The 22-Year Plan
Lawrence Group delivers closing presentation for Boone charrette

By Scott Nicholson

It’s the end of one planning phase, but 22 years of work lies ahead for Boone planners.

Craig Lewis, principal of the Lawrence Group consulting firm, gave a closing presentation to wrap up seven days of planning review and opinion gathering designed to help the town of Boone develop its 2030 Master Plan. Lewis gave his concluding remarks to an audience of more than 100 people at the Broyhill Inn & Conference Center Tuesday night.

“I think we realize this is much more than a land-use plan and we knew that going in,” Lewis said, adding that planning through traditional means of selecting commercial and residential areas didn’t embrace environmental and transportation issues that often followed.

Community members review work from last week’s design charrette at the Lawrence Group’s closing presentation Tuesday. Photo by Scott Nicholson

He also pointed out that his recommendations weren’t limited by the current land-use plans or policies, which he said should be revised or even rebuilt from the ground up if they didn’t serve the town’s needs and vision.

Lewis said a 2007 smart-growth audit had recommended a better way of managing the development and planning of the area, such as mixing land uses and broadening housing choices. Community and land preservation were also on the list, as well as encouraging community and stakeholder collaboration.

Lewis said more than 500 people had attended the various planning and discussion sessions last week, with public involvement being a key to determining long-range goals. “You have done plans in the past in the community but those plans have not been fulfilled,” he said, noting it was time to implement ideas gathered through studies and not let them languish on the shelf.

Lewis said environmental sustainability was an important issue, with local-government spending and social sustainability related to the best use of property and most harmonious and useful future development. Lewis said the public was committed to the long-range process and set forth some basic criteria for meeting shared goals.

“We need to do a much better job at managing our natural habitat,” Lewis said.

He mentioned mountain slopes, headwaters and forest canopies as important areas of protection while also advocating the development of clustered commercial destinations that met people’s needs.

Protecting natural resources, housing, economic opportunities, and better transportation options were among the top concerns submitted by residents who dropped in during last week’s sessions. Nearly two-thirds of the 115 respondents of a community survey were full-time residents, with economic development and affordable housing were top interests, though people ranked walkability ahead of better roads.

Energy conservation, corridor and transportation improvement, neighborhood character and variety of student housing were other issues Lewis noted. He said even with setting aside steep mountain areas, there were still suitable amounts of land for development.

“You could triple your population and tax base without batting an eye if you utilize your unused parking areas,” he said, suggesting redevelopment offered opportunities to maximize space, while meeting environmental and social needs.

He also discussed a Boone bypass, which would be a southern loop from U.S. 421 to Bamboo Road that used existing roads to connect with Blowing Rock Road. Lewis said it would be less expensive if parts of existing highway corridors were used.

From Blowing Rock Road, a connector could skirt the current high school property and meet N.C. 105 at an existing signal light. The recommended route has two lanes with landscaping, biking and pedestrian walkways and no additional driveway accesses.

Other transportation routes could be planned around development and vice versa, Lewis said, calling Boone “a very hostile environment” for pedestrians. He said many walking paths could be improved and made safer by setting them back farther from traffic and planting trees. He said a network of walking choices was essential, even though the number of cars would continue to grow.

Lewis said Kraut Creek could serve as a community backbone around which paths could be built, since it already connects areas of the community. He said the creek didn’t have to be perfect and that piped stretches could even be uncovered.

“You’ve already ruined it as much as you probably are,” he said, saying creek restoration would save tax dollars, as well as enhance environment. The Lawrence Group’s recommendations propose bank restoration, natural buffers and other smaller measures instead of focusing on a frustrating and expensive long-term rehabilitation.

Discussing opportunities for redevelopment, Lewis used the current high school facility as an example. The site will be sold by the county to help fund construction of the new high school, and Lewis said there were many options for the site despite potential for landslides if more slopes were cut. His ideas included research centers or housing above ground-level retail stores. One mixed-use plan contained “big-box retailers” with parking decks and three access points accented with a multi-level apartment building.

Lewis said Boone should put a strong focus on its downtown as its center, recommending some sites for potential changes, particularly parking lots. Short-term improvements could include free parking, better-coordinated signage and replacement of lights, while parking decks, streetscapes and parks are possible long-term improvements.

“You can’t just keep widening roads and building intersections,” Lewis said. “That’s deadly for pedestrians.”

He said development was difficult in any community, and planners and officials should develop policies that encourage the long-range goals. He proposed a full overhaul of the town’s Unified Development Ordinance.

The Lawrence Group will compile a full report, with a plan submitted for adopting next spring, and will then work with the town on revising building ordinances. Lewis said Appalachian State University was a great resource to help with design issues, and the town should assign priorities to capital improvements.

“You’ve got to start now, but after 20 years, you’re going to be shocked at what you were able to accomplish,” Lewis said.