Profile: Planning to make a council move
By Frank Ruggiero
ruggiero@wataugademocrat.com

It takes a lot of planning to run a campaign.

As a member of the Boone Area Planning Commission, though, Liz Aycock should be set.

Aycock, a candidate for one of three opening seats on the Boone Town Council, hopes to make the step from appointed to elected official.

“I have two great kids, and I want them to be proud of where they live and grow up,” Aycock said. “I want them to know 20 years from now that their mom had a part in making Boone a great place to live.”

As such, Aycock said she is basing her platform on maintaining a high quality of life, the reason so many people, from residents to tourists to second-homeowners, visit the area.

“We need to protect our quality of life, and that can be done through good sustainable planning that takes our future and prepares for it,” she said.

Such planning must take into account storm-water management, smart growth and green practices, Aycock said, adding, “Just because you’re green doesn’t mean it costs more money. You save more in the long run.”

Aycock acknowledged something in Boone that does cost more – housing. The vice chairwoman of the affordable housing task force, Aycock said she’ll continue to work towards finding solutions, be it inclusionary zoning, accessory apartments in single-family neighborhoods or developer incentives for building affordable housing – provided it’s not on a steep slope.

As a member of the planning commission, Aycock voted for the regulation of steep slope development and view-shed preservation. “I stand behind my vote for the steep slope and view-shed ordinances,” she said.

“There’s been a lot of misunderstanding about the ordinance. It doesn’t prevent anyone from building.”

The regulations only affect development on grades defined as steep, Aycock, a real estate broker by trade, explained, and geological surveys are only required if the site is determined to be in need of such review. A geologically sound dwelling could actually cut down on home insurance, she noted, adding that the reasoning behind the regulations remains health and safety.

“People need to be informed about the reality behind it,” she said.

In terms of university and town relations, Aycock said she is a strong supporter of the university, having graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology.

The university is a community asset, she said, and the community is a university asset. “ASU needs Boone and Boone needs ASU, and we need to work together,” she said. “We need a growth plan that will protect the downtown district, while allowing the university to grow.”

Aycock suggested that town officials meet with university officials on a monthly basis to preserve a mutual understanding of goings-on with both entities. One such going-on with the university is an entrepreneurial development program, which has already developed small businesses in town – a type of business Aycock ardently supports.

“That’s why people come to Boone,” she said. “Small businesses are the heart of our town, providing a unique and distinctive character. People come to visit Mast General Store, not Wal-Mart.”

Aycock said the council should defend small businesses and act on their behalf to protect them from encroachment. As many of those characteristic businesses are located in downtown, Aycock said a sharp eye must be kept on that area in terms of maintenance and beautification.

Aycock said she’d like to see the Howard Street renovation project finally come to fruition, while also adding a recreational area or playground downtown for families and pedestrians. “Blowing Rock even has a playground,” she said. “People go to Blowing Rock and they hang out there all day. Why can’t we have that in Boone?”

Activity should not only take place during the daytime, though, as Aycock advocates a broader downtown nightlife, with new activities that could become mainstays like the current art crawls.

While such events encourage people to stroll the downtown area, Aycock said a town-wide pedestrian-friendly atmosphere would encourage folks to walk anywhere in Boone. “Alternative” options shouldn’t be limited to just transportation, but to energy, as well, she said, noting that wind and solar energy are both viable options.

“We need to utilize that,” she said. “Boone needs to be known as an example of what a green town can be.”

Aycock joined the Boone Area Planning Commission in August 2006, because she wanted to take an active role in town government. Aycock was among the candidates not interviewed by the political action committee, Citizens for Change, which adamantly opposes the steep slope and view-shed regulations, among other regulations passed by the current town council.

“I represent no special interests and am not affiliated with any PAC,” she said. “I have nothing to do with them, and I wouldn’t. I represent no big developers, but rather ordinary citizens.”

For more information, call Aycock at (828) 264-7269, e-mail liz@lizaycock.com, or visit www.lizaycock.com on the Web.