To the Editor:

I think that clear-cutting the slope on Russ Avenue across the road from Kmart was ridiculous. I understand that they needed soil for the contaminated apple orchard, but they could not have chosen a worse place to do so. 

First of all, tourism is one of Waynesville’s main source of income. Why do tourists come to Waynesville? They come to look at the trees. They do not come to look at demolished hillsides. The company that bought the plot of land for the dirt could not have chosen a worse spot.  When tourists flood into Waynesville via Russ Avenue every year, then they all get to see the eyesore of a slope. It baffles me why the city is so intent on beautifying the city by having strict rules with businesses and what seems like no rules on keeping the environment pleasing to the eye in town. 

I would be much more concerned about how the town actually looks than whether a parking lot should be in the front or the back of a business. The company could of at least chosen a spot where the mass public was not going to see it. They could have also chosen a spot where there were no trees so they did not have to cut any down. The operation, being on Russ Avenue with its already congested traffic, was unsafe, not environmentally-friendly, and is still an eyesore to everybody. If we want a successful town, it would be best not to make the same mistake again.

Zachary Perkins

Waynesville