TOWN INFORMATION

DAVIDSON, NC — Please come share your voice to shape Davidson’s future as we develop a long-term vision for our town. This past fall the Town of Davidson began a comprehensive plan process, entitled What’s Next Davidson?, its first such effort since 2010. To continue Phase 2 of public input, the town will host a community-wide workshop on April 1, 2 & 3. Called the “Shaping What’s Next” workshop, this multi-day event is an opportunity for us to come together and share our ideas about the town’s future – we encourage everyone in Davidson to attend! Todos están invitados!

SCHEDULE:

Part I: SHARING
DATE: Monday, April 1: Kick-Off Event for the Multi-Day Workshop
LOCATION: DCPC Congregation House, 218 Concord Road
TIME: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Purpose:

• To share highlights of the public input results provided by the Davidson community during the Exploration and Conversation engagement touchpoints.
• To test ideas for improving implementation of the General Planning Principles.
• To collect public input on key growth, land use, and built environment features.

After the initial welcome and an explanation of the evening’s activities, attendees will be asked to visit four stations to share their input. Stations will include:

• Davidson’s Planning Vision
• Davidson’s Planning Influences
• Places to Change, Places to Maintain, Places to Replicate
• Designing Davidson’s Future

REQUEST FOR PHOTOS:

One of the stations is entitled “Designing Davidson’s Future.” This is a visual preference survey station where participants can rank photographs of types of open space and development they like most and can identify specific areas on the map where they would like to see similar open space and developments located. Please submit your photos in advance (by noon on April 1) by emailing them to [email protected] with the word “Photo” in the subject line.

Part II: ASSESSING

DATE: Tuesday, April 2: Theme-based Discussions & Drop-In Session

TIME:  9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

LOCATION: DCPC Congregation House, 218 Concord Road

PURPOSE: This day will focus on theme-based discussion groups open to all, followed by an informal drop-in session to speak with the consulting team and staff about work that’s underway. Those that visit this day may participate in the activity stations from the first night.

1. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #1                  

    10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Growth Management

    This meeting will focus on topics related to the provision of public services,    

    infrastructure, and amenities along with economic development subjects.     

2. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #2                  

    11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Historic Preservation + Design

    This meeting will focus on topics related to the preservation and design of

    buildings/land areas. It also will include discussion of design topics such as building and

    lot standards.

3. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #3                  

    1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Areas of Potential Change

    This meeting will focus on topics related to areas that may experience change in future

    years. Subjects will include the future character of these areas, including:  Land uses,

    open space, and design.     

4. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #4        

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m. | Open Space + Natural Features

    This meeting will focus on topics related to the preservation/creation of open spaces

    and tree canopy in rural and developed areas. It also will include discussion of

    gathering spaces throughout town.

5. PUBLIC DROP-IN SESSION                                                      

    4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

 Part III: PLANNING

DATE:  Wednesday, April 3: Theme-based Discussion Groups

TIME: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

LOCATION: DCPC Congregation House, 218 Concord Road

PURPOSE: The daytime hours will focus on additional theme-based discussion groups:

1. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #1                  

    9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Community Character

    This meeting will focus on topics related to the compatibility of new

    neighborhoods/development with existing areas as well as the existing/future character

    of downtown. It also will include discussion of the town’s sense of inclusivity and civic

    dialogue.

2. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #2

    10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | Housing Affordability

    This meeting will focus on topics related to the provision of housing, including access to

    housing for different groups, varying ages, and strategic policy approaches. Specific

    discussion subjects include how to ensure housing choices that:  enable residents to

    remain in their current homes; attract younger residents; and offer those that work in

    town but do not live in town the opportunity to do so.  

3. THEME-BASED DISCUSSION #3                  

    1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Transportation

    This meeting will focus on topics related to the provision of facilities and infrastructure,

    including: vehicular traffic and road connections; pedestrian and bicycle connections;

    and alternative modes and transit.

