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LAND POTENTIAL STUDY MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA ABSTRACT TITLE : AUTHOR : SUBJECT : DATE : LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY: SOURCE OF COPIES : HUD PROJECT NUMBER : Land Potential Study Madison County, North Carolina State of North Carolina, Department of Local Affairs, Division of Community Planning, Western Area Office, 902 Northwestern Bank Building, Asheville, North Carolina 28801 (Charles Vaughn) Physical limitations and potentials of the land resource base of Madison County. March, 1970 Madison County, North Carolina, Planning Board Madison County Courthouse Marshall, North Carolina HUD Regional Office Library, Region III, 645 Peachtree Seventh Building, Atlanta, Georgia Clearinghouse of Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Washington, D.C. NCP-62 NO. OF PAGES: ABSTRACT: 36 Mountainous Madison County has realized only marginal forms of development in past decades. Lack of easy access has hindered "mainstream" de velopment and economic levels. More recently opportunities for citizens in this rural county have presented themselves. While topography has been a liability in the past, current and future projects are likely to enlist topography as an advantageous factor of physical develop-ment. For example, an Appalachian Highway Corridor will permit easier tourist access-ability into this county where a multi-million dollar recreation facility, a proposed TVA reservoir, vacation housing sites, outdoor re-creation potentials and existing wildlife and naturally forested areas all exist. This re-port proposes areas that are most desirable for development and others which may return greater benefits to the residents of the county if maintained in their natural condition. LAND POTENTIAL STUDY * MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA The preparation of this report was financed in part through an urban planning grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the provision of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, as amended. This Report Prepared for: MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA County Commissioners Carl N. Cody, Chairman W . C. Silver, Jr. Roy McDevitt Madison County Planning Board Mrs. Frances C, Ramsey, Chairman C. E. Mashburn Vernon Wood C. N. Willis Carl Eller Mrs. Peggy Dotterer Sam L. Rudisill Ray Tweed Technical Assistance from: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION OF COMMUNITY PLANNING George J. Monaghan, Administrator Western Area Office "Charles E. Vaughn, Director Betty Whidden, Typist Hermon Rector, Draftsman * Responsible for this project. MARCH, 1970 Price : $2 . 00 TABLE OF CONTENTS Pa g e PREFACE BACKGROUND INFORMATION L Physiography L Soils 2 Drainage 8 Demographic Considerations 9 Urban Settlement And Urban Services. 10 THE LAND POTENTIAL 12 Introduction 12 Major Potentials for Development 14 Corridor Development 14 Visual Impressions and Service Features 15 SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS 17 Recreation and Tourism 17 Agricul ture 23 Natural Resources 26 Housing 2 7 Commercial 29 Facilities 29 Industrial Potentials 30 Other Land Potentials 33 ANCILLI ARY POTENTIALS 35 LIST OF TABLES-Tab le Page Soil Interpretations of General Soil Map 4 Soil Associations (Approximate Acreages and Percentages) 7 Tomato Production 1964- 1968 . 25 Available Madison County Industrial Sites 31 LIST OF MAPS Map s Page Soils 3 Excessive Slopes 13 Land Potential 18 PREFACE Madison County, named in honor of President Madison, is Located in Western North Carolina, contiguous to Tennessee. The county part of the Appalachian Mountain Physiographic Province is the most rugged and remote section of the Upper French Broad area which focuses on Asheville. The Upper French Broad River drainage basin includes Madison, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties. Madison County is the least develop-ed of any county in the basin. Economically, Madison County is a part of the Western North Carolina mountain region. The population and economic trends in Madison County parallel those in the region very closely. The high rate of natural increase of the population and the lack of employment opportunities have resulted in steady out-migration. Agricultural pursuits are the predominant activi-ty, but this has provided an inadequate base for the present economy in this particular county. New industrial growth is occurring, but has not yet offset the declines in agriculture. Madison County's residents have not developed any of their r e - cources to a strong or complete degree, partially due to the county's economic history. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/landpotentialstu1970nort BACKGROUND INFORMATION PHYSIOGRAPHY The rolling southeastern portion of the county has per-mitted farming and some forms of urban type development. Further north into the county the stream valleys narrow and mountains predicate development potentials by leaving little bottom land except around Hot Springs and in the Spring Creek section. Be-cause of the topography within the county, most of the population and development has been concentrated in the southern portion of the county and along the floodplain of the French Broad. Madison's main mountain range is known as the Bald Mountains. Big Bald, at an elevation of 5200 feet is the highest elevation in the county. The French Broad River's entry into Tennessee is at the county's lowest elevation (1264 feet). A physiographic oddity exists on the mountain top where the Madison County boundary meets with Haywood County and the Tennessee State line. In this vicinity exists a very good example of North Carolina's unique grass balds. This is a treeless dome nearly a mile long. Sandy Mush Bald on the Buncombe County border is another example of this phenomena, Sandy Mush Bald is at an elevation of 5168 feet. The difference of the extreme elevations within the county create a problem for county residents and potential development: level terrain is scarce. This terrain has largely dictated de-velopment within the county. 1 The most rugged Land is in forests, either as farm wood-land or in the national forest preserve. All of the original forest has been cut over, but reforestation has recovered most of it. This has developed a forest products income for some farmers and woodland owners. SOILS A general soil map (opposite) was made showing the location and extent of the six soil associations in the county. Such a map provides the general soils data needed to plan the efficient use and orderly development of the county's natural land re-sources. The general soil map is useful to those who want a general idea of the soils, who want to compare different parts of the county, or who want to know the location of large areas suit-able for a certain kind of farming or other broad land use. It does not show accurately the kinds of soil on a single farm or in a small tract, and is not suitable for the planning of such small units of land. A summary of soil limitations of the various soil association types is given in tabular form on page 4. The six soil associations of Madison County are described as f ol lows : 1) MUSKINGUM-RAMSEY ASSOCIATION Somewhat excessively drained shallow upland soils on narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. This association occupies about 20 percent of the county. Practically all of this land is forested. A few small areas have been cleared and are being used mostly for pasture. Steepness of slope, stoniness, low natural fertility and shallowness to rock are the chief hazards limiting the use of these soils. 2 GENERAL SOIL MAP MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA MUSKINGUM-RAMSEY ASSOCIATION: Somewhat excessively drained shallow upland ndges and steep to very steep side slopes. HOLSTON-NOLICHUCKY ASSOCIATION: Well drained stream terrace soils with friable to firm sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth terraces. CODORUS-COMUS ASSOCIATION: Somewhat poorly drained to well drained, nearly level flood plain soils with friable loamy textures. PORTE RS-EDNEY VI LLE-ASHE ASSOCIATION: Well drained and somewhat excessively drained upland soils with friable loam to clay loam subsoils occurring on the higher i ridges and side slopes. HAYESVI LLE-CHESTER ASSOCIATION: Well draineo upland soils with friable to firm, fine sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth ridges to moderately steep side slopes. CHESTER -HAYESVI LLE-ASHE ASSOCIATION: Well drained to somewhat excessively drained, intermountam upland soils on narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. for Woods Fair Good Good Good Fair XI oo a 8 O 1 a Fair ility u itab lture CO fO D u u 1) iH C u 01 01 U < Poor Fair Good Poor Poor hu la. h i oC 1 Poor CO^lO u <-n 01 X> 01 CO U P OH CO Severe (51, R) Moderate (TSC) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI, R) Moderate (TSC) Moderate to Severe (TSC, SI) Severe (SI, R) Light Industries-!:' Severe (SI, R) Moderate (Sh-Sw, SI) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI, R) Moderate to Severe (Sh-Sw, SI) Severe (SI, Sh-Sw) Severe (SI, R) Intensive Play Areas Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Moderate (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Recreation Picnic Areas Severe (SI) Slight to Moderate(Sl) Moderate (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Slight to Moderate (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Camp Sites Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Septic Tank Filter Fields Severe (R, SI) Moderate (Perc, SI) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI, R) Severe (SI, R) Moderate to Severe (SI, R) Moderate to Severe (SI, R) Severe (SI, R) Average Degree of Slope o c— o -p o en 2 to 2% S ' s ; un CM 1 *«. v\ CNJ o -p NO UN 1 O 1 •P un rH 1 % in Association u\v\ -3 c"i O UN -3 n *t w o o u\ cr\ 1 «ft O o u\ J ^ 1 H O UN >5 cm sO r-l | rH c a c/ c/ Muskingum Ramsey Holston Nolichucky Codorus Comus Porters Edneyville Ashe Hayesville Chester Chester Hayesville Ashe I c ti c c D < T c a 1. Muskingum-Ramsey (205C of County) 2. Holston-Nolichucky (1% of County) 3. Codorus-Comus (2% of County) i CD rH •§ o (d C_> CO <«h V. o 01 0) H* U J3 O O W P> • -3 5. Hayesville-Chester (5? of County) 6. Chester-Hayesville- Ashe (ti2* of County) 5| VS. . » * t\ rH CO ' UN CO 0) rH I 01 CO a. o o + o a -P rH B UN CO -3 O rH Ul CO C9 01 CO iJ a. o -h " S- B CO 01 Ol CO a. o & B -i XI Ol » -J O CO (> m X CO 01 C I 01 CO O I a o -h + * a p s-s s-s co 'H CM i 5^ B • > - -H XI 01 rJ O CO CO S3 CO Ol C I 01 CO O I a o -h + o a « H h b o o Cflfl Urlrl H - O CO a o -h o a >-» i . h E to in in CO 'H HH T3 > O II) V) E w HU TJ > O 0) w S w *J r-l -4 < U ri u a> u C C CL U R) o a. a. -h 3 •h 3 > o ai h cn O iJ H hi U <*J o -h O ti b n b eg rH CU O 1- Cu > tO 4 2) HOLSTON-NOLLICHUCKY Well drained stream ASSOCIATION terrace soils with friable to firm sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth terraces . This association occupies about 1 percent of the county. It is located around Hot Springs, and is characterized by gently sloping to moderately steep, smooth high stream terraces. These soils have formed from the weathering of old alluvial deposits. as s ociation i n g The r n > tobacco , ag r icultural ie f hazard le n t soils tomatoes, pasture and hay. These are good soils with the degree of slope being the ch in limiting their use. They are also excel for residential and light industrial sites. 3) CODORUS-COMUS ASSOCIATION Well drained to somewhat poorly drained, nearly level floodplain soils with friable loamy textures. This association occupies about 2 percent of the county. It is located mainly along the French Broad River below Hot Springs, Spring Creek and the larger streams in the Mars Hill section. The association is characterized by nearly level stream flood plains which are subject to occasional or frequent flooding. These soils are formed from recent alluvial deposits. About 85 percent of the land in this association has been cleared and is being used for farming. The principal crops grown on these soils are corn, tobacco, tomatoes, pasture and hay. These soils are capable of high production and intensive farming used with proper artificial drainage and some measure of flood control. They are generally not suitable for residential or in-dustrial development because of the flood hazard. Depth to the water table and flooding are the chief hazards in limiting the use of these soils. 4) PORTERS -EDNEYVILLE-ASHE ASSOCIATION Well drained and somewhat excessively drained upland soils with friable loam to clay loam subsoils occurring 5 on the higher mountain ridges and side slopes. This association occup county. It is Located on the western and northeaste The area is characterized and steep side slopes at e ies about 30 percent of the the higher mountains along rn borders of the county, by narrow to rolling ridges levations about 3000 feet. About 30 percent of this land has been cleared and is being used mainly as unimproved pasture. Less than 10 percent of the clear acreage is being used for cultivated crops, mainly corn and tobacco. The more common trees on the forested areas consist of oak, hickory, red maple, yellow poplar and white pine Steepness of slope and surface stones are the chief hazards limiting the use of these soils. 