By Amanda Raymond

amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

The Salisbury Planning Board discussed its plans for the upcoming fiscal year during a meeting on Tuesday.

The board did not meet quorum because only six members were present. The board needs at least seven members to conduct official business.

Since they could not conduct an official meeting, the present members just discussed and agreed upon the goals on consensus.

The goals did not change much from last year except some changes in priorities.

According to minutes from a Salisbury City Council meeting in February of 2015, the goals for the 2015-2016 fiscal year were to:

• Provide support, guidance and recommendations for an update to the Vision 2020 Plan
• Continue to encourage and support development of the Multi-jurisdictional I-85 Economic Development Initiative
• Partner with council, Downtown Salisbury Inc. and other stakeholders to develop the South Main Street Corridor Plan, specifically to enhance positive activity in the area
• Begin development of an “in-house” Brooklyn-South Square Neighborhood Plan

Preston Mitchell, Planning and Development Services manager, said the Rowan County Board of Commissioners have taken on the I-85 initiative.

He also said funds for the South Main plan have been shifted towards physical improvements, and since the City Council wants to focus on the Vision 2020 plan, the plan for South Main will have to be put on hold.

Mitchell said the two most important goals for fiscal year 2017 will be supporting the Vision 2020 Plan and developing the Brooklyn-South Square Neighborhood Small Area Plan.

The work concerning the Vision 2020 plan would mostly be staff-driven so the Planning Board can focus on the Brooklyn-South Square Neighborhood Plan.

“Bottom line, Brooklyn South-Square Small Area Plan is something that we really need to have done before the end of 2016,” Mitchell said.

The call for the plan came after a Waffle House moved onto East Innes Street, near the Brooklyn-South Square Neighborhood, Mitchell said.

The study was a goal of Mayor Karen Alexander when she was part of the Planning Board.

Mitchell said the plan will include a study that will identify cultural assets, geographical attributes, demographics and other data. The city staff and Planning Board members will also facilitate community meetings during which community members can tell the city their needs, desires and concerns for the neighborhood.

Staff will condense and prioritize all of the community input and come up with a plan based on the comments. They will present the plan back to the community for review.

The staff will then use the data to develop a future land use plan that will identify how the community wants certain areas to be developed in the future.

The Planning Board will also get a copy of the plan to determine if there are any legal issues. It will also examine how the plan fits in with the rest of the city and its goals. The plan will then go to the City Council.

“In the end, the goal is for it to be a community-led document that’s been signed off by the Planning Board,” he said.

Chairman Carl Respsher will present the goals that the board discussed to City Council.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.