Buncombe County.

• Position: Western - Board of Commissioners keep banned on taller buildings - Brief article

Building on ridges and steep slopes will be tougher in Buncombe County under new rules adopted by its board of commissioners. Among other things, the commissioners banned buildings taller than 25 feet within 50 vertical feet of a ridge top at least 3,000 feet above sea level and 500 feet or more above the adjacent valley floor. New lots must be at least 2 acres. Buncombe's rules are stricter than the state's, which limit building heights on similar ridge-top land to 40 feet. The board also approved a subdivision ordinance that sets...