Jan. 18. By Dave Vieser. At their meeting tonight, the Cornelius Town Board is expected to establish a review process for the final draft of the Smithville Revitalization Plan.

According to Deputy Town Manager Wayne Herron, “the Smithville Community Coalition has been working on the neighborhood redevelopment plan for two years”. In the final draft, the coalition is making four specific requests of the town:

1. approve their land use plan for the Smithville section of Cornelius.
2-approve their request for $6.8 million in American Rescue Act funds.
3-donate seven parcels owned by the town, worth $425,000
4-support the coalition’s request to Mecklenburg County for $5.2 million in American Rescue Act funds.

The final draft containing these requests will be presented to the commissioners, after which they will establish a comprehensive review procedure. Herron says the town is recommending that the draft plan review be referred to the Planning Board, the Architectural Review Board, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Mayors Housing Study Committee.

“Once all the boards have had an opportunity to review the plan and make recommendations it will come back to the Town Board for a final review,” Herron said. The plan with recommendations would then undergo a public hearing before being considered as a component to the Land Use Plan.

The Town Board meeting, being held on a Tuesday evening due to the Martin Luther King Jr Birthday holiday on Monday, will begin at 6 pm in Town Hall on Catawba Avenue. It will also be live streamed on the town website.