Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City parks staff preview Carter Hill Park master plan; Straw Street closure proposed with emergency access
Summary
Parks staff presented a conceptual master plan for Carter Hill Park that would expand trails, add interpretive signage and consider closing part of Straw Street to through traffic while preserving emergency access; staff will meet neighbors and handle state coordination for crossings on the state-route Columbia Avenue.
Lisa Clayton of the Parks Department briefed the DRC on a conceptual master plan for the expansion of Carter Hill Park, which Franklin’s Charge currently owns and will transfer to the city by the end of June. The high-level proposal envisions looped trails, split-rail battlefield fencing to match adjacent sites, interpretive signage, water stations and ADA connections from the new Carter House visitor center and library.
A central element presented was repurposing a portion of Straw Street—converting vehicle pavement to turf or trail—while preserving emergency access via bollards or removable ballards at certain intersections. Clayton said traffic counts on Straw Street are low and that staff and leadership want to balance neighborhood access with a stronger park vista from the Carter House. County and state coordination will be required for improvements on Columbia Avenue, a state route, and staff noted a traffic-engineering study and neighborhood outreach are planned.
Commissioners generally supported the Straw Street closure idea and requested traffic-engineering analysis of nearby intersections (Granberry/Clayburn/Columbia), explicit outreach to neighbors (including Reic senior residents), and coordination of maintenance/access points for the library and adjacent parcels. Staff said the parks master plan will be refined and may return to historic zoning for a preliminary recommendation when the property is under city ownership.
No formal action was taken; the Parks Department will host a public meeting and continue stakeholder outreach before returning with a more developed master plan and any COA requests when appropriate.
