Learn more about Chip’s campaign in the Mountain Xpress 2025 Election Voter Guide. Chip answers questions about the Town of Woodfin and its interests and challenges. Read below for Chip’s answers to the Mountain Xpress questionnaire:
Mountain Xpress: Chip Parton
Campaign website: ChipParton.com
Occupation: Plumber
Previous candidacy or offices held: None
Amount of money raised: $5,000
Top three donors: My mother, father, grandfather, fiancée and myself.
How long have you lived in Woodfin? All 33 years of my life.
In April 2024, Woodfin Town Council unanimously opposed a request from its west-side residents to de-annex from the town. These community members expressed several grievances regarding town services. If elected, what measures will you take to make all residents feel seen and heard?
As the organizer of the de-annexation petition, the west side is deeply important to me. Woodfin is a town of 8,000 residents living in both rural and developed neighborhoods. The French Broad River flows right through its middle. I am committed to serving all of our neighbors on both sides of the river. I am pleased to serve on the Woodfin Water Infrastructure Task Force, which is focused on addressing the needs of western residents without access to public water utilities. These residents typically must utilize wells as their only option. In the age of increased threats of wildfires, let’s alleviate their largest concerns — access to water and fire hydrants.
Rapid and dense urbanization can lead to increased runoff and erosion, as well as the removal of natural vegetation, all of which can contribute to landslides. When it comes to new development, what is your opinion of elevation standards and increased restrictions of building on steep slopes?
As an endorsed candidate by the WNC Sierra Club, I will always prioritize our town, its homes and its environment over developer profits and corner cutting. Woodfin has made impressive progress on development, especially on steep slopes. Let’s audit these policies to ensure they are working as intended. Retention and passive drainage are critical components of modern development. Developers should plan for the first 1.5 inches of rainfall in any new subdivision. As someone who has worked in construction for over 10 years, I’ve seen healthy and unhealthy development. I would like to see sustainable, long-lasting, well-built, affordable workforce housing benefiting our economy.
In October 2024, Woodfin Mayor Jim McAllister was censured by Council for violating the town’s Code of Conduct and Ethics. This was primarily tied to press conferences he held in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. Do you believe local elected officials should freely express their opinions to the public on relevant local matters? Or should all official community discourse be assigned to a single person?
I believe our elected representatives must be held to the highest of standards. If there is a Code of Conduct violation, there must be appropriate action. With that said, I am sympathetic to our town officials and employees who were thrust into an unprecedented situation in the days and weeks after the flood. Moving forward, I believe a Woodfin Plan of Action (WPA) — a codified response to emergencies and disasters such as Hurricane Helene — and consistent engagement between the mayor and Town Council, its staff, county officials and the residents of Woodfin is paramount to moving forward as a unified and transparent effort.
What is the biggest challenge facing Woodfin, and what will you do as a Council member to address it?
Housing is the biggest issue facing Woodfin. Development should be healthy, not hefty. Responsible, sustainable, accessible housing is a cornerstone of my campaign. We must adapt for an evolving housing market by future-proofing development in Woodfin. Let’s build homes that cost less, can grow as families grow and maintain a green space befitting of Woodfin’s natural beauty. We can achieve this by balancing lot sizes and home sizes. By constructing homes with future expansion in mind, homeowners can establish and maintain their equity, expand their homes as their families grow and put down roots as part of a vibrant economic community in Woodfin.
Do you support the town’s allocation of funds for parks and recreation initiatives, such as the Woodfin Greenway and Blueway? Why or why not?
I support the town working to complete the current greenway and blueway projects. They are a decade in the making and will be an important fixture for the community. These projects will provide a communal space and provide an alternate, safer path for cyclists on Riverside Drive. It’s time to finish these projects. I look forward to walking and cycling the completed greenway.
Woodfin’s population has more than doubled over the past 25 years. How has the current Council effectively managed that growth as it relates to the town’s infrastructure? In what ways would you like to improve upon it?
We can manage growth and infrastructure by improving services for Woodfin. Let’s establish Woodfin Expanded Services (WES) so that residents have a one-stop shop to answer all of their questions. Let’s establish an in-house building inspection and permitting process for new development and a liaison between residents and Buncombe County and the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) to address local matters. Our goal will be to provide residents with answers. Let’s establish municipal water and fire services, which includes more fire hydrants. Can it be done? Every other municipality in Buncombe County has already met this standard of modernization; it’s time Woodfin does as well.
Lightning round
What is your go-to restaurant in Woodfin?
I’m always going old school local eats, Bellagio or Siam Thai.
When you have out-of-town visitors, where is one place in Woodfin you always take them?
Riverside Rhapsody / Iron and Oak
What is one book you think everyone should read?
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
What song best captures your campaign’s focus and energy?
“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk