Can't make it, church obligations.
Ronnie Raper, CPA Anthony & Tabb, PA (252)237-0784 From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Cynthia Whalen Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:31 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [COWs] City planning process deserves support - From Wilson Daily Times Tonight at 7:00 City planning process deserves support If you think that a city's comprehensive plan is a big book that sits on a shelf gathering dust after thousands of hours are spent putting it together -- think again. Wilson is starting the process of putting together its first comprehensive plan to guide the city's growth since 1990, and it is worth taking a look back at that plan to judge whether the public should support this new effort. By any measure, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. Among the major projects discussed in the 1990 plan that have since come to fruition are: * The expansion of Buckhorn Reservoir. * The development of land near Interstate 95. * The establishment of a leadership roundtable, which meets regularly to promote economic development and collaboration between area agencies. * The construction of the Wilson Transit Center, which has helped improve Wilson's mass transit system. * The hiring of a full-time tourism director. * The establishment of a comprehensive recycling program. * The creation of a regional park master plan, which led to the development of the J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex. And the list goes on from there to numerous other projects that have either been undertaken by the city or done with the city's support. The problem with continuing to use that plan, however, is that it needs a little updating. Wilson is not the city is was in 1990, and it faces an entirely new set of problems. Since 1990, the city has nearly doubled in land area and added more than 12,000 people to its population. Wilson also faces a whole new range of problems today that need to be dealt with in the same systematic way that progress was made on the 1990 plan. "The community has changed a lot since 1990," said Rodger Lentz, Wilson's planning and development services director. "We're a growing community. We're going to continue to see change. The goal of the comprehensive plan is to make sure that change is something that's as positive for the community as possible." The first step in the this process for the public will be a public meeting Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. in the Frank Eagles Community Business Center on the Wilson Community College campus. The event, which is being called a "Symposium of Ideas," will include opportunities to brainstorm ideas on how to plan the city's future. Developers and planners from other areas of the state will also attend and present ways they handled certain growth issues in other North Carolina cities. If you have any interest in the future of Wilson, consider attending this meeting. This process is being done in conjunction with the Wilson 20/20 efforts and together these groups will play a large role in shaping the future of our community. For the sake of Wilson, please become involved and let your voice be heard. ---- _o _o ------- `, <, `, <, ----(x)/(x) (x)/(x) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CyclistsOfWilson-COWs" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CyclistsOfWilson-COWs?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
