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Laurel Park News

Town dedicates reborn Rhododendron Lake Park

LAUREL PARK — From written or filmed history, Carey O’Cain recalled the resort-like amenities that Laurel Park founder Walter H. Smith built around Rhododendron Lake.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

COUNTY VOTES TO KILL BALFOUR PARKWAY

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners voted Monday night to ask the state to kill the Balfour Parkway, handing a major victory to hundreds of homeowners who had organized an intensive campaign to stop the project and likely dooming the first major new highway in the county in a generation. In a 4-1 vote, commissioners approved a motion by Chairman Michael Edney directing the NCDOT to abandon the parkway and some back with "reasonable and realistic alternatives to address legitimate local traffic concerns." An overflow crowd again packed the meeting room of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners on Monday, calling on commissioners to stop the proposed roundabouts on U.S . 64, block the proposed Balfour Parkway and kill the proposed Macedonia Road law enforcement training center and outdoor shooting range. Residents whose homes could be removed for the four-lane Balfour Parkway were there in part expecting the county to act on a resolution demanding that the NCDOT drop proposed Balfour Parkway corridors that would take homes in any of nine specific neighborhoods. Fifty people had signed up to speak — on the shooting range, U.S. 64 roundabouts and Balfour Parkway. The effect of the county's resolution would be to remove from state consideration a large number of proposed corridors from Grimesdale to along Stoney Mountain Road and along N.C. 191, likely forcing the proposed bypass to the northern-most corridors. In a meeting last month, board Chairman Michael Edney suggested that a path roughly following Mountain Road would have the least negative impact on neighborhoods. Commissioner Tommy Thompson made a disclosure of his ownership among five partners in the Westside Village (Dollar General) retail center and then became the first of four commissioners to express opposition to the parkway, which had proposed corridors that caused an uprising of almost 2,500 homeowners. "I'm also very concerned about these sub but also other the subdivisions and also the farming areas," he said. "Personally, because of what I've heard, I would go as far as say maybe we should vote to kill it," he said, to an eruption of applause. "I agree with Tommy 100 percent," Charlie Messer added. "This is my district. We've had a lot of communications with DOT. I've talked to a lot of people at length about this project." The resolution protecting specific neighborhoods would not be enough, he added, because "if we remove all these developments there's other people that's going to be disturbed." He said the county should "kill the whole project, start over" with new traffic studies "and get something done." Commissioner Grady Hawkins commented on the NCDOT response to one homeowner that "they didn't control it, we control it. I want to call their hand on it." If that's the case, then the Board of Commissioners can and will kill the project, he added. Moments later, it did. Only Commissioner Bill Lapsley defended the project, saying it had been a highly ranked county priority for 10 years, recommended by the county Transportation Advisory Committee that "believed this was a priority project. For a number of reasons it has moved through the funding cycle of NCDOT." The DOT has identified some 24 alternative corridors, all 1,000 feet wide, four times the actual width of the proposed northern bypass. "The potential impact in any of those corridors can snake its way through any of the corridors." By the resolution, the county would have directed the DOT to eliminate any of the named subdivisions and since the resolution was originally drafted the county added language seeking to protect any subdivision. "The process is taking too long because the anx and impact shouldn't happen," he said. "With all that in mind, it seems to me it comes down to the question is whether we want to stop the project altogether. DOT will listen to what this board dcides to do. How can I say that. I've dealt wth DOT for 44 years in my engineering career and I can tell you DOT and the DOT staff work for the state government." "DOT in Raleigh will say thank you and they will move on," moving the money elsewhere. "I believe the project should continue. It should be expedited to come to ares of where the final route would be and then at that point if it impacts any of these subdivisions we can kill the project at that point. But if this board decides to kill the project tonight I want to make sure it knows that DOT will hear it loud and clear and they will move on and the project will be dead." "In my mind what happened with Balfour Parkway," engineers came up "with some octopus looking thing." If they can narrow it down within six months, that would be great." The commissioners on Friday afternoon released a resolution that says the county "will not support, in fact will oppose any Balfour Parkway proposal that has a direct negative impact on the subdivisions and neighborhoods" — Grimesdale, Carriage Park, Greystone, Foxwood, Stoney Mountain Estates, Dogwood Forest, The Boulders, Hickory Hill and Sycamore Hill. “I was thrilled that my neighborhood was included but I am skeptical that this resolution will make a difference," said a resident of Carriage Park. Efforts to oppose the project "has been a like a child who wants something and asks his mother," who tells the child to ask his father. "The NCDOT has told me to contact you, you have told me to contact NCDOT." The NCDOT, in a response to a letter her husband wrote, said, "This project was locally conceived, studied and prioritized," she said. "That’s what's frustrating to those of us who have been trying to be heard." Here's the Balfour Parkway resolution:   WHEREAS,   The North Carolina Department of Transportation has undertaken the planning process for the “Balfour Parkway” project; and   WHEREAS,   The planning process has identified several potential routes with significant negative impacts on established residential subdivisions and neighborhoods within Henderson County; and WHEREAS,   The neighborhoods are identified as Grimesdale, Carriage Park, Greystone, Foxwood, Stoney Mountain Estates, Dogwood Forest, The Boulders, Hickory Hills and Sycamore Hill; and WHEREAS,   The Henderson County Board of Commissioners being the duly elected representatives of the citizens living in these residential neighborhoods and subdivisions have methodically and thoroughly evaluated the proposed routes; and WHEREAS,   The Board of Commissioners desire is to communicate, in no uncertain terms, that the Board will not support, in fact, will oppose any “Balfour Parkway” route that has a direct negative impact on these subdivisions and neighborhoods;  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Henderson County Board of Commissioners do hereby resolve that the Board will not support, in fact will oppose any “Balfour Parkway” proposal that has a direct negative impact on the subdivisions and neighborhoods herein identified. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the County of Henderson to be affixed.   Glen Englram, who lives in a neighborhood just off U.S. 64, submitted a petition with more than 1,200 signatures opposed to the proposed improvements on U.S. 64 that includes three roundabouts. The petition represents hundreds who want "three lanes not a record-setting amount of roundabouts, bike lanes to nowhere and a 17-foot median," he said. Jim Durfee, who lives off U.S. 64 just west of the Laurel Park town limits, called the improvements "overkill" that are widely opposed by "people who drive here every day, live here every day. ... We can save millions of dollars by doing a three-lane" and more limited improvements. Sarah Bell, owner of the Gorge Zipline and Green River Adventures, urged the board to drop the Saluda shooting range. She recommended that the county leaders communicate with neighbors and understand their concerns. "I think you'll find your jobs are easier and you'll spend a whole lot less money," she said. The opposition was not a "not in my backyard" movement, another speaker said, but "not at Blue Ridge, not in Green River, not on Pinnacle Mountain, not in Edneyville, not on Macedonia Road. Henderson County citizens have voiced their concerns, loud and clear. We join them and we hope we are the last."   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Hendersonville one-stop voting site is second busiest

