A 342-acre mountain property west of Asheville has moved another step closer to becoming a public park, with Buncombe County now developing the master plan for what it says will be the largest park in its portfolio.
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it → move → portfolio
The county completed the acquisition of Deaverview Mountain in March 2026 using 100% grant funding, and on September 15 approved a $1.39 million contract to begin planning the future park.
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county → complete → park
According to Buncombe County, the property includes a 3,118-foot peak, 180-degree views of the French Broad River Valley, 16 headwater streams and extensive forest habitat.
342 acres acquired without local purchase money
The Deaverview Mountain acquisition represents a major conservation project for Buncombe County, but the county did not use local purchase money to acquire the land.
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county → accord → land
According to its latest update, the 342-plus-acre property was acquired using 100% grant funding, through the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) and grants from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund and the federal Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) programme.
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property → accord → Fund
The county's project page lists an ORLP acquisition grant of $4,009,648 and a $4,162,000 North Carolina Land and Water Fund grant for acquisition and transaction costs.
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page → list → costs
The county has separately set aside $7.7 million from its Open Space Bond for costs associated with the broader Deaverview project, while it plans to pursue additional grants for future development and operations.
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it → set → development
The distinction is important because acquiring the property and developing it into a functioning public park are separate stages.
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acquiring → acquire → park
The land has been secured, but trails, access facilities and other visitor infrastructure still need to be planned and built.
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trails → secure → ?
Deaverview Mountain sits west of Asheville and contains a 3,118-foot summit overlooking the French Broad River Valley.
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Mountain → sit → Valley
The property has open areas with 180-degree views, expansive forested habitat and 16 headwater streams, including one identified as a priority for state protection.
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property → have → protection
A conservation easement covers 315 acres of the property, according to the county.
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easement → cover → county
The county envisions the site primarily for passive recreation and nature-based activities.
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county → envision → recreation
Potential uses include hiking, nature viewing and outdoor education, while the planning process will also consider how to protect biodiversity, water quality and the mountain's natural landscape.
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process → include → biodiversity
The location gives the project an additional conservation dimension.
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location → give → dimension
Deaverview Mountain is a prominent landscape around Asheville, and Buncombe County has described the acquisition as an opportunity to protect a significant natural asset from future development while creating new public access to trails and scenic overlooks.
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County → describe → trails
The path to public ownership began before the county completed its purchase.
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county → begin → purchase
In 2023, a conservation-minded buyer acquired the Deaverview Mountain property and entered into a three-year option agreement with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
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buyer → acquire → Conservancy
That arrangement provided time to identify a permanent conservation solution.
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arrangement → provide → solution
SAHC and Buncombe County subsequently worked together to secure the funding needed to protect the property and eventually transfer it into county ownership.
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SAHC → work → ownership
The county closed on the property on March 19, 2026.
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county → close → March
At that point, however, Deaverview Mountain did not immediately become a public recreation area.
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Mountain → become → point
The county states that the property remains closed to the public and will not open until the necessary park infrastructure has been completed.
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infrastructure → state → public
That means the current phase is focused on turning the newly acquired landscape into a carefully planned park rather than opening the mountain immediately to visitors.
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phase → mean → visitors
$1.39 million master-plan contract approved
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contract → approve → ?
The next major step came at the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners' September 15 meeting.
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step → come → meeting
Commissioners approved a $1.39 million contract with Equinox Environmental to develop the Deaverview Mountain Master Plan and engineering designs.
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Commissioners → approve → Plan
The two-phase planning contract will cover community outreach, environmental and trail assessments, recommendations for future funding, and plans for access, parking, trails, restrooms and viewsheds.
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contract → cover → access
A future third phase is anticipated to focus on actually constructing trails, access improvements and viewshed amenities.
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phase → anticipate → trails
The county had already issued a request for qualifications for design services in March, shortly after acquiring the property.
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county → issue → property
Its project documents describe the future Deaverview Mountain Park as a way to expand the county's park system while preserving an important natural landscape.
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documents → describe → landscape
What the future park could offer
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offer → offer → What
Although the exact layout of the park has not yet been determined, the planning documents provide an indication of what visitors could eventually experience.
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visitors → determine → what
The county has identified hiking, nature viewing, outdoor education and other passive recreation as potential uses.
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county → identify → uses
The mountain's summit and open areas could provide scenic viewpoints, while its forests and waterways offer opportunities for environmental education and habitat conservation.
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forests → provide → education
The project also has a conservation component that will shape future development.
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that → have → development
The county says its goals include protecting water quality, preserving biodiversity and safeguarding natural habitats.
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goals → say → habitats
The conservation easement covering much of the property adds another layer of protection as the park is planned.
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park → cover → protection
Toward Buncombe County's largest park
Once completed, Deaverview Mountain is expected to become the largest park in Buncombe County's current portfolio.
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Mountain → complete → portfolio
County officials described the acquisition as a major step toward creating the largest park in the county's portfolio, although the proposed 1,600-acre Pisgah View State Park would be larger if it proceeds as planned.
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it → describe → portfolio
For now, Deaverview Mountain remains a protected property in transition.
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Mountain → remain → transition
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
