Area 5 Planning Forum Participant Ratings of Issues and Opportunities

SMALL AREA PLANNING FORUM - AREA 5
Participants Ratings of Issues and Opportunities

August 30, 2001 - West Franklin Avenue Baptist Church
(Forum participants were given three dots and requested to place them on items they felt important)

FOR	AGAINST
4	0	Availability of Water, Sewer, etc.
0	0	Transportation Choices (buses, sidewalks, bike lanes)
1	0	Connected Streets
5	1	Adequate Roads and Road Systems
0	0	Housing Choices
0	0	Affordable Housing
1	3	New Development and Schools to Support it
3	1	Shopping and Business Development
4	0	Diverse Employment/Industries
3	0	Retaining Existing Business
1	0	Attracting New Business
0	0	Public Awareness of Planning Activities
3	0	Pride in Community Heritage
0	0	Coordination between Cities, Towns and County
3	0	Water Quality
1	1	Air Quality
2	0	Wildlife Habitats
1	0	Flood plains/Flooding
0	0	Waste Disposal
3	1	Greenways, Parks, and Recreation Facilities
2	0	Forests
7	0	Farmland
1	0	Scenic Views
2	0	Cultural and Historic Resources
0	1	Connections Between Open Space
0	0	Public Safety
0	2	Population Growth
3	0	Maintenance of Properties

Comments from the northwest small area planning forum - West Franklin Avenue Baptist Church August 30, 2001

	Existing Roads need to be improved instead of developing new roads
	Need to look at the speed limits on existing roads (Ferguson Ridge and Crawford Roads are too high)
	Need better roads from Bessemer City to US 321

The issue of New development and Schools to support it - of the three persons who placed the dots in the against area: The concern was on how the are would grow, and not being against the development or schools. Statement that the issue needed to be addressed.

Water/Sewer: Needed in some areas. Not in favor of people being required to tap onto a system.

Attractive part of the area is not being developed. Need to have some restrictions on growth.

Need new Library, shopping in the area.

Need to acceptable limits on industries in the area, and have the industry locate along US 321. Concern that existing industries on US 321 have been lost. Need diverse employment and shopping areas on the west side of Gaston County.

Need water and sewer services if growth occurs.

Major concern about the unevenness of services and facilities between the eastern portion of the County and the western section. NEED TO SPREAD SERVICES AND FACILITIES ON AN EQUAL BASIS.

Greenways: one person against stating it is a waste of tax dollars, fosters crime, solid waste problem, and trespassing on private property off the greenways. Concern expressed about the safety aspect and giving people access, even if open sewer easements and other utility easement for this use.

Concern that any greenways should be purchased from the property owner and not tie up the property if there is a proposed greenway in the area, and not allow the property owner to sell or use his/her land as they want.

Concern about quality of life in the area. Need to upgrade industries in the area, and need a good quality of life to attract the appropriate industries.

Need to treat all streams in the County as resource and protect the property owners of the County. Look at protecting all streams.

To view more information pertaining to this forum, please select one of the links below:

	Small Area Planning Forum - Area 5 - Meeting Minutes
	Participants Rating of Issues and Opportunities
	Composite Initiatives Map
	Composite Initiatives and Existing Conditions Map
	Pictures of Forum Participants

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