South Main Area Plan

Participants were given parameters of the plan area and were asked to write down things they viewed as assets to the area, places they visit, reasons they use the South Main corridor, or anything else that they did not want to change about the area. Assets included:

• Building mix and types
• Streetscape in Downtown
• Accessibility is maintained fairly well
• Historic commercial buildings
• Bonaparte castle
• Historic Homes/Iconic structure
• Proximity to everything
• Chestnut Hill Cemetery
• Bike lanes near downtown
• Cleaned up crime/less vagrancy in the last year
• Opportunity to keep and maintain the housing stock
• Motor city redevelopment
• Military avenue bridge
• Space available in storefront
• Ability for infill
• Retail node
• Run around*
• Vacant Buildings
• Interested business owners

Next, participants were asked to write down things they viewed as challenges to the area, or things they would want to change about the area. Challenges recorded include:

• Crosswalks
• Lighting down the street
• “Side of road the bike lane all the way down”
• Street maintenance, condition of sidewalk pavements
• More planned green plants
• Cone mills site
• Overgrowth on RR created groundhog habitat
• RR cuts off neighborhood on other side
• Perceived challenge-Noise of RR
• Speeding and safety, no traffic calming
• Unattractive, not appealing, visually whatsoever
• Powerlines
• Mooresville intersection needs pedestrian improvements because people do walk there
• Discontinued bike lanes
• Telephone poles
• Need a variety of stores and businesses
• No pedestrian amenities (benches, trashcans)
• Difficult navigation with current signage
• Needs trees, would make it more walkable
• Demolition of historic structures

Then, staff gave a presentation on the history of the area, current zoning and other aspects of the area, and a summary of the community walk from March. Participants were asked to write down their goals for the plan. Before the meeting, staff drafted four guiding public interests based on input from City staff, previously adopted plans, and feedback received from the community walk. Participants were asked to link each one of their goals for the plan with one of the draft guiding public interests. If none fit, they were asked to create a new one with the group.

The South Main area should connect existing streets, bicycle lanes, and transit routes in surrounding neighborhoods and downtown Salisbury while comfortably accommodating all users

• Sidewalk improvements
• Better traffic enforcement
• NCDOT allow green areas from S main to Mooresville
• Do something to slow down traffic on Main + on Mooresville
• Expand to Cone Mill work on connectivity to main st - No amazon warehouse there! – mixed use redevelopment
• Main artery/gateway from Jake to downtown – first impression
• Pedestrian friendly sidewalks *lighting, crosswalks, benches, trash cans, public art, better sidewalks
• Unified streetscape – trees, crosswalks, signage
• Pedestrian bridge over railroad to make for more pedestrian path
• Maybe Historic Trolley can be a theme that can unite the variety of use/project
• Greenway in this area. Improve connection to other phases of the greenway
• When you hit a 5-point area, going north of town, widen the to turn left onto Fulton
• Roundabout @ Mooresville – extend signal times
• Bumps out or middle island and trees as a way to slow traffic
• Could we seek out a PARTF Grant for Pedestrian Bridge?

The South Main area should continue to provide a combination of commercial and residential land uses and attractive destinations while avoiding competition with downtown

• Adaptive reuse of building
• Unique identity
• New zones – mix of use
• Unique businesses – retail/entertainment – 5 points area – social district to Bonaparte/friends pub
• Dislike phrasing – “Distinct from downtown”
• Zoning reform/revisions
• Compatible zoning that allows flexible uses
• Compatible retail uses – complementary businesses
• Restaurants, service providers, offices, some retail – different from downtown (complementary)
• Residential variety interspersed with retail/restaurant/office – SFR, apartment, townhome
• Pet grooming
• Grocery store
• Store for residents-services
• Nodes interspersed to allow for destinations
• Shoe cobbler
• Burnout structure – metal frame behind cemetery
• Place historical signage
• Old South Main – cemetery focus – new trees? Can they be planted in the cemetery?
• Trees?