5) HAYESVILLE-CHESTER ASSOCIATION Well drained upland soils with friable to firm, fine sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth ridges to moderately steep side slopes. This association occupies about 5 percent of the county and is located around Mars Hill. The areas are characterized by broad ridges and smooth rolling to moderately steep side slopes. About 75 percent of this land has been cleared for farming. Of the cleared area about one-third is used for crops with the re-mainder in pasture. The degree of slope is the major hazard limiting the use of the soils in this associa-tion. 6) CHESTER-HAYES VI LLE- ASHE ASSOCIATION Well drained to somewhat excessively drained, inter-mountain upland soils on narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. This association occupies about 42 percent of the county. It is located in scattered areas throughout much of the intermountain areas of the county. The areas are characterized by narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. About 40 percent of this land has been cleared and is being used mainly for pasture and hay. Steepness of slope, surface stones and droughtiness are the chief hazards limiting the use of these soils. 6 The following table illustrates found in the various associations and soil series in relation to the whole. the the amount of acreage percentage of each SOIL ASSOCIATIONS MADISON COUNTY Table of Approximate Acreages and Percentages Series Names and Total Total No. % Within The Association Ac X" 6 S /o 1 Muskingum( 45) -Ramsey (35) 2,900 1.0 2 Holston( 40)-Nol lichucky (35) 58,000 20.0 3 Codorus( 50) -Comus ( 30 ) 6,000 2.0 4 Porters(40)-Edneyville(30)-Ashe( 15) 89,000 30.0 5 Hayesvi lie ( 60) -Chester( 25) 14,300 5.0 6 Chester(60)-Hayesville( 15)-Ashe( 10) 12 1, 640 42 . 291,840 Acres 100.0% Source of Soils Information: USDA, Soil Conservation Service, Raleigh, N. C, 1969, 7 DRAINAGE Madison County's surface water is drained by one watershed. The French Broad River, originating on the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Transylvania County, flows northward through Madison County into Tennessee's Douglas Lake (a TVA im-poundment). All minor drainage channels in the county empty into the French Broad River. The vast area drained by the Upper French Broad and its tributaries have often provided Madison County with flood pro-blems, chiefly along the Upper French Broad. Runoff upstream from Hot Springs comes from an area of 1565 square miles.''" De-struction to what little floodplain land exists in Madison County along this river has been periodically severe. Marshall's and Hot Springs' downtowns are vulnerable to runoff from heavy rains that occur anywhere in the basin. Regional floods would inun-date some Hot Springs downtown businesses. Water along Andrew Avenue and Bridge Street in that community would be as much as 18 feet deep. 2 A proposal and planning activity by TVA to reduce the threat of floods in this basin is being developed. A system of impoundments on tributaries of the French Broad, all upstream from Marshall and Hot Springs, has been proposed. The project Floods on French Broad River and Spring Creek in the Vicinity of Hot Springs, N.C., Tennessee Valley Authority, Division of Water Control Planning, Knoxville, Tennessee, July, 1960, p. 1 2 Ibid. p . 4 . 8 is to the stage where engineering drawings are being refined and funding by Congress is being requested. Madison County will have one of the proposed impoundments on its Ivy Creek. The actual water body will be shared with Buncombe County as it will straddle the county line. More of the effect of this proposed lake will be discussed in a later section. DEMOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS At the turn of the century, the population of Madison County was generally distributed throughout the county. Through the years the population has shifted towards Mars Hill Township (increased 13.6 percent) and Big Laurel Township (increased 57.2 percent) . Meadow Fork and Middle Fork Townships had population losses in excess of 50 percent. All of the remaining townships 1 o st s ub s t an t i a 1 numbers too. Mars Hill increased by 170 persons; Hot Springs increased by two persons; Marshall decreased by 57 persons from 1950-1960, The population of Marshall increased significantly between 1920 and 1930. Since 1940, however, the population has steadily de-clined. With the shift in population, substantial numbers of the county's residents left the county as they made their move. From 1950 to 1960, the county had a net loss of 3,305 persons. The trend continued during the next five years as the county's 1965 population was estimated at 15,938. This additional loss from the 1960 figure (17,217) was 1,279 persons. 9 Within the next two or three years significant changes of this trend should occur as the various programs and projects now underway, or proposed to begin in the early 1970's, begin to take effect. The projects include physical development as well as human and educational resource development efforts. Some of these such as the Bald Mountain development and Ivy Reservoir are mentioned later in this report. Educational program efforts include Operation Mainstream which gives on the job training to low-income workers in the county (partly in cooperation with the U.S. Forestry Service and partly in cooperation with the Madison- Buncombe Opportunity Corporation's rural housing renovation pro-gram) and urban and rural youth programs. URBAN SETTLEMENT AND URBAN SERVICES The statements related to the population distribution, of course, reflect the pattern of urban settlement and urban activi-ties within Madison County. The urban services are primarily con-fined to Hot Springs, Mars Hill and Marshall and their immediate surroundings. These are the only places in the county where these public water and sewer systems, garbage collection, street light-ing, fire and police protection and schools all are developed to a minimum and are in close proximity to one another. The county still is without a hospital which forces re-sidents to travel to Asheville for specialized medical and emergency services. Mars Hill is in need of a municipal sewage treatment plant and waste collection system to include (and re-place) the system operated and maintained by Mars Hill College. These two services perhaps should receive priority within the county. 10 The scattered and Low density population has kept the need for water and sewer services outside of Mars Hill, Hot Springs, and Marshall at low priority. As systems become older and should growth begin to occur, the county may need to improve and/or in-stall better and more complete water and sewer systems. Looking ahead, the Madison County Commissioners have asked a private engineering firm to study the total water and sewerage service needs of the county. It is possible that a consolidation of existing systems and extension of a single system into the heaviest concentration of settlement will be a major recommenda-tion of the study. Functional consolidation of police and fire protection, schools, solid waste collection and disposal might provide other opportunities for the county to offer services to its residents at lower overall costs. 1 1 THE LAND POTENTIAL INTRODUCTION The Land Potential Study for Madison County is, as the title suggests, a study to indicate the potential for land development in Madison County based on physical features both natural and man-made • This study is the framework for a land development plan for the county— a plan to provide for control-led growth by both protecting the county's amenities and insur-ing proper urban growth for proper locations. By analyzing physical features, a county's greatest land potentials should be realized, and plans should be made to insure the realization. This study in short should determine future locations for housing industry, commerce, agriculture, forestry, recreation, open space and governmental facilities. It should be noted that Madison County is unusual in many respects. A review of the county's history, its terrain, and its current plight has set the stage for subsequent action. In short, it does not require a comprehensive planning program to determine what course Madison County must take. That course is already plotted by its topography. The real value of planning in Madison County is to stimulate those activities which have been dormant so long but have now come to the point in history where they can be and should be immediately developed. In addition, the real value of planning in Madison County is to convince people that this county has very limited potential for agriculture unless specialized, extremely limited potential for 12 industry, and no great need for Large and scattered commercial deve lopments . MAJOR POTENTIALS FOR DEVELOPMENT The major developmental potential for Madison County lies in recreation and tourism. Selective industrialization must be undertaken. Subsistence and specialized farming cannot be dis-placed; neither can they provide a stable base for the economy. Commercialization in the county should be developed toward pro-viding services for recreation and tourist activities as well as for offering goods for purchase by the citizenry. The many limiting factors for urban growth in Madison County will not be discussed in this report if one or more limiting factors have already made a particular geographical area unsuitable for urban type development. A great deal of the land too steep for urban type development limits potentials for industry, housing, and commerce. Because of slope and re-lated limitations, the county has some potential for resort facilities (including ski areas and horseback riding trails), for nature and wildlife preserves, and for timberland. The slope map (opposite) clearly illustrates the vast part of the county which is hampered from receiving concentrated development opportunities . CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT The completion of the Appalachian Highway through eastern Madison County will open a portion of the county for development. 14 A proposal for guiding development into this area is stated in the Land Development Plan. The corridor through which this high-way passes will stimulate future development closeby. It is extremely important that this corridor contain quality develop-ment since this is the area that travelers will see most. This corridor area of Madison County will be the first and lasting impression of the county obtained by travelers. If the traveler likes what he sees, he will return more often. Areas outside of this corridor area are likely to fade somewhat in importance. Access, unless greatly improved, will keep these areas removed from the mainstream. Little demand for active land development and facilities will occur outside the corridor unless that access is improved and tied into the corridor area. VISUAL IMPRESSIONS AND SERVICE FEATURES In conjunction with existing and proposed features of the corridor, related features must be developed. Among the most demanding needs of such an area are the needs for high quality motels and restaurants, service facilities such as laundromats, repair and maintenance services, retail clothing stores, drug stores, and professional services. Adjacent to the highway interchanges such features as motels, restaurants, and other facilities that cater to the travel er should be established. Off of the corridor route, but still in the corridor area, the Town of Mars Hill offers great promise for future development for several reasons. Among the most pro-mising features for Mars Hill are easy access from the corridor, 15 more buildable land than any other Madison County community, a more permanent population and economic base provided by Mars Hill College, and a population base large enough to support pro-fessional and related services within Mars Hill. Extremely important to development activities within this corridor and the Mars Hill area, are the attitudes of the people living in this area. Mars Hill already expresses a strong re-lationship between the college and the townspeople. This re-lationship should expand into the county. A county-wide concern for attracting quality development should be encouraged. The culmination of this spirit might eventually lead to county participation in providing services in the area. Such services could include water and sewer distribution and collection systems, county facilities such as a hospital, courthouse, fire protection, and solid waste disposal. A progressive attitude and spirit can be expressed through the planning program. Moreover, the planning program must educate the residents of the county as to why development of the corridor is essential before development of the entire county. 16 SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS As stated in the introduction to this report, Madison County has a limited potential for development. The development trend which the county will likely take during the next 20 years should be one of continuing subsistence and specialized farming while striving to develop tourist and recreation potentials and to focus commercial and industrial development within certain perameters. The following map depicts areas where different forms of development are a real potential in Madison County. (See p age 18). RECREATION AND TOURISM The apparent long term trend of more leisure time and more affluency is upon us. Madison County, like many other counties in Western North Carolina, has a tremendous potential for re-creation and the second home market because it offers an environ ment where the middle class worker can "get away from it all". The county should plan to appeal to the outsider who is looking for a part-time place of residence and quality facilities rather than one who passes through the county and is confronted by only snake farms, frontier villages and other "tourist traps". The land uses required by these two potentials in general can be on relatively steep slopes such as Wolf Laurel on Bald Mountain, Bald Mountain is but one of many lofty hills in Madison County well equipped with the amenities people seek for vacation and retirement homes. 