High Country Watch
High Country W.A.T.C.H
We are growing group of environmentally concerned citizens in the Boone North Carolina area. We are non-profit chapter of BREDL - Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.
Our mission is to educate, engage, and empower the High Country for responsible and sustainable growth
Here is a brief history of High Country Watch
May 13 2015 First gathering of High Country WATCH around the kitchen table at Susie Winters and David Sengel’s home.
June 2 2015 - HC Watch members spoke at the county commissioners meeting
June 3 2015 - Voted to become a chapter of BREDL
June 10 2015 - First community meeting at the Humane Society
June 12 2015 - Maymead applied for an air quality permit for their proposed asphalt plant
June 15 2015 - Department of Air Quality granted WATCH a hearing.
June 16 2015 - Protest march at commissioners meeting
June 17 2015 - Radford applied for a permit for an asphalt plant in Watauga county.
June 18 2015 - The HC WATCH executive board met.
June 19 2015 - HC WATCH retained the Whitlock firm of environmental lawyers out of Asheville to represent us. They sent research to the commissioners detailing why the Maymead application was deficient
June 22 2015 - A 1500 foot setback from scenic byways was passed by county commissioners and a moratorium to hold on HILU applications from June 22-July 31
June 23 2015 - A second community hearing was held with county commissioners.
June 25 2015 - Maymead’s application was revoked.
June 29 2015 - The High Country Watch executive board met.
June 30 2015 - Lost Province fundraiser was held
July 3 2015 - Booths were placed at Footsloggers, Doe Pottery, and the Farmers Market booth
July 4 2015 - HC Watch marched in the Fourth of July Parade and the Todd Parade
July 7 2015 - In the County Commissioners meeting a motion was made requesting a hearing for HILU Categories 2 and 3
July 16 2015 - High County Watch executive board met.
July 20 2015 - Planning Board met-discussed moving chemicals and explosives to Category 1
July 21 2015 - Commissioners denied a request to grant a second moratorium and set August 4th for a hearing on HILU Categories 2 and 3.
July 23 2015 - Executive board met and voted to hire a local lawyer
July 28 2015 - Maymead appealed the determination made by the county Board of Commissioners to revoke their permit.
July 30 2015 - HC Watch organized the third community meeting
August 4 2015 - County commissioners voted to include chemical and explosive plants and their storage facilities in Category 1 of the High Impact Land Use (HILU) Ordinance and add evidentiary considerations to include whether the industries will:
-endanger health and safety
-decrease the value of adjoining property
-be in harmony with the area of the county
-conform to land use plans
September 2015 - HC WATCH board members spoke to five classes of Appalachian students about the local asphalt plant issue
October 8 2015 - HC Watch with appraiser to discuss the impact of an asphalt plant on home and land values.
October 14, 15, and 16 2015 - The Board of Adjustments held a hearing for the appeal of Appalachian Material’s asphalt permit denial. The BOA upheld the decision of the Planning Board in denying the HILU permit.
September 16 2015 - The executive board met and Lawyer Frank Wilson met with us.
October 8 2015 - HC Watch board members met with appraiser
October 21 2015 - The HC Watch executive board met to plan for the upcoming BOA hearing.
November 16 and 18 2015 - Dates set for the Maymead appeal to the BOA of the revocation by the BOC to their proposed asphalt plant.
June 2017 - We are appealing the Maymead court decision to Superior Court.
