Swannanoa, NC

North Carolina bans consumer fireworks that fly, spin, or explode. In Buncombe County only ground-based sparklers, fountains, snakes, smoke devices, and trick noisemakers are legal under NCGS 14-414. Public displays require advance Board of Commissioners approval under NCGS 14-410 and 14-413, reviewed by the Buncombe County Fire Marshal's Office.

Short-term rental rules in Buncombe County depend on whether the property sits inside Asheville city limits or in unincorporated Buncombe County, and the two regimes differ sharply. Asheville prohibits whole-house overnight rentals (rentals of an entire dwelling unit for less than 30 days) in all residential zoning districts under the Unified Development Ordinance; STRs of an entire dwelling unit are only allowed in resort and certain commercial districts and require a change-of-use permit. Whole-dwelling STRs that were lawfully operating before the city's 2018 ban may continue under nonconforming-use status but must hold an annual city permit. Asheville does allow Homestays (rental of one to two bedrooms in an owner-occupied dwelling, with the full-time resident present during guest stays) in residentially zoned areas, subject to a Homestay Permit and an annual renewal. The application requires proof of full-time residency, a floor-plan sketch, a fire-safety inspection, and the published Homestay permit fee. In unincorporated Buncombe County, STRs are currently allowed in most areas (with a heated-area cap reported at 9,000 square feet and a small no-STR zone near Asheville Regional Airport). A Planning Board text amendment to tighten unincorporated rules - limiting new STRs to certain districts, adding parking, GFA, and management standards, and grandfathering existing STRs through a zoning permit - was advanced in 2024 but has not been formally adopted; the Short-Term Rental Ad Hoc Committee's work is on hold as of late 2025 while the county prioritizes Hurricane Helene recovery. Operators must collect and remit the Buncombe County 6% Occupancy Tax, plus the North Carolina state and local sales tax, on all rentals under 90 continuous days.

Buncombe County, North Carolina enforces flood damage prevention under Chapter 34, Article II of the Buncombe County Code, administered by the Planning and Development Department's Floodplain Administrator. The county joined the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1980 under FEMA Community Identification Number 370031, with the City of Asheville participating separately under CID 370032. Following the catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024 (when the French Broad River at Asheville crested at 24.7 feet and the Swannanoa River at Biltmore reached 26.1 feet, breaking previous records by more than six feet), the Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Text Amendment on April 22, 2026 imposing higher regulatory standards.