Summer is passing so quickly that I was astonished to look up yesterday and realize that we are completing week seven of the conference center’s summer season. From childhood, I remember well how quickly summer flew by following the Fourth of July, and the phenomenon reoccurs even now.
The pace of litigation regarding the proposed new lodge provides an alternative for those who prefer a slower tempo. To review the timeline, here are the most basic facts:
- In 2020, the MRA commissioned design plans to upgrade the lodging on the proposed site, judging Lord, Chestnut, and Galax lodges as outdated for their current use. In October 2021, the MRA brought those plans before the Town Board of Adjustment, seeking a special use permit to build a new lodge as called for under current zoning.
- After months of review and consideration of detailed evidence, the Town Board concluded by a 5-2 vote that the MRA’s plans satisfied all of the standards required to secure a special use permit.
- When their opposition to the project before the Town Board failed, two Montreat landowners who own homes near MRA’s property challenged the MRA’s permit application, filing a petition in Buncombe County Superior Court to have the decision overturned/reversed. The Superior Court judge set aside the permit.
- In response, the MRA Board’s executive committee voted to appeal the Superior Court’s decision to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The case will proceed to the court for scheduling following the filing of briefs this summer.
If the above recap reads a little dry, I understand; nevertheless, it’s best to refrain from much public comment on the case while the legal process is ongoing. For a refresher on the history and design, go here.
Meanwhile, we have used the intervening time to continue our planning. At every board meeting, our members have spent significant time reviewing the details and status of the case, the reasoning for appeal, and possible alternatives to the present course regarding the use of the property and the proposed new lodge.
At its recent meeting in March, members concluded again that the current plan remains the better option for our mission. Members pointed out that the current plan:
- Has been carefully designed and vetted,
- Is the best use of the property for our mission, and
- Will preserve more greenspace than would multi-building alternatives. (To reach the same goals, multi-building plans must accommodate far more surface parking spaces than the proposed lodge, which will provide up to 30 underground parking spaces below the building.)
In summary, the board believes the appeal was necessary and remains committed to putting the best possible solution on that property.
Lord, Chestnut, and Galax
Lord Apartments, Chestnut Lodge, and Galax Lodge were prepared for demolition in the spring of 2023 and have not been occupied by guests or staff in each of the past two summers. Predictably, their offline status has had no material impact on the delivery of our programs or on our operating budget, further evidence that the chosen site has been underutilized and needs a new solution. Regardless of the outcome of the current legal case, the board is committed to better developing this property to the best and highest use in the center of our campus so that it can serve Montreat in the 21st century.
Storm Water Retention
In the aftermath of the latest attempt to muddy the water on stormwater retention, I was asked to summarize the facts as simply as possible:
- The stormwater system for the proposed lodge must comply with all current requirements of the Buncombe County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance and with requirements of the Montreat Stormwater Management Ordinance.
- Buncombe County administers the Montreat Stormwater Management Ordinance, and Buncombe County administers the associated permitting for the Town of Montreat.
- The engineered detention system will be sized appropriately to the redeveloped portion of the site (as regulations require) and will be located and installed according to specifications.
- The Project’s detention system must be approved by Buncombe County before any building permits are issued. MRA has received preliminary approval from Buncombe County to install the detention system specified in our plans.
Again, a little dry, but sometimes the truth is less salacious than it might appear. To sum up, there is this. Flat Creek is a stream of pristine water quality, despite more than a century of real estate development in Montreat. The Mountain Retreat Association and the Town of Montreat have been the stewards of Flat Creek during that time and the leaders of both institutions are committed to its protection going forward.
If you would like to discuss any of the points made or raised above, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’m happy to make an appointment to discuss. Until next time! RD
Richard DuBose
President, Montreat Conference Center