30th Anniversary of WNC Ridge Top Law (Charlotte, Asheville: condos, to buy)

[roadpony]

I remember well when the 10 story Sugar Top condo building was under construction in Avery County. Everyone I knew was outraged.

Here is the first of a two-part article from the Carolina Public Press. I found it posted on the Charlotte Observer's web site:

The view from the top: The battle over mountaintop development in WNC

This is a must-read for anyone who cares about our mountains.

[CarolinaPublicPress]

Hi!

Thanks for posting a link to our story.

Just for clarification, those stories are produced by Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit news organization based in Asheville and covering Western North Carolina.

We share our stories with the Observer. Thanks for reading, linking, and commenting!

You can find us at [url]www.carolinapublicpress.org[/url].

[Imhere now]

Very interesting article, particularly the quote "everyone who is rich desires to be on top of a mountain". We moved from the most desirable land being the "bottom lands" along rivers and streams when we were an agricultural society to the high ridges when the middle class acquired surplus wealth to buy a small condo, or an entire mountain top estate if wealthy enough.

[Above Average Bear]

Geez what a depressing picture...looks like a spike has been drivin into the bosom of Mother Earth...

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by Imhere now

Very interesting article, particularly the quote "everyone who is rich desires to be on top of a mountain".

The Sugar Top condos are still there: http://goo.gl/maps/N5qHo . Although the article said it was legal to build them, I was hoping the pressure stopped them from being built.

[roadpony]

The two photos of the building in the article are current or recent pics. They show condos below the Sugar Top building that were built within the past few years.

[tsmw47]

Ugly, ugly, ugly sticks out like a sore thumb. Thanks for reminding us how important it is to protect the mountains. Not like we can make new ones if we ruin these.........

[roadpony]

Even though the horse was already out of the barn with regard to Sugar Top getting built, it was pretty amazing to see how quickly the Ridge Law made it through the NC Legislature. Thankfully, that was then, not now. Never would have happened in the current political climate of gridlock.

[silverwing]

Leutze now lives in that same cabin, which is seven miles west of the complex, and he said that the placement of the building makes it visible from every prominent peak in the area, even from as far as 50 miles away.

Farther than that

Thank you for posting that article.

Bless the people who took up the fight to preserve the mountain ridges. The area would be blighted by now, if not for them

[roadpony]

Part Two - From the environment to the economy, the state’s ‘most controversial living quarters,’ 30 years later