As many of you know, Swannanoa Pride Community Coalition submitted a letter
to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality and the US Army Corps of
Engineers citing concerns about stream, open water and wetland disturbance in
association with the development of the golf course at the Cliffs at High
Carolina. SPCC, along with many Swannanoa and Fairview residents and other
interested parties, also requested a public hearing be granted where community
concerns could be heard.

Please note that the North Carolina Division of
Water Quality has granted a public hearing in association with the Cliffs at
High Carolina’s application for a water quality certification. The hearing will
take place Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 6:30 pm. at A.C. Reynolds High School,
1 Rocket Drive, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803. If you cannot be present for
public comment, you can submit a written comment.

Additional information
from the NCDWQ is below. Please feel free to contact me with questions or
concerns.

 All the best,

Rebecca Williams
Land Use Task
Force
SPCC
828-686-3922

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NOTES FROM TOUR AND MEETING WITH

THE CLIFFS COMMUNITIES ON 9/5/08

RE: The Cliffs at High Carolina

Swannanoa and Fairview, NC

Information provided by Jim Anthony, Pres. and CEO of The Cliffs Communities, Inc.

The development is 3000 – 3200 acres. The Cliffs is done buying property except for one small parcel (approx. 25 acres) that they would still like to purchase. There will be approx. 1200 – 1500 single family & multi-family homesites. Single family homesites will average greater than 1 acre each. Estimate is that 60 – 80% of the homes will be on the Fairview side.

Swannanoa will be the primary entrance to the development; Fairview will be a secondary entrance. Distance from the top of the mountain to Exit 59 in Swannanoa is approx. 4 miles, and should be driveable in 10 minutes. The “Parkway” (main road through the development) runs up the Swannanoa side and down the Fairview side and will be 24 – 26’ wide. It is estimated that the majority of the traffic will enter and exit the development from the Swannanoa side. The Parkway is not yet completed, but it is expected that the grading for the final piece connecting Swannanoa with Fairview will be done by the end of April.

The Cliffs has purchased commercial properties at Exit 59 in Swannanoa (Patton Cove Road). Stores, restaurants, or other amenities built on these properties will be available to the general public, as well as to residents of the Cliffs development.

No wells will be dug in the development. All homesites and Cliffs buildings (clubhouse, etc.) will be on Asheville city water. The development and golf course will be designed to avoid any negative effects on streams and waterways. No sedimentation should be added to streams and rivers as a result of this development.

It is expected that 400,000 gallons of water per week will be needed to irrigate the golf course. Water for golf course irrigation will come from 3 sources:

• Effluent (recycled city water from homes and other buildings)

• Captured rain water (stored in cisterns)

• Lake Tsuga (an existing lake located within the development)

The Cliffs will be on the cutting edge of research into ways to reduce use of water, pesticides and fertilizers on the golf course, and to find organic alternatives to traditional fertilizers and pest controls. They are currently partnering with Clemson University on research in these areas. They have pursued Audubon certification at their other golf courses, and expect to do that at this golf course as well.

This development will have a higher percentage of property placed in a conservation easement than any other Cliffs development.

There will be a heliport on the Fairview side of the development, near the clubhouse. No cell tower is planned.

Many aspects of home design and construction at Cliffs properties are governed by internal rules (known as Architectural Review Committee, or ARC standards) that all homeowners must comply with. The ARC standards will be stricter at this development than at any of the other existing Cliffs developments.

There will be no street lighting in the development. Exterior lighting on the homes is controlled by the ARC standards for the development, and all lighting is required to be “down” lighting.

ARC standards also limit the height and placement of the homes – standards are more stringent on lots that are more visually prominent. All homes are required to be painted in earth tones.

The Cliffs will invest in the surrounding communities. The company gives community grants through a Cliffs fund called the Carolina Legacy Trust. Communities are encouraged to apply for funding. Rick Fisher is the director of this program.

Notes compiled by Carol Groben.

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The
Cliffs at High Carolina

Residential
Community & Golf Course

Overview
and Fact Sheet

August
2008

An Introduction to The Cliffs
Communities

Since
1991, The Cliffs Communities has developed eight residential/golf
course communities in the western part of North and South Carolina.
Six of these developments are in South Carolina and include three
residential/golf communities in the mountains and three on Lake
Keowee. The remaining two developments are in North Carolina and
include The Cliffs at Walnut Cove and The Cliffs at High Carolina.
Six of the eight communities are in advanced stages of development,
with the remaining two communities in the early phases of planning
and development. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, located in Arden, NC, is
considered to be in an advanced stage of development, while The
Cliffs at High Carolina, located in Swannanoa, NC, is in an early
stage.

