a corridor. Um, if you think about downtown Asheville, you even think about downtown Swanoa, the parking is not the buildings come to the park setback and the parking they either have one row of uh one row in front of the building or parking or parking somewhere else. So, it's more about trying to create the traditional neighborhood commercial design.

I was uh thinking of the Staples on Marman, which is kind of set up in that fashion, but there's no approach to the building from the front sidewalk. It's kind of a misnomer. It's it's designed in that fashion, but it it's just a building. I hope we're not trying to do that.

No, [laughter] we're trying. seriously front those buildings and those entrances to the road to the sidewalk to the pedestrian make them pedestrian focused as opposed to car focused. Um, and studies have been done that like when the human eye when you're going down like corridors like that, it slows cars down automatically. Psychological thing. Um, and it's more pleasing to humans to have that more traditional type design.

So, it'll be more like going down a downtown street in the middle of Asheville where all those stores are only there will be parking behind the buildings theoretically

or maybe one row of parking and then the building [clears throat] because we aren't talking about downtown street. We're talking about 70. but creating that more architectural focused, building focused corridor as opposed to parking focused and everything like through the comp plan through here. The desire is for more of that traditional design, that traditional neighborhood, whatever you want to call it, new urbanism, traditional neighborhoods and many names over the years, but not stable. [laughter] That would be a bad example.

That would be a bad example. But um moving those buildings, try to stop sort of the sea of parking and move those buildings closer to an closer to the road in an appropriate fashion.

I don't want to put you on the spot, but can you give an example of one that you think is particularly good? If you can't, I understand. kind of think of one everybody would know. I think Trader Joe's did a pretty good job where and again that's a city street as opposed to um a c you know a county road. So it might be appropriate in these cases to have one or two rows of parking in the front and then the rest in the rear or one row of parking in the front and then the rest in the rear. We can try to bring you some examples when we talk about policies and actions and you guys will eventually be looking at the code and we can try to bring you some examples when we look at the code.

I can't think of one off the top of my head where I I think of all those buildings right there. Trader Joe's is probably a good one because it does have a approach from the sidewalk point of view, but it feels like the Harris Teacher and the and the Staples just have the back of the building to the street and I don't see where that's aesthetically pleasing or drawing. There's no door. If you're walking up the sidewalk, there's no approach to Harris whatsoever. I guess that's a in my mind a bad example of that. if it was better designed where you could approach from the sidewalk side and have the parking in the back maybe, you know, but that I guess that's my input. Yeah,

good input. And I' I've just been really pleased again wi with the the whole concept of how we're going about these small area plans with the the steering committees and and the community input because to my knowledge and and my u attending the committee meetings what you're seeing here is pretty directly a result of all of all of what got discussed in those meetings. And there was a lot of push back on on a lot of things even the vision statement. I mean there were there was a whole lot of thought that people put into this and um I I just think it's remarkable that we can come up with this and it's so community oriented and to to that effect what is left for this small area plan steering committee to do.

So um your their next job and then y'all's next job is to review policies and actions. We are currently working on policies and actions. The steering committee tonight is going to look at our policy problems and make sure we've defined all the policy problems correctly and staff is currently working on policy policies and actions and um that will come back to the steering committee in April and then uh I think the steering committee I want to say the steering committee take its break in May for us to do public engagement and then the draft plan comes back to them in chief Okay.

So, in May, your policy maps and your policies and actions will go to the community for review. And um in June, we'll have that draft plan to go to um the the groups that are reviewing the document and the policies and actions in the map, which is management, planning board, you guys, a technical expertise committee, and then our steering committee. So those groups are looking at it all every time to make sure we're on the right track.

I particularly like the river corridor addition. I think that makes a lot of sense to go ahead and zone an area that may need additional regulation down the road depending on nature and storms and how that develops. So I think that's a really good uh addition to this small area plan. I also like the walkable destination center for Beacon. I think that is a great reinvisioning of a large piece of property that opens up a big opportunity to kind of reset the downtown for for the next hundred years. So, I like both of those really well. Any other comments or concerns?

It's going to create a lot of work for you guys. [laughter] So the next set of maps you guys need to look at are this is our first um this one

our first set of transportation policy maps in the county. And I'm going to have you look at this one first. And again this is based on public input from that design workshop. And um this is our uh draft sidewalk and bike lane priority. And uh just a reminder that the county does not control roads, that NC DOT controls roads, but NC DOT is slowly moving towards the complete streets concept. And if you have it in your plans and they do road improvements, a community can request that those complete street aspects get built with those road.

Wow. So that being said, [clears throat] you can see um where we have sidewalk priorities, our teeny tiny amount of existing sidewalks and then bike lane priorities and the potential greenway feasibility study that I'm sorry, what was your name?

