I was born and raised in Jackson County in the Speedwell Community near Cullowhee and bought the homeplace where I grew up. My wife and I have worked very hard to turn it into a vacation rental with the touch of a warm friendly atmosphere.

Our residence for the past 25 years has been at Lake Norman in Mecklenburg County, but we will eventually retire at our place there in Jackson County. We have made hundreds of trips to that area since being married to visit with family and friends, and I am appalled at the way Jackson County looks compared to Mecklenburg County.

I see articles in the Smoky Mountain News about developments going up at Sugar Loaf and other places where people are harping about developers ruining the area. What hypocrisy! I agree that growth needs to be very carefully controlled, but what about all of the mobile homes I see stuck up in every nook and cranny of every cove you can find? What about the apartments popping up everywhere too? There are no strict zoning laws in Jackson County or other counties in Western North Carolina to control mobile homes, apartments, and businesses from popping up just about anywhere they please. And what about the trash I see everywhere?

One example is right across from the Speedwell Methodist Church where I was a member as a young boy. A paint ball recreational establishment was once there but has since left. but there are old tires and junk all over the place. That is just one example of the hypocrisy of what goes on in the wonderful mountains of Western North Carolina.

People shouldn’t gripe about developers until they take heed as to the junk, trash, mobile homes and apartments ruining the landscape.

Russ Moore,
Lake Norman

 

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