Buncombe considers unified fire district to overhaul funding, service levels

Buncombe County’s push for a unified fire tax district could change what homeowners pay for fire protection and how evenly service is delivered across the county. Under the current patchwork, fire-district rates range from 8.36 cents to 22.70 cents per $100 of assessed value, meaning a $400,000 home in Asheville Special pays about $334.40 a year while the same home in French Broad pays about $908.

Fire Marshal Kevin Tipton presented the formal findings report to commissioners on March 17, laying out a plan for a single fire district covering the county outside Asheville, Black Mountain and Weaverville. The proposal would not merge departments or close stations, but it would replace 20 fire service districts now served by 19 local fire departments. The county’s current district system also spans areas tied to Biltmore Forest, Montreat and Woodfin.

Supporters say a unified district would create steadier funding, more even resource distribution and a more consistent set of countywide fire-service standards. That could mean more budget stability for departments that have recently asked for more staffing, coverage, engines and station renovations, while shifting costs for property owners now in lower-tax districts. County budget materials show Skyland at 9.80 cents per $100 of assessed value and French Broad at 22.20 cents, a gap that has made the financing model one of the county’s most uneven public-safety systems.

Officials have also pointed to a staffing benchmark that would call for 22 firefighters on scene for a 2,000-square-foot fire. County leaders say recent emergencies, including Hurricane Helene, showed the need for resources to be more evenly spread across communities, rather than tied to separate district tax bases and separate boards.

The county’s outreach has already included flyers, social media, a community information session on Feb. 26 at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School and the March 17 findings report. Property owners in affected areas are set to receive mailers before the public hearing on April 21, when commissioners will take the next step.

If the ordinance advances, county officials have said a proposed fire tax rate would be folded into the recommended budget in May, with final adoption in June. That leaves commissioners with the central accountability question still in front of them: how to redesign fire funding so homeowners do not absorb an unfair shift while the county gains a more stable, standardized system for the next generation of fire service.