Rockingham residents encouraged to fill out citizen survey

ROCKINGHAM — Rockingham residents are encouraged to provide their input for a new 10-year land use plan.

Citizens can access the survey via the Rockingham Facebook page and website. A flyer with a QR code was sent out with the August water bills.

“These plans are important and we really do listen what citizens have to say and base the next ten year plan on what we understand our citizens want,” shared Mayor John Hutchinson at their Tuesday meeting. “We will take your ideas and use them to determine Rockingham’s priorities. Those priorities will guide our growth, development, and budget,” he later shared in a Facebook post.

The current guiding land use document, Shaping Our Future: 2023, expires this year. Assistant City Manager John Massey said that this document affects the city’s annual budgeting and capital planning, and is a factor in rezoning and tax amendments, which helps determine how Rockingham can continue to grow.

So far, a little over 80 responses have been shared.

“We’d really like to get a couple hundred, would be ideal,” Massey said. “It’s important that we get…participation. It’s a citizens plan and we need their input.”

Mayor Pro Tem Denise Sullivan said the survey only took her a few minutes to complete.

“Once we have citizen input, and an understanding of our existing conditions and what we’re dealing with…that’s when the planning committee will come together and start developing new goals and objectives for the next 10 year period,” Massey said at the June meeting.

The newly-created land use plan will be the third of its kind completed by Rockingham. City Manager Monty Crump reminded the council members that all cities and counties in North Carolina are now required to complete and utilize a 10-year plan.

Update to board on South Rockingham improvements

In July of 2021, Bruck Stanback and Wanda Wall Spivey spoke before Rockingham City Council to state that multiple structures that posed a health hazard in the community and needed to be torn down.

“If we don’t get them done, there won’t be a community in 30 years,” Stanback said at the time.

Two years removed from the initial address, Stanback thanked council members and city manager Crump for all they’ve been able to accomplish.

“Thank you for the work that you all are doing to address our concerns,” Stanback said. “It’s obvious that some of them have been taken down and the lots are being cleaned up. It makes a big difference in the community.”

“It’s not a whole lot, but it’s a lot,” he continued. “You addressed some of those concerns and continue to work with them. We understand that the process takes some time.”

Stanback said he’s so encouraged by young people who are purchasing houses in their area and making improvements.

“As I rode by on my way here tonight, I could not help but notice the work that has gone on the old apartment’s building on the corner of Skipper and Washington Street,” he said.

Hutchinson thanked Stanback for the partnership that has been created and maintained between the South Side, the City of Rockingham and Habitat for Humanity.

Stanback also said that a six week, summer enrichment program was completed at the Leak Street Cultural Center that served 60 students, where they were able to do a lot of activities and take advantage of opportunities they may have been able to otherwise.

Finally, he noted the lack of vandalism in their community and at the Center.

“That says a lot about the communities pride in the building and I think that’s significant,” Stanback said. “As we go forward and continue to improve the community, the looks, the lawns, the houses, I think that we will see more of that.”