Recreational facilities, including a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool, equestrian stables and dinning facilities, will also be a part of the development. The Balsam Mountain Trust, a non-profit organization, will be created to manage the property and to ensure the preservation and protection of the environment and cultural history, Chaffin said. The trust will be funded by a self-imposed sales transfer tax, which will require that 2 percent of all property sales and 1 percent of all home sales be contributed in perpetuity. I think this could take care of a lot of problems. For example, water conservation.
Less pavement means less runoff.
Denton, as part of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, voted earlier this year to adopt a resolution calling for Sugar Loaf to be preserved. The action was taken in response to requests from Jackson and Haywood county residents who felt their access to the property for fishing, hiking and hunting would be limited if it were sold. Champion International had allowed sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts to use the property for years, they said. If the area is going to be developed, Denton said Tuesday, Chaffin's plan is a way to do it with minimal earth disturbance. As a member of the county board, Denton said he had no real problem with the plans.