Buncombe County Commissioners Unanimously Approve Five Conservation Easement Budget Amendments

Three conservation easement projects in Black Mountain cleared a key funding hurdle March 17 when the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved five budget amendments totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in Open Space Bond funds and transaction cost allocations.

The Land Conservation Advisory Board had recommended all three Black Mountain acquisitions. The largest, The Light Center Nature Preserve, covers 112 acres and received $282,000 for an easement purchase from the Open Space Bond. The adjacent Light Center Farm, a separate 13-acre parcel, received $46,000 for its easement purchase. Duck Branch, a 62-acre property, received $155,000 for the easement purchase plus an additional $21,000 in transaction costs drawn from the county's special projects fund. Conserving Carolina will hold the easements for all three properties.

The board also approved budget amendments to cover transaction costs for two additional full-donation conservation easements recommended by the Buncombe County Agricultural Advisory Board, though specific dollar amounts for those transaction costs were not disclosed. The Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District's Farmland Preservation Program will serve as the easement holding entity for those donated parcels. Some reporting has placed conservation easement funding approvals in Fairview as well as Black Mountain, but available records do not tie the two donated projects to a confirmed location.

The conservation votes were part of a dense agenda. Commissioners approved resolutions authorizing the issuance of up to $145 million in limited obligation bonds to fund school and county capital projects and potential refinancing. No members of the public commented during the bond hearing. The board also approved a $100,000 budget amendment tied to a grant from the North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund to support mental health training and services related to storm recovery through early 2027.

County Fire Marshal Kevin Tipton presented a findings report on the proposed Unified Fire Tax District, as required under NC General Statute 153A-304. Buncombe County is exploring the unified district as a way to ensure consistent fire protection access for all residents and to create a more equitable funding structure for fire services.

Commissioners also approved a contract for design and engineering services to install a backup generator at A.C. Reynolds High School, enabling the facility to function as an emergency shelter. The board proclaimed March as Red Cross Month and recognized March 24 as National Agriculture Day.

The five conservation easement approvals arrive as Buncombe County's capital spending trajectory steepens. County capital spending from the general fund is projected to exceed $30 million in fiscal 2026-27, up from roughly $20 million per year over the prior decade. County budget analyst Matt Evans told commissioners in January that deferred capital investment was a primary driver: "We have a lot of capital that we need to pay for. And when we have deferred that capital, this is how it comes into fruition."

Staff have separately floated possible future bond packages of $10 million for land conservation, up to $53 million for affordable housing, and up to $162 million for Buncombe County Schools projects, any of which could appear on the November midterm ballot pending board approval. Commissioners are scheduled to take up the county budget at a work session March 24, with a public hearing set for May 19 and budget adoption targeted for June 2. The board's next regular meeting is April 21 at 200 College St., Room 326, in downtown Asheville.