February 13, 2025
Greetings from BRCA 28605!
Happy Thursday. We have some news about the public meeting on the proposed Shoppes on the Parkway redevelopment project. To view the project, click on this link for the Watauga Democrat article: https://www.wataugademocrat.com/main_street/developers-to-hold-community-meeting-for-shoppes-on-the-parkway-redevelopment/article_1010d798-e278-11ef-a98a-b73e6035c36f.html
Shoppes on the Parkway Public Information Meeting TODAY
The developers for the proposed redevelopment project at Shoppes on the Parkway will present plans for the property at a community meeting on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 5 p.m. at the Blowing Rock Town Hall. Town Hall is located at 1036 Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock. The meeting will begin at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers. BRCA has been given permission to record the meeting, and we will do so tonight for posting on the BRCA and TOBR websites.
TOBR Board Appointments
Town Council voted on applicants for various volunteer board at the regular scheduled meeting on Tuesday, February 11th.
Planning Board:
Brandon Walker for 3-year term
Chris Squires for 3-year terms
Tom Barrett (vacant seat) 1 year term
Board of Adjustments:
Ed Springs
Paul McGill
ABC Board:
Al Shackelford
TDA:
Kevin Walker
Ali Borchardt
Small Business Grants Available
Grants up to $50,000 (up to $25,000 for businesses with revenue $1,000,000 or less) are available to eligible small businesses located in Western North Carolina.
Small businesses can use the grants to cover expenses related to recovery and reopening in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Eligible uses include repair and replacement of physical damage, environmental cleanup, payment of business-related rents or mortgages, employee retention and hiring, and more. Link to information here: https://appalachiancommunitycapitalcdfi.org/wnscb-grant/
Town Council unanimously voted to approve this project on Tuesday night. There are renderings, site plan and landscape plan on the town’s website you can review. View it here: https://www.townofblowingrocknc.gov/home/showdocument?id=11936
Memorial Park
Council approved $1.5 Million Park renovation on Tuesday night. There is a PARTF Grant for $500,000 to apply toward the cost.
Crosswalk @ Maple and Sunset
Council voted to amend the budget and approve a brick crosswalk near Blowing Rock Elementary on Tuesday at a cost of $40,000.
On behalf of all of us at BRCA we sincerely appreciate your financial support and your ongoing engagement. Thank you for following us. We also want to welcome our new members and viewers; we welcome you to BRCA.
Tom Barrett
Vice President
Executive Committee Member