News

VOTER GUIDE: Hendersonville City Council (2-year term)

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 25, 2024

Three candidates are running for the Hendersonville City Council seat made vacant by the resignation of council member Jerry Smith in October 2023. The winner of the election will take office on Dec. 5 for a term that expires in 2026.

Gina Baxter, 35, is coordinator of the adolescent parenting program at Children and Family Resource Center. She serves on the city’s Environmental Sustainability Board. She has a bachelor’s degree from UNC Greensboro in human development and family systems with a concentration in early childhood education. In their free time, she and her husband and their two dogs enjoy exploring in the woods, camping and hiking. 

Colby Coren, a fourth generation native of Hendersonville, is a public school teacher and former Henderson County School Board member. He is involved in the music ministry at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and teaches voice lessons at the Salvation Army’s School of Performing Arts. He and his wife, Christine, “share our home with our playful black cat, Winnie, and our energetic Weimaraner, Luna,” he says. In his free time, they enjoy exploring new places, cruising and sampling different foods.

Lynne Elizabeth Williams, 42, is an eighth generation Henderson County resident who describes herself as a community advocate and “agripreneur.” She has a bachelor’s degree from University of South Florida in Tampa, and was a Rotary International ambassadorial scholar at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her hobbies and interests include Charlie’s Angels rescue volunteer, VWIN water quality volunteer, street cleanup coordinator, local economy, history and  agritourism, river swimming, photography and hiking.

Why are you running for City Council?

Baxter: To work my hardest to ensure that Hendersonville remains a place we love to live, far into the future. I initially considered running because of housing. My own personal experiences of renting here in Henderson County for 14 years, working with families of all kinds and income levels in our community, drove me to become invested in learning about housing solutions. I have had long-term interests in sustainable development and alternate methods of transportation that can support notable increases in population, like the one Hendersonville has experienced. I have been hard at work seeking solutions, and will bring that hard work to the office if elected. 

Coren: As an elementary teacher with nearly a decade of experience and four years on the Henderson County Board of Education, I’ve spent my career empowering our youngest citizens. Now, I’m ready to extend that dedication to serve all of Hendersonville by running for City Council. I believe that together we can work towards positive, meaningful change for Hendersonville and create a city that future generations will be proud to call home.

Williams: As an eighth generation Henderson County resident, it’s my civic duty, right and privilege to protect this sacred, fertile valley that’s nurtured lineages for thousands of years. My grandparents were born here, investing their entire lives in Hendersonville. They taught me so many valuable lessons and led with action as exemplary individuals. I strive daily to honor the legacy of those who have come before us, protecting our collective inheritance beyond the next seven generations. 

What are your highest priorities for the city of Hendersonville over the next four years?

Williams: Empowering youth, families, seniors, veterans, first responders, farmers, businesses, residents and vulnerable populations with resources, quality employment and robust affordable housing. Invest in emergency preparedness and infrastructure modernization. Build public and private partnerships enabling conservation, local business, responsible development, climate smart agriculture, ecotourism, art and agritourism. Demand government transparency with accessibility and citizen participation. Protections for clean air, water, wildlife, farmlands, floodplains, EJT, rural, cultural and historic communities building to improve public safety, stormwater mitigation, transportation, food security, green infrastructure with parks and open space nurturing our quality of life.

Coren: My campaign focuses on public safety, infrastructure and affordable housing—issues that are more important than ever in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Supporting our police, fire and first responders is crucial to ensuring the safety and recovery of our community. I’ll prioritize improving roads, parks and public spaces to rebuild and enhance our quality of life. Additionally, advocating for affordable and workforce housing is essential, so families have a stable place to call home, especially during times of crisis. Together, we can ensure Hendersonville emerges stronger and more resilient.

Baxter: Sustainable, affordable housing solutions that work for more of us, so that our first responders, teachers, retired population, and folks at every income level have access to safe and stable living conditions. In the wake of the natural disaster of Hurricane Helene, this need will become even more present, immediate and wider-reaching. Forward-thinking growth management to include an intentional focus on infill development. We are incredibly lucky to live in a community with such hardworking and dedicated city staff, and the work they have done to gather information to understand community needs should continue to guide us. Public transit continues to be a widely unmet need.

