Planning Board Meeting | June 15, 2026

Buncombe County Planning Board Meeting Recap: June 15, 2026

The Buncombe County Planning Board convened on June 15, 2026, to conduct official business, with the primary focus on amending the county’s ordinances regarding street names, addresses, and address display. The meeting included the approval of minutes from the April 20, 2026, meeting and a review of notes from the May 18, 2026, meeting, which had previously been cancelled due to a lack of quorum. The central agenda item was a public hearing on ZPH2026-00016, a proposed amendment to Article II in Chapter 66 of the Buncombe County Code of Ordinances.

The board voted unanimously to approve the street name, street address, and address display ordinance amendment. The Planning Board determined that the amendment is consistent with the Buncombe County 2043 Comprehensive Plan, specifically aligning with policies related to Hazards & Resilience and Infrastructure & Energy. The board concluded that the changes are reasonable and in the public interest, and they prepared a written recommendation to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to approve the proposed text.

During the discussion, the board focused on modernizing the ordinance to improve emergency response capabilities. Staff explained that the update aims to clarify rules around addressing and road naming, removing outdated references and adding new definitions to align with current county practices. A significant portion of the debate centered on ensuring house numbers are clearly visible for emergency responders. Staff noted that this requirement is currently enforced during zoning inspections for new construction and addressed when 911 addressing issues arise. While the board acknowledged that many existing homes still lack clearly visible numbers, they noted there is currently no penalty for this non-compliance.

Board member Karl Koon questioned how the county ensures existing homes have visible addresses, which led to a discussion regarding zoning inspections and nonconforming uses. In response, planning staff emphasized the importance of accurate addressing for emergency responders and explained that the ordinance update is designed to align with current best practices. The board also briefly discussed extending addressing practices to other structures, such as buildings in parks, agreeing to a case-by-case approach involving discussions between staff and relevant departments, including the Fire Department and Parks & Recreation.

No members of the public signed up to speak during the general public comment period, and no one chose to speak during the second opportunity for public comment specifically regarding the ordinance amendment. Consequently, there was no community input recorded for this meeting.

Regarding next steps, staff reminded board members to notify ILEA if they anticipate being unable to attend next month’s meeting due to summer vacation to ensure a quorum can be achieved. The board indicated that next month’s meeting will likely involve revisions to the watershed ordinance and the manufactured home park ordinance, as well as a rezoning matter and feedback on a draft small area plan. Staff confirmed they will continue to enforce address visibility during new construction zoning inspections, though no new penalties for existing structures were established at this meeting.