HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — During it's Octiber 24 meeting, the Huntsville Planning Commission approves zoning that could pave the way for a Providence or Mid City-style mixed-use development in the area.
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The reality of a mixed-used development takes a lot of planning. "This is actually something that's been a long time in the making for the [Big] Cove area," Councilman David Little said. "A small area plan meeting was held back in 2019 to solicit input from the community out there - what they would like to see in the way of amenities, whether it's a new fire station or more walking trails to be restaurants."
That plan is a potential mixed-use development at the intersection of Cecil Ashburn Drive and Old Big Cove Road. A public input session explored a possible village-style development that would be a game-changer for the Cove community. Residents viewed potential renderings of the project and provided feedback.
"It would be kind of a think of a small-town center, something like a Providence, Mid-City, not as big, obviously," Little divulged. "It would have a central road which would be all of Big Cove Road, which would be widened, approved for pedestrian traffic and then mixed-use retail kind of throughout the center.
"Surrounding that town center would be residential areas, but all designed in such a way that parking would be in the back so, you walk out your front door to a sidewalk, not a street."
A major part of this plan will involve community feedback. "Citizens might think something sprouts up in their part of town, they didn't get any input." Litte said. "This was meant to give them a voice of things they'd like to see, or maybe what they wouldn’t like to see."
With new developments come concerns like the potential for more traffic. "There were certainly concerns for that area of town," Little stated. "Police coverage, fire coverage. Traffic is always top of mind. Our town's growing, traffic will be a concern. I've lived here my whole life, so I totally get that. I'm on board with doing whatever we can to make our roads safer."
The plan aims to help residents enjoy more of the neighborhood. "Accessibility to other green greenways and trails would be a big part of this project," Little shared. "They've already talked with the Land Trust about town and the trails up on Green Mountain so people could be out for a mountain bike ride, or a hike and they could walk down into whatever this place might be called one day and, you know, have lunch, grab a glass of wine, whatever, and then put back out on the trail. The idea is what can we bring to people and keep them just keep them in their neighborhood."