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Boone Town Council Meets Thursday: Howard Street Public Hearing is Big Agenda Item

By Jesse Wood

The Boone Town Council will meet on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers on Blowing Rock Road. See entire agenda and meeting packet here. 

Public Hearing on Howard Street Concept Plan

The Boone Town Council is holding a public hearing on a Howard Street improvement conceptual plan produced by Davenport, an engineering firm based in Winston-Salem.

The project begins at the Water Street intersection, passes through the Depot Street intersection and ends at the Appalachian Street intersection. The plan calls for making Howard Street one-way, heading westbound, from Appalachian Street to Water Street.

When a study was conducted last year recommending that route, community members said the plan would have a dramatic impact on traffic flow, especially as ASU traffic exits Peacock Hall/Raley Parking Lot onto Howard Street during rush hour.

According to the concept plan published in Thursday’s meeting packet, the parking lot entrance/exit will be relocated closer to Appalachian Street. See diagrams below.

Town Manager John Ward has said previously, staff would be working with stakeholders along Howard Street, including Appalachian State and the developers of the Marketplace property beside Murphy’s Restaurant and Pub.

Under this proposal, Howard Street will also have a sidewalk and bike lanes. A proposed parking deck “by others” is also listed in the plans in a portion of the lot between Town Hall and ECRS.

The plans are conceptual, subject to change, and are not for construction.

See screen grabs of the concept plan below and previous articles about the improvement plan. To view the entire plans, click here.

 howard-street-water

howard-street-mid

howard-street-plans

April 2015:

https://www.hcpress.com/news/boone-town-council-to-discuss-one-way-howard-appalachian-streets-in-downtown.html 

April 2015:

https://www.hcpress.com/letters-to-the-editor/letters-the-heart-attack-of-boone.html

June 2015:

https://www.hcpress.com/news/input-session-held-on-howard-street-improvements-mixed-opinion-on-preliminary-plans.html

November 2015:

https://www.hcpress.com/news/town-of-boone-to-begin-work-on-howard-street-project.html


Public Hearing on Town Property Annexation

The Boone Town Council intends to annex the 54-acre, former Bolick property, which the Town of Boone agreed to purchase for $4.6 million in March for a municipal complex and greenspace.

A public hearing on this proposed annexation is scheduled for Dec. 15, 2016.


License Agreements at Daniel Boone Park

The Boone Town Council will consider the approval of license agreements for Southern Appalachian Historical Association, Watauga County Farmers Market and the We Can So You Can, Inc. for the 2017 Winter Rail Jam.

For more information about these potential lease agreements, click here.


Scheduling of Meeting for Watauga County Land Trust Project in Junaluska

Lynn Patterson from the Junaluska Community suggested the night of Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, at the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church for the discussion of proposed Watauga County Land Trust project and for dialogue with Council on other issues.

In August, Scott Eggers, on behalf of Watauga Community Housing Trust, LLC, requested the Boone Town Council draft a commitment letter for the conveyance of property adjacent to the town’s Junaluska water tower for the development of a small workforce housing project.

See map of proposed project area here.


Consideration of the Following Cases, Including New Farm Bureau Building  

  1. Case 20160735 Beverly Heights/VFW NCD General Use Map Amendment
  2. Case 20160734 Green Street R2 to R1A/NCD General Use Zoning Map Amendment
  3. Case 20160566 Farm Bureau Conditional District Zoning Map Amendment
  4. Case 20160742 Neighborhood Conservation District UDO Text Amendment

For more info about these cases, click here.


Consideration of Water Intake Bond-Related Docs

The council will consider approving the following documents, which can be viewed here.

  • Bond Resolution for the General Obligation Bond Anticipation Notes
  • Bond Order for the Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds -General Obligation and Revenue Bonds
  • Note Resolution for the Water and Sewer Revenue Bond Anticipation Notes