It was suggested that a committee form to determine which ridges will be regulated in the county.

Planning board member Wayne Horne asked why every ridge wouldn’t be protected.

“Why wouldn’t it be on any ridge?” Horne asked. “The finger ridges are just as important aren’t they? We can committee this to death.”

Member David Smith said every ridge may be included. It will depend on its visibility, he said.

Member Lee Bradley said he agreed with Horne.

“If we went out in a van we’d end up naming every ridge anyway,” said Bradley.

Egan said some ridges may not be visible from any roadway, but the county can name every ridge if that’s the direction the board wants to go. Egan suggested for purposes of enforcement and administration that the board create a map.

Discussions on what the county may be considering to regulate near ridge tops expanded when board member Michael Alexrod showed pictures of houses on White Oak Mountain, which he said is visible from his house.

White houses on the mountain stood out more than the color of the condominiums at the top, which sparked discussion of possible color requirements.

Board member Bill Ennis said if the homes pictured weren’t white, they wouldn’t even be seen.

Board members also discussed the possibility of regulating clearing of the building footprint. One house shown had clearing in both the front and rear of the home near the ridgeline. David Smith said if Polk follows Lake Lure’s regulations, the homeowner wouldn’t have been able to clear in the back of the property.