Here are a couple of notes from Larchmont project opponents, in advance of tonight’s Asheville Planning & Zoning Commission meeting. The Mountain Housing Opportunities proposal is to build a two-story, 60-unit building of apartments up off Merrimon Avenue.
First up is Laura Burke, writing to the Asheville Citizen-Times:
Dear Citizen–Times Editor,
Your newspaper contacted me regarding the proposed rezoning of the land adjacent to my home off of Merrimon Avenue. I quickly realized your reporter knew little about this issue other than what he had been told by MHO, the developer which hopes to have the land re-zoned Urban Residential from Institutional. As I explained my neighborhood’s primary concerns about the re-zoning, the reporter needed an online map to understand what I was telling him. I detailed two problems: #1. The project is undeniably not to scale and in harmony with the existing neighborhood… as needed to re-zone. #2. The safety of traffic on Long and Larchmont Streets has not been adequately considered. In addition to current congestion and emergency vehicles exiting Larchmont’s Fire Station, these narrow streets will have to handle the project’s cars and pedestrian traffic.
I hoped to see both sides of the debate presented in today’s paper, but found that neither issue had been fairly portrayed. His article also misrepresented the property as 2.3 acres when in fact the buildable acreage is 2 acres allowing for a maximum of 32 units on the property, not 37.
How about some real journalism on this issue?
Thank you,
Laura M Burke
Next is Sarah Olson:
I think the point that people seem to be missing is that the burden of proof has been placed on the wrong people. It seems to me that in order for zoning to be changed, the party seeking the variance should have to demonstrate an overwhelming benefit to the existing neighborhood. The only thing I’m hearing is that the mho project won’t be financially feasible under current zoning – that simply should not be sufficient justification. Go build it somewhere else that allows high density housing.