Everything Nac

Media Contact
Name: Amy Mehaffey
Phone: 936-559-2573

Topics include walkability and sidewalk needs throughout our community

The City of Nacogdoches invites all residents to a discussion about sidewalks in our community. The meeting will be held at the Courthouse Annex on August 30th, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

This will serve as an overview from the first discussion series that was based on the philosophy of sidewalks in our community. Residents are invited to share ideas to help shape the future of our community in regards to connectivity, walkability, and sidewalks in the proposed urban core overlay district.

The proposed urban care overlay district denotes an area of mixed institutional, retail, offices, multi-family residential, lodging, dining and entertainment establishments. If established, sidewalks will be required for development in these areas. Guidelines for these requirements will be discussed and reviewed at the meeting. The meeting will also address the question of where the urban core overlay district should lie.

“This draft ordinance is a starting point based on our previous discussions,” Steve Bartlett, City Engineer said. “There is a cost to sidewalks and wide-spread connectivity. This must be practically balanced with input from community members, creative strategies from all parties involved, and with the impact on businesses in mind.”

In the first meeting, 44 people attended and expressed strong support for sidewalk construction through public funding such as taxes, bonds and road maintenance funds. Many at the meeting also suggested sidewalk construction should be required in conjunction with commercial construction projects. From this feedback the draft ordinance has been created for public review in order to solicit feedback and changes prior to approval from Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.

“This is a topic the city has been asked to address by many citizens and we feel it’s important to have a second discussion about sidewalks prior to sending the draft to city council,” Larissa Philpot, Director of Municipal Services said. “Although we have drafted this document, it is important we continue to seek feedback now that we’ve put the community’s ideas in writing.”

Draft Ordinance can be found here: http://www.ci.nacogdoches.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/998

Survey Feedback will be taken here: https://docs.google.com/a/ci.nacogdoches.tx.us/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfvwxNuYGkov4AmGUmc4mhWh862vE4BLa2xc6vyE7ZUFgewNg/viewform

Contact: Kelly Daniel 936-560-5533
Membership & Marketing Manager

The Leadership Nacogdoches Alumni Reception & New Class Welcome is 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 30 at the Touchdown Club in the SFA Homer Bryce Stadium press box.

Leadership Nacogdoches is a program of the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce led by program co-chairs Charlotte Ashcraft and Paul Smith III.

“The LN Alumni Reception is a reunion of past leadership class members, and all alumni are invited. It is an opportunity for them to visit with other graduates and meet the newly formed LN class,” Ashcraft said. “I look forward to getting the updates on where past class members are now in their professional and personal journeys.”

LN Alumni co-chairs Kati Kennedy and Sydney Kroll Register work with alumnus Robin Dawley to produce the reception. Sponsors of the event are Handler Insurance, Nacogdoches Transmission Service, Inc. and Pineywoods Hypnosis. Guests will enjoy refreshments and beverages donated by Brookshire Brothers and R&K Distributors.

Donors to the LN scholarship fund include the LN 2014-15 class, NIBCO INC., Gary Lee Ashcraft, Shannon Solly at Three Skies Management and Jimmy Mize at First Bank & Trust East Texas.

“Members of our community donate LN scholarships, because they recognize that some class prospects may have limited funds for covering the tuition fee,” Smith said. “These prospects could be small business owners, non-profit staff or other independents that are perfect choices for leadership training, but may not have the funding support from an employer.”

Multiple scholarships have been awarded throughout the program’s history by FB&T. Mize continues this support “because I remember going through the program in ’88-’89 with my class. I know the program contributes to our community,” he said. “We see LN alumni serving in current positions of leadership, and it is vital to engage and train our future leaders.”