The City Council has made a commitment to invest in affordable housing. What role if any can the city play in making more affordable homes available?

Coren: The city can play a critical role in increasing the availability of affordable housing by collaborating with developers to incentivize affordable projects, leveraging city-owned land for housing initiatives and revising zoning policies to allow for more diverse housing options. We must also focus on reducing barriers for workforce housing, ensuring that teachers, first responders and essential workers can live in the community they serve. By supporting partnerships, creating clear development guidelines and prioritizing affordable housing in city planning, we can ensure that Hendersonville remains a vibrant, inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to call home.

Williams: Create and strengthen partnerships for equitable and affordable housing with county, state, federal and community organizations. Create a whole city, county and regional review to determine the current demographics of homeownership and create an equitable, sustainable growth strategy.

Baxter: The city can collaborate with developers who are open to partnering with us, provide incentives for affordable units while builders are already showing a lot of interest in our area, and continue to explore innovative solutions to find the right fits for our city. Developers and builders who are willing to build affordable units should be incentivized to do so. Community land trusts, a permanent housing board of the city, and considering options that work for our specific experience here in Hendersonville will allow us to ease the housing crisis sustainably. After Hurricane Helene, this need will become even more present and immediate.

One approach to preventing suburban sprawl is to "go up and not out" and to approve higher density in-fill development. What is your stand on mid-rise housing and in-fill development?

Baxter: As a general principle, I support infill development- I have lived here since I was 12 and I know that the agricultural community that runs generations deep in Henderson County is incredibly important. Infill development would allow for more housing in areas that are already developed without sprawling into farmland, while making more efficient use of the developed areas that we already have. However, I do think that a case-by-case approach should be employed to consider potential risks or harms for specific areas that may be available for infill, and it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Coren: I support responsible in-fill development and mid-rise projects as part of a balanced approach to growth. By focusing on “going up, not out,” we can protect our natural landscape and prevent suburban sprawl, while creating more housing options within our existing infrastructure. Higher-density developments, when thoughtfully planned, can enhance connectivity, support local businesses, and help address the need for affordable housing. It’s essential, however, that we maintain the character of our neighborhoods, prioritize green spaces and ensure infrastructure can handle increased density. With careful planning, in-fill development can strengthen our community without compromising its unique charm.

Williams: Hendersonville is a small town and we work hard to protect our small town character. When making development approval decisions, the proposals must be compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods, protect the environment and have infrastructure already in place to support population increase. Outsourcing the externalized burdens of developments like increased flooding, overburdened infrastructure, loss of critical mature canopy and excessive traffic must stop. We need to re-evaluate and invest in floodplain rehabilitation and stormwater mitigation. 

What else would you like to add?

Williams: Voters need choices and incumbents need to prove their value to the people they represent. I speak up for our residents with an ethical, compassionate and common sense approach. Hendersonville City Council is supposed to be nonpartisan. As the only unaffiliated candidate in this race, I offer a collaborative, nonpartisan approach with the sincere commitment of doing what is best for our community and its residents. I will prioritize the rights of the people and do what is right with fiscal oversight over private interests or party politics.

Coren: As a lifelong Hendersonville resident, I’m deeply committed to preserving the unique character of our community while addressing its needs. My experience in education and community service has given me a firsthand understanding of the challenges our families, workers and future generations face. I’m dedicated to listening to residents, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that growth is thoughtful and benefits both current and future generations. I envision a Hendersonville that embraces progress while maintaining its charm—a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Together, we can shape a brighter future for our city, and I’m ready to lead that effort.

Baxter: These responses were submitted after Hurricane Helene hit us, and it has been incredibly challenging to consider the depth of the housing crisis that will face us as we move forward, while contending with the destruction all around us. I’d like for folks to know that, whether elected or not, I remain committed to doing my absolute best every day to help us rebuild in whatever capacity I can be useful in. It will take all of us working together to come back from this, but I have absolutely no doubt that we will.