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Smart Growth Updates
Thursday June 6, 2002
-
Commissioners approve Smart Growth plan goals:
1.
Proactive long-range planning by creating a
comprehensive land-use plan (no mention of zoning).
2. Manage and control residential and commercial growth by enacting subdivision "ordinances to ensure residential and commercial growth is managed in order to preserve and maintain the beauty of the mountains, community aesthetics and the overall rural nature of the county and to protect the health and safety of all residents."
3. Provide for adequate emergency services by developing a fire tax system to fund the county's volunteer fire departments.
4. Preserve the small town and rural nature of the county by creating a walkable community by encouraging the preservation of green space in developments including the development of an greenway. (JCM)
Thursday May 16, 2002 - Over the last year our community has demanded Smart Growth solutions to protect our citizens from polluting industries. On Thursday evening Jackson County commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the long awaited Industrial Development Ordinance. This will be the first ordinance in Jackson County to regulate heavy industries including junkyards, mining operations and asphalt plants. This ordinance is just the first step towards county-wide Smart Growth solutions. As citizens of Jackson County, we now need to come together and create a county-wide land use plan that will protect our community from further unchecked growth. Stay tuned for more details to follow. (JCM)
Smart Growth Headlines
There are now over
33,000 residents in Jackson County with more relocating here
every day. Without a plan for our community's future, unchecked
development in this county will overwhelm our community and
create unrepairable situations. Over the past few years Jackson
County commissioners have created moratoriums for many situations
without creating a true community land-use plan. Some of the
moratoriums include: Billboards, Helicopters, Cell-Phone Towers,
and Asphalt Plants. Citizens in Jackson County came together
during a series of Smart Growth meetings in 2000 to try to create a solution to
these potential problems. Together we decided that maintaining
our rural integrity and keeping our natural resources (land, air,
water) prestine were top priority. Knowing this, we need true
pro-active planning, not re-active moratoriums. Here are links to
some articles to keep you informed about Smart Growth issues. (JCM)
02/13/02 EDC asks Jackson to consider polluting
industries ordinance
(SMN)
02/06/02 Keeping the dream alive (SMN)
01/16/02 Moratorium may stall development (SMN)
11/28/01 Westmoreland wants
to position Jackson County to take advantage of future (SMN)
08/29/01 Cashiers looks at
ways for community to organize (SMN)
07/25/01 Opinion: Call it whatever, but we need
planning (SMN)
07/11/01 Opinion: Chocolate rivers and lemon juice
rain by John Beckman
(SMN)
07/04/01 Opinion: Cell towers are a sign of the
times (SMN)
06/27/01 Cashiers residents want to block cell
tower (SMN)
05/01/01 Editorial: Planning apathy defies reason (SMN)
05/30/01 Opinion: Asphalt debate raises tough
land-use questions (SMN)
05/30/01 Connecting the region’s
environmental problems
(SMN)
05/16/01 Asphalt vs. Community (SMN)
05/16/01 Fortner says public is over-reacting (SMN)
05/03/01 Qualla says 'no' to
asphalt plant (SH)
05/02/01 Qualla community turns out to protest
asphalt plant (SMN)
04/26/01 Qualla residents
ask for relief from proposed asphalt plant (SH)
04/25/01 Asphalt proposal fires up Qualla (SMN)
02/01/01 At what price Eden? by Thomas Rain Crowe (SMN)
01/17/01 Editorial: What are we trying to
preserve? (SMN)
12/13/00 Editorial: Will anyone move beyond
studying our growth problems? (SMN)
12/06/00 Smart Growth tries to control, not stop,
new development (SMN)
12/06/00 Loss of cultural identity worries Balsam
residents (SMN)
11/22/00 Cashiers residents continue to debate
sewer issue (SMN)
11/01/00 Jackson commissioners use retreat to
review, look ahead (SMN)
10/18/00 Developers, TWASA don’t reach sewer
accord (SMN)
07/05/00 Editorial: Perhaps there is some common
ground (SMN)
05/10/00 County formally opposes Village’s
ETJ proposal (SMN)
03/29/00 Editorial: WNC clueless about benefits of
planning (SMN)