Editor’s note

As Tony Dillard notes in this guest column, we’ve printed two other opinion pieces over the last two weeks by Waynesville aldermen Chuck Dickson and Jon Feichter regarding this annexation and the issue of whether these housing developments fit into the character of Waynesville. It’s unusual for The Smoky Mountain News to then give this much space to a third opinion piece, but given the importance of this issue — how will we grow — we decided to give Mr. Dillard the opportunity to voice his concerns. To note, Dillard is a private citizen in Waynesville.

— Scott McLeod, SMN Editor 

To the Editor:

In light of the shortcomings in the Town of Waynesville Development Plan surfaced by Queen’s Farm phases 1 and 2, it might be a good time to look back to the 1990s when the Old Asheville Highway was slated for improvement — from where Lowe’s is now to Downtown Waynesville.

That windy two-lane road into town was scheduled to be straightened and widened. NCDOT spent an enormous amount of time and effort to engage the community in order to learn of concerns and needs before drawing up a plan.

On April 14, the Waynesville Town Council voted 4-1 to annex the Queen’s Farm/Valleywood Farms Phase 2 property into the town limits. As part of the Town of Waynesville, an annexed property receives services, is subject to zoning and other town regulations and pays property taxes. 

I voted to annex Phase 2 of Valleywood Farms, and I want to tell you why. 

Jackson County commissioners have approved a sweeping new conservation framework designed to balance growth with preservation across some of the most ecologically significant lands in Western North Carolina, located in the southern part of the county. 

Girls on the Run of Western North Carolina (GOTR WNC) announced the appointment of Stacie Marlowe as its executive director. A Henderson County native and long-time advocate for youth development, Marlowe steps into the role with a passion for empowering girls and a strong background in youth development programming and nonprofit leadership. 

The Jackson County ‘Headwaters District’ Conservation Plan seeks to apply an objective, fact-based approach to assessing the conservation and development priorities of communities within the southern half of Jackson County.

To the Editor:

This just in! President Trump is recommending everyone in WNC be moved out to somewhere else (maybe Gaza?) until the white horses can come to our rescue and fix this place.

Last week, the Sylva Town Board approved rules and procedures for the new Economic Development Advisory Committee, an advisory committee to the Economic Development Director and to the Sylva Town Board of Commissioners. 

Amid complaints from neighbors, the new owners of the Waynesville Inn and Golf Club once again saw their proposed 12-unit Longview development shot down after Town Council found it to be inconsistent with several aspects of the town’s land management plan. 

To the Editor:

Last week, we were informed that one of our Macon County commissioners is planning to eliminate the floodplain (development) ordinance. My small eco-tours business will be negatively impacted by this.