The format of the meeting included an introduction of the Committee members and general information on the Small Area Plan process. Those in attendance were then divided into small groups and were asked three questions: "What do you like about the Startown area?; What concerns do you have for the Startown area?; What is your future vision of the Startown area?". Then the individual small group comments were posted on large sheets of paper on the walls and attendees voted for the top five issues that were important to them. Attendees were asked to limit one vote per issue.

Community - (5)
Neighborhoods (2)
Active church community (2)
Sense of community (1)
Small community atmosphere
Familiarity of people
Quiet/people oriented community
Growing/diversification
Pace of life
Historical sites
Not congested/low density
Opportunity

Residential - (2)
Limited mobile homes (2)
Limited apartments
Majority residential
Majority owner occupied homes
Public Services - (7)
Schools (4)
Good Zoning (Enforced) (3)
Few restrictions
Police/Emergency/Fire Protection
Service/Infrastructure

Environment - (19)
Open spaces (7)
Rural (6)
Pasture land for domestic animals (2)
Farmland (1)
Seeing stars in night sky (1)
Naturalness of area (1)
Wetlands - streams/ponds (1)
Walnut Creek
Forest land
Cows & horses
Wildlife
Clean

Other Comments
We think the Startown area is a beautiful area, but it's behind the times with the world growing as fast as it is. We need to have more stores and maybe a recreation center for kids to have things to occupy their time.

Community - (25)
Annexation (12)
Balance of property owner rights vs. restrictions (6)
Historic preservation (4)
Urban sprawl/overdevelopment (2)
Unclean areas and houses (1)
Changing of land use
Growing without a plan
Rapid growth
Impact of growth on rural character
Congestion - don't become a Mountain View
No expansion of Hospice

Environment - (17)
Loss of the farm (13)
Incentives to keep the farms running (2)
Air Quality Control (1)
Protection of waterways and basins (Catawba River) (1)
Encourage environmental neighborhoods (more green space)

Residential
Placement of mobile/modular homes
Manufactured homes and habitat homes which depreciate - Robinson Road
Too much residential development
High density residential developments

Commercial/Industrial - (2)
Industrialization along US Highway 321 (1)
Encourage utilization of existing commercial buildings (1)
Too many businesses
Industrial complexes
Limiting commercial development to major intersections
Don't have strip development (put along roads and disperse but in pods)
Potential for strip commercial along Startown Road
Have commercial or industrial zoning (want residential)
Big box retailers

Other Comments
I am concerned that it will become more congested, too commercialized, and will not remain as residential as it is now due to the new 321. The Hwy 10 and Startown intersection is so congested. We need left turn signals at that intersection. The intersection of Old Conover Road and Startown Road even has a left turn lane and left turn signal light at it and there is not near the traffic as at the Startown intersection with Hwy 10. I would like to see some restrictions on planned single housing and less mobile homes. I would like to see more police presence in the area. My fear is Hwy 10 and Startown may slowly become another Hwy 70 or 321 business, or god forbid another Mountain View (Hwy 127) catastrophe.

Our concerns for this area is Startown school needs to be bigger to handle more children in the area. We also think that Startown Road needs to be wider. They also need a policeman at the school earlier in the morning when the traffic starts to pickup and not just for 15 minutes

Public Services - (14)
Expansion of water/sewer services (4)
People should be able to do what they want on their land (3)
Organized zoning (2)
Full paid fire protection (2)
New cultural facilities, library, museum, historical and recreational venues, park, community
center (2)
Adequate school facilities (1)
Use schools for recreation/cultural activities
Startown Middle School
More educational facilities
Services for the elderly (transportation/medical)
Coordinate "infrastructure" (cable, internet) with road development
"Low" taxes

Residential - (16)
Village concept (12)
Planned communities like "Stone's Throw" (landscaping, trees, entrance) (2)
Dillworth in Charlotte - dense, able to walk to stores, restaurants, etc. (1)
Minimum lot size five acres (1)
Good mix of high, medium, low density residential
No apartments
Ownership of homes
Rural character/more family/less industry

Commercial/Industrial - (7)
Shops in downtown Newton occupied (3)
Density closer to city (don't want industrial area) (1)
Reuse of existing facilities (1)
Neighborhood retail (1)
Limited industrial (1)
More "restrictions" on industrial development for 321 - Highway 10
Limit commercial/industrial development along 321 to interchanges
No commercial development around Highway 321
Businesses on main thoroughfares
Wendy's restaurant on corner
Direct business towards US 321
Jobs

Environment - (2)
Rural (2)
Open space preserved if property owners compensated
Green space - improvement of air & water quality

Community - (18)
Modest growth with enforced good zoning (9)
Leave Startown as is (7)
If eventually annexed would prefer Newton (1)
Organized development (1)
BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Near Anybody)

Other Comments
I hope it will not become too commercialized. We have a fire department, churches, grocery store, gas stations-we need a park and possibly a pharmacy, maybe a small family restaurant. Sidewalks would be nice and public transportation would be wonderful. I hope the small community atmosphere will continue

We think that the future of this area can be a great one, with more stores, possibly industries and recreation for the kids. And I also think that North Carolina needs a lottery, so that the revenue can stay in this state to get things that we need.