The panel this evening continued discussions on issues that will help to make up a revamped land use plan that hasn't been updated since 1989 and could help direct the city's future growth as well as open up more grant opportunities.

“For every thing we do, tonight is the most is the most important thing we do,” said Dale Holland, of Holland Consulting Planners, who served as moderator for the discussions.

(The next advisory committee meeting will be September 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the first floor conference room of city hall)

Holland listed as talking points preserving and revitalizing the business district, diversifying the economy, increasing tourism and increasing the inventory of standard workforce housing.

These stickers show areas of emphasis as decided by committee members.

Committee member Christopher Cain asked what is the definition of the central business district in Roanoke Rapids since it can divided by Roanoke Avenue, the businesses along Tenth Street and Julian Allsbrook Highway and Premier Boulevard.

“Where is the central business district? All three are separate economic areas,” Holland said.

Sherry Hux, director of the Roanoke Rapids Main Street program, said historically, the business district was the Roanoke Avenue area before the 1980s and the proliferation of strip malls and movement away from the avenue. “We have a huge inventory (of vacant buildings) here that makes it appear as failure in the community. We would like to see more emphasis and planning of the business district because of its unique opportunities.”

Committee member Connie Hill said Roanoke Rapids has had a difficult time rising above its mill history. Coming from a steel mill area, Hill said, “The one thing I see is the steel mills rising above. When I see these (textile) mills being torn down I want to know what we are doing.”

Other mill towns turn mills into high end apartments, she said. “We're tearing down history.”

Allen Purser, president of the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the city needs to concentrate on the theatre district. “Just the cost to the city has always been in the backs of the minds of the citizens.”

Said City Manager Joseph Scherer, “There's potential for development.”

“There's a lot of great potential there. It's a matter of the economy turning around,” Purser said.

The only person to speak from the public this evening was Halifax County Commissioner Rives Manning, who told the committee there were factual errors in the history of the Roanoke Rapids written in the package they are following.

Manning also said there were errors in a land suitability map the committee was using and that the process could be dealt with through zoning ordinances. “What they're paying you to do is a waste of taxpayers' money,” he told Holland.

Planning Director Kelly Lasky said following the meeting any factual errors would be corrected and the end result of the process is to come up with a new comprehensive land use plan to replace the antiquated one.