Kinston and Lenoir County moving toward consultant selection for downtown master plan
Kinston City Council is set to receive an update on a downtown master plan effort that city and county officials say is intended to guide downtown development over the next 20 years.
Planning Director Elizabeth Blount wrote in a memo to the mayor and council that the city and county have agreed to share the cost of hiring a consulting firm for the project. She said 11 proposals were received and shared with the county planning department.
Blount said staff is leaning toward Strada as the consultant for the initiative. She said the firm’s work would include public engagement sessions, recommendations on ordinances, development tools, phased actions and priority projects, along with next steps to move the plan from vision to implementation.
The master plan is intended to serve as a strategic framework for downtown vitality, sustainable growth and future investment decisions. Blount said both the city and county have already allocated funds for the project.
