MINT HILL, NC –  On Thursday, March 18, the Town of Mint Hill held an open informational meeting for their residents.  It is time to update the Mint Hill Comprehensive Plan, and they are looking for your input!  The plan is a way for Mint Hill to define its goals for the future, protect community values, and preserve what makes Mint Hill great by covering Conservation, Future Development, and Infrastructure in one document.

Meg Nealon, Lead Planner at Nealon Planning, and Ian Anderson, Senior Landscape Architect at Merrick & Company, led the meeting covering the Comprehensive Plan and determined its schedule.  This was the first of several meetings that the Town will have with its residents and stakeholders and the first part of Phase One.  Phase One will focus on the assessment of existing land uses and infrastructure conditions and the identification of key planning issues affecting the community.  In the future, Phase Two, Plan Development, will create land use alternatives that will be reviewed by the community to guide the preferred plan. Phase Three, Direction & Documentation, will develop policy recommendations and implementation strategies that will guide the community’s preferred land use plan.  This is all being documented and shared online including meetings, plans, surveys, and videos at https://publicinput.com/minthillplan.

One of the big things the plan hopes to cover is analysis of the community and natural resources including parks, streams and creeks, and historical sites.  They are also looking at the total development of the town, and the permitted activity can provide insight into looking at what is available and is lacking.  Housing will be a big part of the plan as Mint Hill evaluates available housing, affordable housing, and housing density.  Studies have shown that a majority of Mint Hill residents have to commute at least 30 miles, and in 2015, Mint Hill was identified as one of the Top Ten Worst Commutes in North Carolina by Charlotte Business Journal (Jun 1, 2015).  Part of the plan will identify how to improve commute times and increase employment inside of the town.  The plan will also cover how to keep money in the town for entertainment and shopping and expand local employment to help with commutes.

Now it’s your chance to let the Town of Mint Hill what you think!  The last plan was completed in 2011, and Mint Hill plans to update it every ten years.  Visit https://publicinput.com/minthillplan to take the survey.  It will only take you five to ten minutes to complete and will cover many important topics: What do you love about Mint Hill?  What should change?  What shouldn’t?  What type of development do you expect/want to see in the future?  You can also sign up for updates on the site so you can stay abreast of all the latest happenings.