The Town of Wake Forest is engaged in a study of a stormwater utility and is launching a study of its historic downtown that will be concluded a little more than a year from now. During its work session Tuesday evening, they heard about both.
Trey Shanks with Freese and Nichols, the firm contracted to work on setting up and operating a stormwater utility, gave an overview of the progress halfway through the study.
The firm is using an advisory group for feedback and guidance which meets once a month and has monthly tasks which acquaint the members with different aspects of a utility. The group consists of Mike Almquist, a town planning board member; Nicole Clift, a property manager at Traditions and other sites; Andi Curtis, large business, WakeMed; Juan Montes, McAdams engineer and TCC board member; Nathan Robb, large business, Merritt Properties; Norman Bell, member of Villas HOA and engaged senior citizen; Brian Pate, Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce; and James Holding, owner of Holding Oil, small business.
The advisory group’s first meeting in May of this year was Stormwater Utility 101, an introduction to the utility and the fees. Each was assigned a North Carolina town using a stormwater utility fee and asked to research what that entailed and how it is assessed.
In June, the group was evaluating the cost of services and learning what services the town now provides and will need to provide in the future because of new state laws.
In July, the group looked at fee structures, rates and a model that they used to develop service options and rate structures. They were asked to develop two more possible rate structures.
In August the members will share the different scenarios and decide how they want Freese and Nichols to develop their chosen plans. By September they should be able to review and maybe approve their recommendations to the town board, and in October will finalize those recommendations.
The question, Shanks said, is how to ethically assess a stormwater fee for the various properties in town and said it had to be equitable for all types. Commissioner Jim Dyer asked what would a fee look like and Shanks said it could range from $3 to $15 a month.
The board will hear the group’s recommendations in November along with recommendations from Freese and Nichols.
The results from the new downtown study will provide a blueprint for the next two decades, Nick Davis with Houseal Lavigne said. His firm will bring in others to help with different categories in the study: LSP for urban design, Noell consulting group for market analysis, Toole Design for transportation.
Davis and others in Houseal Lavigne were in town Tuesday, meeting with town staff and the planning board, walking around to see all the aspects of downtown. There will be ample opportunities for town residents to voice their views.
Davis asked the board members – Commissioner Adam Wright was absent – their feelings about the downtown and that conversation went on for forty-five minutes.
Commissioner Chad Sary said downtown has to be a destination because it is not something you easily drive through, and also called it the “heart of the town” where there are local businesses that people like.
“We don’t have a feature like a river, something that pulls people in,” Commissioner Keith Shackleford said. And, “We have one street of old buildings, others have blocks of old buildings.” He also said the Roosevelt/South White Street intersection makes for “a tricky pedestrian crossing,” looking at the new food hall next to CVS and the triangle of land a little farther east.
“We have empty buildings and buildings that are not being taken care of,” Mayor Vivian Jones said. She said the different areas of downtown are not connected, that they are told not to require parking “but I think we need more,” and the town needs more retail, better buildings and more opportunity. She said the S-Line with a depot and other features will bring new opportunity.
Commissioner Nick Sliwinski said there is a need for more parking, that there are concerns about the safety of some streets like Elm Avenue where traffic is unseen coming from the west until it crests at the tracks and often rushes down through the South White Street intersection. Also, he said delivery trucks have nowhere to park and deliver goods except in South White, taking up a lane of traffic.
Commissioner Jim Dyer spoke about the walkability – he and others who live near downtown can walk there easily – and “I’m excited about the parking deck” that is part of the SunTrust renewal project that includes retail and housing.
Everyone agreed the downtown needs more green space and space where people can meet. The mayor said she would like to see a performing arts theater.
The board also heard a presentation about the Rogers Road Townhouse plan which the planning staff and the planning board have both recommended the town board not approve. It will be on the Aug. 15 regular board meeting agenda, where they are expected to vote.
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July 27, 2024
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