SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County is asking residents in Swannanoa and nearby communities to weigh in on a long-range plan that will help guide growth, transportation and development in the area over the next 20 years.
The Swannanoa Small Area & Resilience Plan covers communities — including Riceville, Lytle Cove and Lake Eden — and is built from multiple rounds of public input. Now, county officials are using a new online poll to help refine more than 140 proposed policies and actions tied to land use maps, transportation priorities and broader planning goals.
Instead of asking people to dig through the full list of proposals, the poll summarizes the main ideas and asks residents whether the direction feels right.
In general terms, a policy is a guiding principle for county decision-making — for example, limiting dense development in environmentally sensitive areas to protect water, farmland and forests. An action is a specific step the county could take to put those ideas into practice, such as seeking funding to improve roads or transportation safety in partnership with the N.C. Department of Transportation.
The poll is open in English and Spanish through May 18, 2026.
Along with the survey, county staff are also hosting a series of community events across the Swannanoa Valley in early May. Those gatherings are designed to walk people through the proposed plans, answer questions and collect feedback in person. Some events include free food or groceries, and Spanish interpretation will be available at select locations.
Meetings will be held at a range of local spots, including AVL Christian Academy, Short Sleeves Coffee, Good Company Pizza, East Haven Apartments, La Bamba Burrito Express, Bounty & Soul Market, Papaw’s Place, Blunt Pretzels and the Swannanoa Farmers Market.
More details and full plan documents are available through the county’s Swannanoa Small Area & Resilience Plan engagement page.