17 MADISON COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA LAND USE POTENTIAL Scenic Highway Corridor Recreation Potential Identified Industrial Sites (1-18) See Pages 30 - 33 ^Hl Commercial Services I^H Community Development Areas j | Opportunities for Forestry, Open Space, Conservation, Wildlife Preservation Areas, Camping, Religious Assemblies, Marginal Agriculture In addition, the construction of Ivy Reservoir, a pro-posed TVA impoundment on Ivy Creek scheduled during the next 20 years, will provide Madison County with additional appeal for recreation and second homes. The location of this reservoir is near some of the more gently sloping hills of the county (south of Mars Hill) and near two access points on the proposed Appalachian Highway corridor. Wo If Laurel. The largest recreational effort in Madison County to date is the Wolf Laurel resort area. This resort has received a major boost in the last four months of 1969. During these months the State Highway Commission paved and opened up a 3.6 mile access road into the resort and the property changed ownership. The new owners intend to develop the 6,000 acre pro-perty with an expansion of facilities at an estimated cost of $15 million. This expansion, programmed for the next five years, will have a tremendous impact on the entire county and surround-ing region. The total program on Bald Mountain will create several hundred jobs. Along with the resort will be 1,000 build-ing lots for private seasonal and year round housing. Facilities on Bald Mountain will include golf and skiing complexes, fishing, hunting and horseback riding, and possibly ski dormitories, motels, shopping center, craft shop and summer theater. The resort will be of a high quality similar to Beech Mountain development in Avery County. In addition to major recreation complexes, a great variety of recreation needs are unmet. Within the county, the land has 19 potential for camping areas, active recreation areas, golf courses, hiking trails, possibly canoeing on some streams, scenic development and preservation to name but a few. A scenic highway could be developed and/or preserved between the junction of U.S. 25-70 and N.C. 208 east through Guntertown and Big Laurel to U.S. 23 and Bald Mountain resort. In many cases the need is great where the potential is greatest. Educating the private sector as to what they might do with their land and how they might go about it may be the most important factor with-holding the development of these potentials. The county has an undeveloped potential for additional ski resort development. The actual site locations have not been determined for several reasons, most important of which is the necessity to have complete economic and technical feasibility studies. The complexity of ski slope location is very much depend-ent upon northern exposure, temperature and snowbelt occurances. The sites' overall terrain is also important so that the site will have suitable grades for novice and intermediate skiers, adequate base and summit areas for development, a minimum of 1000 feet vertical drop, and a minimum base elevation of 3800- 4200 feet. The site should also afford easy highway and air transportation access and an adequate supply of water and electricity. Suitable sites should necessarily be available for pur-chase by large developers with sound financial backing, technical 20 knowhow, and management skills. Then too a site may be developed utilizing different approaches: a total complex such as Bald Mountain or Beech Mountain resorts or a minimum initial invest-ment for only preparation of the ski slopes, purchase of equip-ment and construction of a ski lodge headquarters. The Ivy Reservoir. As part of a system of 14 impoundments in the Upper French Broad River Basin, Madison County will have Ivy Creek contained to form an 885 acre lake. The construction of this impoundment will aid in controlling flood waters in the French Broad River. This project will be of considerable im-portance to flood prone Marshall and Hot Springs. The Ivy Reservoir also should be a stimulus to growth and economic development in the area south of Mars Hill and along the north shore of the lake. This lake will unquestionably serve the area well as a source of recreation and provide new opportunities for public and private investment and development. "The development by the surrounding shoreline will be aided and influenced by the accessibility to the Appalachian Highway. The new four-lane facility is designed to bridge the lake to the west of the Forks of Ivy. The new road will have two interchanges —one on either side of the lake. The northern inter-change is near Mars Hill while the southern interchange (in Buncombe County) is closer to the lake."l 1 Scott, R., Vaughn, C., and Vincent, R., Upper French Broad River Basin: Regional Development and Investments Related to the Proposed Water Control System, North Carolina State Planning Task Force, Raleigh, N.C., October, 1967, p. 23. 21 Mars Hill and the north shore of the Lake is likely to benefit because of the services it now offers, the presence of the college, and its potentials for growth. To quote the N. C State Planning Task Force study further: "Urban development is likely to jump to the lake (from Mars Hill) and then proceed through a process of infilling of new land uses between the two poles. " "The north shore is expected to become an area of residential land use. These residents will be persons who are a part of the Mars Hill community. The college itself might find owner-ship near the lake to be advantageous for biolo-gical studies. The college might develop this land for experimentation and also have recreation-al facilities for the school at the same time. If Mars Hill College could not undertake this alone, the Board of Directors might be willing to have a joint effort with the University of North C aro 1 ina-Ashe vi 1 1 e and other Western North Carolina colleges. A biological study area could be used for field trips not only by participating colleges but also by local high school biology classes." "A county technical institute for Madison County might be located near this impoundment. As a means of providing trained labor, the location of this kind of facility could also be an economic investment of the Ivy region. Related to these land use developments, the idea of a state park and information center in the vicinity of this reservoir may find acceptance . Together these factors present this area of Madison County wit' a great potential for recreational and several kinds of develo ment possibilities towards greater utilization of the land. Since the completion of the above-mentioned study, a site for golf course has been suggested in this area between the town and proposed lake. ^ Ibid. , p . 24. 22 There is dormant potential for recreation and tourism in the northern part of the county in the Town of Hot Springs. Hot Springs can gain the status it once had as a tourist attraction if there are other attractions in the county which develop to act as a "drawing card". In addition, the abundance of natural forests, wildlife preserves, and other open space near Hot Springs can serve as an additional attraction to this area. Corridor access may be the prime determinant in the future. Access hinders the development of Hot Springs at this time; however, it is felt that as the corridor area develops, no area of Madison County will be removed from the effect of tourism. Currently, travelers cannot stay overnight in Madison County due to lack of facilities; therefore, they see only what lies between destination points on their way toward Asheville or Tennessee accommodations. Travel accommodations and services in the corridor area will permit people to explore Madison County to a greater degree than is now possible. AGRICULTURE Madison County will surely have limited agriculture for the foreseeable future. In spite of the national trend whereby the small farmer is being phased out, there are many factors which prolong and even promote farming as a secondary source of income in Madison County. It is none too difficult for a family to rely on full time employment in something other than agricul-ture while at the same time subsidize family income through subsistence farming. A large family can often produce between 23 $1-2,000 of food for family consumption which in real terms adds that much money to the family income. land nor does it require selective bottom land. Such farming is carried on generally throughout the county on small farms often between 25-50 acres. The nature of such farming requires only part-time attention; therefore, it is ideal for indirect and secondary income purposes. and which will likely gain an increase in acreage is the growing of specialized crops. Among the most productive farm crops of this nature are burley tobacco, beef cattle, milk production, and more recently tomatoes. If families manage wisely, the total family income can be obtained from such farming. Madison County is the state's largest producer of burley tobacco. Al-most every farm family has a tobacco allotment. Such allotments range in size from a few tenths of an acre to several acres. Most farmers cannot hope to make a living based on their allot-ments alone; however, several allotments can be rented which makes it possible for one family to rely totally on income from tobacco production. It is estimated that $1,500 is the average gross return on an acre of tobacco. ^ Excluding labor input, approximately $1,300 of this can be net profit. Ten acres of tobacco under one ownership can provide a good income. ^ Source: Madison County Agricultural Extension Office located Subsistence farming makes no demands on large tracts of Another type of farming which has tenure in Madison County in Marshall. 2 4 The first years of tomato production in Madison County illustrate how a specialty crop can "catch on": TOMATO PRODUCTION 1964-1968 MADISON COUNTY, N. C. SALES Net $ / Ac re Year Producers Acres Gross (To Farmers) Net Sales 1964 266 115 $416,780 $250,068 $1,671.20 1965 360 186 609,000 399,894 2 , 149 .97 1966 460 240 1,113,200 802,000 3 ,341.70 1967 815 411 1,278,791 755,000 1,885.70 1968 729 3 00 1,202,230 830,808 2 ,769.36 Source: Madison County Agriculture Extension Office. The money yield per acre of land is very high for tomato production. In 1966 for example, an acre netted an average re - turn of over $3,340. Cattle production for beef requires more land since it is generally assumed that one acre of good pasture is required to support one mature animal. At least 100 head of cattle or 100 acres of pasture land would be required to produce an adequate family income based on current beef prices. Prime level land is not necessary for such production, so a true potential may exist in the county that has yet to be realized. In addition, poultry and milk production could provide substantial income (as could various other crops) in Madison 25 where level land is not a prerequisite. Agriculture in Madison County is specialized and requires very little land, does not require prime land, and enables many families to have a second income. The future potential for agriculture should be wise use of slopes too steep for urban development. Many acres indicated as excessively sloped can and should be used for certain agricultural uses (see map on pagel3 ) The potential for agricultural land use in Madison County could be enhanced by improving management techniques in dairying, improving growing techniques in burley tobacco production, and in providing information and demonstration projects of poultry production. NATURAL RESOURCES Forests in Madison County offer still another potential for development. Forest related industries plus recreational areas, wildlife preserves, and watersheds give many opportunities for land utilization, jobs, income, open space preservation, develop-ment, and conservation. No less than thirty public, civic and industrial groups can lend assistance in forest development pro-grams within the Upper French Broad Watershed. ^ Many of these sources are available to Madison's residents. Many minerals exist in Madison's geologically complex region. Talc, barite, feldspar, corundum-emery, olivine, rare ^ Economic Development of the Upper French Broad Area, "Basic Data Supplement," Volume II, N. C. State and Tennessee Valley Authority, May, 1964, p. 145. 