Murphy – Cherokee County commissioners have finally reached the stage where they can prevent further growth of crypto mining and other high-use impacts.
The Cherokee County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing into a proposed moratorium over high-impact industries and facilities at 6:30 p.m. Monday in Room 342 at the Cherokee County Courthouse. The county has been without any tools to fight against high-impact land uses like what was triggered by crypto mining in 2022.
Crypto mines are located near high-tension power lines needed to cool the computer systems used in crypto mining. The loud noise produced by the cooling system has been compared to the sound made by a jet engine.
In order for the county to put a moratorium in place against crypto mining, the county needed a comprehensive plan. To do that, it needed a planning commission, which the board appointed itself to be for the time being.
With each step, it took an extra month for the county to move the process forward, leaving a public increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress. The planning board is chaired by Commissioner Ben Adams, who said the comp plan contains previous plans affecting a range of county operations.
Some of the contents is informational, such as history and data about schools, eduction and public safety. There are six ordinances affecting agriculture, animal control, E-911 operations, solid waste, flood damage and watershed. Still other areas include a comprehensive transportation plan, housing needs assessment and facility use policy. The comp plan totals more than 620 pages.
“The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners in late 2022 found it to be imperative that a limited land use ordinance to regulate high-impact industries moving into the county be developed and implemented,” according to the introduction.
The comprehensive plan sets forth goals, policies and programs intended to guide the present and future physical, social, and economic development of the jurisdiction. A land-use plan uses text and maps to designate the future use or reuse of land. A comprehensive or land-use plan is intended to guide coordinated, efficient and orderly development within the planning and development regulation jurisdiction based on an analysis of present and future needs.
While the 600-plus pages is titled “Comprehensive Plan,” it is, and always will be, a work in progress as the dynamics and statistical information change over time, according to the introduction.
“Everyone should keep in mind that the following plans are not set in stone and are subject to the decisions of leadership in the county that can and will change with the passage of time,” according to the introduction. “It is advisory in nature and not subject to enforcement. The plan can be thought of as identified ideals for the county government to strive for and information and values to keep in mind in making decisions.”
Sue Lynn Ledford is executive director of Four Square Community Action and also sits on the Needs & Solutions Advisory Committee, a group appointed by the board of commissioners. She said NASA will be going through the comprehensive plan in a thoughtful and analytic manner and provide feedback to the county.
The word “zoning” evokes opposition in Cherokee County, and members of the planning board/board of commissioners were careful to remind people that the comprehensive plan is not a code word for zoning and won’t infringe on individual private property ownership rights.
Adams and all four board members/commissioners said the moratorium, enabled by the comprehensive plan, will keep crypto and data mining as well as nuclear and chemical waste out of Cherokee County.
“It if had anything to do with zoning, I would be totally against it,” Commissioner Randy Phillips said.
“If I thought for one second it would infringe on individual property rights, I would not support it,” said Commissioner Dan Eichenbaum, adding that the moratorium protects against industries that would destroy the county.
The moratorium prevents any new high-impact industry from locating in the county or, among existing facilities, prevents expansion even if the facility changes ownership. Enforcement would be triggered by the county building inspector when building inspection applications are made.
Details: See the plan at cherokeecounty-nc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2073/Cherokee-County-Comprehensive-Plan-2023.