FROM
Meadow
Ad ALL JN
Issues concerning devel
nt and growth
boil hot in the city of
Greensboro. With its limited
water supply and burgeoning
traffic problems, many believe
the city has grown enough. Oth
ers, however, see the increase
in commerce as the key to eco
nomic growth.
Development of nearby land spurs city-wide debate
The consensus is. . .no
matter what, commer
cial and residential
growth along New Garden Road
means change.
"It's going to change the Guil
ford environment," says Carol
Clark, professor of economics.
Her husband Tom, who teaches
media courses part-time,
agrees, "It will
change the char
acter of the whole
Guilford College
city."
When the
couple moved to
Greensboro ten
years ago, wood
lands and pastures
comprised all the
land from Guilford
to the airport.
Today, development of the final
parcels of undeveloped land in this
area seems a certainty.
This rush of construction began
about eight years ago, as Tom
Clark says, "things started heating
up here. In about two years, about
5,000 residences would be con
structed in this area."
It was known then what sort of
impact this growth would have on
the area. "When it was clear the
northwest side of Greensboro was
prone to development, citizens or
ganized Residents Against Irre
sponsible Development," Clark
recalls. "They were very articulate
and opened some people's eyes—
but because of the nature of the
system, landowners had their
November 17, 1995
This issue has hit very close
to home for Guilford. Once in a
rural setting, the college has
been engulfed by the city. Soon,
suburbia will make it's final swal
low of the surrounding land.
While Guilford has yet to take
a stand on the issue, area resi
dents and local activists have
united to influence this process.
way."
The development, of course,
isn't perceived in a negative light
by all. Many feel that it has and
will continue to promote economic
growth across Greensboro.
Marc Bush, senior economic
development officer for the
Greensboro Chamber of Com
merce, says, "It will
v
Guilford College
and residences," he continues,
"and over time there will be quite
a bit of change in this area."
Bush says, "Those of us aligned
to the development community
don't see that as a negative change,
if the development meets high
standards. The potential for com
mercial activity helps our ability
to promote Greensboro as a viable,
vibrant, progressive business loca
tion."
Part of the change will come in
the form of widening of New Gar
den Road, according to Dick
Grubar, City Council representa
tive for this district.
This obviously affects Guilford
College intrinsically. Gordon
Soenksen, vice president for Insti
tutional Advancement, notes, "It is
Through this two
part series, the
Guilfordian seeks to
expose the issues concerning
this most final round of—termi
nology dependent on perspec
tive—"economic growth" or "ir
responsible development."
articles by Cory Birdwhistell
illustrations by Betsy Blake
in the college and students' best
interests for change to take place
in a way that enhances students'
lives here."
Bill Ruska, a zoning administra
tor for the city's Planning Board,
says, "[The New Garden Road cor
ridor is] an area where vacant land
could develop commercially. More
Citizen involvement 'integral'
to New Garden development process
bring to the
community an
expanded tax
base, job oppor
tunities, more
retail and com
mercial opportu
nities."
"The down
side is that the
property is near
news
In the next several years,
New Garden Road will be
developed with shopping centers, apart
ments, offices and homes galore. While landown
ers do control their land, local citizens do have the
opportunity to affect Uiis particular development
process.
Carol Clark, a professor of economics, says, "We
must determine the ideal situa
tion and argue for that. 1 won't
accept that [development is] a
forgone conclusion —I've seen
many things happen in Greens
boro where people have had a
significant impact."
At this time, the Greensboro Planning Board is
compiling and analyzing comments from area resi
dents and other concerned citizens regarding growth
along the New Garden Road Corridor.
This comes after many public hearings on the is
sue, stimulated by the efforts of a group of 27 citi
zens to formulate a plan for the area Members of
neighborhood associations, owners of large parcels
of area land, and members of the Planning Board
and Zoning Commission comprise this committee.
Dick Grubar, this area's representative to City
Council, says the input from the community has been
"integral" in this process.
The Guilfordian
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intensive commercial activity
would be incompatible. You have
to find a happy medium between
residential and service."
Once this "happy medium" is
found, it will be a few years be
fore the area will experience this
final stage of development. Arte
Culbenh of Jefferson-Pilot notes,
"it could he two vcars down the
road" before they know exactly
what kind of development will
take place on the company's land.
Jim Elza of the county
commissioner's office says, "1 .and
will continue to be developed for
10 years, but then it will become a
'mature neighborhood.'"
The committee set out to visualize how this area of
town should look in 15 to 20 years, assuming that it
will continue to develop to the point where no large
vacant parcels of land exist.
"It's vital," Clark says, "to raise issues, to think about
what we want there or we will get what the market de
termines."
The Study Group took a straw vote to determine what
land uses would be most appropri
ate for each area of land in ques
tion.
They considered:
• size and location of the prop
erty
• relationship to major thorough
fares, collector streets, and other roadway facilities
• existing development in the area
• other general considerations which the group
deemed to be appropriate
Bill Ruska, a zoning administrator for the Planning
Board, says, "It's interesting how the study process is
operating. It could very well become a model for fu
ture projects."
The Planning Board stall is analyzing information
garnered from the public, and will then go back to the
New Garden Road Study Group. They will then pre
pare a plan that will be sent to the Greensboro Planning
Board, Zoning Commission and the City Council.
3