Growing our communities and land development are different concepts.

Most of our area cannot be developed unless you move mountains like they did in Columbus to build from Waffle House to the garden store. Tryon is at max capacity and Columbus is not far behind. Expansion is then forced to be out of the towns and is not practical for most local residents.

Bringing businesses to the area is a wonderful thing, if it is suited for the year-round population. Trying to redesign our county to accommodate people passing through is not going to provide a financial windfall to the current local businesses.

It is the local residents who shop in Tryon and Columbus all year long. It is all of us who shop the farmers markets, use the flower shops, the hair salons, the gyms and pharmacies every day.

Redesigning an entire thoroughfare to accommodate a possible influx of travelers in 2045 will do nothing but make our lives and travel insufferable for years.

“If you build it, they will come” will mean nothing if every business is closed by the NCDOT, and all that is left are vacant buildings with bike lanes at their former front doors

Brandy Quay,

Columbus