ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- On Tuesday, August 5, Parkside developer Stewart Coleman hand-delivered a letter addressed to Steve Rasmussen, Coven Oldenwilde’s High Priest, stating his plans to demolish the historic Hayes-Hopson Building and cut down the Pack Square magnolia tree “sometime after” 35 days from that date.

Following is the response of the Magnolia Tree Watchers (one of whom, Lady Passion, High Priestess of Coven Oldenwilde, has kept a 24/7 vigil to protect the tree for 33 days and nights thus far):

As citizens who have chosen to take a stand against the devastation of Asheville’s precious natural and historical heritage by rapacious developers and irresponsible politicians, we reject Stewart Coleman’s ultimatum, and vow to peacefully prevent the destruction of Pack Square’s beloved magnolia tree and the historic Hayes-Hopson Building.

Together with the nearly 7,000 people who have signed the petition to stop the Parkside condominium project, we demand that our County Commissioners and City Council members use their legal powers to invoke eminent domain to protect public property rights from private greed, and restore the parkland wrongly sold to Stewart Coleman. We also urge officials to take immediate steps, including filing an injunction, to secure the preservation of downtown Asheville’s oldest surviving building, the adjacent Hayes-Hopson.

After more than a month of sitting and sleeping beneath the shade of the Magnolia Tree, and talking to citizens of every political, religious, and economic stripe – including many who are wealthy developers or condo residents themselves – we have repeatedly heard that the sale of public parkland for a private condo tower in front of our world-famous City Hall was wrong. The voters are far wiser than elected officials give them credit for. They can and do easily distinguish between “good” eminent domain and “bad” eminent domain — and all seem of one mind that in this case it is appropriate for either or both the city and the county to use eminent domain to reverse the county’s “screw-up” and restore the parkland George W. Pack deeded to the people.