County approves $30,000 for downtown Kinston master plan
At their March 18th meeting the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 to approve a $30,000 contribution toward a downtown Kinston master plan, a document city and county officials say is intended to guide redevelopment and land use in the city’s core.
The county’s contribution represents half of the project cost, with the City of Kinston expected to pay the other half.
So what exactly is the $30,000 for?
It is not for construction. It is for the planning process itself, including the hiring of a consultant to develop the downtown master plan. According to the city’s request for qualifications, the total project budget is capped at $60,000. The consultant is expected to deliver a comprehensive master plan, an executive summary, public engagement materials, and visual concepts such as maps and renderings.
The city’s RFQ says the plan is meant to provide “strategic direction, actionable steps, and a clear implementation framework” for the redevelopment, revitalization and repurposing of downtown Kinston.
In other words, the master plan is supposed to serve as a roadmap for what downtown Kinston should become, what projects should be prioritized, and how local leaders could pursue those changes over time.
Lenoir County Manager Michael James said the county views the project as more than a city issue.
“This came directly out of our Joint Working Committee,” James said in response to questions from Neuse News. “Downtown Kinston is a key economic and cultural hub for the county.”
James said county leaders see a thriving downtown as something that can help grow sales activity, property values, tourism and industrial recruitment, while also expanding the tax base that supports services such as schools, public safety and economic development.
“So this isn’t just a city project,” James said. “It’s an investment in the long-term growth of Kinston and Lenoir County as a whole.”
Planning Director Elizabeth Blount said the project was initiated jointly by the City of Kinston and Lenoir County.
“A masterplan is needed at this time to provide a strategic plan and actionable steps for downtown redevelopment in order to bring growth and vitality so our downtown can be a place where people want to live, work and play and not just pass through,” Blount said.
The request for qualifications gives a clearer picture of what the consultant will actually be asked to do.
The scope of work includes evaluating existing conditions downtown, including land use, infrastructure, circulation and building conditions. The consultant is also expected to review accessibility barriers, zoning regulations and development policies that affect downtown.
The work is also supposed to include public outreach. The RFQ calls for stakeholder surveys, public workshops and focus group discussions with property owners, residents, businesses and community organizations.
Beyond that, the consultant is expected to identify redevelopment opportunities, investment priorities and potential strategies to promote revitalization. The RFQ also calls for policies addressing abandoned and neglected nonresidential properties, as well as phased short, mid, and long-term goals.
On the design side, the plan is expected to include concepts for streetscapes, open spaces and public art, along with architectural and design guidelines meant to improve downtown’s appearance and pedestrian connectivity.
The final product is also supposed to include an implementation plan with estimated costs, funding sources and responsible parties, along with possible partnerships and grant opportunities.
Blount said the plan is focused on “development and land use.”
That point also addresses another question that has circulated in the community. When asked whether the master plan is connected to ongoing rumblings about a possible merger involving the Community Council for the Arts, the Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce, Visit Kinston and Downtown Kinston Revitalization, James said it is not.
“No, this is a standalone project identified by the JWC,” James said.
James also said the level of involvement from Downtown Kinston Revitalization will ultimately be up to that organization, while the city and county are the direct partners on the project.
At its core, the downtown master plan is meant to move beyond a broad vision and toward a more specific playbook. City and county officials say they want a document that identifies practical projects, redevelopment strategies and implementation steps for the next five to 10 years.
With the county now approving its share of the funding, the next question for taxpayers will be whether the finished plan leads to measurable action in downtown Kinston.
