Augusta Tomorrow met with North Augusta and Augusta residents to understand what they would like to see developed in their towns.
The May 13 meeting focused on incorporating the people's needs into the new master plan, which will redesign the downtown areas.
"I really believe it's an opportunity for us as a community to work with our friends across the river," said Sam Bennett, the North Augusta city administrator.
More than 50 people came to the North Augusta meeting held at the Public Safety Hut on East Buena Vista Avenue.
ICON architecture has been in the area for more than six weeks collecting information to design a master plan to drive traffic into the downtowns of Augusta and North Augusta.
At the meeting, residents were divided into three discussion groups based on live, work and play to finalize a list for the master plan.
Augusta Tomorrow will use the information to develop an outline of the master plan, which officials say they'll draft in about two months. With their proposal, meetings will be held again to see if needs are met and that the development outlined can be accomplished in a reasonable time period.
More information about the plan is available at www.augustatomorrow.com or at (706) 722-9100.
Reach Crystal Garcia at crystal.garcia@northaugustatoday.com.
SUGGESTIONS ON IMPROVING LIFE IN COMMUNITIES
The top six items residents felt were important to improve the live, work and play aspects of the two communities were:
LIVE
- Encourage high density and good design
- Improve the quality of public spaces
- Maintain the Savannah River Lock and Dam
- Make the plan realistic and fund in a reasonable time frame
- Improve security, which will better the quality of life
- Make efforts to preserve older homes and neighborhoods
WORK
- Change blue laws in North Augusta
- Attract/maintain a good work force
- Level the levee
- Biotechnology transfer to industry
- Passenger commuter rails to Columbia, S.C., and Atlanta, Ga.
- Financial incentives for bio-technology industry
PLAY
- Improve heritage awareness
- Improve bike trails that connect North Augusta and Augusta
- Make events more senior friendly
- Maintain a central hub to post events of both cities
- Build a performing arts center
- Add more access to the Savannah River
