Buncombe County's base zoning districts do not fix a single lot-coverage percentage, but the Steep Slope/High Elevation Overlay District strictly caps disturbed and impervious surface. On steep-slope lots under two acres, impervious surface is limited to 0.16 acres and site disturbance to 0.3 acres.
Ordinary Buncombe County zoning districts govern lot intensity through minimum lot size, setbacks, and density rather than a uniform coverage percentage. The tight coverage controls appear in the Steep Slope/High Elevation Overlay District (Sec. 78-644): maximum site disturbance is 0.3 acres for lots under 2.0 acres, or 15 percent for larger lots; maximum impervious surface is 0.16 acres for lots under 2.0 acres, or 8 percent for larger lots, excluding individual septic systems. New steep-slope lots must be at least 1.5 acres, and no more than two dwelling units are allowed per lot of record. These hillside standards apply across the Asheville-area mountains in unincorporated Buncombe County.
Exceeding the overlay's disturbance or impervious limits is a zoning violation; the county may halt work, deny compliance, and assess civil penalties under Section 78-583.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Buncombe County, NC
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See how Buncombe County's lot coverage limits rules stack up against other locations.
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