With a decrease in new home construction and home sales, the city’s revenue from impact fees is significantly less than anticipated, the mayor and city council were told Tuesday night by a council member.
Those impact fees are earmarked in part to fund city parks, including the yet undeveloped Heritage Park. The city budgeted $225,000 for the park this year but according to council member Gil Miller, “There isn’t going to be much cash available to start the park.”
Because of a possible delay in development, Miller does not want residents to be concerned about the barren piece of property that is the future park.
In the beginning stages of the 200 North parcel, says Miller, a lot of the progress on a park is underground, and he is concerned that the city “do something to show people it’s not just a forgotten spot.”
Miller and others on the city council are looking for ideas for utilizing the piece of ground that housed the Clover Club factory and offices for many years until more funding becomes available for the park. An inexpensive walkway could be placed around the perimeter of the park or a community garden could be organized on the property, he said. Miller says he welcomes suggestions from the community so the city can “show citizens we are still serious about Heritage Park.”
Tentative plans outlined for the slightly over two acre park space have included building a mill race reminiscent of former activity on the block from the city’s early days, to the county constructing a new library branch there.
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