Working Group

Quickly mobilizing to respond to broad-based community concerns, the Haw Creek Community Association created a Working Group to respond to the proposed 95-unit "Meadows at Haw Creek" subdivision for 767 New Haw Creek Road. This action followed a Nov. 28th public meeting, at which over 200 residents expressed overwhelming opposition to the developer's plan.

Although there was broad-based resistance to the project as proposed, points of opposition were fact-based and built around evidence supporting our concerns.

The 767 Working Group comprised community leaders with relevant professional and personal experience who served on the following committees:

• Architectural design ~ evaluate and critique the proposed design and assess its alignment with Asheville's Comprehensive Plan; propose alternative designs including elements sought by the greater Haw Creek community
• Communications ~ manage messaging and updates to the Haw Creek community to maximize public engagement
• Community outreach ~ mobilize the community via petitions, yard signs, letter writing campaigns, and other ways to facilitate public action
• Engineering ~ evaluate the proposed subdivision for compliance with development standards and for opportunities to improve the design and lessen the environmental impact
• Legal process ~ evaluate the development review process and provide key dates/information to help boost public participation

We conducted a comprehensive review of the project proposal as submitted to the City. We also undertook an independent traffic study to determine the operational and safety impacts of the development project.

We recommended any future development on this property be on a scale significantly less extensive than proposed. HCCA and the 767 Working Group strived for an outcome that balanced private property rights with the interests of the surrounding community.