The Boone Town Council is moving forward with plans to create a Wellness District, but first it wants The Wee Peeps to feel inclusive. It will host a workshop to “solicit input from the public,” but the conclusion is foregone:
Among the guiding principles of the Wellness District would be a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use urban setting; facilitation of infill development with higher densities; maximized connectivity and access, including walking, biking, driving and public transit; creation of a sense of place and neighborhood identity; and promotion of sustainable development that minimizes negative impacts on natural resources.
That’s the same Smart Growth wrap one hears about any urban planning. Two other districts – Downtown and Mid-Town – are in the hopper as well. Planners say they will make zoning more flexible so as to spur development. When put to the peeps for comment at former workshops, concerns were raised that no incentives to develop would be afforded by the rezonings.