The South Main Area should be promoted as a vibrant area for artistic expression with public art and creative professional businesses and services

• Building updates: perhaps historic incentive grants for homes and businesses
• More beautification pockets, community garden
• NC native plants and…
• More signs for buildings
• Showcase Salisbury as well-kept city
• Vibrant mixed-use district, needs placemaking
• History Trolley
• Trolley theme for signage/invite school art
• Node by speaks window can be a mini park / bus shelter
• More business (neighborhood type business)
• Fix up Stanback building, perhaps there is a historical grant to help fix this up

South Main Area should blend new development with high quality urban design and architecture

• Quality infill (mentioned twice)
• Branding image?
• Landscaping and trees
• Sustainable, long lasting, more of a flow (continuous development infill)
• Historic district designation extended past chestnut cemetery down South Main St
• Strong design guidelines
• Old south main street and Klumac needs to be developed
• Put a fence around chestnut cemetery (most cemeteries have a fenced in area
• Nicer fence behind the station 5 that comes on Fulton

The South Main are should serve as a gateway into and out of the heart of Salisbury (groupcreated guiding public interest)

• Connection to downtown – wayfinding signage
• Vacant lots – can be positive for more larger mixed use projects
• Dedicate community spaces from the beginning to allow for more public interest

Chestnut Hill Cemetery: while groups were walking, runners and walkers were observed using the Chestnut Hill cemetery for recreation and exercise. While some additional landscaping and gathering spaces should be introduced, the cemetery is an active, vibrant space on the corridor.

Existing built landscape: existing residential structures have good design. Granite retaining walls are common on residential properties and are visually appealing and made of a vernacular material, which gives the area an enhanced sense of place. Many commercial buildings, such as the City Motor Company, Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House, Coca Cola Building, and Restore, are architecturally interesting, but may need some restoration work.

Public Art: there are several opportunities for public art along the corridor; like painted panels applied to the Restoration Plus building, painting the road between the right turn on Main Street onto Fulton Street, murals on previously painted buildings, and sculptures placed on planting areas.

Neighborhood signage: signage welcoming you to Fulton Heights on South Fulton Street or the Chestnut Hill neighborhood on one of the side streets would bring attention to the neighborhoods.

Closure of Fulton Street on the south end of Main Street: this area is not commonly accessed by vehicles, and could be closed to make a pedestrian area.

Mini park at Five Points: a mini park with designated bus stop area with shelter and amenities was discussed by several walking groups.

Connectivity: the corridor is well connected to downtown and several neighborhoods by sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Consideration into connecting Vance, Lumber, or Harrison Streets to the other side of the railroad should be considered to improve connectivity to the East End and Cone Mill neighborhoods.

Graffiti Park: members of Group 1 provided suggestions to improve this area. They raised concerns regarding profanity found in some of the artwork and how people were painting outside of the provided panels. Someone suggested to prohibit the use of paint and use chalk instead, so that it could be washed out easily. They added that if the park included shaded sitting, like a gazebo for example, parents would be prompted to take out their kids to this creative art park.

Maintenance issues: many areas were not maintained by the city, private property owners, and Duke Energy. Sections of sidewalks are cracked and damaged to a degree that it is a tripping hazard, covered by dirt and grass, and blocked by utility poles; many utility poles had been previously crashed into, damaged poles were left standing next to new poles, and sloppy work had been done to get new poles installed through existing sidewalks. The sidewalk with culvert beneath on the 1100 block is a serious concern.

Mooresville Road Intersection: this intersection is not pedestrian friendly. Drivers will stop within the crossing area and not check for pedestrians before making right turns on red. Crosswalks are not marked, there is no pedestrian signal, but there are curbs ramps and truncated domes. The crossings are also wide compared to the time given before the signals change.

Lack of respect for pedestrians: Driver behavior seen throughout the block included driving past the stop signs, stopping at traffic light intersections on crosswalk markings.

Speed concerns: many groups noted that drivers were moving faster than posted speed limits and speed limit sign were too far spread out.

Lack of destinations: several groups discussed the lack of destinations on the corridor.

Responses from Group 1: Block of South Main Street: 100-700 blocks

Responses from Group 2: Block of South Main Street: 800-900 blocks

Responses from Group 3: Block of South Main Street: 900-1000 blocks

Responses from Group 4: Block of South Main Street: 1000-1200 blocks

Responses from Group 5: Block of South Main Street: 1300-1500 blo

Responses from Group 6: Block of South Main Street: 1600-1700 blocks