By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
The Salisbury Community Appearance Commission recently presented goals and funding requests reflecting efforts to promote better housing conditions, improve the downtown, encourage public art and spruce up the city’s look.
Commission Chairperson Barbara Perry submitted requests totaling more than $100,000 for the 2009-2010 budget year.
The money requests include $35,000 for the Municipal Service District Incentive Grant program in the downtown; $35,000 for the Innes Street Incentive Grant program; $20,000 for an annual sculpture show and to add more Salisbury History and Art Trail markers; $3,000 to add receptacles on both sides of the East Innes Street railroad bridge; $5,000 toward the three-year, phased-in purchase and installation of new downtown trash receptacles and benches; $5,000 for the biennial awards program; and $2,250 for promotion of spring and fall “Spruce-Up Days, “Landscape of the Month” and “Adopt-A-Street.”
Salisbury City Council heard the requests on Jan. 20 in advance of its February retreat and budget discussions in the spring.
The Community Appearance Commission’s top goals deal with housing conditions and the downtown.
Perry said the commission looks to continue work with the new Codes Services Division to develop stricter codes, inspections between rentals, rental certificates of occupancy and the formation of a council-appointed housing commission.
The Appearance Commission also would like to partner with Downtown Salisbury Inc. to initiate planning and funding for streetscape improvements directed at sidewalks, pedestrian lighting and furniture, street trees, parking lot upgrades and improvements at the Square.
With DSI, it also wants to develop a master plan for downtown holiday decorations.
Last year, the Appearance Commission awarded nine Municipal Service District Incentive Grants valued at $24,851. It supported projects which had a total value of $515,555.
The commission awarded $30,258 in Innes Street grants for projects with a $201,558 value.
The city now has 18 History and Art Trail markers, of which 12 were installed. In coming months, the commission will be working on its Salisbury Cotton Mills pocket park project at the corner of South Church and West Fisher streets and a first-time Salisbury Sculpture Show.
The “Discover What’s Outside” show will feature 14 works from 13 sculptors spread throughout the downtown from April through next January.
The commission also is working with Jersey City and Fairview Heights residents to deign and install community entrance signs.
Council also heard from the Historic Preservation Commission and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Anne Lyles, chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission, requested funds for its top two goals.
The group seeks $20,000 toward applying for an Historic Preservation Fund grant so it can complete building inventory updates and extend local historic district boundaries as recommended in a 2001 survey.
The downtown and West Square (1975), Livingstone College (1979), Brooklyn-South Square (1985) and North Main Street (1985) historic districts have not been updated since their designations.
Periodic re-examinations of district boundaries is a standard practice recommended by the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Trust because of the passage of time and changing perceptions about what is “historic.”
The Historic Preservation Commission also wants to continue its Historic Preservation Incentive Grant program at the present funding level, which is $30,000.
Among goals that do not require funding is providing assistance to the Fulton Heights Neighborhood Association as it considers a possible local historic district designation.
Jimmy Greene, a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, said one of his board’s top goals is to renovate Lincoln Park according to a new master plan, which should start in March.
While a dollar figure wasn’t given, the board also is looking to council to provide funding toward the Parks and Recreation Department’s five-year capital improvement plan.
In addition, it seeks the full annual allocation of $125,000 for the renovation of existing parks.
Other funding requests include $1.5 million toward a gymnasium addition at the Salisbury Civic Center and $200,000 to begin park development next to the Civic Center; $600,000 for Phase 2 renovations of the Salisbury Sports Complex off South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue; $125,000 for neighborhood park land acquisition east of Interstate 85; and $25,000 for development of a Hall of Fame building/education center at the Salisbury Community Park and Athletic Complex off Hurley School Road.
The advisory board also looks to begin planning the development of the Tatum property in Meadowbrook and seeks funding to recruit tournaments and events to city parks.
“It sounds like $2 million would put you in great shape,” Mayor Pro Tem Paul Woodson said, smiling.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.