Purpose

The Ashe County Planning Department seeks to create livable and enjoyable environments for all residents and visitors of Ashe County. The Planning Department implements land use regulations through a system of ordinances to promote stable and quality development.

Land Usage Ordinances:

Building Regulations
Flood Damage Prevention
Mobile Home Parks
Planning
Recreational Vehicle Parks
Watershed Protection
Residential Subdivisions

Appearance and Dimensional Criteria for

      Manufactured Homes
Communication Towers

Polluting Industries Development

Adult Businesses and Sexually Oriented

      Businesses

Voluntary Farmland Preservation

        Program

Airport Height

Control of Junk Materials, Junkyards, and Abandoned Motor Vehicles

The Planning Department also works closely with the Administration to make several projects possible. Among these are progressing work at the Ashe County Airport, the 1904 Courthouse Preservation Organization, the Ashe Partnership for Children, the e-NC Digital Literacy Program, and other community-oriented initiatives, important to community welfare. 
 

Planning Board

The Ashe County Planning Board consists of five members from different communities throughout the County. The Board meets twice a month, on the first and third Thursdays at 5:30 pm. The Planning Board is responsible for administering several of the County’s Land Use Ordinances, including Residential Subdivisions, Mobile Home Parks, Recreational Vehicle Parks and Communications Towers. Board members are offered a minimal compensation for their time and effort, but are obviously involved because of a desire to sustain and protect the quality of life in Ashe County. As responsible members of the community, Planning Board members take very seriously their commitment to fair and logical interpretation of County ordinances. Current members of the Planning Board are:
Priscilla Cox

Marty Gambill

Darrell Hamilton, Vice Chair

Russell Reeves

Della Tucker Riley

Rick Surber, Chair

Larry Wohlers

 2006 Planning Board Minutes

 2005 Planning Board Minutes

All of the Board members can be contacted, or membership applications made through the Planning office at: (336) 846-5528, fax336.846.5518 or planning@ashecountygov.com.
 

Department Philosophy

Simply put, the purpose of planning is to make better decisions. Often, planning is too hastily associated with strict regulation, and is deemed as a governmental intrusion into the everyday lives of the citizens of the County. At its most basic level, and in its most successful form, planning is a process through which, a neighborhood, community, city or county may assess its past progress and present situation, in order to better gather information and formulate strategies for positive growth and success in the future. Although many planning efforts are initiated from a governmental body, true success lies in grassroots efforts, involving community members and stakeholders to represent citizen interests in looking to the future so that a community can guide growth and development instead of allowing development to go unchecked, and rob a community or county of its identity. The Ashe County Planning Department wishes to utilize this “bottom up” style of planning initiative. It is our hope that through public participation, the establishment of plans and strategies for future development can be formulated and implemented with the support and understanding of the County’s citizens. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Ashe County’s planning program, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Proposed Ashe County Sign Control Regulation

Planning Information

Ashe County Ordinances
American Planning Association
NC APA

High Country Council of Governments
Counties Online
NC School of Government