This so-called crisis has spurred development approvals on Plott Creek (against that community’s wishes), Buchanan Drive/Allen’s Creek (against that community’s wishes), the former Bi-Lo property, the old Hospital, and now Sunnyside Road (against that community’s wishes). Where are all these people coming from? There are no factory or business opportunities. There is no draw for young families with children (or who might want children) because we lack activities for youth to participate in outside of school. Our native residents are either dying out, selling out or moving out, due mostly to a town that doesn’t listen to its people when they speak out. We have been shown again and again that “quantity” means more than “quality.” 

The development proposed for Sunnyside screams “urban sprawl,” can you hear it? It does not suit our neighborhood, it does not suit Waynesville. It is too much! Even if people do come, why would they stay? The very things they move here for are being taken away and is making Waynesville exactly what they are leaving behind. 

Sure, some people want a second residence and might come and purchase another house, but they will not live here year-round.  Waynesville’s first priority should be to its people who do reside here all the time. 

On Oct. 8, I requested of town staff (in the development offices) a copy of Chapter 15 of the Land Development Standards, Technical Review Committee (TRC) notes, and anything the developer for the Sunnyside monstrosity had submitted to date. The secretary who answered my call as well as another female in her office coached me where to look for Chapter 15 on the website and I realized it had not been updated. The secretary went on to tell me that there were not minutes taken at the TRC meeting to pass on and there was nothing more submitted by the developer since the meeting on Sept. 30. That same day, she did forward me the agenda packet from the Sept. 30 meeting. I worked with what I had.

Taking what we could find from the small amount of assistance I was given and prior to the next scheduled meeting, my husband and I wrote and submitted a letter, clearly outlining several problems with what had been submitted for review. Before I went to the town offices to turn in the letter to forward to the Planning Board, I received the agenda packet for the Oct. 18 meeting.

It’s important to keep in mind that I had requested information to appeal intelligently to my local governing board. I wanted to be able to get this information to my neighbors so they could do the same. Even though I tried to get assistance I could not. However, the letter that I wrote was readily given to the developer in a timely manner so they appeared very accomplished and prepared in front of the board. The neighborhood residents were allowed to speak for an allotted 3-5 minutes (give or take), however town staff and the developers did not have to adhere to a time limit. Why should the developer have more voice than the citizens? 

After the Oct. 18 meeting had been closed and the citizens had exited the room, a reporter was interviewing my husband outside the board room. A quorum was still inside with town staff, the developer and town council. They began talking about the development again, which leads to the question of whether that would be a breech of state open meeting laws?

This is bound to make you wonder why it appears town staff and boards are non-neutral when it comes to big developments. Why did town staff not comply with citizen requests? Are these things intentional or an oversight? Despite what town staff exchanged in an email to the developer and town boards, I have time stamped documentation on my office and cell phone of calls made/received to/from the town development office on the dates I have said. I also received agenda packets to my personal email from town staff. If I had not requested, why would they have sent anything?

Wake up Waynesville! Start asking the questions. Start interjecting yourself at town meetings to help maintain what’s left of our town. It could be your neighborhood next.

Charlotte Rogers

Waynesville