The mapping activity was carried out on paper (through various community meetings) and on PublicInput.com. Respondents had the opportunity to place map “pins” in any of the following categories:

Protect: places you want to stay the same
Change: places you want to change
Replicate: places you like and want to see more of in Buncombe
Grow Housing: places you support development of new housing
Grow Employment: places you support development of new businesses and jobs

In total, over 2,980 map pins were placed on the map.

Map Pin Category	Count
Change	259
Grow Employment	108
Grow Housing	172
Protect	2,321
Replicate	123
Total	2,983

After placing a map Pin, respondents had the option to leave an additional comment, and 751 unique comments were recorded. After a thorough review of all comments, a summary of comment themes is presented below.

Pedestrian and Bicycling Connections:

Request for investment and improvements
Connectivity is a focus, and completion of almost connected segments and routes
More sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian and cyclist safety infrastructure (such as crosswalks and improved intersection signaling and road striping)
Protected bike lanes in some areas and either the creation or improvement of all manner of pedestrian/bicycling infrastructure
Trails and greenways: enhancing downtown multimodal pathways to rural and remote mountain trail networks

Preservation

Focus on farms and rural areas, scenic views, mountain tops, public parks, wetlands creeks and rivers
Interest in more local commercial development, and less big box or bargain store development
Protection of existing density in some neighborhoods

Develop Housing Choices

This theme emerged more than any other in the comment section
Strong desire for more housing stock in general
Also different types of housing and housing units, such as housing co-ops and single & multi-family developments
Creating true communities, with a sense of cohesion among residents
Sustainable communities
Livable communities: advocating for walkability, proximity to schools and employment

Develop with Local Business

Desire to promote local businesses, either through redevelopment, development, or otherwise
Displeasure at the increasing extent of corporate ownership of businesses in town
Seek to have more locally owned and operated places, citing the benefits to the livability and sustainability

Public Services and Infrastructure

Support for public infrastructure such as schools, transit lines, public parks, broadband access, and other public assets
Desire for improvements to public parks, schools, educational centers, and libraries
Recreational opportunities are also desired, including river and lake access

The mapping activity results can be viewed below. For detailed tables of the pin types by jurisdiction, see the attached memo at this link.

Public Input Window #1 Summary: Establish the Vision & Goals

Public Engagement Summary