A clip from the story:
Sometimes it takes nearly three hours to hit the pause button.
On Nov. 13, the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment took two hours and 45 minutes to unanimously vote to postpone until Dec. 11 a hearing on a controversial apartment complex, Crossroads at West Asheville. An overflow crowd of about 125 people attended the meeting in the Buncombe County Administration building — with another 100 watching online in another room — as well as a slew of experts, engineers and county staffers.
While the development company, Catalyst Capital Partners of Charlotte, opposed the continuance, the board postponed the hearing because the plans for the 802-unit complex have changed. Neighbors opposed to the project need more time to consult with expert witnesses and to receive final numbers on traffic impacts.
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The developer is seeking a conditional use permit for the site, planned for 68 acres on South Bear Creek Road near the Malvern Hills neighborhood in West Asheville. Plans call for 802 total living units, mostly apartments, as well as 14,400 square feet of retail space, 50,400 square feet of office space and 64,000 square feet of self-storage.
Bob Oast and Lou Bissette, attorneys for the development company, argued that holding the hearing Nov. 13 was indeed a matter of fairness, in this case to their client. Bissette contended the changes actually lessened the impact of the development, noting that the developer started working on the project about a year ago.
“They met with well over 50 different groups; they met continuously with the DOT and the county,” Bissette said. “During that time, my clients were going out of their way to take public input from neighbors, the DOT, from the city.”
At this point, he was interrupted by jeers from the crowd, with one man shouting, “Tell the truth!” Some in attendance contended they were never notified of a public meeting with the developer.
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