Jackson County commissioners have taken the first step in developing a land-use map that the N.C. Department of Transportation requires for continued study of the N.C. 107 corridor and outlying areas.

Previous meetings with DOT officials revealed that the county-wide Transportation Task Force — established to study alternate transportation plans after heated discussion about a $200 million proposed Southern Loop bypass connecting U.S. 441 and U.S. 23-74 — had reached an impasse, as general statute dictates that a land-use map must be in the works before the DOT may move forward.

During a lecture and forum sponsored by grassroots transportation group Smart Roads, Janet D’Ignazio, a senior research associate at the Center for Transportation and the Environment at N.C. State University, said that the map need not direct future growth nor serve to impose zoning. Rather, the map and supplemental documents provide a picture of where the county has been, what it looks like now, and a general prediction of the future.

“It’s not a plan that’s going to regulate Jackson County, it’s not a plan that says it’s going to zone Jackson County,” said commission Chairman Brian McMahan.

For example, in the past 20 years growth has been evident along the N.C. 107 corridor. And government officials know that growth will continue in areas such as the N.C. 107/116 intersection where Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse is planned to go in, and across the road where Smoky Mountain High School is set for major new construction and expansion.

“The most important message to convey to the community is that this will not be a mandatory development plan,” said planning board director Linda Cable, speaking in favor of the land-use map. “This document will simply be a guide that will tell us where development is anticipated to occur over the next several years and offer suggestions. Without this information it will be difficult for the DOT study team to determine what the transportation needs will be.”

The county already has a number of resources to draw from including the most recent Smart Growth development plan, developed approximately five years ago, Cable said. With updated demographic information and a unified approach involving each municipality from Cashiers to Whittier, Cable said she was confident a land-use map could be drawn up within six months.

Commissioner Roberta Crawford was somewhat hesitant to agree to creating the map, noting that it may be a gateway for development regulation.

“I just don’t want to be responsible for nothing being done because we don’t have the plan we need,” McMahan said.

Commissioner Joe Cowan’s motion to move forward with the land-use map was seconded by commissioner Conrad Burrell. The vote was unanimous, with commissioner Eddie Madden absent from the meeting.

Now, with official meeting minutes reflecting the action taken to develop the land use map, the Transportation Task Force may start back to work with its study, as the law allows for the map and study to be undertaken concurrently.