26 earth minerals, garnet, iron, py r ophy 1 1 i te , Limestone are found in concentrations within the county's boundaries. Mining, how-ever, is a marginal economic pursuit within the county. Access to deposits, cost of extracting, and size of the deposit may be stunting the potential of realizing economic benefits from mine r a 1 we al th . The soils map on page 3 has a symbol showing different mineral locations in the county. Each located symbol may denote a mine or group of mines; a prospect or group of prospects. These minerals are identified to demonstrate the diversity and widespread distribution of mineral commodities. HOUSING The current demands for varieties of housing in Madison County create an unmet need of all income groups. Sites are, for the most part, scattered except in the southern portion called the Asheville Basin. Major housing concentrations can be expected to occur where recreation potentials are developed. In this respect, Bald Mountain and the Ivy Reservoir will dominate. The Mars Hill College student and faculty create another need for a different kind of housing. Retirement and seasonal homes will no doubt be demanded on scattered sites throughout the county to take advantage of the topography and climate. Residential development where water and sewer service is available will occur on mountainsides primarily in elevations under 300 feet. Low winter temperatures and greater precipitation in the higher elevations create conditions unsuited to extensive residential 27 development. The county as a whole will be limited in its over-all development outside water and sewer service areas of the municipalities. Sewer and water services, when provided to serve the north shore of proposed Ivy Reservoir, will stimulate residential growth in that area. The southeastern part of the county will probably realize a demand for housing for workers who will commute to their employment in Asheville. Finally, farm and low income families will require replacement housing and new low cost housing pro-jects. With an estimated 70 percent of families in the county living in substandard housing, ^ there is a vast potential for improvement and economic input which will utilize more land. There will be some demand for housing in the three major communities in the county. Mars Hill can be expected to receive the bulk of this demand due to its favorable location to activity centers in the county (the largest industry, Mars Hill College, Appalachian Corridor, Ivy Reservoir, access to Asheville). Currently a total of 117 units of low cost public housing is completed or in construction phases in the three towns. Mars Hill with 47 units under construction and Marshall, planning for 50 units initially, both intend to apply for more of this housing in early 1970's. Hot Springs has 20 units in operation. The need for housing will utilize small acreage parcels throughout the county. Unidentified sites will be required for mobile home ^ Annual Overall Economic Development Program, Progress Report (1967). Madison County, Charles E. Mashburn (Author), p. 20. 28 parks, public housing, low cost housing developments, apartments, subdivisions, and scattered farm homes, seasonal and permanent residential housing in the near future. This potential may be one of the earliest to be realized if the need is publicized widely enough to attract developers and if a variety of low cost housing programs are undertaken through local initiative. COMMERCIAL In view of the fact that Madison County could develop into a resort area, there will be a tremendous need for service facilities such as motels, restaurants, and small specialty shops. Land off of the Appalachian Corridor Highway at interchange locations should be especially utilized for such facilities. In addition, the potentials in the Mars Hill and Hot Springs areas will create a need for additional commercial and residential land. New commercial construction in Marshall should take place along the bypass instead of in the flood-prone Central Business District The Bald Mountain development may require some commercial func-tions closeby if they are not included in the total development program. A small clustered shopping area could sufficiently serve the needs of the development, tourists and residents in this part of the county. FACILITIES The county's public facilities will create still another demand for land use. A consolidated county high school, a new courthouse, a county hospital, and landfill disposal sites will be needed in the future. It is often common to place these 29 facilities at the county seat; however, since Marshall has limited development potential because of its location in a floodplain with no room for expansion, it would be wise for the county to build these facilities elsewhere in the county. The county's best access, population, educational resource, and prime land for development is in and near Mars Hill. Therefore, consideration should be given to this area now as plans for these facilities are initiated. INDUSTRIAL POTENTIALS Because of the abundance of land unsuitable for concentrate! urban type development in Madison County, very little land is available for industrial and commercial activity. There is a likelihood that Madison County will have some industrial pro-spects during the next 20 years, so it is wise for the county to identify and preserve its potential sites for such development. Industrial sites have been identified by the Division of Commerce and Industry within the N. C. Department of Conservation and Development. The sites listed in the C&I files have a basic criteria of being available for purchase. Those sites presented in the following table were available when originally placed on file with C&I . Only Site No. 1 is an extremely large tract. Most of Commerce and Industry's site offerings in the county are of a very small acreage, due mainly to topographic influences. 30 J, AVAILABLE MADISON COUNTY INDUSTRIAL SITES" Facilities Available (X) Site No . Name ( acres) Water Sewer . Gas Rail 1 Big Laurel 2000 X 2 Hot Springs (H.E. Baker Farm) 20+35 X 3 P. R. Elam (Redmon Farm) 120 Will be city will built to annex plant site sewer 4 Albert Freeman Farm Farm 8 X X 1 mil 5 Burgin Metcalf Tract 10( app . ) X X 6 J . F . Amons Tract (Dr. Chas. Powell) 10-15 X X 7 Herbert Hawkins Property 15 X 8 Amons, Ballard & Ramsey site 5-1/2 X 9 E 1 1 i son Tract 6 0.75 mile away 1.25 mile aw ay 10 Mae Roge r t s Estate 15 X 11 1 Joe Lawson Farm 52 . 7 1.5-1 mile aw ay X 12 i Foster F arm (Dewey Foster) 20 X 13 Marshall (already c ommi t te d ) 12 Source: N. C. Department of Conservation and Development, Commerce and Industry Division, Sylva, N.C., Mr. Bob Goforth Area Representative. Date: Approximately, 1967 . * Located on Land Potential Map, page 18. 31 Site No. 13 has been offered by a group of citizens who originally purchased a 20 acre tract of land south of the Marshall Bypass with funds provided by gifts from these and other interested citizens. Seven acres have been graded and an additional three acres is partially graded as separate sites for small industries. The TVA Industrial Division has identified additional sites with industrial potential based upon specified criteria of land area and availability of water, sewer, rail and highway service. The land may or may not be available. The sites are also located on the potential map and summarized here. All are at least 50 acres in size. Site No. 14^ Allegheny area site is located thirteen miles northeast of the junction of State Route 208 and U.S. Highways 25 and 70, and about 10 miles north-east of the intersection of State Route 212 and State Route 208. This 165 acre site is an isolated valley currently used for farming. Site No. 15 Shut-In Creek site is located 3 miles west of Hot Springs and 1 mile east of Antioch along both sides of U. S. Highway 25 and 70. The Southern Railway has a main line about 1 mile north near the mouth of Shut-in Creek. The site contains 90 acres. Site No. 16 Antioch site is about 4 miles west of Hot Springs, along the south side of U. S. Highway 25 and 70 at Antioch. The 50 acres are level to gently slop-ing f arm 1 and . * From Source cited on page 26. Site No. 17 Spring Creek Site is located about 13 miles south of Hot Springs, along both sides of State Route 209. The area is between mountains. The Spring Creek area is remote and highways into the area, although they have a good surface, cross rough mountain terrain. The site is 345 acres in size. Since most of the level land in the county lies at interva in the western edge of the Asheville Basin in eastern Madison County, around Mars Hill, and near the proposed Ivy Reservoir, it would be wise to preserve some of this land for industrial development. In addition, this area is best equipped with trans portation facilities such as the proposed Appalachian Corridor. Furthermore, the area is closer to the county's labor supply and marketing outlets. A second major potential industrial area lies one-mile northwest of Hot Springs outside of the French Broad River Plain This site contains 290 acres of rolling land (Identified as Site No. 18 on land potential map). Transportation is available via U. S. 25-70 and the Southern Railroad. As contrasted to the Mar Hill area, the Hot Springs area could ship finished products easier to the west into Tennessee than to the east. From a regional or national distribution standpoint the sites would be equal. OTHER LAND POTENTIALS Additional level land is available only in small pockets and mostly confined to valleys where roads wind with the streams 33 It is generally unwise to plan for development along the streams in Madison County because of their potential for flooding. That small strip of land that generally follows most of the major highways in the county should be preserved for residential, open space, and commercial land uses but should be confined as much as possible . The greatest potential in northern Madison county may be to leave the countryside as it is. This is a bit of untouched Americana that should be protected. Perhaps a folklore collec-tion could be established and tied in as a stopping point on a scenic highway such as N. C. 208 and 212. It is a resource that has no parallel in many other parts of the U . S. 34 ANCILLI ARY POTENTIALS The land of Madison County has offered an adequate number of potentials for development and, at the same time, has re-stricted those potentials in certain limited ways. There are some ancilliary potentials that must be realized in order that the development potentials of the land area will have a greater chance of being developed to its potential. Following is a brief statement related to each of those potentials. 1. Access has already been mentioned; however, this is of great importance. The county will have a developmental stimuli with the construction of the Appalachian Corridor but the county's overall economic development is seriously prejudiced where an up-to-date highway system is non-existent . 2. Municipal development creates a demand for public monies. The county will realize a potential of increased taxa-tion return since citizens passed the 1% local sales tax option in November, 1969. The return to the county is estimated to be $35,000 for this first year. Of this total $28,892 will be put into the county treasury. Hot Springs will receive $1,324, Marshall $2,765, and Mars Hill $2,019. 1 N. C. Department of Tax Research "Estimates of Revenue for the 25 counties passing the Local Option Sales Tax in elections held November 4, 1969". Information sheet dated November 6, 1969 . 35 Any improvement to manpower training and adult educa-tion programs and facilities will give new skills so those persons can obtain more earning power and gradually improve their life style, including the dwellings in which they reside. In agriculture, the problem is not only with the land itself, but the landowner. He is unaware many times as to how to make the best use of his land. Farmers are not spending enough hours in a productive manner to en-able their families to have a standard of living equal to other types of employment. Failure of the farmer to make full use of the resources available to them (land, labor, capital, credit, correct production practices and management) is keeping the income below what it could be on most farms in the county. Area-wide development is hindered by both the land and man. Man is not trained or informed about the possibili-ties. The long range goals identified in the original Over-all Economic Development Program were: a) full develop-ment of agricultural resources, b) industrialization within resources, and c) development of tourism and recreation. The involvement in this program county-wide and the cooperation among representatives from many small communities and rural areas will determine whether or not some of the county's land potentials from the identified goals could bring the county a long way towards realizing and utilizing the local re-source base. 36
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Title | Land potential study, Madison County, North Carolina |
Contributor |
Madison County Planning Board. North Carolina. Division of Community Planning. Western Area Office. |
Date | 1970 |
Subjects |
Land use--North Carolina--Madison County--Planning Regional planning--North Carolina--Madison County Madison County (N.C.)--Economic conditions |
Place |
Madison County, North Carolina, United States |
Time Period |
(1945-1989) Post War/Cold War period (1954-1971) Civil Rights era |
Description | "March, 1970"--Abstract; "Prepared for Madison County, North Carolina... ; technical assistance from State of North Carolina, Department of Local Affairs, Division of Community Planning"--1st prelim. p; "Financed in part through an urban planning grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the provision of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, as amended."--T.p. verso; "Author: State of North Carolina, Department of Local Affairs, Division of Community Planning, Western Area Office... (Charles Vaughn)"--Abstract; Includes bibliographical references;This item was digitized by the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. |
