Life

City invites public input on Clear Creek Greenway Tuesday

A proposed Clear Creek Greenway would connect the Oklawaha Greenway and Carolina Village.

By Lightning Reports, Published: April 15, 2019

The city of Hendersonville is hosting a public input meeting on the proposed Clear Creek Greenway from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in the City Operations Center, 305 Williams Street.

City staff will be available starting at 4:30 p.m. to accommodate attendees who may have other meeting obligations. During the meeting, the public will have a chance to review the proposed PARTF grant project and provide comments and suggestions.

The Hendersonville City Council voted on April 4 to apply for a state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant for the Clear Creek Greenway extension project, which would cost close to $1 million. The Clear Creek Greenway would add approximately three-quarters of a mile to the Oklawaha Greenway with an extension from Berkeley Mills Park to the Carolina Village community.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the public to learn about the greenway extension project and collaborate with us as we continue to develop this plan,” said City Manager John Connet. “We hope any organizations and individuals who support greenway expansions in our area will attend and share their opinions.”

The route would pass over Mud Creek and follow along Clear Creek to Carolina Village. Features of the greenway extension would include a pedestrian bridge over Mud Creek, benches, emergency blue light stations, additional recreational amenities, and a flashing pedestrian crossing signs and high visibility markings where the greenway crosses Clear Creek Road. The project would extend the greenway network an additional 4,000 feet and provide a connection for future extensions such as a section identified in the City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan that would pass under I-26 to the Highland Square shopping center where Sam’s Club and Walmart are located.

City Engineer Brent Detwiler, who presented the project to City Council, explained that Carolina Village had pledged $250,000 toward the grant project. The city committed to $341,800 to be matched by the PARTF grant. The total project cost was outlined at $933,600, but Detwiler said that the estimate will likely be tweaked before the application deadline on May 1. The City Council voted on April 4 to adopt Henderson County’s Greenway Master Plan, which includes the Clear Creek Greenway extension.