They were loud and emotional, and they packed the Macon Community building to overflowing last Thursday night.

Approximately 700 opponents of the land-use plan being considered by Macon County commissioners attended the meeting organized by Macon County Concerned Citizens, applauding speakers who defended property rights and demanded a referendum on the plan.

Bob Oliver may have synthesized the objections to the land-use plan as succinctly as any of the speakers. A simple, well-intentioned plan, he said, too often mushrooms into overly restrictive ordinances.

“Zoning began in my county (in Florida) as a 15- to 20-page book, the size of a comic book. When I left 20 years later, it would have taken two men to carry all the zoning regulations,” said Oliver. “It seemed the answer to every problem was to come up with another ordinance.”

“We respectfully request that the Macon County Board of Commissioners place this issue on a referendum,” said Oliver, a recent transplant to the area. Oliver worked in local government in Florida.

The call for a referendum drew wild cheers from the audience, but the prospects of a public vote on the land-use plan has never been considered by county commissioners, said Commissioner Janet Greene. She attended the meeting along with Commissioner Charlie Leatherman, the only two commissioners who showed up. Greene was open about at least one of the reasons she would be reluctant to support a referendum.

“A lot of what I heard tonight is not accurate, and it’s hard for the public to vote on the plan when there is so much misinformation,” said Greene.

The Macon County Land Use Plan was developed by the Vision 2025 committee, which started working on it in April 2001.

The plan leaves 90 percent of the county in the “open-use district,” which means anything can be allowed. Designated “high-impact” uses (such as asphalt plants, firing ranges, junkyards, sawmills, etc.) would require special-use permit. All existing uses would be grandfathered in.

Jimmy Goodman, a Franklin cabinetmaker and one of the leaders of the Concerned Citizens of Macon County, said a referendum will simply reflect the will of the people.

“I have no doubt that a referendum would fail,” he said, looking around the community building as the first group of about 350 people were leaving so a second session could be held for the people who waited outside for an hour because the building was completely full.

“I’m not surprised at this turnout. I just wish we would have had a big enough room,” said Goodman.

Don Yelton lives in Buncombe County and fought against a county-wide land-use plan there. It was soundly defeated in a non-binding referendum about two years ago.

“Zoning is a politician’s way of not having to get on the hot seat, of not having to deal with day-to-day decisions,” said Yelton.

A similar sentiment was expressed by Oliver, who said land-use regulations take away the need for neighbors to communicate with each other.

“I’d rather take my chances with my neighbor than to give up my property rights to the government,” said Oliver.

Marty Kimsey had the podium the longest, going over the plan’s details and telling the group how the land-use plan would take power away from individuals.

He cited the plan’s “corridor protection districts” and “neighborhood service districts” as the most “egregious” aspects.