DATE:  Wednesday, April 3: Final Workshop Open House

TIME: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Davidson Town Hall board room, 216 S. Main Street

PURPOSE:

• To share the draft of the Davidson Growth and Conservation Framework for review and comments
• To share a revised Vision Statement and General Planning Principles
• To share direction on Potential Areas for Change

APPROACH:

This workshop session will be an open house format with multiple stations. Staff, consultants, and/or Plan Advisory Group members will be at each station to talk with community members. Participants can visit each station, and provide input and feedback on the draft land use framework. Comment cards will be used to collect public input. Stations will include:

• Updated Vision Statement and General Planning Principles
• Davidson Growth and Conservation Framework
• Direction for Potential Change Areas

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We encourage you to:

• Sign up for our What’s Next? eCrier to receive news and information at www.townofdavidson.org/eCrier (type in your email and click the “What’s Next?” list at the bottom), and
• Mark your calendar to attend the “Shaping What’s Next” workshop sessions on April 1, 2, & 3.

 How do I get there?

• Parking will be available along Concord Road, Main Street, Jackson Street and Davidson Town Hall, and 251 South Street. Note: Due to planned construction by Charlotte Water, it’s anticipated that Lorimer Rd. adjacent to the DCPC Congregation House will be closed during the workshop; please plan accordingly.
• People that live close to the locations are encouraged to walk.

“The April workshop will focus on the details that people discussed in their comments from earlier phases of public engagement: design of neighborhoods, design of activity nodes, open space and tree preservation, and preference locations for new development and open spaces,” said Senior Planner and Project Manager Trey Akers. “If you have not been involved to date, this is a great opportunity to join in the process. We look forward to continuing the conversation from April 1-3 to get more direction on shaping the comprehensive plan.”

If you are unable to attend this multi-day workshop, and are interested in sharing your thoughts, please email us at [email protected] through April 15. During the fall of 2019, we will host a draft plan presentation meeting. The draft also will be posted to www.whatsnextdavidson.com.

Background:

The Davidson Board of Commissioners identified the comprehensive plan as a priority in their 2018-2019 Strategic Plan. A comprehensive plan is the leading policy document and tool to help a community create a vision and guiding principles for decision-making for their town. It covers a lot of topics ranging from housing and transportation to land use, economic development, environment, health, and other areas. It brings all these topics into one document that is then used by elected officials, town staff, and citizens to guide decisions about our community, such as:  How to prioritize what facilities to improve or construct (buildings, parks, streets); what types of land uses are appropriate for different areas of town; what types of programs we should encourage or offer (from government to businesses to institutions and nonprofits); and, how to ensure that our community’s values are represented in each decision made. Generally, comprehensive plans are updated about every ten years, but in high-growth regions such as ours they are often updated every 5-8 years. What’s Next Davidson? features many opportunities for public input throughout the process.

The comprehensive plan is a community-centered initiative. The planning process entails an extended community conversation that intentionally engages all stakeholders – residents, neighborhoods, businesses, the college, town government, non-profits, and institutions. Led by a consultant team comprised of Clarion Associates and Planning Next, the planning process will feature a variety of events, tools, and meeting formats to encourage community members to share insight into our community via in-person meetings/workshops, email, and online as well as hard-copy surveys. Whereas this past fall focused on background research and gathering input “where people are,” in the winter and spring of 2019 the town is hosting a series of community-wide events in which all are invited to participate. Together, each of these exercises will gather input essential to forming a community-wide vision and set of policies to support our aspirations. Below is a summary of the process and anticipated timeline:

• October – December 2018:  Initial public engagement + community research;
• January 17, 2019:  Community meeting to present and discuss findings;
• April 1-3, 2019:  Multi-day workshop/event(s) to solicit feedback on policy direction and framework for future comprehensive plan;
• Summer 2019:  Drafting of the comprehensive plan;
• Fall 2019:  Presentation of draft plan and making revisions;
• Winter 2019-2020:  Consideration of adopting new comprehensive plan;
• Winter/Spring 2020:  Drafting/review/approval of implementation plan to guide execution of the comprehensive plan.