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City's master plan to be submitted to planning commission
While still a broad overview, local ACE subcommittees worked throughout 2007 to narrow down specific goals for the future of the city. An overview of the results of that work was presented during a meeting at the H.W. Pearce Memorial Park Assembly House, Tuesday, Jan. 29. Larry Watts of the firm Goodwin, Mills and Kawood presented the overview. He said the next step is to draft a plan of policies and recommendations based on the community assessment results. He emphasized the plan is not an immediate fix, but an overview of long-range goals for the city. The plan concept proposes expansion of the "town center," over to Carroll Street, which remains basically undeveloped, tying it in with the rest of downtown and connecting it with existing neighborhoods and churches. It is also suggested that a better gateway to Pearce Memorial Park be created. Development of a well organized, attractive commercial and mixed use corridor along U.S. Highway 43 is also suggested. Watts said gateways, directing traffic to the downtown area, should be created along that corridor. The reorganization of College Avenue into an attractive mixed use district is part of the submitted plan, with development of a gateway to downtown at the intersection of College Avenue and Highway 69. Expansion of the hospital site and the schools along Mayton Drive into a medical and education district is part of the concept. This may spill over onto the development along U.S. 43. Watts stressed the importance of conserving and expanding traditional neighborhoods, while focusing on the town center by including smaller neighborhood services. He indicated the location of Jackson Middle School and Legion Field/Simpkins Stadium near downtown is a good foundation for this particular concept. "Setting up schools, parks and community services, supported by city services (police and fire) provides a good opportunity for this to take place," he said. Watts also discussed completing the connecting of some of the streets in Jackson to better serve the city's infrastructure for future neighborhood and commercial revitalization development. In addition, he pointed to residential areas in the Depot portion of the city which are in need of revitalization. A suggestion put forth by Watts during the discussion was the creation of a development foundation or corporation to work toward specific goals from a real estate standpoint. Other portions of the overall plan include further development of the industrial district along J.W. Andrews Highway and a greenway trail, which would utilize drainage and natural forested areas connected to a nearby regional recreation area along the river.
Mayor Richard Long stressed that the plan is comprehensive with nothing finalized. "This is just the beginning of establishing a vision for our city," he added.
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