Boone 2030 Adopted on October 16, 2009

The Boone 2030 Land Use Plan was adopted by the Boone Town Council. Click on the links to the right to download the official documents.

Land Use Plan ready for adoption

After receiving additional comments from the public, elected and appointed officials, and town staff, the plan has been finalized and is ready for adoption. Adoption by the Town Council is scheduled for September 17, 2009. To download all of the finalized documents click on the links to the right.

Final Draft now Available

After receiving public comments for 2 months, the final draft of the Boone 2030 Plan has been posted to this site. Click on the links to the side to download the various chapters. Adoption is expected in the coming months.

Draft 2030 Land Use Plan Available for Public Review

The draft of the Boone 2030 Land Use Plan is available for public review and comment. The plan reflects the work of citizens, stakeholders, and consultants culminating in a 5-day public design workshop (charrette) in October 2008.

The draft has been reviewed by the Plan Advisory Committee and is now ready for public comment prior to being considered for adoption by the Town Council in early spring.

Please click on the link(s) for the document to the right to view the draft chapters electronically (pdf). The table of contents can be downloaded here. A limited number of hard copy drafts are also available for review at the Boone Development Services office.

All comments or questions can be posted on the blog site and/or forwarded to the Boone Development Services Department: ricky.hurley@townofboone.net.

An Alternative for the Boone Parkway

From Parade Magazine on 3.8.09

How We Can Save Our Roads by Earl Swift

Pennsylvania’s Smart Transportation initiative calls on engineers to re-examine all of their assumptions. “The old style was that if we had a road that was congested, we’d project the traffic out 25 years and add lanes,” says Allen D. Biehler, the state’s transportation secretary. “Well, guess what? We don’t have enough money for that anymore.”

When Pennsylvania couldn’t afford a long-planned, $465 million freeway north of Philadelphia, Biehler brainstormed with communities along the 8.4-mile route and found a cheaper alternative: a parkway bordered with trees and bike trails. Work on the $200 million project began in November.

I just can't help but think of the similarities between this project and the planned Boone Parkway. How big does a project have to be before it is no longer practical to build in anyone's reasonable lifetime? The low-build alternative, is just that, and alternative, but it represents a practical improvement that the Boone community could see within a generation.

Charrette Closing Presentation

More than 180 people attended the closing presentation on Tuesday, October 28th. Overall the sentiment was that the plan was broadly accepted with the key concern that it would be implemented. Getting things done and making things happen was the highest priority from the public. The presentation made recommendations for the following:

• Improve Circulation for all Modes
• Protect and Improve the Environment with every Decision
• Focus on Downtown at the Center
• Create a Partnership/Incentives Program that facilitates Redevelopment
• Housing, housing, housing particularly for the workforce
• Full Overhaul of the Unified Development Ordinance

The full presentation can be found here.

Additional comments from the public included:

General comments/questions

• How to deal with commercial access off of main roads in interim? Need to have access for trucks, etc. from primary road
• How to deal with parking requirements?
• Until UDO is overhauled, very little can happen
• Can we get rid of UDO altogether?

How did we do?

• Great plans – a shock to the people here because of the boldness of designs. These plans will have to be modified in some ways, but we have to think differently, too.
• A truly great experience on all levels and a great way to spend taxpayer dollars. However, IMPLEMENTATION will be vital to our success in applying this plan.
• Great plan! So many large designs. It’s not really what we really expect here. Although its fantastic, I don’t think it will really be Boone anymore. It’s good, but try not to make things so large and modern. It isn’t New York City, you know! I don’t know what to think about it. It will be nicer, but it won’t be the Boone I grew up in anymore. You did OK.

What did we miss?

• Infilling of neighborhoods close to campus
• Impact of commercial development on adjacent established residential neighborhoods.
• Walks above ground to view mountains from downtown!
• Preserve night views with directed down lights!
• Underground utilities were a high priority for every group in the opening session – no mention tonight.
• Because ASU freshmen are required to live on campus, we should ban their cars thus eliminating ¼ of the campus traffic – sophomores, too. Many cities do!!!
• Please look at the area behind the hospital and Boone Golf Course known as Kellwood.

Other Comments

• Concerned about 6-7 story buildings on Howard destroying character of downtown
• Concern about eliminating parking requirements downtown without creating deck or decks
• If Boone wants the new roads, we have to be ready to receive the cars – there has to be ways to preserve the views as well as include more property.
• Run Daniel Boone Parkway straight across from Wilson Ridge Rd directly to 321.
• Seems very modern. That’s ok, but some are tearing down places that should be torn down, but makes it too large. Boone is a small town. We maybe should keep it that way for a while. (Not too much, but no skyscraper – 4 story, 5, 6??) Not your typical Boone. Don’t know about it.
• Make sure affordable/workforce housing is an integral component.
• Make UDO change recommendations ASAP.

Day 5 - Detail, detail, detail

Though there were no scheduled public meetings today, the studio experienced a steady stream of visitors. In addition, we met with a geologist who helped us better understand the fault line that runs through the center of the old High School campus. Using this information, we produced plan #6 for that site - we designed a mixed-use center that included some major big boxes as anchors in a multi-story format supported by lots of street-level retail shops, housing, and parking decks.

The closing presentation will be held at the Broyhill Conference Center at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, October 28th.

Don't forget to complete the public opinion survey. The Mast General Store has graciously donated a $50 gift card that will be given away at the closing presentation.