Development Roundup: County Airbnb work sessions, new West Asheville townhomes and more

ASHEVILLE - Hundreds turned out last week to voice their opinions on proposed short-term rental regulations, and with two upcoming Buncombe County planning board work sessions, the public will have a chance this time to hear more about proposed county regulations.

On the topic of the regulations, Buncombe County Commission Chair Brownie Newman said the regulations aim to target housing stock, and noted that those already operating vacation rentals will be allowed to continue.

"Although the county has made construction of new affordable housing a top priority, our existing housing stock is being converted to vacation rentals at a faster rate than new housing is being constructed, which exacerbates the affordable housing crisis," Newman wrote in an email to the Citizen Times Jan. 30.

"The draft ordinance being considered by the county would not prevent property owners currently managing their homes as vacation rentals but it would restrict future conversions of housing to vacation rentals."

The public can hear about the proposed STR regulations during two Buncombe County Planning Board work sessions on Feb. 5 and Feb. 19 at 9:30 am in 200 College St. Board of Commissioners Chambers.

However, there are plenty of other developments set to come to city and county planning boards soon. New townhomes in West Asheville, a recreational vehicle camp in Weaverville and a personal landing strip in Sandy Mush are just a few.

Here are some upcoming developments to be heard during city and county planning meetings:

New townhomes proposed for West Asheville

A subdivision of new townhomes has been proposed for North Bear Creek Road in Asheville, near Patton Avenue.

The new subdivision, titled "Westview Village," proposes the installation of 26 new townhomes in West Asheville, developed by the Asheville-based Amarx Construction. The development will be located between 99999 North Bear Creek Road and 2 Huffman Road.

Amarx has worked on other Asheville developments, like the affordable development Crayton Park in Oakley or Ellis Place in South Asheville. Amarx bought the nearly 3-acre parcel in December for $540,000.

Notes from the Dec. 8 neighborhood meeting on the development indicate the developer intends to sell the townhomes somewhere "in the 300's," but that final sales prices have not been determined. Most townhomes in the development are a little over 2,200 square feet, according to site plans.

The project will include the installation of a new residential road off of North Bear Creek, leading to the development's cul-de-sac.

The development is currently seeking a Major Subdivision review through the city of Asheville, which only includes input from the Technical Review Committee as the development is not located downtown. Public comment is not allowed during TRC meetings. The development will be reviewed Feb. 5.

The developers expect a May start date, according to meeting documents.

You can read more about city of Asheville developments at https://simplicity.ashevillenc.gov/development/major.

Vacation rental location looks to expand with travel trailer pads

Looking for a family vacation in your recreational vehicle? Looks like there may be new options in Weaverville.

Laurel Mountain Retreat, a Weaverville-based rental organization, has applied to expand its primary rental location at 6 Deerborne Lane, where guests could park a travel trailer or RV at the location.

The current location has six residential structures, five of which already operate as legal short-term rental properties, Six new travel trailer or recreational vehicle pads have been proposed.

Along with the new vehicle pads, the development would include a new bathhouse for guests, along with a new storage building.

Currently, four applications for standing against the vehicle pad have been submitted, with adjacent landowners citing worries about property values, noise and privacy as worries for adding the new RV pads.

Personal landing strip proposed for Sandy Mush

In West Buncombe County, a landowner has proposed the construction of a new personal landing strip off of Big Sandy Mush Road for a "small aircraft traditionally used for agricultural purposes."

The application has been submitted by local landowners Travis and Rachel Brown, where the two-acre parcel will see possible additional installation of a two-bedroom home. The Browns say the do not intend to impact neighbors with the landing strip.

"We, the applicants, have lived and been a part of the Sandy Mush community for over 21 years, so we have no intention of disrupting or in any other way negatively impacting the people that have been our neighbors for over two decades," the application for the landing strip reads.

Currently, four applications for standing against the landing strip have been submitted, with local landowners citing property values, environmental concerns and noise as concerns.

Donna Trunk, who owns an adjacent property, noted possible safety issues in her application for standing.

"I feel that safety issues are the most important part of this application for a permit. My ridgeline is covered in very tall trees which could impede a low landing area for the plane. There also high electrical wires on my property running parallel to the road that will be crossed flying in," Trunk wrote in her application.

The Buncombe County Board of Adjustment will hear the Deerborne Cottages expansion and the Sandy Mush landing strip Special Use Permit applications at an upcoming meeting. In a quasi-judicial process, board members decide how current laws apply to an application, obtain evidence and review ordinance standards.

You can find full application documents for upcoming Board of Adjustment meetings at https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/planning/development-projects.aspx.

Special meeting for Wilderness Ridge, upcoming STR meetings

A special Board of Adjustment meeting will be held for the Wilderness Ridge condo development at 2 p.m. on Feb. 5 in 200 College St. Board of Commissioners Chambers. The development has seen an extensive, months-long hearing process which has dominated several Board of Adjustment meetings.

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Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: New West Asheville townhomes proposed; how many for sale?