Exploring Our Planning Principles Public Engagement Report March 2019 This report was written by the planning team for the What’s Next Davidson planning process, which includes: TOWN STAFF Jason Burdette Cristina Shaul Planning Director Former Communications Director and Co-Project Manager Trey Akers Senior Planner Project Manager CONSULTANTS Leigh Anne King Project Manager Jamie Greene Project Lead on Public Engagement Nate Baker Project Planner Sarah Bongiorno Project Planner Chris Peterson Graphics and Mapping Mary McKay Project Planner Jai Daniels Project Intern ii Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 3 ABOUT THE PROCESS . 5 WHO PARTICIPATED . 9 WHAT RESPONDENTS SAID . 11 CONCLUSION . 24 APPENDICES . 25 Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report 1 “We’re looking forward to this process and want you to know that all community members are invited to participate. You’ll see us around town at a variety of events — the farmers market, Davidson college athletic events, the grand opening of the new park, etc. — to share information, encourage people to take our online survey, and invite the community to our town-wide workshops in the early part of 2019.” - Trey Akers, Town of Davidson Senior Planner and What’s Next Davidson Project Manager 2 Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report Executive Summary What’s Next Davidson is the process to update the character and the reality of unprecedented growth Town of Davidson’s comprehensive plan. Exploring pressures. Our Planning Principles was the first round of Generally, community participants perceive public engagement for the What’s Next process. growth as both a threat and an opportunity. Many Engagement took place between October 2018 and participants want to manage growth so that it January 2019 and involved more than 1,300 points occurs in appropriate locations and in a manner that of contact. Participants evaluated the town’s General complements and enhances Davidson’s character. Planning Principles, which were first implemented There is strong community support for conservation in 2001 to guide decisions on physical changes and of connected open space for public access, aesthetic public investments in the community. beauty, wildlife habitat, tree canopy, and water This report presents an overview of the first round protection. Other ideas that were raised included of public engagement activities for the What’s Next maintaining agricultural lands for local healthy Davidson process. The next two pages present a foods production and maintaining the existing rural brief summary of input provided by community character, uses, and viewsheds — in particular along members. More detail about the process is provided corridors leading into downtown Davidson from the on subsequent pages. east. Growth Management & Rural Transportation Options Preservation Many community members expressed concern over Growth management is an important topic in the increase in local and regional automobile traffic Davidson, especially as development from Charlotte congestion. The growing congestion is due to several reaches the town and surrounding communities. To trends, including regional automobile-oriented land many in the community, this growth clashes with use patterns and growth. Community members Davidson’s history as a rural community and its small generally expressed a desire for more travel options, college town character. Rapid regional growth has such as better transit, safer bicycling, and expanding created a challenge for the town as members of the the greenway networks. The town is currently community wrestle with reconciling the small-town finalizing the draft Mobility Plan, which will include transportation analyses and opportunities. Community Character Davidson’s residents love their downtown, which is small-scale, walkable, and mixed-use, with high quality design and both new and historic buildings between one and four stories. Respondents overwhelmingly want to maintain that character and replicate it in other parts of town. Some participants expressed concern about the inability to find parking. Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report 3 Davidson’s residential neighborhoods are also Activity Nodes highly valued and residents see them as assets to Although there were a mix of ideas and feelings the community. There is concern over changes that about future activity nodes, many community have occurred in some of Davidson’s neighborhoods, members suggested future growth in the town including tear-downs, splitting of existing lots to could be directed toward activity nodes, in particular maximize yield in existing neighborhoods, and in a walkable, human-scale, mixed-use, transit- new residential development that is perceived as oriented pattern. Some suggested new nodes inconsistent in character with the town’s existing should replicate the character of the downtown. fabric. Several respondents also expressed a desire While most respondents support walkable, mixed- to maintain and grow Davidson’s tree canopy. use development, several community members Housing Affordability expressed concern over the massing and design of recent developments. This indicates that there may The cost of housing for low- and middle-income be opportunities to explore modifying materials, households is a concern of many community form, and design standards. members. The cost of living has increased beyond the reach of many low- and middle-income workers, Several community members suggested that resulting in cost-burdened households and the need appropriately designed commercial and office for workers to live somewhere else and commute development in Davidson represents an opportunity into the town. for improving the town’s fiscal balance and alleviating the tax burden on residents as well as Community participants provided a number of providing nearby service amenities. ideas for addressing affordable housing, including exploring options for preserving existing units that are affordable, and building affordable housing around transit, jobs, and services. Several members also felt that affordable housing options in the community are inadequate to serve a diverse population and want to see more rental affordable housing for very low income people. Inclusive Community Many respondents identified fostering a diverse and inclusive community as important for the future of Davidson and are concerned about the potential loss of existing community fabric. There were several ideas shared — from developing and improving tools for protecting and building affordable housing, to ensuring there are adequate facilities, activities, businesses, and services that meet the needs and wants of an inclusive town. Communications Director Cristina Shaul meets Will E. Wildcat while encouraging Davidson College football game attendees to participate in the process. 4 Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report About the Process Exploring Our Planning Principles was the first round of public engagement for the What’s Next Davidson Davidson’s General comprehensive plan process (see timeline below). Planning Principles Engagement took place from October 2018 through the beginning of January 2019 and engaged more 1. We must preserve Davidson’s character than 1,300 Davidson participants. Community and sense of community. members evaluated the town’s General Planning 2. We must preserve and enhance Principles, which were first implemented in 2001 Davidson’s unique downtown. to guide decisions on physical changes and public 3. We must encourage alternative means investments in the community. The principles helped of active transportation. to create the Davidson that exists today by managing 4. We must use our scarce land resources growth and requiring excellent design. wisely. 5. We must create an environment that fosters diversity. The timeline below identifies the four phases of the project. Exploring Our Planning Principles occurred 6. We must manage growth so the town during Phase 1. Other rounds of engagement include can provide public facilities and services Conversations on What’s Next (January 2019), and the apace with development. Shaping What’s Next Workshop (April 2019). 7. We must enhance our quality of life through architecture and design. What’s Next Project Timeline Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report 5 PUBLICPUBLIC INTERCEPT INTERCEPT ENGAGEMENT ENGAGEMENT summary by the numbersSUMMARY BY THE NUMBERS Oct-Dec 2018 1,301+ 22 642 Personal Interactions Events Surveys Completed 5%, Referral 13%, Search 16%, Social 1,490 87% Unique new 65%, Direct Website Visitors Traffic Sources Members of the Publicity & Outreach Committee march in the North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade to promote the What’s Next Davidson? process (left) and Planning Director Jason Burdette and Senior Planner Trey Akers engage community members at the Davidson Farmers Market. 6 Exploring Our Planning Principles | Public Engagement Report At public intercept events participants place stickers to identify how much they support the General Planning Principles and how well they have been implemented. The engagement process was designed following project and town websites, social media, email the underlying philosophy that every member of the listservs, announcements at board of commissioners’ Davidson community should know that they have a meetings, and person-to-person at meetings, choice to participate in the What’s