Davidson Board of Commissioners Slated to Vote on Controversial Beaty Property, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 6 p.m.
A Town-appointed Park at Beaty Street Task Force made recommendations last week to the Town Board that the 20+ acres of land on Beaty Street be conserved permanently as a park.
WHO: Davidson citizens who waged a public fight in 2017 to save the 20+ acre parcel of Beaty Street property from development are another step closer to seeing what a difference it makes when citizens become engaged in their community. Citizens across the town came together when a major development was planned on nearly 20 acres of wooded property close to the town center. A major flashpoint was when a 1985 contract with the town and numerous other documents came to light that indicated the property was to be used for a park. Citizens waged protests, lemonade and magnet mobile sales, public forums, property hikes and numerous other efforts to raise awareness.
WHAT: Following a contentious year and election season, a new town board voted to make the property a park and appointed a citizen Task Force “to solicit public input from Davidson citizens to identify park and recreation needs along with ancillary public amenities in keeping with the natural, park-like setting of the property.”
The 12-citizen Task Force held three public input sessions, nine property hikes, information and engagement booths. At each step of the way, they informed citizens of their work in numerous ways over the past 9 months, including a webpage on the Town’s website.
The Task Force also coordinated geotechnical and hydrologic studies on the pond/dam and the property to better assess environmental and structural considerations. The studies were completed by engineering firm Kimley-Horn.
WHEN: After carefully reviewing public input, the Kimley-Horn study and the Task Force’s own research into other parks, the Task Force made its recommendation to the Town Board on March 12. The Board is expected to hear additional public input and then to vote on the recommendation on Tuesday, March 26 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Davidson Town Hall,216 South Main Street, Davidson, NC
WHY: Davidson citizens have strongly supported protecting the Beaty Street property. Based on public input and other research, the Task Force recommended the following:
- Endorse permanent conservation of the land
- Adopt conceptual plan/design
- Rank Park at Beaty as a high priority
- Prioritize Phase 1 of the Park
- Charge Task Force leadership to guide conserving, designing and implementing the park.
- Prioritize Beaty Street section of the Charlotte to Mooresville Trail
- Request design funding from Mecklenburg County.
Backgrounder info: More information the Task Force recommendations, public input, surveys, and studies related to the Park at Beaty can be found at http://www.townofdavidson.org/1154/Park-at-Beaty-Street-Task-Force.
