Meeting on Big Ivy future

Release from the Big Ivy Community Center...

The whole community is invited to join a discussion of the future of Big Ivy on October 11 at BICC at 7 pm. This is part of an ongoing process of developing a vision and goals for BI.

History
Two years ago at a community club meeting it was raised that the county was growing and changing rapidly. BI seemed to be one of the last quiet corners of Buncombe County but is not likely to stay that way. Some people thought that we would be wise to look forward and develop a vision and goals so that we might influence the county commissioners and development. Volunteers, about eight of us, met once a month and found common ground in wanting to preserve farmland and local heritage. A year later we formed the Big Ivy Rural Preservation Society and the group became a Steering Committee of 35 representing local churches, businesses, large landowners, and other organizations including the Historical Society, BI Tailgate Market, Sustainable BI, and others. Blue Ridge Blueprints (Julie Mayfield from the Western North Carolina Alliance and Chris Joyell from the Asheville Design Center) volunteered to help us define our vision, goals, assets, and challenges. They have provided experience in this process as well as connections to other agencies that may influence the outcome of our work, for example, Land of Sky Regional Council, U.S. Forest Service, and County Commissioners. Most importantly, their goal is to help us get as many people in our community involved in creating OUR view of the future.

At our June 6 community meeting we spent most of a Saturday getting everyone's detailed ideas out and recorded. The six pages are too much to reproduce here but this is a summary.

Vision
Big Ivy is a self-sufficient, economically diverse, and agriculturally productive community that maintains its rural heritage and character and whose members promote and protect Big Ivy’s pristine natural environment.

Community Goals
1. Preserve farmland by making farming more profitable and productive
2. Increase Economic Diversity & Services
3. Preserve and Enhance Recreation Opportunities
4. Preserve Community & Heritage
5. Promote Self Sufficiency