The
Cliffs’ continuing philosophy for sustainable development has
led to the creation of The Cliffs Center for Environmental Golf
Research in collaboration with Clemson University and several
industry-leading private-sector companies, including Toro and Bayer.
The Cliffs is also involved in other environmentally conscious
projects such as an organic farm, construction of a "Green
Showcase Home" and Green Design Guidelines for property owners,
and The Cliffs Cottage – Southern Living Magazine‘s
first-ever LEED Certified Showcase Home at Furman University. The
Cliffs and its property owners together formed Parkland Trust, a
non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve green spaces and
create conservation easements for perpetual protection within The
Cliffs’ land holdings. To date, this organization has preserved
1,300 acres and set aside an additional 30 miles for trail systems.
The Cliffs has also partnered with Blue Ridge Forever, which is a
consortium of conservation groups dedicated to protect land within
Western North Carolina. The Cliffs also serves as a Conservation
Partner for the Jocassee Gorges in South Carolina, and has recently
received a Certificate of Environmental Excellence from South
Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control
(SCDHEC) for marina operations at The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards
community.

In
2007, The Cliffs Communities’ track record of quality
development was recognized by CNBC’s International Property
Awards as "Best International Development".

An
Overview of The Cliffs at High Carolina

The
Cliffs Communities’ second development in North Carolina, The
Cliffs at High Carolina, is a master planned community on
approximately 3,000 acres located on a mountain between the Swannanoa
and Fairview communities within Buncombe County, North Carolina. The
Cliffs proposes to develop the High Carolina community to include
both single and multi-family homes; a village which will include a
spa, an inn, a restaurant, a golf shop and other amenities; and a
golf course by Tiger Woods Design. The golf course is designed as a
walkable course and will include a practice range and a short game
learning facility that will serve as the hub for the golf course. The
development to-date of High Carolina consists of the construction of
the parkway road connecting the main entrance at Exit 59 in Swannanoa
to the secondary entrance off Old Fort Road and the residential roads
and lots required for the first sales release on November 8th.

A
Summary of the Permits Received to Date

In
order to construct the planned development at High Carolina, The
Cliffs has applied for and received approval for a number of permits.
These include the planning approvals from the Buncombe County
Planning Commission; the stormwater, land disturbance, and erosion
control permits from the Buncombe County Planning and Development
Department; and a Nationwide Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.

The
Cliffs at High Carolina has and will continue to comply with all
Federal, State, and County ordinances and regulations. Buncombe
County officials visit High Carolina regularly to ensure that all
regulations and ordinances are being followed. In addition, The
Cliffs’ trained personnel inspect all Erosion and Sediment
Control measures weekly or after each significant (½" or
greater) rain event and report monthly.

The
Status of the Section 401/404 Individual Permits

In
order to complete the planned development at High Carolina, it will
be necessary to alter – or what is technically called impact
– a small percentage (approximately 6%) of the State and
Federally regulated jurisdictional streams and wetlands located on
the property. This activity requires that The Cliffs obtain Section
401/404 Individual Permits from State and Federal Agencies. These
alterations include 6,149 linear feet of streams and less than 0.25
acre of wetlands and open water. In order to receive these permits,
The Cliffs is proposing to compensate for these alterations –
or what is technically called to mitigate – by enhancing
or restoring 6,251 linear feet of previously impaired offsite Brook
Trout streams and previously piped streams on-site, by avoiding (not
altering) nearly 18 miles (93,972 linear feet) of on-site streams, by
restoring 0.394 acres of impaired off-site wetlands, and by
preserving 0.857 acres of wetlands.

The
off-site enhancement or restoration activity will occur at Shoal
Falls Farm and is strongly endorsed by the regulatory agencies
because the Farm contains classified "Trout Waters"
supporting all three species of trout found within North Carolina,
"High Quality Waters", and it drains directly to critical
habitat for the federally endangered Appalachian elktoe (Alasmidonta
raveneliana) in the Little River.

A
Summary of the Water Quantity & Conservation Plan

The
domestic water for all the homes and amenities at High Carolina will
be provided by the City of Asheville from its municipal water supply.
At full buildout, the total flow to the development from Asheville
Water is projected to be approximately 600,000 gallons per day, all
of which will be a net addition to the water balance on the property.

The
Cliffs has elected to require that all residences construct and
maintain water conservation/detention devices on-site which will
recharge the groundwater. The homeowner may select from several
options which include cisterns, rain gardens, etc. Currently, High
Carolina is the only development in Buncombe County which has
implemented this conservation practice.

