The Town of Stuart is requesting community input in updating its comprehensive plan.
Vice-Mayor Rebecca Adcock, who also is the executive director of the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce, said the plan is a physical document used to help guide the town as it moves forward.
“It’s a plan that is usually general in nature and it helps us steer in the direction” town residents want us to go in, she said.
The plan is required by the Code of Virginia. It is supposed to be reviewed and revised every five years.
Town Manager Bryce Simmons said the plan was last done in 2006, “around the time of the town’s annexation.”
While the council has ideas and thoughts about how to improve the town, Adcock said residents may think other areas are more in need, and those areas may not be on the council’s radar.
“This will give us a good idea about what residents really want to happen, especially with their tax money, and to see which way we should grow or improve the town. It’s mainly a listing of what we have and what we can do with what we have,” she said.
Work boards with prompts are posted in the Stuart site of the Blue Ridge Regional Library. Sticky notes are available for town residents to jot down their ideas and stick on the boards.
The boards/prompts include “What I value most about Stuart is…” “What do you think priorities should be for the Town of Stuart?” and “Things I would like to see different about Stuart are…”
The boards will be left up through the end of the year.
“We know it will be busy with like parade day and holiday breaks, so hopefully people can get by and jot a thing or two down,” she said.
So far, Adcock said responses include requests to support existing businesses, help with expansions and attract more businesses to the area.
“Of course, the hospital is definitely at the top of the list,” along with repair and extension of sidewalks, she said.
Adcock said the town hopes to complete the plan in the first half of next year. The council will work with the West Piedmont Planning District to complete the plan.
The district makes “a couple of in general recommendations at the end of it, and that’s where some of the public input comes in of ‘you have this, and the public would like to see this, so maybe here’s some steps to bridge the gap,’” she said.
The Stuart Town Council will hold its second public input session on Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “So, people can come and go as they please,” Simmons said.
Those unable to make the meeting can contact the town office at (276) 694-3811 to offer suggestions.