Hendersonville's one-stop voting site is the second busiest in that state, according to VoteTracker, a service of the Civitas Institute.As of Monday morning, 3,770 people had voted at the Henderson County Board of Elections, ranking second in the state behind the Robeson County Board of Elections. Statewide, 229,129 votes had been cast, with Democrats carrying a wide lead — 108,104 to 64,943 Republicans and 55,886 unaffiliated voters.One-stop voting sites in Henderson County are the Board of Elections, 75 E. Central St., and Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Road, Fletcher. Early voting ends at 1 p.m. Saturday at both sites. Elections board hours are 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday through May 4, and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5. Fletcher Town Hall hours are noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday through May 4 and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5. All 35 polling places will be open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.   Read Story »

Mills River News

NC 191 N. widening, last I-26 segment picked as priorities

Years from now, when homeowners along N.C. 191 from N.C. 280 to Long Shoals Road demand to know the origins of a four-lane widening project, someone may refer them to a little-noticed meeting of the Henderson County Transportation Advisory Committee on April 18, 2018.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Democratic candidates differ on Balfour Parkway, NC 191

For the first time in many years, Democratic voters have a primary election choice for a seat on the Henderson County Board of Commissioners.   Read Story »

Edneyville News

Retirement benefit would help volunteer firefighter recruiting

Robert Griffin, chief of Edneyville Fire & Rescue, knows it’s tough to recruit and keep volunteer firefighters and knows one big reason why.   Read Story »

Green River News

Mama Coe's Tacos opening in Tuxedo

TUXEDO — Colleen Raulerson had spent weeks mulling a name for her taco shop when she had an epiphany. Her boys had done it for her.   Read Story »

