Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

With the pedestrian plan survey update on the agenda in Monday night’s Clemmons Village Council meeting, it was time to take a closer look at the data points and what it all means.

Planner Doug Moore talked about the “really good response” from the survey, with 875 participants providing, on average, about 24 data points each, which ended up being 20,959 total data points.

“It gave us a lot of good information,” Moore said. “In fact, the consultants are still sifting through all the information. But what I love about this map is that you can look quickly and see where people want to see sidewalks added.

“It’s very important we get this fed into the pedestrian plan because once that it’s place, that’s the guidance and direction so that as we move forward to seek funding this is the support document that we use.”

Moore said that as the consultants are reviewing the data points — showing blue, red, green and purple dots represented by the input from the survey — they are starting to work on some draft recommendations.

Many of the areas where residents provided blue dots for where they wanted sidewalks, such as Harper Road and Idols Road, were two of the heavily targeted areas – places where projects are already on the calendar.

Village Manager Mike Gunnell said that the two Harper Road sidewalk projects are at 30 percent with the construction drawings.

“We met with DOT last week and discussed some items and specifics about it,” he said, “and they are moving forward with the design.”

As for Idols Road, Gunnell said that project has been delayed but is still slotted on the list, and the village is working through the DOT on when it can be started.

Mayor Mike Rogers also mentioned the U.S. 158 highway widening and sidewalks, and “that’s one of the projects we kicked back to DOT and need to put it back on the list.”

Council member Bradley Taylor noted the number of red dots in a row, representing the desire of survey responders to add a pedestrian crossing at West Forsyth High School, where the village has been working actively on that specific project.

“That’s another great validator to the work we’ve been doing there for the last year or two,” Taylor said.

Moore, who said he continues to look for funding sources and grants, added, “When you look up that way, I see an opportunity for a Safe Routes to School project, which could be a separate pool of money to be able to get more work done.”

Taylor also asked about the areas where there were green dots, primarily where there are no sidewalks, and people are feeling “dangerous.” He asked Moore if there was any way to categorize that feeling and what it actually meant.

“There is one more survey scheduled with this project, and that’s geared more toward proposed recommendations,” Moore said. “Let me talk with them and see if we can pull out those green dots and see if we can do some more focus groups to get a better idea.”

In a business action item on Monday night’s agenda, the council approved Zoning Docket C-254
of real property owned by Highland Azure LLC from HB-S (Highway Business – Special) to GB-S (General Business – Special) at 4725 Commercial Park Court with a total of 1.76 acres.

The property was acquired by the Honda dealership specializing in powersports and motorsports, which is located on Ramada Drive facing Interstate 40.

The site is proposing a parking lot for outdoor retail display for the adjacent motorcycle dealer.

“What they’re doing is actually buying the land behind them and doing a continuation with a paved parking area and additional sales displays,” Moore said.

Council member Mary Cameron said she thinks it’s a good project in the right place.

“It seems to me that it checks all the boxes,” Cameron said.

Also, in Monday night’s meeting, the council approved spending $69,000 for the Knob Hill culvert replacement project, selecting RCJ Contracting, the second lowest bidder, due to a schedule conflict with the low bidder on a separate Clemmons stormwater project.

Gunnell said that it was important to get this project done before the start of school because of the necessity of closing down Knob Hill Drive for a couple of days, with the work tentatively scheduled for Aug. 21-23.

“The pipe is extremely deep, and so we have to completely close Knob Hill Drive for a couple of days,” he said. “It will be quick, but unfortunately, we do have to close that road.”

Earlier in the manager’s report, Gunnell said that the Doublegate culvert replacement project didn’t receive enough bids and will be put out for rebid.

In other highlights from Monday night’s meeting, the council:

• Approved Resolution 2023-R-14 declaring and authorizing the sale of village-owned surplus personal property. Public Works Director Steve Gearren said that it was “a lot of older type of equipment” that needed to be cleared out. The list includes a 2012 Ford F250 truck, a 2011 Ford F150 truck, a 2013 Ford Expedition (Stormwater), a 2015 Grasshopper, a 2001 Trailer, landscape equipment and miscellaneous furniture. Gearren said that it would be a closed-bid sale.
• Recognized Planning Board members Rob Cockrum, Tressa Krenzer and Carolyn Miller, and Keith Green, Triad Municipal ABC representative, for their service to the village.
• Heard that the village’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, had been recognized for the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Rogers pointed out it was the 23rd consecutive year that Ann Stroud, finance director, has received that honor.