By Mark Wineka
mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — There are two important numbers for Granite Quarry: 3,012 and $206 million.

The Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen wants to increase both of those figures, and that mission has a lot to do with some of the goals town officials set out Saturday morning during the last day of their budget and planning retreat.

Aldermen want to see the town’s population of 3,012 grow and its property tax base of $206 million expand.

They think those things can happen with a short, but weighty list of items, such as the recruitment of a grocery store; implementation of a downtown revitalization plan; development of a new industrial park off Heilig Road; providing utilities for new residential growth in the Old Concord Road, Faith Road and St. Paul’s Church Road areas; and promoting the town.

“We need to let people know Granite Quarry is here,” Alderman Jim Costantino said.

Recruitment of a grocery store has been on the town board’s wish list a long time. In reaching out to grocery store companies, aldermen and staff have long heard the demographics and proximity of existing stores in Salisbury and Rockwell are reasons why Granite Quarry should not have a conventional grocery store, the size of which usually runs about 45,000 square feet.

“I don’t buy that,” Costantino said.

The recent downtown revitalization plan said Granite Quarry could conservatively support 8,377 square feet of demand in a grocery store, and authors of the report suggested the town go after small-format groceries.

Those that might fit the bill could include an independent Piggly Wiggly or an expanded specialty grocery, the report said.

A section of the downtown revitalization plan concentrates on design and improving the appearance of a central two-block area. Alderman Mike Brinkley said he thinks the town could have an immediate impact by stamping recommended crosswalks along U.S. 52, which will have the added effect of slowing down traffic.

“We have to pick that low fruit now,” Brinkley said.

The board’s proposed budget for 2016-2017 calls for $30,000 toward crosswalks.

Board members also were in general agreement that they should follow through as quickly as possible on recommended facade changes to Town Hall, though that kind of project could take a year or so.

“We have the same goal, to make something happen,” Mayor Bill Feather said.

Short-term recommendations in the downtown revitalization plan call for the town to work with other property owners on facade and architectural improvements in the target area; engage the DOT in making significant changes to the “streetscape” along U.S. 52; install banners along U.S. 52; plan for infill development; and make some improvements in Centennial Park.

Contractors for the town already have installed most of a long waterline which will serve a new industrial park off Heilig Road. Plans for two speculative buildings in the park already have been announced by the town and Rowan County, which owns the land.

The new waterline also will serve a new residential development that is planned off Faith Road.

The town could look for other areas of possible residential growth along Old Concord and St. Paul’s Church roads by pushing a regional utility plan for those areas, Feather suggested.

“We need to be proactive on it, rather than reactive,” Feather said.

Utilities could be provided, for example, in exchange for voluntary annexations.

Back at Town Hall, aldermen said some renovations and repairs — besides the facade changes — must happen with the near 50-year-old building.

Among the needs are a new roof, heating and air-conditioning upgrades and possible remodeling inside. As of now, for example, the finance officer and police chief share the same office.

Feather said the board also would be wise to develop a long-range plan for Town Hall. Should the fire and police departments move out of the building sometime in the future and relocate to a better location? Or should town administrative offices and the maintenance department move elsewhere?

Besides a convenient grocery store, good schools, parks and restaurants are the kinds of things people look for in a community, the aldermen said, and they especially expressed a desire to see the school system work more in partnership with the town and its groups such as the PTAs, civic clubs and booster clubs.

Feather said new Town Manager Phil Conrad was hired with three goals in mind: increasing the tax base, growing the population and expanding Granite Quarry’s footprint.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.