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Residents urge council to protect Main Street connection and finish downtown plan
Summary
Residents from Reidville Subdivision told the council they oppose tearing up Main Street and want unfinished neighborhood amenities completed, more green space instead of dense retail, and an amphitheater added to the downtown plan.
Residents from the Reidville Subdivision told the Reidville Town Council at its June meeting that they fear a planned downtown rebuild could damage the street that connects their neighborhood and leave promised amenities incomplete.
"We will stand arm in arm" to oppose tearing up the new Main Street, resident Darlene Rozario said during the public forum, speaking on behalf of subdivision homeowners who she said view their properties as life savings. Rozario asked the council to ensure the downtown work does not remove or demolish the road that serves her neighborhood and to follow through on amenities the developer had promised.
Dory Lewis, another resident, said many homeowners bought into the subdivision on the vision of a walkable downtown—"meet me downtown"—and want the project completed regardless of who develops it. Lewis said the majority of residents oppose a parking garage, citing concerns about crime and safety, and would prefer more green space and an amphitheater rather than denser retail development.
Mayor Josh Simpson closed the public comment period by thanking speakers and reminding attendees that the council does not respond during the public forum; he said council would "take all comments under advisement" and, where appropriate after review, provide responses at the July council meeting.
The council did not make any immediate decisions during the public forum; officials said they would confer with staff and legal counsel before responding.
