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By Annie Dance | Cops & Congress | News & Commentary
BILLS CREEK, N.C. — Rutherford County Commissioner Alan Toney said “no comment” when I asked whether he plans to seek re-election in 2026, but he did attend a packed community meeting where residents voiced strong opposition to a proposed tiny home development in the Bills Creek area.
More than 100 people crowded into the Bill’s Creek Community Center on Nov. 11 to hear details about the project, which is planned for land near the Lake Lure line. The meeting was organized by Chuck Lavender, president of the nonprofit center, after residents learned that Florida-based Simple Life plans to build a large-scale community of tiny homes on property currently owned by Arizona-based Glamp Park Inc. The 30-plus-acre site sits on McDaniel Road near Herman Wilson Road.
Toney was the only county commissioner in attendance. He provided this reporter with a printed copy of Rutherford County’s Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Park Ordinance, which he said applies to the project under state law. The ordinance — most recently updated in 2021 — outlines development standards for manufactured housing and RV communities.
Simple Life CEO Mike McCann led the presentation but initially refused to speak while the video recording was underway. After the discussion, he agreed to allow an audio-only recording, and the meeting resumed.
No one in the room spoke in favor of the proposal. Residents cited concerns about traffic on narrow mountain roads, emergency access, stormwater runoff, environmental impacts, and water availability. The property has no public water or sewer service and would rely on wells and septic systems. A previous real estate listing described the acreage as “formerly used to grow hemp & manufacture CBD oil” and “suitable for just about anything, including an ideal homestead & multiple income-producing possibilities.”
Members of the Bills Creek Volunteer Fire Department, including Assistant Chief Hugh McMahon, warned that hundreds of additional homes could strain already-limited groundwater. McMahon said the department’s well went dry after Hurricane Helene dumped more than 30 inches of rain in 2024, and residents lined up to fill water jugs.
“We’re already seeing limits on what the water table can support,” McMahon told attendees. “There’s no public water at that site now, and we’re concerned about how much more it can handle.”
The property lies just outside Lake Lure’s municipal limits, placing it squarely under county jurisdiction. Rutherford County has no countywide zoning or land-use plan, meaning projects like this one are reviewed under existing ordinances and state law.
The Rutherford County Planning Commission is expected to review the proposal once formal plans are submitted. The review will determine whether the project complies with county ordinances and North Carolina General Statute Chapter 160D, which governs local land-use procedures statewide. The county’s website does not include Planning Commission meeting minutes.
Rutherford County first enacted its Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Park Ordinance in 1999, revised it in 2001, and updated it again in 2018. Commissioners at that time approved changes to increase minimum lot sizes and to allow recreational vehicles in mobile home parks. The 2021 effective date on the document reflects additional revisions made to align with Chapter 160D. Toney, Chairman Bryan King, and Commissioner Mike Benfield voted on the 2018 and 2021 ordinances. They are all up for re-election in 2026, if they choose to run again. Candidate filing is in December.
State Rep. Jake Johnson also attended the meeting. He said he supported growing the county’s tax base, but did not voice direct support for the proposed tiny home development. Johnson is running for re-election against Mike Hager.
The Simple Life property remains under contract, and no formal application has been submitted to the county, but public records show a permit has been filed under the existing property owner’s name.
On Nov. 16, I reported that Simple Life has submitted a request for 34,000 gallons per day (GPD) of wastewater capacity from the town of Lake Lure. It’s on their November work session agenda for tomorrow, which is a public meeting.
Additional photos from the Bills Creek meeting may be viewed here.
A version of this story first appeared on WCABNews.com.
Reporter’s (grammar geek) note: I have seen it spelled both Bills Creek and Bill’s Creek, depending on what source you’re looking at. For example, Google Maps and the Office of the State Fire Marshal do not use an apostrophe, but the Community Center and the Fire Department itself do. I’m not sure who Bill was, but if it was his creek, then Bill’s is correct.