Publisher | North Carolina, Dept. of Local Affairs, Division of Community Planning, Western Area Office |
Agency-Current | North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality |
Rights | State Document see http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,63754 |
Physical Characteristics | 36 p. :col. maps (folded) ;28 cm. |
Collection | North Carolina State Documents Collection. State Library of North Carolina |
Type | text |
Language | English |
Format |
Reports Municipal plans |
Digital Characteristics-A | 3 MB; 54 p. |
Digital Collection |
North Carolina Digital State Documents Collection Urban Development Collection |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Audience | All |
Pres File Name-M | pubs_udev_landpotentialstu1970nort.pdf |
Pres Local File Path-M | \Preservation_content\Statepubs\pubs_udev\images_master |
Full Text | LAND POTENTIAL STUDY MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA ABSTRACT TITLE : AUTHOR : SUBJECT : DATE : LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY: SOURCE OF COPIES : HUD PROJECT NUMBER : Land Potential Study Madison County, North Carolina State of North Carolina, Department of Local Affairs, Division of Community Planning, Western Area Office, 902 Northwestern Bank Building, Asheville, North Carolina 28801 (Charles Vaughn) Physical limitations and potentials of the land resource base of Madison County. March, 1970 Madison County, North Carolina, Planning Board Madison County Courthouse Marshall, North Carolina HUD Regional Office Library, Region III, 645 Peachtree Seventh Building, Atlanta, Georgia Clearinghouse of Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Washington, D.C. NCP-62 NO. OF PAGES: ABSTRACT: 36 Mountainous Madison County has realized only marginal forms of development in past decades. Lack of easy access has hindered "mainstream" de velopment and economic levels. More recently opportunities for citizens in this rural county have presented themselves. While topography has been a liability in the past, current and future projects are likely to enlist topography as an advantageous factor of physical develop-ment. For example, an Appalachian Highway Corridor will permit easier tourist access-ability into this county where a multi-million dollar recreation facility, a proposed TVA reservoir, vacation housing sites, outdoor re-creation potentials and existing wildlife and naturally forested areas all exist. This re-port proposes areas that are most desirable for development and others which may return greater benefits to the residents of the county if maintained in their natural condition. LAND POTENTIAL STUDY * MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA The preparation of this report was financed in part through an urban planning grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the provision of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, as amended. This Report Prepared for: MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA County Commissioners Carl N. Cody, Chairman W . C. Silver, Jr. Roy McDevitt Madison County Planning Board Mrs. Frances C, Ramsey, Chairman C. E. Mashburn Vernon Wood C. N. Willis Carl Eller Mrs. Peggy Dotterer Sam L. Rudisill Ray Tweed Technical Assistance from: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION OF COMMUNITY PLANNING George J. Monaghan, Administrator Western Area Office "Charles E. Vaughn, Director Betty Whidden, Typist Hermon Rector, Draftsman * Responsible for this project. MARCH, 1970 Price : $2 . 00 TABLE OF CONTENTS Pa g e PREFACE BACKGROUND INFORMATION L Physiography L Soils 2 Drainage 8 Demographic Considerations 9 Urban Settlement And Urban Services. 10 THE LAND POTENTIAL 12 Introduction 12 Major Potentials for Development 14 Corridor Development 14 Visual Impressions and Service Features 15 SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS 17 Recreation and Tourism 17 Agricul ture 23 Natural Resources 26 Housing 2 7 Commercial 29 Facilities 29 Industrial Potentials 30 Other Land Potentials 33 ANCILLI ARY POTENTIALS 35 LIST OF TABLES-Tab le Page Soil Interpretations of General Soil Map 4 Soil Associations (Approximate Acreages and Percentages) 7 Tomato Production 1964- 1968 . 25 Available Madison County Industrial Sites 31 LIST OF MAPS Map s Page Soils 3 Excessive Slopes 13 Land Potential 18 PREFACE Madison County, named in honor of President Madison, is Located in Western North Carolina, contiguous to Tennessee. The county part of the Appalachian Mountain Physiographic Province is the most rugged and remote section of the Upper French Broad area which focuses on Asheville. The Upper French Broad River drainage basin includes Madison, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties. Madison County is the least develop-ed of any county in the basin. Economically, Madison County is a part of the Western North Carolina mountain region. The population and economic trends in Madison County parallel those in the region very closely. The high rate of natural increase of the population and the lack of employment opportunities have resulted in steady out-migration. Agricultural pursuits are the predominant activi-ty, but this has provided an inadequate base for the present economy in this particular county. New industrial growth is occurring, but has not yet offset the declines in agriculture. Madison County's residents have not developed any of their r e - cources to a strong or complete degree, partially due to the county's economic history. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/landpotentialstu1970nort BACKGROUND INFORMATION PHYSIOGRAPHY The rolling southeastern portion of the county has per-mitted farming and some forms of urban type development. Further north into the county the stream valleys narrow and mountains predicate development potentials by leaving little bottom land except around Hot Springs and in the Spring Creek section. Be-cause of the topography within the county, most of the population and development has been concentrated in the southern portion of the county and along the floodplain of the French Broad. Madison's main mountain range is known as the Bald Mountains. Big Bald, at an elevation of 5200 feet is the highest elevation in the county. The French Broad River's entry into Tennessee is at the county's lowest elevation (1264 feet). A physiographic oddity exists on the mountain top where the Madison County boundary meets with Haywood County and the Tennessee State line. In this vicinity exists a very good example of North Carolina's unique grass balds. This is a treeless dome nearly a mile long. Sandy Mush Bald on the Buncombe County border is another example of this phenomena, Sandy Mush Bald is at an elevation of 5168 feet. The difference of the extreme elevations within the county create a problem for county residents and potential development: level terrain is scarce. This terrain has largely dictated de-velopment within the county. 1 The most rugged Land is in forests, either as farm wood-land or in the national forest preserve. All of the original forest has been cut over, but reforestation has recovered most of it. This has developed a forest products income for some farmers and woodland owners. SOILS A general soil map (opposite) was made showing the location and extent of the six soil associations in the county. Such a map provides the general soils data needed to plan the efficient use and orderly development of the county's natural land re-sources. The general soil map is useful to those who want a general idea of the soils, who want to compare different parts of the county, or who want to know the location of large areas suit-able for a certain kind of farming or other broad land use. It does not show accurately the kinds of soil on a single farm or in a small tract, and is not suitable for the planning of such small units of land. A summary of soil limitations of the various soil association types is given in tabular form on page 4. The six soil associations of Madison County are described as f ol lows : 1) MUSKINGUM-RAMSEY ASSOCIATION Somewhat excessively drained shallow upland soils on narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. This association occupies about 20 percent of the county. Practically all of this land is forested. A few small areas have been cleared and are being used mostly for pasture. Steepness of slope, stoniness, low natural fertility and shallowness to rock are the chief hazards limiting the use of these soils. 2 GENERAL SOIL MAP MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA MUSKINGUM-RAMSEY ASSOCIATION: Somewhat excessively drained shallow upland ndges and steep to very steep side slopes. HOLSTON-NOLICHUCKY ASSOCIATION: Well drained stream terrace soils with friable to firm sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth terraces. CODORUS-COMUS ASSOCIATION: Somewhat poorly drained to well drained, nearly level flood plain soils with friable loamy textures. PORTE RS-EDNEY VI LLE-ASHE ASSOCIATION: Well drained and somewhat excessively drained upland soils with friable loam to clay loam subsoils occurring on the higher i ridges and side slopes. HAYESVI LLE-CHESTER ASSOCIATION: Well draineo upland soils with friable to firm, fine sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth ridges to moderately steep side slopes. CHESTER -HAYESVI LLE-ASHE ASSOCIATION: Well drained to somewhat excessively drained, intermountam upland soils on narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. for Woods Fair Good Good Good Fair XI oo a 8 O 1 a Fair ility u itab lture CO fO D u u 1) iH C u 01 01 U < Poor Fair Good Poor Poor hu la. h i oC 1 Poor CO^lO u <-n 01 X> 01 CO U P OH CO Severe (51, R) Moderate (TSC) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI, R) Moderate (TSC) Moderate to Severe (TSC, SI) Severe (SI, R) Light Industries-!:' Severe (SI, R) Moderate (Sh-Sw, SI) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI, R) Moderate to Severe (Sh-Sw, SI) Severe (SI, Sh-Sw) Severe (SI, R) Intensive Play Areas Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Moderate (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Recreation Picnic Areas Severe (SI) Slight to Moderate(Sl) Moderate (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Slight to Moderate (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Camp Sites Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Moderate to Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Severe (SI) Septic Tank Filter Fields Severe (R, SI) Moderate (Perc, SI) Severe (Fl, Wt) Severe (SI, R) Severe (SI, R) Moderate to Severe (SI, R) Moderate to Severe (SI, R) Severe (SI, R) Average Degree of Slope o c— o -p o en 2 to 2% S ' s ; un CM 1 *«. v\ CNJ o -p NO UN 1 O 1 •P un rH 1 % in Association u\v\ -3 c"i O UN -3 n *t w o o u\ cr\ 1 «ft O o u\ J ^ 1 H O UN >5 cm sO r-l | rH c a c/ c/ Muskingum Ramsey Holston Nolichucky Codorus Comus Porters Edneyville Ashe Hayesville Chester Chester Hayesville Ashe I c ti c c D < T c a 1. Muskingum-Ramsey (205C of County) 2. Holston-Nolichucky (1% of County) 3. Codorus-Comus (2% of County) i CD rH •§ o (d C_> CO <«h V. o 01 0) H* U J3 O O W P> • -3 5. Hayesville-Chester (5? of County) 6. Chester-Hayesville- Ashe (ti2* of County) 5| VS. . » * t\ rH CO ' UN CO 0) rH I 01 CO a. o o + o a -P rH B UN CO -3 O rH Ul CO C9 01 CO iJ a. o -h " S- B CO 01 Ol CO a. o & B -i XI Ol » -J O CO (> m X CO 01 C I 01 CO O I a o -h + * a p s-s s-s co 'H CM i 5^ B • > - -H XI 01 rJ O CO CO S3 CO Ol C I 01 CO O I a o -h + o a « H h b o o Cflfl Urlrl H - O CO a o -h o a >-» i . h E to in in CO 'H HH T3 > O II) V) E w HU TJ > O 0) w S w *J r-l -4 < U ri u a> u C C CL U R) o a. a. -h 3 •h 3 > o ai h cn O iJ H hi U <*J o -h O ti b n b eg rH CU O 1- Cu > tO 4 2) HOLSTON-NOLLICHUCKY Well drained stream ASSOCIATION terrace soils with friable to firm sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth terraces . This association occupies about 1 percent of the county. It is located around Hot Springs, and is characterized by gently sloping to moderately steep, smooth high stream terraces. These soils have formed from the weathering of old alluvial deposits. as s ociation i n g The r n > tobacco , ag r icultural ie f hazard le n t soils tomatoes, pasture and hay. These are good soils with the degree of slope being the ch in limiting their use. They are also excel for residential and light industrial sites. 3) CODORUS-COMUS ASSOCIATION Well drained to somewhat poorly drained, nearly level floodplain soils with friable loamy textures. This association occupies about 2 percent of the county. It is located mainly along the French Broad River below Hot Springs, Spring Creek and the larger streams in the Mars Hill section. The association is characterized by nearly level stream flood plains which are subject to occasional or frequent flooding. These soils are formed from recent alluvial deposits. About 85 percent of the land in this association has been cleared and is being used for farming. The principal crops grown on these soils are corn, tobacco, tomatoes, pasture and hay. These soils are capable of high production and intensive farming used with proper artificial drainage and some measure of flood control. They are generally not suitable for residential or in-dustrial development because of the flood hazard. Depth to the water table and flooding are the chief hazards in limiting the use of these soils. 