Thursday night was a BIG win for us when our Henderson County Planning Board members recommended to deny Jeff Shipman’s application for conditional zoning after a 5-2 vote – but don’t celebrate too soon. While the planning board’s recommendation will help influence the final decision, the Board of Commissioners can still approve the Conditional District rezoning application when it comes up for vote at a later date (TBD) if they choose.
For those following the county’s process, here are the results of the planning board vote:
Recommended to Deny:
Rick Livingston
Bruce Hatfield
Jim Miller, Jr.
Jennifer Balkcom
Steve Dozier
Recommended to Approve:
Blake Baird
Hunter Marks
Not Present:
Paul Patterson
Trey Ford
SE Asphalt will not slow down. Neither can we.
Jeff Shipman posted this on his website immediately after the Planning Board meeting:
“The planning boards ungrounded decision not to allow rezoning to approve our plant in East Flat Rock is absolutely ludicrous! We meet all the requirements set forth by the county. Direct quote from East Flat Rock Community plan. Section 3.6 Economic Development- Direct commercial and industrial growth to areas where community facilities and public services are present or anticipated. Support industrial development within the East Flat Rock planning area. Support existing businesses and industries. End quote. I am not quite sure how they intend to have economic development when they have no industrial zoned sites in East Flat Rock. However this does not stop our progress. We elected the Henderson County Commissioners so they would be the final vote. To not pass this would be a travesty to the community and Henderson County! I have heard from many of you on our side and we greatly appreciate the phone calls. We are confident when weighing the facts the commissioners will VOTE YES to approve our plant.”
Local existing businesses say a neighboring asphalt plant will not support their growth.
In addition to the thousands of residents who oppose this application, there are dozens of businesses, like Big Rig Diesel and Paramount Produce (both less than 600 feet away), Highland Lake Inn & Resort, GE Current, Orr’s Family Restaurant, Tore’s Home, Dixie Gun House, and Pro Painting and Drywall, who say an asphalt plant will be bad for business. Then there are the homeowner’s associations, summer camps, the list goes on and on…
SE Asphalt is asking for an extreme exception – to build something where it was never intended to be built – in a primarily residential area at the gateway entrance to East Flat Rock and Flat Rock, to Hendersonville from the south, and to Saluda.
It’s not compatible with the East Flat Rock Community Plan, the Henderson County Comprehensive Plan, and it’s not compatible with the existing businesses in East Flat Rock.
The truth is… Asphalt plants don’t belong in East Flat Rock. They don’t belong in neighborhoods or community gateways at all. They belong in industrial zoned areas.
New billboards are going up.
As you drive around our beautiful county, you’ll see new billboards on Spartanburg Highway, Four Seasons Blvd, and Highway 64 thanks to our many generous donors.
We hope these billboards will raise awareness with citizens in other parts of the county to support our commissioners when it’s time for them to vote NO on this rezoning application.
M. Shipman has it all wrong. PASSING this would be a TRAVESTY to the community and Henderson County! Building an industrial plant in the area is wrong. This is the wrong spot for it.
Where he states “I am not quite sure how they intend to have economic development when they have no industrial zoned sites in East Flat Rock.”
The answer to that is Economic Growth CAN be met in E Flat Rock WITHOUT adding a heavy industrial plant to it and it will meet economic growth far better. There would be LESS growth if this goes in.
It will completely back fire, putting a negative high risk not only on OUR entire community, add Flat Rock, Hendersonville and Saluda to the list. Adding on the tourism, summer camps, existing businesses and much more. How many lives and businesses will suffer because one asphalt plant?
Don’t make E Flat Rock and the Hendersonville/ Flat Rock Gateway into a cesspool and that is what will happen if this is voted in.
The planning board made the right decision. This is primarily a residential area. It does not fit in here. It does not fit into the either community plan. You can’t fit a square peg into a round hole. End Quote.
Mr Shipman stated …“…. when they have no industrial zoned sites in East Flat Rock. “
There’s a reason “there are no industrial zoned sites“ in E Flat Rock…The reason there are not any is because it does not belong here. We are more residential. We are not an Industrial zoned community.
The HC Board worked for hours, days, weeks, months to come up with the Community Plan. Approving this would not be good for the community and would harm it in the king run. It is not compatible with the plan nor our community, EFR is the wrong place for one.
Please don’t make a primarily residential community into something it is not.
It will hurt the community, residents, businesses and so much more…everything Mr Shipman says he “does not want to hurt“. Plus it will only open the door for other Heavy Industrial business to just waltz in and get other areas they want rezoned.
Well said. Thanks to all who are putting so much time, effort and heart into this cause. This would be devastating to our beautiful area if this passes.
What would be a travesty is other businesses, camps and residential suffering because of what 1 man/company deems “necessary “ for his convenience. He compares apples to oranges. Obviously this plant with stacks isn’t what the plan vision is so if if a business does come into a community of residential etc it will be something that’s warranted. This plant in my opinion would hurt the economy here period.