Nathan on:

Taxes

Jobs

Economic Development

Education

Healthcare

Public Safety

The Environment

Affordable Housing

Open Government

Private Property Rights

District Elections

Land Use

Recent Developments

Superior Court Judge Marlene Hyatt has ruled in favor of the Pack family's lawsuit against the Parkside land sale. Although the county's attorneys had consistently informed the County Commission that the sale we approved was in fact legal, in light of Judge Hyatt's ruling, the people of Buncombe County will now retain the property.

I commend the heirs of George Pack and admire the commitment and tenacity of all those who voiced their concerns about the land sale. The grass-roots activism of our people and their love for our storied history, embodied in many ways by City-County Plaza, is a further testament to what makes Buncombe County such a special place to live. Passions ran high around the magnolia tree, and it's my personal view that the county should not appeal the judge's decision.

We recognize that some parties may choose to appeal. Of course, that is their right. For this reason, the county should continue negotiations regarding the purchase of the Hayes & Hopson building --- and to make arrangements so this case can finally be resolved.

I believe that the county --- working in collaboration with the City of Asheville --- should place a permanent restriction on all the property located within the boundaries of Pack Square Park so it will remain public in perpetuity. This restriction should be recorded in the Register of Deeds office so that future title searches will clearly show and future generations will clearly know that this land should be held for public use forever.

George Pack

George Willis Pack is a legendary figure in Buncombe County. His picture today hangs in the lobby of our courthouse in honor and appreciation of the innumerable contributions he's made to our area and our people. The public library's main branch in downtown Asheville is named for him as is our community's signature public park.

The old 1876 courthouse would eventually be demolished and turned into a public park. As a result of referendum, "Public Square" (as it used to be called) would be now called "Pack Square" in honor of its benefactor.

Mr. Pack and his wife (who was plagued by respiratory problems) moved to Asheville for the same reason so many still flock here today: they enjoyed both the tonic and the natural beauty of mountain living. The fresh air offered a stark contrast to the increasing industrial pollution of Cleveland and other northern cities.

When they moved here 1884, the railroad had just arrived in town, and the boom --- which transformed Asheville from a small town crossroads to a real city --- had just begun. Pack capitalized on the opportunity by investing heavily in local real estate; his beautiful large home was located on what is today the old Deal Motor Cars dealership on Merrimon Avenue.

Mr. Pack died on August 31, 1906. For more fascinating history about Mr. Pack and his family's many contributions to Asheville and Buncombe County, please check out this link.

Controversy

Very few issues over the last several years have engendered so much misunderstanding, inflamed rhetoric, or media attention than the so-called "Parkside Controversy."

It involves the sale of approximately 3,100 square feet of land on the southeast corner of Pack Square Park (which currently occupies a quarter of a million square feet) to a private developer. That developer, Black Dog Realty, had previously purchased the old Hayes & Hopson building (adjacent to the area in question), with the intention of developing the derelict building into condos and shops.

The sale of the 3,100 square feet was unanimously approved by the county commissioners, including by my opponent. At the time, we all believed it to be a legal sale, done in an open public meeting, and we all knew the county was selling the property referred to as the "old jail" site, which included an alley adjacent to Hayes & Hopson. We also all knew that the developer planned to construct a residential tower on that property.

But now that election season is upon us, my opponent conveniently claims that he didn't know what he was voting on. In fact, my opponent was in an especially privileged position to know exactly what he was voting on: he served on the Board of the Pack Square Conservancy for seven years, which, in conjunction with the City of Asheville and Buncombe County, approved a plan that included an eight story building on a large portion of this site.

My sense is that my opponent's flip-flopping is either a lawyer-like duck and cover scheme --- or the shameless political pandering of someone looking for votes. Maybe it's both, I don't know. But it sure looks to me like just another politician trying to have it both ways.

The most significant mistake we made as a board was in failing to purchase the Hayes & Hopson building when we had the opportunity. The board discussed this in closed session, and I pushed the county to purchase the building; unfortunately, the majority of commissioners --- including my opponent --- disagreed with me, which opened the door to private development on the site.

The county commissioners, and that includes me, ought not to have sold the 3,100 square feet of land, but the sale was conducted in an open process as dictated by NC law --- so everything was done entirely above-board. Although we did make a mistake, I still believe that we acted in good faith and in accordance with what we all thought were the intentions of the original plan for Pack Square Park, despite what some of the more strident voices might claim.

I’ve done my best to work with our Board, the city, Pack Square Conservancy, the developer, and even the passionate folks camped out down by the tree. I support returning the purchase price to the Black Dog Realty and I look forward to moving ahead --- with the City of Asheville, the Pack Square Conservancy, and the many other folks involved --- to heal the rifts in our community and to finally finish the work on Pack Square Park.