20191577 Ver 1_Public Comments_20200416

Strickland, Bev
From: Lew Bleiweis <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2020 11:29 AM
To: SVC_DENR.publiccomments
Subject: [External] Biltmore Farms, LLC
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To Whom it May Concern:
I am writing in my capacity as Executive Director of the Asheville Regional Airport, and Board Member of the Economic
Development Coalition of Asheville -Buncombe County (EDC) to encourage your support and approval of the recent
bridge permit request by the Buncombe County Developer, Biltmore Farms LLC.
Asheville Regional Airport is the fourth largest commercial service airport within the State of North Carolina. The airport
contributes $1.48 Billion of economic impact to Western North Carolina, and creates 8,915 direct, indirect, and induced
jobs within our region. The airport is a major contributor to attracting development and jobs to the area. The airport
has seen unprecedented growth in the last five years and now the airport's fiscal health and the fiscal health of our
county and the economic security of our residents face unprecedented threats from the COVID-19 crisis. New
manufacturing sites enabled by the proposed French Broad River crossing will attract high -wage jobs and much needed
expansion of the Buncombe County tax base during a time of economic recovery and then well into the future.
Average wage rates in Buncombe County and across the region of Western North Carolina have lagged behind the
statewide average for decades. For this reason, Manufacturing remains one of the strategic growth targets for the EDC,
paying an Average Annual Wage of $52,884 - nearly 30% above the average wage in Buncombe County. Strategic
investments in diversified economic development and in the infrastructure necessary to attract and support higher wage
jobs is an urgent need in our community. As proposed, the new French Broad River crossing will access over 400 acres in
the heart of Southern Buncombe County for exactly this kind of strategic purpose.
Moreover, there are currently few available sites that can accommodate the high -wage manufacturing employment we
need in Buncombe County to accomplish the community goals of the EDC's AVL5x5 Strategic Plan for Job Creation. This
concern is so acute, that the Board of the Economic Development Coalition, and our funding partners including
Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, and over 80 private sector investors made industrial site development one of 5
key strategies for the 2020-2025 AVL 5x5 Plan. As a community, it's imperative that we identify, advance and invest in
sites such as the one currently proposed by Biltmore Farms. They are critically important for expanded economic
opportunity and wage growth for current residents and future generations of the region.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important investment in the future and economic vitality of Western
North Carolina.
Best regards,
Lew Bleiweis

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Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Executive Director
GREATER ASHEVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY
61 Terminal Drive, Suite 1
Fletcher, NC 28732
828-654-3243 (OFFICE)
828-243-0762 (MOBILE)
888-263-8524 (FAX)
HTTP://WWW.FLYAVL.COM fflyavl.coml
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