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LETTERS / Concerned Citizens for Blowing Rock Strongly Supports Appalachian Ski Mtn. Project on U.S. 321

Jan. 22, 2015. The Concerned Citizens of Blowing Rock, LLC, strongly supports Appalachian Ski Mountain’s efforts to place an attractive building and sign for their fine facilities on Highway 321. We are very disappointed by the Blowing Rock Town Council’s delay of this project. Appalachian Ski Mountain is a huge positive for Blowing Rock. It is an exceptionally well managed, superb family attraction that brings a number of visitors to our area. It is a proven economic engine of prosperity for our community. The owners, the Moretz family, have personally been tireless workers for the benefit of our area over many years. We are very grateful for their many wonderful contributions to the success of our great town.

We are struck by the amazing contrast of the council’s actions against Appalachian Ski Mountain, an outstanding, proven, locally owned business, and their earlier approval of the Mountainleaf project for downtown Blowing Rock. The Mountainleaf project will have a much greater impact on Blowing Rock than the height of a sign on Highway 321. In delaying the Appalachian Ski Mountain signage some council members expressed concern about setting a precedent. There was, however, no concern expressed about setting bad precedents by those who voted for the Mountainleaf project that includes the following very serious variances from Town code:

  •  A 55 feet high building ( a firefighting and village image challenge)
  • A significant reduction of required parking (a current serious B.R. problem)
  • A significant increase in the amount of impervious surface covered (a potential runoff problem)

Additionally we have other very serious concerns about the Mountainleaf approval process that have forced us to take legal action to reverse the permit issued for the project by the Town. Unfortunately we are seeing a very negative inconsistency in council actions on permitting that will repel many good developers. This will be very harmful to our economic development. Concerned Citizens of Blowing Rock, LLC, is in favor of good development for our Town that follows a logical, consistent, open, impartial process in compliance with legal standards. We strongly urge the council to approve the proposed Appalachian Ski Mountain signage.

Sincerely,

George T. Wilcox

President – Concerned Citizens of Blowing Rock, LLC