4) PORTERS -EDNEYVILLE-ASHE ASSOCIATION Well drained and somewhat excessively drained upland soils with friable loam to clay loam subsoils occurring 5 on the higher mountain ridges and side slopes. This association occup county. It is Located on the western and northeaste The area is characterized and steep side slopes at e ies about 30 percent of the the higher mountains along rn borders of the county, by narrow to rolling ridges levations about 3000 feet. About 30 percent of this land has been cleared and is being used mainly as unimproved pasture. Less than 10 percent of the clear acreage is being used for cultivated crops, mainly corn and tobacco. The more common trees on the forested areas consist of oak, hickory, red maple, yellow poplar and white pine Steepness of slope and surface stones are the chief hazards limiting the use of these soils. 5) HAYESVILLE-CHESTER ASSOCIATION Well drained upland soils with friable to firm, fine sandy clay loam to clay subsoils on broad smooth ridges to moderately steep side slopes. This association occupies about 5 percent of the county and is located around Mars Hill. The areas are characterized by broad ridges and smooth rolling to moderately steep side slopes. About 75 percent of this land has been cleared for farming. Of the cleared area about one-third is used for crops with the re-mainder in pasture. The degree of slope is the major hazard limiting the use of the soils in this associa-tion. 6) CHESTER-HAYES VI LLE- ASHE ASSOCIATION Well drained to somewhat excessively drained, inter-mountain upland soils on narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. This association occupies about 42 percent of the county. It is located in scattered areas throughout much of the intermountain areas of the county. The areas are characterized by narrow ridges and steep to very steep side slopes. About 40 percent of this land has been cleared and is being used mainly for pasture and hay. Steepness of slope, surface stones and droughtiness are the chief hazards limiting the use of these soils. 6 The following table illustrates found in the various associations and soil series in relation to the whole. the the amount of acreage percentage of each SOIL ASSOCIATIONS MADISON COUNTY Table of Approximate Acreages and Percentages Series Names and Total Total No. % Within The Association Ac X" 6 S /o 1 Muskingum( 45) -Ramsey (35) 2,900 1.0 2 Holston( 40)-Nol lichucky (35) 58,000 20.0 3 Codorus( 50) -Comus ( 30 ) 6,000 2.0 4 Porters(40)-Edneyville(30)-Ashe( 15) 89,000 30.0 5 Hayesvi lie ( 60) -Chester( 25) 14,300 5.0 6 Chester(60)-Hayesville( 15)-Ashe( 10) 12 1, 640 42 . 291,840 Acres 100.0% Source of Soils Information: USDA, Soil Conservation Service, Raleigh, N. C, 1969, 7 DRAINAGE Madison County's surface water is drained by one watershed. The French Broad River, originating on the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Transylvania County, flows northward through Madison County into Tennessee's Douglas Lake (a TVA im-poundment). All minor drainage channels in the county empty into the French Broad River. The vast area drained by the Upper French Broad and its tributaries have often provided Madison County with flood pro-blems, chiefly along the Upper French Broad. Runoff upstream from Hot Springs comes from an area of 1565 square miles.''" De-struction to what little floodplain land exists in Madison County along this river has been periodically severe. Marshall's and Hot Springs' downtowns are vulnerable to runoff from heavy rains that occur anywhere in the basin. Regional floods would inun-date some Hot Springs downtown businesses. Water along Andrew Avenue and Bridge Street in that community would be as much as 18 feet deep. 2 A proposal and planning activity by TVA to reduce the threat of floods in this basin is being developed. A system of impoundments on tributaries of the French Broad, all upstream from Marshall and Hot Springs, has been proposed. The project Floods on French Broad River and Spring Creek in the Vicinity of Hot Springs, N.C., Tennessee Valley Authority, Division of Water Control Planning, Knoxville, Tennessee, July, 1960, p. 1 2 Ibid. p . 4 . 8 is to the stage where engineering drawings are being refined and funding by Congress is being requested. Madison County will have one of the proposed impoundments on its Ivy Creek. The actual water body will be shared with Buncombe County as it will straddle the county line. More of the effect of this proposed lake will be discussed in a later section. DEMOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS At the turn of the century, the population of Madison County was generally distributed throughout the county. Through the years the population has shifted towards Mars Hill Township (increased 13.6 percent) and Big Laurel Township (increased 57.2 percent) . Meadow Fork and Middle Fork Townships had population losses in excess of 50 percent. All of the remaining townships 1 o st s ub s t an t i a 1 numbers too. Mars Hill increased by 170 persons; Hot Springs increased by two persons; Marshall decreased by 57 persons from 1950-1960, The population of Marshall increased significantly between 1920 and 1930. Since 1940, however, the population has steadily de-clined. With the shift in population, substantial numbers of the county's residents left the county as they made their move. From 1950 to 1960, the county had a net loss of 3,305 persons. The trend continued during the next five years as the county's 1965 population was estimated at 15,938. This additional loss from the 1960 figure (17,217) was 1,279 persons. 9 Within the next two or three years significant changes of this trend should occur as the various programs and projects now underway, or proposed to begin in the early 1970's, begin to take effect. The projects include physical development as well as human and educational resource development efforts. Some of these such as the Bald Mountain development and Ivy Reservoir are mentioned later in this report. Educational program efforts include Operation Mainstream which gives on the job training to low-income workers in the county (partly in cooperation with the U.S. Forestry Service and partly in cooperation with the Madison- Buncombe Opportunity Corporation's rural housing renovation pro-gram) and urban and rural youth programs. URBAN SETTLEMENT AND URBAN SERVICES The statements related to the population distribution, of course, reflect the pattern of urban settlement and urban activi-ties within Madison County. The urban services are primarily con-fined to Hot Springs, Mars Hill and Marshall and their immediate surroundings. These are the only places in the county where these public water and sewer systems, garbage collection, street light-ing, fire and police protection and schools all are developed to a minimum and are in close proximity to one another. The county still is without a hospital which forces re-sidents to travel to Asheville for specialized medical and emergency services. Mars Hill is in need of a municipal sewage treatment plant and waste collection system to include (and re-place) the system operated and maintained by Mars Hill College. These two services perhaps should receive priority within the county. 10 The scattered and Low density population has kept the need for water and sewer services outside of Mars Hill, Hot Springs, and Marshall at low priority. As systems become older and should growth begin to occur, the county may need to improve and/or in-stall better and more complete water and sewer systems. Looking ahead, the Madison County Commissioners have asked a private engineering firm to study the total water and sewerage service needs of the county. It is possible that a consolidation of existing systems and extension of a single system into the heaviest concentration of settlement will be a major recommenda-tion of the study. Functional consolidation of police and fire protection, schools, solid waste collection and disposal might provide other opportunities for the county to offer services to its residents at lower overall costs. 1 1 THE LAND POTENTIAL INTRODUCTION The Land Potential Study for Madison County is, as the title suggests, a study to indicate the potential for land development in Madison County based on physical features both natural and man-made • This study is the framework for a land development plan for the county— a plan to provide for control-led growth by both protecting the county's amenities and insur-ing proper urban growth for proper locations. By analyzing physical features, a county's greatest land potentials should be realized, and plans should be made to insure the realization. This study in short should determine future locations for housing industry, commerce, agriculture, forestry, recreation, open space and governmental facilities. It should be noted that Madison County is unusual in many respects. A review of the county's history, its terrain, and its current plight has set the stage for subsequent action. In short, it does not require a comprehensive planning program to determine what course Madison County must take. That course is already plotted by its topography. The real value of planning in Madison County is to stimulate those activities which have been dormant so long but have now come to the point in history where they can be and should be immediately developed. In addition, the real value of planning in Madison County is to convince people that this county has very limited potential for agriculture unless specialized, extremely limited potential for 12 industry, and no great need for Large and scattered commercial deve lopments . MAJOR POTENTIALS FOR DEVELOPMENT The major developmental potential for Madison County lies in recreation and tourism. Selective industrialization must be undertaken. Subsistence and specialized farming cannot be dis-placed; neither can they provide a stable base for the economy. Commercialization in the county should be developed toward pro-viding services for recreation and tourist activities as well as for offering goods for purchase by the citizenry. The many limiting factors for urban growth in Madison County will not be discussed in this report if one or more limiting factors have already made a particular geographical area unsuitable for urban type development. A great deal of the land too steep for urban type development limits potentials for industry, housing, and commerce. Because of slope and re-lated limitations, the county has some potential for resort facilities (including ski areas and horseback riding trails), for nature and wildlife preserves, and for timberland. The slope map (opposite) clearly illustrates the vast part of the county which is hampered from receiving concentrated development opportunities . CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT The completion of the Appalachian Highway through eastern Madison County will open a portion of the county for development. 14 A proposal for guiding development into this area is stated in the Land Development Plan. The corridor through which this high-way passes will stimulate future development closeby. It is extremely important that this corridor contain quality develop-ment since this is the area that travelers will see most. This corridor area of Madison County will be the first and lasting impression of the county obtained by travelers. If the traveler likes what he sees, he will return more often. Areas outside of this corridor area are likely to fade somewhat in importance. Access, unless greatly improved, will keep these areas removed from the mainstream. Little demand for active land development and facilities will occur outside the corridor unless that access is improved and tied into the corridor area. VISUAL IMPRESSIONS AND SERVICE FEATURES In conjunction with existing and proposed features of the corridor, related features must be developed. Among the most demanding needs of such an area are the needs for high quality motels and restaurants, service facilities such as laundromats, repair and maintenance services, retail clothing stores, drug stores, and professional services. Adjacent to the highway interchanges such features as motels, restaurants, and other facilities that cater to the travel er should be established. Off of the corridor route, but still in the corridor area, the Town of Mars Hill offers great promise for future development for several reasons. Among the most pro-mising features for Mars Hill are easy access from the corridor, 15 more buildable land than any other Madison County community, a more permanent population and economic base provided by Mars Hill College, and a population base large enough to support pro-fessional and related services within Mars Hill. Extremely important to development activities within this corridor and the Mars Hill area, are the attitudes of the people living in this area. Mars Hill already expresses a strong re-lationship between the college and the townspeople. This re-lationship should expand into the county. A county-wide concern for attracting quality development should be encouraged. The culmination of this spirit might eventually lead to county participation in providing services in the area. Such services could include water and sewer distribution and collection systems, county facilities such as a hospital, courthouse, fire protection, and solid waste disposal. A progressive attitude and spirit can be expressed through the planning program. Moreover, the planning program must educate the residents of the county as to why development of the corridor is essential before development of the entire county. 