Land Use Issues: Resort Rural Ramifications

Migration causes changes to land use patterns in rural areas with environmental amenities. Newcomers’ preferences differ from long term residents. Conflicts sometimes arise. To explore land use issues among various groups, a survey of opinions on mountain views was developed and administered to Watauga County residents in the western North Carolina. It is found that individuals who retire to the mountain are most interested in mountain-view amenities, while individuals who have ancestors from the county are most concerned with maintaining the status quo in regards to mountain views. These preferences lead to agreement on some land use issues and disagreements on others. Key Words: stable coalitions, self-enforcing agreements, compliance, enforcement, public goods