Land Conservation Advisory Board Meeting | October 21, 2026

On October 21, 2026, the Buncombe County Land Conservation Advisory Board (LCAB) convened to review updates from conservation partners and evaluate revisions to the Land Conservation Advisory Program (LCAP) evaluation form. The meeting focused primarily on refining the scoring criteria used to assess conservation proposals, with the board agreeing to specific changes to the form’s structure.

The board made three key decisions regarding the LCAP evaluation form. First, they agreed to replace the "zero" option for biological and scenic values with a lower non-zero value, such as a 2, and to use descriptive language like "limited biological value" rather than "no biological value." Second, the board agreed to add a middle scoring category for forest protection, determining that scores should be based on the percentage of the property that is forested rather than just acreage or the presence of a management plan. Third, the board agreed to update the definition of funding sources to explicitly include partial charitable donations from landowners as a valid source for the "two or more sources" leverage criteria. Staff will revise the form to incorporate these changes and send the draft to board members for review, with the intention of voting to adopt the revised evaluation system at the November meeting.

During the discussion on the evaluation form, board members debated the necessity of granular scoring. One board member noted, "Nothing’s going to come to us if it’s a zero... I think it will be hard for us to get granular... but definitely more than a zero," while another stated, "I don’t feel strongly about this at all... if people decide it doesn’t need to change, that’s fine with me. But my thinking was that if we get into some proposals where the scoring is a little bit tight, it might be helpful to be able to get a little more granular." Regarding forest stewardship, board member Lang described forestry as "the redheaded stepchild of agriculture" and argued that "if there is adequate forest, that it is worth, it does have conservation value." Board member Tom highlighted the difficulty of funding working forest projects, stating, "Working forest is so essential to the landscape of Western North Carolina, and it is so ignored at all levels of government, except in Buncombe County," noting that state funds often do not support active timber management. Additionally, board member Jess suggested that the leverage section of the form is "more of a transparency question than a deciding question," serving to demonstrate to the public that board funds are being leveraged well.

The meeting also included updates from land conservation partners. The Southern Highlands Conservancy reported the closing of a conservation easement on over 300 acres at Lake Eden Preserve, bringing their total protected land to over 104,000 acres. They noted that projects related to Pisgah View State Park are on hold until a team member returns from maternity leave in January. The Asheville Conservancy reported on the acquisition of a 4.5-acre parcel in Swannanoa for floodplain benching and future passive public access, and noted they are nearing permitting completion for Gateway Park and the Azalea Preserve. The Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation District and Cooperative Extension announced a new agricultural project in Leicester, with a presentation to commissioners scheduled for November 5.

Regarding the upcoming Land Conservation Community event in Jupiter on November 12, board members discussed low RSVP numbers. One board member noted that RSVPs were currently at zero. Another board member stated they had dropped off flyers at the fire station and planned to mail flyers to property owners with larger acreages in the area. Staff agreed to send the flyer to their social media networks and newsletters to help promote the event.

Several follow-up actions were agreed upon during the meeting. Staff member Ariel will revise the LCAP evaluation form to incorporate the discussed changes and send the draft to board members for review before the November meeting. Ariel will also send the flyer for the Jupiter event to the board via email so they can share it on their social media and networks. Board member David agreed to stop by the fire station again to ensure flyers are displayed and to mail flyers to local property owners with larger acreages to increase RSVPs for the Jupiter event. Staff member Jess agreed to send the Jupiter event PDF to the board so it can be shared.

These decisions and updates are significant for residents as they refine how the county evaluates and prioritizes conservation efforts. The shift toward non-zero scoring for biological values and percentage-based scoring for forest land aims to provide a more nuanced assessment of properties, potentially allowing for the recognition of lands with limited but existing conservation value. The clarification on charitable donations ensures that landowner contributions are properly recognized in funding leverage calculations, enhancing transparency for the public. Additionally, the promotion of the Jupiter community event and the ongoing work of partner organizations, such as the Southern Highlands Conservancy and Asheville Conservancy, continue to expand protected lands and public access opportunities within Buncombe County.