Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:55:58 -0400
From: virginia penley
Subject: Chatham Park: moving forward
Now that the Town has voted to affirmatively move forward with Chatham Park and Mayor Terry has stated that in his interactions with other elected officials and Mayors in towns and cities across the state who have worked with Preston that they are “highly respected” and are “good corporate citizens”, it is time for the greater community to come together and make this thirty-five year project a positive reflection of us.
There has been a lot of discussion about various ideas that need to be revisited along with the work currently being done to invest in downtown Pittsboro.
Some of these ideas could include:
1) Public art created in Chatham County by Chatham County artists and installed in the project;
2) A public amphitheater;
3) Integration of organic farming and local farmers into the project and/or around the project;
4) A focus on training a local workforce at CCCC for the project;
5) A program that will ensure that Chathamites are hired by contractors working on the project;
6) Work with the Town to lower its energy usage by replacing its old street lights with LED lights;
7) Investments in extending the current green way system to ensure connections to the project;
8) Creation of a community based committee that will work with the developers of the project and the Town;
9) Promoting programs and/or NCGA legislation that would limit sprawl such as the transfer of development rights (TDR’s)
10) Promoting a more robust and well funded local and regional transit system;
11) Enhancing our reuse water capabilities and distribution network (purple pipe);
12) Aligning the priorities of the project and our non-government organizations (NGO’s) to leverage issues of mutual concern;
If we refocus our energy and effort on making the project successful and a reflection of the diverse nature and quality of Pittsboro and its surroundings, we will ensure that Chatham Park is something new and different that can be 21st century template and guide for other communities as opposed to a rehash of the ideas that many in the community do not want.
I encourage folks to engage and work together to accomplish mutually beneficial outcomes for our community.