Jeff. Jeff was talking about and uh potential greenway and sidewalk connections. Very important to the Swanoa community that that corridor along 70 have a sidewalk. I will tell you that um we have received a grant for some of the downtown area sidewalks and we are working on a our economic development team is working on a grant to apply for a grant for federal money due to the storm recovery for sidewalks along seven gate. So just a reminder this isn't a feasibility. This is this is hopes and dreams, but that's what you know.

Yeah.

Make big plans. So, um the again the community really really wanted that priority along 70. The community also the priority where Owen Park and um and the schools are along Old 70. Um, also the our our our parks department was interested in that old 70 corridor because of the park. Um, and we are drafting this plan and drafting these priority maps with the intention of trying to take advantage of what NC do has in place in order to create more sidewalks and bike lanes in Mok County.

Right. Any questions about that one? It's a lot of sidewalks.

It is a lot. And I'll remind everyone that um we are doing a pedestrian plan. So, um this won't be the only place where we as a policy are saying that the county wants sidewalks. Um it's a it's become a priority of the public with clearance comp plan. Um it's clearance want to know. We talked about sidewalks that sidewalks are important to the community. Part of growing as a county um and becoming more dense and more urban.

One quick question. Um on this map you have these circles that are kind of potential greenway sidewalk connections and the river runs completely through that. Have y'all given thought to putting the sidewalks and the bike trails along the river? Yes. for feasibility and for land availability.

And it could be that and that goes back to uh the Fontto Flora Trail and that connection. It could be that we don't build a sidewalk in a certain area because a greenway runs through that area or it could be we connect two greenways with the sidewalk. So, it's really creating that connection from Black Mountain to Asheville down 70, but especially that 70 corridor. I mean, if you ever been uh down 70 recently, you see the boat trails where people have created the paths along the road, the safety issue on 70. That's why there's such focus on that road for sidewalks.

A lot of people walk along that road. I work out there. I'm there every day. almost hit a guy the other day because he was I think little tipsy walking right in the middle of the road. So yeah, so that's why we're we're trying that is a big [clears throat] priority that 70 corridor just from a safe. So this will be a continuous greenway from black this this will be a continuous greenway from Black Mountain all the way to so this is just a feasibility. Oh, I know. It's a it's a it's a

Font Flora and it's a it's a state trail. The Fontto the the original the plan for the Font Flora is to connect from Morgan all the way through Marian all the way through Oldport up the mountain to Asheville eventually. and sections of it are built in Marian and Morgan around Lake James. And there is a big push in Swanoa to start building that greenway section in Swanoa.

Any any other thoughts? It's good stuff. just saw the trail in Morgan. It's very well done. So, I'm a proponent of that. It's a lot of sidewalk. It is a lot of sidewalk.

Are there any funds to do any sidewalk improvement in this transportation map immediately? So like I said, Beacon we um post disaster funding is very interesting and you apply for what you can these greenups that come out and there was a grant that was infrastructure repair and if you see the you see the um sort of reddish dark color, those are the existing sidewalks in downtown Beacon Village, so along Witson Avenue. And um we were able to get a grant to repair that section of sidewalk. So that section of sidewalk has funding. Um NC DOT is involved. Of course, they would build it. And so that sidewalk is being built. There is another grant that's for economic development for small businesses and that is where we have applied for the 70 or we are going to apply for the 70 corridor. So as funding becomes available we are taking advantage of it and then you have to remember that when do does a big road project you can take advantage of them building the sidewalks then. So, the county uh is taking advantage where we can of the ability for NCO to build sidewalks on NCO roads.

Most of US70 is built though. Um what does that mean for funding since we're looking at an existing road from Black Mountain to Asheville? So that's where we're applying for that commerce department of commerce grant to build it outside a road repair cycle. But when we get into those road repair cycles, you it's this is like the comp comp plan. It's laying the foundation for 20 years. So, as we get into those road repair cycles or if DOT takes on a more proactive role in complete streets where they're retrofitting streets as opposed to just doing it when they're doing repairs will be wrecking. Like our conversations with DOT is make sure it's in your plan. to make sure you're clear what you want and when those programs become available, we'll be ready. And this also, you know, I tell people this about plans all the time, but it also allows you to apply for grant funding that becomes available if you have it outlaid in a plan and you can say, "We as a community have said we want this." So, it allows us to look for outsour outside funding.

Is there anything else we need to do with this this morning or where do we leave this? I'm just looking for your comments and feedbacks or any changes you guys want to make. Okay. What about this second map? I'm going to get to the second map. Okay. Are we good with this map? Yep. Yay. Sidewalks. Yay. Bike lanes. Yay. Yeah. Yay.

