Staff report
A ‘”Visioning Meeting” will be held Aug. 28 as part of creating a Western Gateway Area Plan for the Statesville Boulevard area (U.S. 70) leading into Salisbury.
The Salisbury Planning Board and city staff hope a large-scale, long-range plan can be developed by and for residents, business owners and other property owners in the U.S. 70 area.
“Now that the Statesville Boulevard construction is complete in Salisbury,” senior Planner Preston Mitchell said in a recent e-mail, “the functionality and flow of that highway has significantly changed and could have a significant impact on future growth and development.
“In addition, we continue to experience new commercial growth along the I-85 corridor and other areas of town, so now is the pivotal time to uplift our Salisbury Mall and surrounding businesses to ensure their long-term success.”
The Visioning Meeting, the first of four community meetings in the works, will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 inside the Salisbury Mall.
Signs will be visible at the mall directing citizens to the meeting place.
“I like to call the Visioning Meeting the ‘Sponge Session,’ where we as a board and staff do nothing but soak up the community’s concerns, visions, dislikes, needs, etc.” Mitchell said.
A mailer about the meeting was being sent to property owners today. The study area generally takes in Statesville Boulevard from Jake Alexander Boulevard to Enon Church Road.
Mitchell said there also will be a Plan Advisory Committee, made up of stakeholders and community advocates, along with a Technical Advisory Committee bringing together staff from several city departments.
Other community meetings probably will be held in the fall, winter and next spring, when a draft of the Western Gateway Area Plan would be presented.
The Salisbury Planning Board established a Western Gateway Area Plan Committee to collect data, determine the boundaries of the study area and look at times for the community meetings.
For more information, contact Mitchell at 704-638-5244.