	COMMUNITY INPUT MEETING RESULTS The Startown Small Area Plan Committee hosted a community input meeting on May 11, 2004 at Startown Elementary School. The purpose of the meeting was to receive input from citizens about the future of their community which the Committee will use in the development of a Small Area Plan. In addition to the Planning Committee members, forty (40) citizens attended the meeting.
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.
Specific issues that residents voted on are listed below. The number beside each issue indicates the number of votes it received. If an issue does not have a number beside it, the issue was listed for voting but no one voted for it.

What do you like about the Startown Area?
Transportation - (2) Easy traffic flow (1) Good location - within easy distance of shopping, towns, etc. (1) Highway 321 - travel to Charlotte easier No billboards 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.
What concerns do you have for the Startown Area?
Transportation - (18) Don't want Catawba Valley Boulevard Extension to cross New Jerusalem Church property (leave as is - protect scenic property) (15) Traffic on Startown road (speeding, large trucks) (2) Left turn signal at Startown and Highway 10 Do not want Startown Road to be a "4" lane Too much traffic (1) Widening of roads breaks up farms/other lands Traffic around school Robinson Road Extension design around school Questioning the need/location of extending Robinson Road Against 2 lane road from Robinson Road to Cansler Crossroads Don't want Highway 64-70 to be another Independence Boulevard Lack of maintained/paved roads 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) Public Services - (9) Overcrowded schools (5) Lack of public input on land use decisions (funeral home) (2) Lack of quality development standards Lack of school capacity/use of trailers for classrooms (1) Want sewer (1) High insurance rates based on lack of fire protection (water lines, hydrants, etc.) Water and sewer (don't care to have it extended) Pave/sewer promises from Newton Lack of recreation facilities parks/wellness facilities Landfill expansion/possible contamination Bus service 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
What is your future vision of the Startown Area?
Transportation - (15) Rural dirt roads paved (7) No additional 4 lane roads (3) No road on new Jerusalem (3) Improve existing major roads (Hwy. 10, Hwy. 321, Startown Rd., Robinson Rd.) (1) Widen Startown Road (1) Additional road built to reduce traffic on Startown Road Scenic by-way (Highway 321) Utilization of existing roads before new roads are built Rocky Ford Road blocked at end of pavement Develop road system for business/residence - such plan should precede development 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.