Citizens soon will have a chance to weigh in on an updated master plan for downtown Mount Airy which proposes major changes including new housing and other developments, expanded parking and traffic reconfigurations.
“These are all major projects to help downtown Mount Airy move forward in the future,” President Jason Epley of the Benchmark consulting firm said when presenting plan highlights during a city council meeting last Thursday.
Benchmark, which has been providing planning services to Mount Airy since city officials privatized those functions in 2011, last year took on the added task of refreshing an earlier downtown master plan completed in 2004.
The Mount Airy Board of Commissioners voted last November to commit $67,000 in city funds for the update along with money from the group Mount Airy Downtown Inc. for a total commitment of about $125,000.
Efforts kicked off soon after which involved Benchmark staff interviews with local citizens including property owners and municipal officials to gain their perspective on downtown needs.
“Fifty-five people were interviewed in the course of about three days,” Epley said, with a written survey also undertaken to solicit input on traffic and other issues along with listening sessions.
He added that 120 people were involved in a workshop effort in April to help guide the plan update to fruition.
A further opportunity for citizen input will come early next month due to the commissioners voting to set a public hearing on the downtown master plan update during a meeting on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.
One-way traffic preferred
A key part of the update focuses on vehicular travel downtown, with the plan recommending that one-way traffic be maintained along North Main Street — the chief artery through the central business district — thereby rejecting the alternative.
“In the survey it was very clear no one wanted to go back to two-way traffic,” the Benchmark president said of a format in place years ago which was flirted with during the recent rebooting process.
However, the proposal includes five different one-way options, three of which would involve switching from the present two lanes of travel to one with either angled or parallel parking on one side. The street itself would be 20 feet wide.
Epley explained that this reflects a desire to create “flex space” to allow more outdoor dining and other changes on sidewalks which would be accomplished by providing a 20-foot space on each side of the street.
Sidewalks of 12 to 20 feet wide are eyed, along with the addition of trees, burial of above-ground utility lines, strategically placed loading zones, new decorative street lights and a removable bollard system.
Larger flex spaces could be employed at street corners under the plan, which contains photos from cities such as West Palm Beach, Florida, and Greer, South Carolina, where such flexible streetscape concepts have been successfully employed.
The updated plan also recommends the creation of “complete streets” for locations such as Independence Boulevard and Renfro Street as a way to enhance pedestrian safety.
This would involve reducing the number of travel lanes and “conflict points” for vehicles.
A greenway/multi-purpose path connection also is in the mix for the street plan.
Epley says the proposal for complete streets recognizes the fact that many people are drawn to downtown Mount Airy because of its opportunities for walking.
Franklin Street changes
The master plan update additionally acknowledges the ongoing revitalization of the former Spencer’s textile mill property downtown and lists the funding and building of a conference and visitor center there as a priority.
“This is an exciting project to see happening,” Epley said.
In conjunction with this, the redevelopment of the Franklin Street area nearby is an important thrust of the plan in order to provide a “critical pedestrian link” to the conference center.
Improvements to an existing municipal parking lot are envisioned which would include expanding the spaces from 160 to about 210 and providing green spots.
Another facet there is the proposed construction of a 12,000-square-foot mixed-used building located vertically along Franklin Street between Willow and North Main streets.
Epley agreed that execution of the Franklin plans would require working with neighboring property owners to secure the extra space needed.
Housing additions
The master plan update further highlights opportunities for residential and other developments downtown utilizing what are identified as six “opportunity sites.”
These include a 1.9-acre tract on the corner of Virginia and Willow streets where a three-story, 85-unit housing complex is eyed.
Also highlighted is a 2.9-acre parcel where The Mount Airy News now is located alongside a vacant lot behind Old North State Winery where a building burned in 2018.
Plans envision 170 housing units on that property — including three stories, with the topography deemed suitable to parking underneath buildings.
Among other opportunity sites are the municipal complex on Rockford Street and a vacant lot at Main and Cherry streets.
Commissioner Steve Yokeley said he hopes aspects of the updated plan can be implemented in stages.
“We look forward to getting some public input at the September meeting,” Mayor Ron Niland said of the upcoming hearing.
(The full downtown master plan update can be accessed from the city of Mount Airy website.)
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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