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Bryson land-use standards up for public review

Critics of Bryson City’s land use regulations will get another opportunity to sandblast the ordinance.

The town of Bryson City is inviting the public to a working meeting with the town planning board to discuss their concerns and issues with the ordinance. The planning board spent more than three years working on the ordinance, which would stipulate aesthetic standards such as architecture, building materials and landscaping for new development.

Although a date has not been set for the planning board meeting, the town board plans to discuss the future of the guidelines and likely changes at its meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 9.

In Bryson City, there are currently no regulations for new commercial or residential buildings — anything goes. But, the town began looking at adopting some standards after a building that clashed with the town’s quaint appearance was erected near its main downtown fairway.

Despite general agreement among residents that the town must have standards, attendees of a public forum in November disagreed on how strict the measure should be. Some lauded the town planning board’s efforts, while other denounced the proposed regulations.