In
addition, the irrigation water utilized for the golf course and
surrounding landscape will remain on-site and recharge the
groundwater. This water will come from three sources. The first
source will be the effluent (discharge) from the on-site wastewater
treatment plant which will be treated to reuse standards which is the
highest treatment standard in the state. A computerized irrigation
system will be used to regulate a consistent watering schedule, using
less water more efficiently. A drought will not affect the
wastewater treatment plant’s output. The second source will be
the rainwater from the amenities which will be collected and stored
in cisterns. This water will be blended with the wastewater treatment
plant effluent and used for irrigation. The third source of
irrigation water for the golf course will be the existing on-site
pond. The Cliffs Communities will maintain base flow in the stream
below the pond.

A
Summary of the Water Quality Plan

The
establishment and operation of High Carolina should not negatively
impact water quality of the area. The Cliffs has an unblemished
track record of no incidents or violations with any of the regulatory
agencies over the construction and operation of its six completed
golf courses and the one currently under construction. Furthermore,
at The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards, the eight holes that are located
immediately adjacent to the lake’s shoreline have been
continually monitored (even during construction) without issue.

The
Cliffs will work hand in hand with Clemson University’s Turf
Grass Science Section of its Department of Horticulture to finalize
state-of-the-art procedures and standards for the construction and
operation of the golf course. Water quality issues can be segmented
into three categories:

1.  
   1.  

      1. Sediment
         Loading – All erosion control and stormwater will be
         permitted through Buncombe County and maintained to the required
         standards. Although during the construction of the golf
         course the ground will initially be disturbed (as required by the
         grading permits), The Cliffs will be installing silt fences and a
         series of sediment basins to control the runoff and sediment. Once
         the golf course is established, the trees, shrubs and sod will
         hold the soil in place, and the soil will no longer be disturbed.
         In addition, a minimum of a thirty foot buffer will be kept and
         maintained along all streams in order to filter the runoff prior
         to entering the stream and to minimize the potential for erosion.
         Within this buffer, no stormwater devices are allowed and,
         therefore, none are proposed.

1.  
   1.  

      2. Chemical
         Leaching – As noted in recent research on golf courses
         in North Carolina completed by Dr. Tom Rufty of NCSU, the
         establishment and fertilization of a golf course should not
         increase the chemicals leaching into surrounding waters. All
         fertilizers and pesticides to be utilized will be licensed by the
         EPA for use on golf courses and applied by state licensed
         applicators utilizing dedicated equipment designed specifically
         for the appropriate application. An integrated pest plan will be
         prepared and managed by the golf course superintendent. The plan
         will include soil and tissue sampling as well as the use of a
         licensed plant pathologist. All golf course equipment will be
         washed down at the end of each day using a golf course wash
         station. The grass clippings will be removed and collected; the
         wash water will be channeled through a filtered wash system
         utilizing a sand filter. University and government studies
         indicate that properly applied pesticides and fertilizers do not
         leach into groundwater in any appreciable amounts. Modern
         turfgrass management practices greatly reduce the potential for
         leaching or runoff into water supplies. Pesticides and
         fertilizers are used only on certain portions of the golf course
         such as tees, fairways, and greens. The remainder of the course
         will consist of drought tolerant, naturalized areas that reduce
         the need for both water and turf care products.

1.  
   1.  

      3. Water
         Temperature – The North Carolina Division of Land
         Resources’ Land Quality Section regulations require a
         minimum of a twenty-five foot buffer along any stream classified
         as "Trout Waters". Any piping or hand-clearing within
         trout buffers requires a variance through the Land Quality
         Section. Low growing shrubs such as rhododendron, mountain laurel,
         and dog hobble will be preserved or planted at playovers. This
         vegetation is native to North Carolina and provides shade and
         cover for aquatic organisms and keeps the temperature of the water
         cool. The construction of High Carolina should actually lower
         the water temperatures in the stream below the dam because The
         Cliffs will be repairing the existing on-site dam and bringing it
         into compliance with the North Carolina Dam Safety requirements by
         adding a coldwater release.

Based
on the above plan, sediment, chemicals, temperature and other impacts
to the waters in and around High Carolina should minimal or
nonexistent.

A
Summary of the Traffic Access Plan

The
primary entrance to High Carolina will be at Exit 59 off Interstate
40 in Swannanoa. The anticipated completion of the Parkway through
the development to this entrance is scheduled to occur by Spring
2009. When this occurs, the majority of the traffic will use the
Patton Cove Road entrance.

The
entrance to High Carolina off Old Fort Road is the secondary
entrance. A NCDOT-approved left turn lane will be added on the east
bound side of Old Fort Road at the High Carolina entrance.
The traffic on Old Fort Road will be greatly reduced when the
Patton Cove Road entrance is complete.

The
Cliffs’ Commitment to the Swannanoa and Fairview Communities

The
Cliffs’ goal is to make the Swannanoa and Fairview communities and
area we work within better for our company and our property owners’
being there. Our company’s philosophy and owners’ interests in the
importance of giving back provide many opportunities to be engaged
ways that add to the quality of life in the area.