Flat Rock News

Tiny homes selling big on Orchard Road

The most notable thing about the tiny homes on Orchard Road is that they’re not as tiny as you might think. “What you’re seeing on TV is what we call the tiny towable,” says Jacob Lions, director of sales of the Village at Flat Rock, a community of tiny homes on Orchard Road. “That was a different animal than what we’re doing out here, that we call park models. The tiny towable is totally mobile, it can be pulled around with a full-size pickup truck.”The development has small section of towables but is doing its real land-office business in the bigger cottage-like dwellings. Built on the Twin Ponds trailer park land, the development is about four years old and has been growing fast since new owners bought it last August. It’s closer to Dana than Flat Rock but thanks to the U.S. Postal Service the property has a Flat Rock address and the cache that goes with it.Park models are 400 square feet with 13½-foot ceilings, a bedroom on the ground floor and full size appliances. Built at Blue Ridge Log Cabins and Clayton Homes in Georgia, the homes are brought in on a trailer and set up “just like you would a mobile home,” Lions says. The difference is the tiny homes are built to residential stick-built code. Skirts made of Hardie board hide the trailer and wheels. Sales director Jacob Lions shows a park model tiny home, which have full-size appliances and 13-foot ceilings.“We set them up as though it was permanent. We unbolt the tongue, put it underneath the house so if you ever want to move it, it’s there. People say, ‘Can I move it?’ Yeah, you can move it but you’re never going to move it.” Simple Life sells the house to the buyer and then leases the land underneath — for $550 to $650 a month, depending on location. The rent includes city water and sewer, basic cable, garbage and recycling service, lawn service, road maintenance, dog park, “a million-dollar remodeled clubhouse” with fitness and yoga rooms and outdoor pool. Bocce ball and pickleball courts are under construction. Ninety percent pay cash A real estate broker for 30 years, in California, Florida and here, Lions was on board when the development changed hands. The new owners kept him on and he’s just gotten busier. When a prospective buyer walks in, Lions shows him three different models — no customizing.“Somebody can come in today, write a check and we can deliver that house before the sun sets,” he says. “Ninety percent of our people pay cash.”Prices range from $99,500 to $166,000.“I’ve been here 14 months, I’ve resold nine homes, they’ve all made money,” he says. A new Highlands section next to the clubhouse and pool will have 20 lots and next month the Jacksonville Beach, Fla.-based developer is closing on 25 acres across Orchard Road for a new tiny home community.The Hamlet will “celebrate the wetlands” with a pond, walking trails, dog park and benches, Lions says. “We’re not going to build a clubhouse, pool and all of that. It’s all going to be nature oriented. We don’t want to turn this into a 300-unit community. This is a whole different community.”Who’s buying? Baby boomers, mostly, many of them single, with a dog and grown kids.“People are looking for two things,” Lions says. “They want a downsized lifestyle. They realize that we don’t need everything we needed when we were 30 and 40 years old. Live in one room at a time. The second thing they want is community. That’s what we’re really selling first here. You can be as private here as you want or you can be as social.” Homeowner Pam McMaster has downsized four times and settled in a 40-square-foot cottage.Two residents, Pam McMasters and Elizabeth Papps, sitting on McMasters’ porch on a sunny afternoon, fall into the social camp. Both are single — like 70 percent of the residents — and dog lovers.McMasters, a women’s boutique owner from St. Petersburg, Fla., “retired on a Friday and drove up here on a Saturday.”“This was a totally new chapter,” she says. “When I got here, I had a POD delivered and the day the pod came, five people stopped, introduced themselves (and asked) could they help? It was like going back in time when neighbors knew each other, cared about each other, helped each other. That was it. I was in love with the people and the environment and the friendships.”A part-time resident from Maine, Papps first looked at a tiny towable before deciding it wasn’t realistic to drag a trailer 1,100 miles up and down I-95. She rented a park model and within a month had decided to buy.McMasters had a 2,900-square-foot house on St. Pete Beach, then a 1,800-square-foot house in downtown St. Petersburg before downsizing for what she thought would be one last time, to 1,000 square feet. She’s fine with 400 square feet.“You get furniture that’s scaled to where you’re living,” she says. “You realize how unimportant everything is.”“If you bring something new in,” Papps adds, “you take something out.”With more retirees willing to shed a lifetime of material goods, Lions forecasts a big boom in tiny homes. “This is here to stay. This not a fad,” he says. “Because the baby boom population is saying, ‘I don’t need a big house.’” * * * * *   The tiny home development, 24 Empire Lane, Flat Rock, is hosting an open house sales event 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 2018. Although the open house sales event is free and open to the public, reservations are encouraged. Several tiny homes will be open for tours and a shuttle will provide a guided look into the community’s grounds and amenities. For more information or to make a reservation call 828.707.0969 or email info@simple-life.com.   Read Story »

Flat Rock News

Flat Rock names new administrator

FLAT ROCK — The village of Flat Rock has a new administrator, just the second one in its history.   Read Story »

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