Buncombe County to advertise public hearing on E911 ordinance update

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to advertise a public hearing on proposed updates to the county’s E911 ordinance, after staff said the ordinance has not been updated since the 1990s and many changes reflect state‑mandated clarifications.

Planner Mila summarized staff revisions and said county staff have identified gaps in current language and applied clarifying edits to meet safety needs and the demands of a growing population. Commissioners debated whether to do a line‑by‑line work session or proceed directly to a public hearing; the board agreed to advertise the hearing at the next meeting so the public can comment.

One commissioner said much of the update is driven by state requirements and does not require detailed commissioner review, while staff offered to answer any questions sent to Mila or county staff before the hearing. The board called for the hearing to be scheduled and staff confirmed they would advertise and follow up with commissioners on any outstanding questions.

The county did not take a final vote to adopt ordinance changes at this meeting; the public hearing will be the next formal opportunity for public input and any subsequent adoption vote.