Updated July 26, 2022:
The public park survey has closed and a presentation of the needs and equity assessment will be made to the public at the August 9, 2022, Board of Commissioners Meeting. This meeting is available via Facebook Live or Zoom, and is open to in-person attendance.
You can read the minutes from the July 13 stakeholder meeting.
Original Report:
The Town of Emerald Isle and Summit Engineering will continue to accept online surveys pertaining to the future of McLean-Spell Park through Saturday, July 16. Surveys can be accessed online here.
This park was purchased by the Town in May of 2018 for $3 Million. Of this purchase amount, $2,545,000 came from state and federal grants, with $600,000 in Emerald Isle taxpayer debt service. As of June 2022, $360,000 is remaining of that debt service. The Town purchased the property before a developer was able to move forward with a proposed 230+ condominiums and additional vehicular access in the area. The land was previously zoned for multi-family development and has since been restricted to pedestrian traffic only.
McLean-Spell Park is nearly 30 acres in size. Of this existing space, up to 9.7 acres could potentially be developed for recreational activity. Two-thirds of the park, or 20 acres, will remain in the natural vegetative state.
The surveys are giving the public a chance to give their input on what they would like to see done with this space, if anything at all, aside from the existing walking trails.
To date, more than 800 online surveys have been received, in addition to 20 paper surveys.
In early July, two online stakeholder meetings were held, and on July 13, nearly 40 people attended and spoke at an in-person meeting at the Town Board Meeting Room.
The Town is grateful to have this opportunity to solicit public input on the future of McLean-Spell Park, with the assistance of Summit Engineering.
After the online surveys close on Saturday, July 16, the Community Needs Assessment Report will be compiled and sent to Town staff by the end of July.
Concept sketches of the proposal and a cost estimate will be delivered in September, and a final report will be submitted by the end of November.