Zoning can be a confusing subject, regardless of where you own real estate, whether it’s a large city like Charlotte (NC), a small city like Asheville (NC), or a rural area like Buncombe County in western North Carolina. . Zoning is a tool used to designate individual areas of land for specific purposes. When used correctly, zoning can help rapidly developing cities and counties create a smart growth plan. This is one of the reasons Buncombe County commissioners are implementing new zoning in the metropolitan region surrounding Asheville, North Carolina.
The new zoning, adopted in May 2007, affects homeowners throughout Buncombe County, as well as prospective real estate buyers, sellers and investors. A clear understanding of zoning ordinances and restrictions is essential if you are going to own real estate. It affects the value of your home and the choices you can make when selling or building on your property. This applies to both residential real estate and commercial property owners.
Zoning Rules for Real Estate in Asheville, NC: The Importance of Community Responsibility
In a video titled “Will Zoning Affect You?” on the Buncombe County website, [http://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/Planning/landUse.htm], Deputy County Administrator Jon Creighton explains the county’s motivation to implement a new zoning in the spring of 2007 and outlines the proposed zoning changes. It also confirms that concerns about the growing number of county residents, developers, and homes being built on the tops and slopes of mountains have forced Buncombe County and City of Asheville officials to make zoning a priority.
Creighton begins by defining an open-use zoning designation. Open use, or OU, is zoning that is generally found in rural areas. Land considered available for open use means that the property can be bought and sold for a wide variety of residential and commercial purposes with the exception of certain restricted uses. Restricted uses on open land include incinerators, concrete plants, landfills, asphalt plants, chip mills, mining operations, and motorsport facilities.
According to Creighton, these types of businesses have a great impact on the community as a whole, so any real estate investor or owner interested in these endeavors should present a project proposal at a public hearing. This allows other homeowners and homeowners in the Asheville area to hold Western North Carolina real estate and commercial developers accountable for the impact they have on existing neighborhoods and residents.
How does zoning affect buyers and sellers of homes and land in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina?
Comprehensive zoning throughout Buncombe County and Asheville, NC also changed in 2007. Comprehensive zoning differs from open use because it separates residential and commercial areas into designations such as R-1 and R-2 residential districts, employment districts, and districts. of commercial and neighborhood services. . Buncombe and Asheville County home buyers and sellers can find their property’s zoning designation using the county’s online GIS system. The system can be found at [http://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/Planning/landUse.htm].
Property owners and real estate investors interested in changing the zoning designation of a specific piece of land can approach the Buncombe County Commissioners and Board of Adjustment. Public hearings are required if an Application for Variations or Conditional Use Permits or a Request to Modify the Text or Maps of the Buncombe County Zoning Ordinance is filed. To obtain a building permit for any zoning district that is not open use, real estate investors and homeowners must present a Certificate of Zoning Compliance. The cost associated with these applications varies.
Size counts! Zoning of the center in question on Merrimon Avenue
The most recent zoning debate to take place in Buncombe County is taking place in downtown Asheville, NC. In an article written by Mark Barrett in the January 15, 2008 issue of the Asheville Citizen Times, the Asheville City Council will explore two major zoning issues in 2008. First, the developers of the Horizons Project, which would construct nine buildings, including two of 10- Story Towers, have asked to postpone a public hearing until July to evaluate the opposition of the neighbors and the economic conditions.
Barrett also writes that the “Asheville city council is scheduled to hear from city staff on zoning proposals for the 2.4-mile stretch of Merrimon between Interstate 240 and the North Asheville Library near Beaver Lake.” . “The city had considered creating a new zoning district for much of the property along the street that would encourage the construction of taller buildings closer to the street,” continues Barrett, “but several homeowners and some residents objected. “.
As Buncombe County moves into the future, growth is inevitable, but the real effects zoning will have on real estate in Asheville, North Carolina, remains to be seen. Local home buyers and sellers can achieve more real estate success the more they learn about zoning restrictions and changes. For more information on zoning or buying and selling real estate in Asheville, NC, visit http://www.MarkGJackson.com.