16 SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS As stated in the introduction to this report, Madison County has a limited potential for development. The development trend which the county will likely take during the next 20 years should be one of continuing subsistence and specialized farming while striving to develop tourist and recreation potentials and to focus commercial and industrial development within certain perameters. The following map depicts areas where different forms of development are a real potential in Madison County. (See p age 18). RECREATION AND TOURISM The apparent long term trend of more leisure time and more affluency is upon us. Madison County, like many other counties in Western North Carolina, has a tremendous potential for re-creation and the second home market because it offers an environ ment where the middle class worker can "get away from it all". The county should plan to appeal to the outsider who is looking for a part-time place of residence and quality facilities rather than one who passes through the county and is confronted by only snake farms, frontier villages and other "tourist traps". The land uses required by these two potentials in general can be on relatively steep slopes such as Wolf Laurel on Bald Mountain, Bald Mountain is but one of many lofty hills in Madison County well equipped with the amenities people seek for vacation and retirement homes. 17 MADISON COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA LAND USE POTENTIAL Scenic Highway Corridor Recreation Potential Identified Industrial Sites (1-18) See Pages 30 - 33 ^Hl Commercial Services I^H Community Development Areas j | Opportunities for Forestry, Open Space, Conservation, Wildlife Preservation Areas, Camping, Religious Assemblies, Marginal Agriculture In addition, the construction of Ivy Reservoir, a pro-posed TVA impoundment on Ivy Creek scheduled during the next 20 years, will provide Madison County with additional appeal for recreation and second homes. The location of this reservoir is near some of the more gently sloping hills of the county (south of Mars Hill) and near two access points on the proposed Appalachian Highway corridor. Wo If Laurel. The largest recreational effort in Madison County to date is the Wolf Laurel resort area. This resort has received a major boost in the last four months of 1969. During these months the State Highway Commission paved and opened up a 3.6 mile access road into the resort and the property changed ownership. The new owners intend to develop the 6,000 acre pro-perty with an expansion of facilities at an estimated cost of $15 million. This expansion, programmed for the next five years, will have a tremendous impact on the entire county and surround-ing region. The total program on Bald Mountain will create several hundred jobs. Along with the resort will be 1,000 build-ing lots for private seasonal and year round housing. Facilities on Bald Mountain will include golf and skiing complexes, fishing, hunting and horseback riding, and possibly ski dormitories, motels, shopping center, craft shop and summer theater. The resort will be of a high quality similar to Beech Mountain development in Avery County. In addition to major recreation complexes, a great variety of recreation needs are unmet. Within the county, the land has 19 potential for camping areas, active recreation areas, golf courses, hiking trails, possibly canoeing on some streams, scenic development and preservation to name but a few. A scenic highway could be developed and/or preserved between the junction of U.S. 25-70 and N.C. 208 east through Guntertown and Big Laurel to U.S. 23 and Bald Mountain resort. In many cases the need is great where the potential is greatest. Educating the private sector as to what they might do with their land and how they might go about it may be the most important factor with-holding the development of these potentials. The county has an undeveloped potential for additional ski resort development. The actual site locations have not been determined for several reasons, most important of which is the necessity to have complete economic and technical feasibility studies. The complexity of ski slope location is very much depend-ent upon northern exposure, temperature and snowbelt occurances. The sites' overall terrain is also important so that the site will have suitable grades for novice and intermediate skiers, adequate base and summit areas for development, a minimum of 1000 feet vertical drop, and a minimum base elevation of 3800- 4200 feet. The site should also afford easy highway and air transportation access and an adequate supply of water and electricity. Suitable sites should necessarily be available for pur-chase by large developers with sound financial backing, technical 20 knowhow, and management skills. Then too a site may be developed utilizing different approaches: a total complex such as Bald Mountain or Beech Mountain resorts or a minimum initial invest-ment for only preparation of the ski slopes, purchase of equip-ment and construction of a ski lodge headquarters. The Ivy Reservoir. As part of a system of 14 impoundments in the Upper French Broad River Basin, Madison County will have Ivy Creek contained to form an 885 acre lake. The construction of this impoundment will aid in controlling flood waters in the French Broad River. This project will be of considerable im-portance to flood prone Marshall and Hot Springs. The Ivy Reservoir also should be a stimulus to growth and economic development in the area south of Mars Hill and along the north shore of the lake. This lake will unquestionably serve the area well as a source of recreation and provide new opportunities for public and private investment and development. "The development by the surrounding shoreline will be aided and influenced by the accessibility to the Appalachian Highway. The new four-lane facility is designed to bridge the lake to the west of the Forks of Ivy. The new road will have two interchanges —one on either side of the lake. The northern inter-change is near Mars Hill while the southern interchange (in Buncombe County) is closer to the lake."l 1 Scott, R., Vaughn, C., and Vincent, R., Upper French Broad River Basin: Regional Development and Investments Related to the Proposed Water Control System, North Carolina State Planning Task Force, Raleigh, N.C., October, 1967, p. 23. 21 Mars Hill and the north shore of the Lake is likely to benefit because of the services it now offers, the presence of the college, and its potentials for growth. To quote the N. C State Planning Task Force study further: "Urban development is likely to jump to the lake (from Mars Hill) and then proceed through a process of infilling of new land uses between the two poles. " "The north shore is expected to become an area of residential land use. These residents will be persons who are a part of the Mars Hill community. The college itself might find owner-ship near the lake to be advantageous for biolo-gical studies. The college might develop this land for experimentation and also have recreation-al facilities for the school at the same time. If Mars Hill College could not undertake this alone, the Board of Directors might be willing to have a joint effort with the University of North C aro 1 ina-Ashe vi 1 1 e and other Western North Carolina colleges. A biological study area could be used for field trips not only by participating colleges but also by local high school biology classes." "A county technical institute for Madison County might be located near this impoundment. As a means of providing trained labor, the location of this kind of facility could also be an economic investment of the Ivy region. Related to these land use developments, the idea of a state park and information center in the vicinity of this reservoir may find acceptance . Together these factors present this area of Madison County wit' a great potential for recreational and several kinds of develo ment possibilities towards greater utilization of the land. Since the completion of the above-mentioned study, a site for golf course has been suggested in this area between the town and proposed lake. ^ Ibid. , p . 24. 22 There is dormant potential for recreation and tourism in the northern part of the county in the Town of Hot Springs. Hot Springs can gain the status it once had as a tourist attraction if there are other attractions in the county which develop to act as a "drawing card". In addition, the abundance of natural forests, wildlife preserves, and other open space near Hot Springs can serve as an additional attraction to this area. Corridor access may be the prime determinant in the future. Access hinders the development of Hot Springs at this time; however, it is felt that as the corridor area develops, no area of Madison County will be removed from the effect of tourism. Currently, travelers cannot stay overnight in Madison County due to lack of facilities; therefore, they see only what lies between destination points on their way toward Asheville or Tennessee accommodations. Travel accommodations and services in the corridor area will permit people to explore Madison County to a greater degree than is now possible. AGRICULTURE Madison County will surely have limited agriculture for the foreseeable future. In spite of the national trend whereby the small farmer is being phased out, there are many factors which prolong and even promote farming as a secondary source of income in Madison County. It is none too difficult for a family to rely on full time employment in something other than agricul-ture while at the same time subsidize family income through subsistence farming. A large family can often produce between 23 $1-2,000 of food for family consumption which in real terms adds that much money to the family income. land nor does it require selective bottom land. Such farming is carried on generally throughout the county on small farms often between 25-50 acres. The nature of such farming requires only part-time attention; therefore, it is ideal for indirect and secondary income purposes. and which will likely gain an increase in acreage is the growing of specialized crops. Among the most productive farm crops of this nature are burley tobacco, beef cattle, milk production, and more recently tomatoes. If families manage wisely, the total family income can be obtained from such farming. Madison County is the state's largest producer of burley tobacco. Al-most every farm family has a tobacco allotment. Such allotments range in size from a few tenths of an acre to several acres. Most farmers cannot hope to make a living based on their allot-ments alone; however, several allotments can be rented which makes it possible for one family to rely totally on income from tobacco production. It is estimated that $1,500 is the average gross return on an acre of tobacco. ^ Excluding labor input, approximately $1,300 of this can be net profit. Ten acres of tobacco under one ownership can provide a good income. ^ Source: Madison County Agricultural Extension Office located Subsistence farming makes no demands on large tracts of Another type of farming which has tenure in Madison County in Marshall. 2 4 The first years of tomato production in Madison County illustrate how a specialty crop can "catch on": TOMATO PRODUCTION 1964-1968 MADISON COUNTY, N. C. SALES Net $ / Ac re Year Producers Acres Gross (To Farmers) Net Sales 1964 266 115 $416,780 $250,068 $1,671.20 1965 360 186 609,000 399,894 2 , 149 .97 1966 460 240 1,113,200 802,000 3 ,341.70 1967 815 411 1,278,791 755,000 1,885.70 1968 729 3 00 1,202,230 830,808 2 ,769.36 Source: Madison County Agriculture Extension Office. The money yield per acre of land is very high for tomato production. In 1966 for example, an acre netted an average re - turn of over $3,340. Cattle production for beef requires more land since it is generally assumed that one acre of good pasture is required to support one mature animal. At least 100 head of cattle or 100 acres of pasture land would be required to produce an adequate family income based on current beef prices. Prime level land is not necessary for such production, so a true potential may exist in the county that has yet to be realized. In addition, poultry and milk production could provide substantial income (as could various other crops) in Madison 25 where level land is not a prerequisite. Agriculture in Madison County is specialized and requires very little land, does not require prime land, and enables many families to have a second income. The future potential for agriculture should be wise use of slopes too steep for urban development. Many acres indicated as excessively sloped can and should be used for certain agricultural uses (see map on pagel3 ) The potential for agricultural land use in Madison County could be enhanced by improving management techniques in dairying, improving growing techniques in burley tobacco production, and in providing information and demonstration projects of poultry production. NATURAL RESOURCES Forests in Madison County offer still another potential for development. Forest related industries plus recreational areas, wildlife preserves, and watersheds give many opportunities for land utilization, jobs, income, open space preservation, develop-ment, and conservation. No less than thirty public, civic and industrial groups can lend assistance in forest development pro-grams within the Upper French Broad Watershed. ^ Many of these sources are available to Madison's residents. Many minerals exist in Madison's geologically complex region. Talc, barite, feldspar, corundum-emery, olivine, rare ^ Economic Development of the Upper French Broad Area, "Basic Data Supplement," Volume II, N. C. State and Tennessee Valley Authority, May, 1964, p. 145. 