ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) Big changes are on the horizon for the south side of the City of Rock Hill. The Clinton ConNEXTion action plan — a partnership between the city and community partners — is a plan that will develop goals for how the community will live, work and play in neighborhoods around the Dave Lyle, Heckle, Crawford, College Downs and Saulda areas.
The Clinton ConNEXTion action plan has a goal of creating opportunities that improve quality of life and promote inclusivity for communities in the southern part of the City of Rock Hill.
Jennifer Wilford, Rock Hill’s Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services, says, “It really was born out of one of the knowledge park action plan recommendations which was to look at some of the corridors that but add to knowledge part and really start looking at and planning for those intentionally. But, as we started doing that, we realize that that was part of a much bigger need in that community.”
The main focus is at the Clinton ConNEXTion project will be affordable housing, job creation and restoration of parks and public areas. They say they hope to have that first draft submitted for public review by May and an adoption by City Council in June.
Rock Hill’s Mayor John Gettys says,”Of course everybody knows we have the Carolina Panthers coming and that’s creating a marketplace if you will and a certain side of town — and then we have downtown. Same kind of thing, with all the growth in those tax increment districts we are seeing a marketplace develop there as well….And so we’ve got to get into the south side.”
Leaders say over the years, there have been several plans for the area but now the city is bringing in an urban planner to look at what’s been done to move forward with the development of the area.
“It’s time to take that intentional look at this community and really focus our time, our resources and the talent and enthusiasm that I know this community has an focus that here and see the same results that I know we’ve seen in other places,” says Wilford.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is speaking with city leaders about the development goals and how leaders hope to get the community involved.
