Mountain Landscapes Intitiative to hold Thursday forum at SCC Center
Thursday, April 10, 2008 12:17 PM EDT

Tonight, Thursday, April 10, at the Southwestern Community College Center (old Almond School), Mountain Landscapes Initiative (MLI) partners are holding one of eight community forums in the region to listen to the public's ideas for a set of guidelines for responsible planning and development.

Swain County residents are invited to drop by from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to talk one-on-one with MLI organizers, and attend a public meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.

A conversation-starter for the drop-in discussions and evening meeting is a short documentary comprised of interviews with area residents and leaders.

The Swain County interviewees include: Kate Welch, member, Brysion City Board of Aldermen; Linda Hogue, teacher; Cindi Quinnett, school social worker; Mondee Monteith, sawmill owner; Jason McClure, river guide; and members of the 24-7 Women's Group at the First Baptist Church of Bryson City.

Mountain Landscapes Initiative is a long-term program begun by The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, a non-profit funding facilitator for communities in 18 Western North Carolina counties. The pilot MLI project partners The Community Foundation with the Southwestern Commission, non-profit Councils of Governments which serves town and county governments in the seven westernmost counties.

The goal is to produce a "tool box" of best practices to help property owners, real estate professionals, and communities as they plan future growth in the mountains.

The tool box project involves three stages, with near-continuous public engagement.

By mid-May, the first state of citizen outreach in the seven counties and the Qualla Boundary will draw to a close.

What has been learned from the documentary effort and the forums will form an agenda for a seven-day regional workshop with leaders and citizens at Western Carolina University May 13-20. Out of that workshop (called a charrette) will come the first draft of the tool box, which will be edited, published and distributed in the third phase.

Area residents are likely to have the tool box by the end of the summer, say MLI organizers.

For complete details, background on the initiative, schedules and other information, go to:

www.mountainlandscapesnc.org.

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