Very yay. Um so this second map is uh draft transportation improvements and this is really um there there are many safety issues along that 70 corridor. So this was a um map we created to make again it's making dot aware it's making developers aware that we want to focus on pedestrian safety. So you have we have multimodal safety improvement areas that we've designated pedestrian and bike safety I assume.

Traffic bombing [clears throat] areas.

What does that exactly mean? So traffic calming um it can be a wide range of things. Um and DOT has very specific things they they will as part of their program do. It's not a real wide widely used program, but we wanted to put these in here to make sure um if the if the chance arose, we could do some traffic calming. DO's traffic calming is more like guard rails and caution, you know, like uh caution cones and that sort of thing. So, not really like if you think about like Kimberly Avenue or um some of the traffic calming that the city can do.

So, like bump outs. Yeah. Roundabouts, that type of stuff. Yeah. That sort of stuff. But it could be uh you know, it could be requiring developers in that area to do more landscaping along the street. It sounds sort of weird, but you know, it's been proving that like landscaping and street trees produce people's feet. Of course, we do. Um, so it might be on our end requiring something like that in these areas. Landscaping and street trees, slow traffic. Yep. So, do the buildings. Maybe the buildings up

closer to the street. Yeah. All that stuff. slow traffic. And by street trees, are you talking trees planted in a street median or are you talking on the edge of the road or what? In this case, it would be the parking lot landscaping, but you got to remember we don't control NCD's rightway and they are very particular about what you put in their right way. Well, this is very ambitious because the between I don't know Buckeye Cove Road and exit 55 one. [clears throat] It's like an interstate. It's like an

interate is um we have asked and we've actually already requested this with DOT again this is a safety issue is we have requested speed limit reductions along 78. So that's already in process. That was another thing that the community What is the speed limit on 70? So part of it is 55 and part of it is 45. And we requested that 55 part be reduced to 45. Yeah. And per our conversations with DOT, they were pretty they were, you know, not contentious about it, but it has to go through

the process. But we've already requested that. So, any questions about this one?

These uh things that say pedestrian bridge improvements are are we adding a whole bridge or what? [clears throat] So these are existing bridges where um we think it would be appropriate if they do repairs to those bridges to include pedestrian crossings or or improve those pedestrian crossings. So it you know a sidewalk along the bridge along way along the bridge and there's two of those that I see here. Mhm. There's four. Uh there's four. There's a couple other ones. I see a couple on the other side.

Yeah. Julian, could you just remind um a little less relevant the resilience policy area around Black Mountain for instance? What will be the actual consequence of of that?

So we are talking you can see from like the resilience area. You can see that the river corridors goes into those areas. We've also reduced the mixeduse neighborhood and increase some of the rural community. Um, and we're looking at policies like how in those areas do we uh either incentivize or maybe require conservation subdivision design? Where do we require, you know, we we want to look at our seat flow elevation and protected ridge and see where we can shore those up, see where we can incentivize resilience. We want to look at the debris flow pathways and see how if or how we regulate those. Um we want to you know in those debris flow pathways we've been talking to geotechnical engineers we've been talking to uh geologists and you know one thing they say is keep people away from the water bodies in those debris flow pathways. of what they're suggesting is 300 ft from those water bodies if you're in a debris flow pathway to so if there is a landslide you're out of that field for the landslide. Um so we're looking at all sorts of different ways to sort of evaluate and change if we need to the regulations we have try to incentivize. We always try to incentivize before we try to change regulations, incentivize more conservation of land and um require where we need to for safety reasons.

Do we have a map of the debris flow areas that you're talking about? You can. Yeah, they are available online. We don't have it. No, you don't have it in that. If you uh the story map that Shannon that I sent you guys the link to, she mapped there's a map in there. If you go through the story map of all the hazards, including the debris flow pathways, but if you want to look at them separately, it's on [clears throat] our county GIS site, our public facing county GIS site. Thank you.

And I mean, one thing we are talking about in policies and actions just to give you a heads up of what'll be coming to you [clears throat] next month. Um is we have some you know we have some policies and actions relating to uh informing the community of risk in like these maps like the hazard maps have existed forever. Um they've been a publicly available I think since 2010. Um, but just making the community aware of them, making the community aware of risk, making the community aware of, you know, when you build in one of these areas, the risk associated with that. And that includes blood plane and our steep slopes and our different comments or concerns for the maps.

Very informative. And I will be bringing you guys um just be aware that next meeting will will be probably a longer one. Um I will be bringing you policies and actions to review uh that month. So be prepared for I'm going to try to send them to you as soon as possible if you have time to review them. But we will be going over those at the next meeting. Okay. And I think that's all we have today. Very good. Any any other questions from the board?

I I think so. Appreciate all your hard work. It has been a lot of work. It shows. Yeah, it does. It really is. Yeah. It shows. Okay. Then if there's nothing else, um I think we're ready for a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Oh. All in favor say I. I.