26 earth minerals, garnet, iron, py r ophy 1 1 i te , Limestone are found in concentrations within the county's boundaries. Mining, how-ever, is a marginal economic pursuit within the county. Access to deposits, cost of extracting, and size of the deposit may be stunting the potential of realizing economic benefits from mine r a 1 we al th . The soils map on page 3 has a symbol showing different mineral locations in the county. Each located symbol may denote a mine or group of mines; a prospect or group of prospects. These minerals are identified to demonstrate the diversity and widespread distribution of mineral commodities. HOUSING The current demands for varieties of housing in Madison County create an unmet need of all income groups. Sites are, for the most part, scattered except in the southern portion called the Asheville Basin. Major housing concentrations can be expected to occur where recreation potentials are developed. In this respect, Bald Mountain and the Ivy Reservoir will dominate. The Mars Hill College student and faculty create another need for a different kind of housing. Retirement and seasonal homes will no doubt be demanded on scattered sites throughout the county to take advantage of the topography and climate. Residential development where water and sewer service is available will occur on mountainsides primarily in elevations under 300 feet. Low winter temperatures and greater precipitation in the higher elevations create conditions unsuited to extensive residential 27 development. The county as a whole will be limited in its over-all development outside water and sewer service areas of the municipalities. Sewer and water services, when provided to serve the north shore of proposed Ivy Reservoir, will stimulate residential growth in that area. The southeastern part of the county will probably realize a demand for housing for workers who will commute to their employment in Asheville. Finally, farm and low income families will require replacement housing and new low cost housing pro-jects. With an estimated 70 percent of families in the county living in substandard housing, ^ there is a vast potential for improvement and economic input which will utilize more land. There will be some demand for housing in the three major communities in the county. Mars Hill can be expected to receive the bulk of this demand due to its favorable location to activity centers in the county (the largest industry, Mars Hill College, Appalachian Corridor, Ivy Reservoir, access to Asheville). Currently a total of 117 units of low cost public housing is completed or in construction phases in the three towns. Mars Hill with 47 units under construction and Marshall, planning for 50 units initially, both intend to apply for more of this housing in early 1970's. Hot Springs has 20 units in operation. The need for housing will utilize small acreage parcels throughout the county. Unidentified sites will be required for mobile home ^ Annual Overall Economic Development Program, Progress Report (1967). Madison County, Charles E. Mashburn (Author), p. 20. 28 parks, public housing, low cost housing developments, apartments, subdivisions, and scattered farm homes, seasonal and permanent residential housing in the near future. This potential may be one of the earliest to be realized if the need is publicized widely enough to attract developers and if a variety of low cost housing programs are undertaken through local initiative. COMMERCIAL In view of the fact that Madison County could develop into a resort area, there will be a tremendous need for service facilities such as motels, restaurants, and small specialty shops. Land off of the Appalachian Corridor Highway at interchange locations should be especially utilized for such facilities. In addition, the potentials in the Mars Hill and Hot Springs areas will create a need for additional commercial and residential land. New commercial construction in Marshall should take place along the bypass instead of in the flood-prone Central Business District The Bald Mountain development may require some commercial func-tions closeby if they are not included in the total development program. A small clustered shopping area could sufficiently serve the needs of the development, tourists and residents in this part of the county. FACILITIES The county's public facilities will create still another demand for land use. A consolidated county high school, a new courthouse, a county hospital, and landfill disposal sites will be needed in the future. It is often common to place these 29 facilities at the county seat; however, since Marshall has limited development potential because of its location in a floodplain with no room for expansion, it would be wise for the county to build these facilities elsewhere in the county. The county's best access, population, educational resource, and prime land for development is in and near Mars Hill. Therefore, consideration should be given to this area now as plans for these facilities are initiated. INDUSTRIAL POTENTIALS Because of the abundance of land unsuitable for concentrate! urban type development in Madison County, very little land is available for industrial and commercial activity. There is a likelihood that Madison County will have some industrial pro-spects during the next 20 years, so it is wise for the county to identify and preserve its potential sites for such development. Industrial sites have been identified by the Division of Commerce and Industry within the N. C. Department of Conservation and Development. The sites listed in the C&I files have a basic criteria of being available for purchase. Those sites presented in the following table were available when originally placed on file with C&I . Only Site No. 1 is an extremely large tract. Most of Commerce and Industry's site offerings in the county are of a very small acreage, due mainly to topographic influences. 30 J, AVAILABLE MADISON COUNTY INDUSTRIAL SITES" Facilities Available (X) Site No . Name ( acres) Water Sewer . Gas Rail 1 Big Laurel 2000 X 2 Hot Springs (H.E. Baker Farm) 20+35 X 3 P. R. Elam (Redmon Farm) 120 Will be city will built to annex plant site sewer 4 Albert Freeman Farm Farm 8 X X 1 mil 5 Burgin Metcalf Tract 10( app . ) X X 6 J . F . Amons Tract (Dr. Chas. Powell) 10-15 X X 7 Herbert Hawkins Property 15 X 8 Amons, Ballard & Ramsey site 5-1/2 X 9 E 1 1 i son Tract 6 0.75 mile away 1.25 mile aw ay 10 Mae Roge r t s Estate 15 X 11 1 Joe Lawson Farm 52 . 7 1.5-1 mile aw ay X 12 i Foster F arm (Dewey Foster) 20 X 13 Marshall (already c ommi t te d ) 12 Source: N. C. Department of Conservation and Development, Commerce and Industry Division, Sylva, N.C., Mr. Bob Goforth Area Representative. Date: Approximately, 1967 . * Located on Land Potential Map, page 18. 31 Site No. 13 has been offered by a group of citizens who originally purchased a 20 acre tract of land south of the Marshall Bypass with funds provided by gifts from these and other interested citizens. Seven acres have been graded and an additional three acres is partially graded as separate sites for small industries. The TVA Industrial Division has identified additional sites with industrial potential based upon specified criteria of land area and availability of water, sewer, rail and highway service. The land may or may not be available. The sites are also located on the potential map and summarized here. All are at least 50 acres in size. Site No. 14^ Allegheny area site is located thirteen miles northeast of the junction of State Route 208 and U.S. Highways 25 and 70, and about 10 miles north-east of the intersection of State Route 212 and State Route 208. This 165 acre site is an isolated valley currently used for farming. Site No. 15 Shut-In Creek site is located 3 miles west of Hot Springs and 1 mile east of Antioch along both sides of U. S. Highway 25 and 70. The Southern Railway has a main line about 1 mile north near the mouth of Shut-in Creek. The site contains 90 acres. Site No. 16 Antioch site is about 4 miles west of Hot Springs, along the south side of U. S. Highway 25 and 70 at Antioch. The 50 acres are level to gently slop-ing f arm 1 and . * From Source cited on page 26. Site No. 17 Spring Creek Site is located about 13 miles south of Hot Springs, along both sides of State Route 209. The area is between mountains. The Spring Creek area is remote and highways into the area, although they have a good surface, cross rough mountain terrain. The site is 345 acres in size. Since most of the level land in the county lies at interva in the western edge of the Asheville Basin in eastern Madison County, around Mars Hill, and near the proposed Ivy Reservoir, it would be wise to preserve some of this land for industrial development. In addition, this area is best equipped with trans portation facilities such as the proposed Appalachian Corridor. Furthermore, the area is closer to the county's labor supply and marketing outlets. A second major potential industrial area lies one-mile northwest of Hot Springs outside of the French Broad River Plain This site contains 290 acres of rolling land (Identified as Site No. 18 on land potential map). Transportation is available via U. S. 25-70 and the Southern Railroad. As contrasted to the Mar Hill area, the Hot Springs area could ship finished products easier to the west into Tennessee than to the east. From a regional or national distribution standpoint the sites would be equal. OTHER LAND POTENTIALS Additional level land is available only in small pockets and mostly confined to valleys where roads wind with the streams 33 It is generally unwise to plan for development along the streams in Madison County because of their potential for flooding. That small strip of land that generally follows most of the major highways in the county should be preserved for residential, open space, and commercial land uses but should be confined as much as possible . The greatest potential in northern Madison county may be to leave the countryside as it is. This is a bit of untouched Americana that should be protected. Perhaps a folklore collec-tion could be established and tied in as a stopping point on a scenic highway such as N. C. 208 and 212. It is a resource that has no parallel in many other parts of the U . S. 34 ANCILLI ARY POTENTIALS The land of Madison County has offered an adequate number of potentials for development and, at the same time, has re-stricted those potentials in certain limited ways. There are some ancilliary potentials that must be realized in order that the development potentials of the land area will have a greater chance of being developed to its potential. Following is a brief statement related to each of those potentials. 1. Access has already been mentioned; however, this is of great importance. The county will have a developmental stimuli with the construction of the Appalachian Corridor but the county's overall economic development is seriously prejudiced where an up-to-date highway system is non-existent . 2. Municipal development creates a demand for public monies. The county will realize a potential of increased taxa-tion return since citizens passed the 1% local sales tax option in November, 1969. The return to the county is estimated to be $35,000 for this first year. Of this total $28,892 will be put into the county treasury. Hot Springs will receive $1,324, Marshall $2,765, and Mars Hill $2,019. 1 N. C. Department of Tax Research "Estimates of Revenue for the 25 counties passing the Local Option Sales Tax in elections held November 4, 1969". Information sheet dated November 6, 1969 . 35 Any improvement to manpower training and adult educa-tion programs and facilities will give new skills so those persons can obtain more earning power and gradually improve their life style, including the dwellings in which they reside. In agriculture, the problem is not only with the land itself, but the landowner. He is unaware many times as to how to make the best use of his land. Farmers are not spending enough hours in a productive manner to en-able their families to have a standard of living equal to other types of employment. Failure of the farmer to make full use of the resources available to them (land, labor, capital, credit, correct production practices and management) is keeping the income below what it could be on most farms in the county. Area-wide development is hindered by both the land and man. Man is not trained or informed about the possibili-ties. The long range goals identified in the original Over-all Economic Development Program were: a) full develop-ment of agricultural resources, b) industrialization within resources, and c) development of tourism and recreation. The involvement in this program county-wide and the cooperation among representatives from many small communities and rural areas will determine whether or not some of the county's land potentials from the identified goals could bring the county a long way towards realizing and utilizing the local re-source base. 36 |
OCLC Number-Original | 33599119 |
OCLC number | 33599119 |
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