After a year of gathering input from residents, businesses and other community stakeholders, the Town of Harrisburg has released a draft of a long-range plan intended to guide how the rapidly growing community develops in the decades ahead.
The public draft of the One Harrisburg Strategic Comprehensive Plan lays out a framework for future decisions involving land use, development, infrastructure, transportation, parks, public services and other community investments.
The plan was developed following a yearlong community engagement process that included surveys, neighborhood meetings, focus groups, open houses, pop-up events and other opportunities for residents to weigh in on Harrisburg’s future.
That included a statistically valid survey completed by 505 residents. According to the draft, results highlighted several recurring priorities, including managing population growth, preserving Harrisburg’s community character, improving walkability and connectivity and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with development.
The plan is intended to provide a 20-year framework for Harrisburg, built around the town’s stated vision of creating a “distinctive, family-focused community where memories are made.”
The planning area extends beyond Harrisburg’s incorporated limits to include the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and portions of unincorporated Cabarrus County that influence — and are influenced by — Harrisburg’s growth, infrastructure and community needs.
Town officials are now asking residents to review the draft and provide another round of feedback before the planning process moves forward.
“The Draft Plan is more than a policy document – it’s a reflection of our residents’ collective vision for the future of Harrisburg,” Town Manager Rob Donham said. “As our Town continues to evolve, the One Harrisburg Strategic Comprehensive Plan ensures we manage growth responsibly with a clear and strategic framework.”
Mapping Harrisburg’s future
Among the most significant pieces of the draft is its Future Land Use and Conservation Plan, known as the Vision Map, which provides a picture of how different parts of the Harrisburg planning area could evolve over time.
Rather than assigning specific zoning classifications, the map divides areas into 10 “Place Types” based on characteristics such as their anticipated land uses, development density and scale, connectivity and open space.
Those Place Types are grouped into four broader categories.
Open space includes a Green Space designation, while residential areas are divided among Rural Estates, Single-Family Residential and Mixed Residential.
Centers include Local Center, Downtown and Commercial Corridor designations. Employment and special-use areas are divided among Employment Mixed-Use, Civic-Institutional and Industrial.
The Vision Map also reflects feedback gathered as residents considered different growth scenarios. At a February open house, participants showed a strong preference for an option they viewed as balancing economic development with the preservation of open space and natural resources while reducing reliance on residential taxes, according to the draft.
Together, the designations are intended to help Harrisburg manage future development while maintaining the town’s character, improving connectivity, supporting a more vibrant downtown and accounting for the effects of growth on existing infrastructure.
The Vision Map does not change the zoning of any property or alter existing property rights, according to the town. Any future changes to development regulations would have to go through Harrisburg’s normal ordinance amendment and public hearing processes.
Mayor Jennifer Teague said that distinction is important as residents consider what the plan could mean for Harrisburg over the next 10, 20 or 30 years.
“This isn’t about changing zoning or taking away anyone’s property rights, it’s about having a thoughtful roadmap for the future,” Teague said. “We can preserve the character and open spaces that make Harrisburg special while investing in the infrastructure, connectivity, downtown, public safety and services our growing community needs.”
From planning to implementation
The draft goes beyond identifying how Harrisburg could physically develop.
The draft organizes its recommendations around seven “Big Ideas” shaped by community input: managing growth and its impacts; reinforcing Harrisburg’s distinct character; preserving open space, natural resources and rural landscapes; creating a more walkable community; enhancing and expanding downtown; maintaining and enhancing public safety and community services; and building a more balanced and sustainable local economy.
Those recommendations would ultimately have to be translated into individual projects, policies and funding decisions.
Implementation priorities would be established through the Harrisburg Town Council’s three-year strategic planning process, annual budgets and Capital Improvement Plan.
The town also plans to maintain an “Implementation Portfolio” to track progress and provide annual updates, allowing priorities to change as Harrisburg grows and new needs and opportunities emerge.
“The One Harrisburg Plan gives us the tools to balance open space preservation and downtown vitality with smart development,” Donham said.
Teague described the document as ultimately belonging to the residents who helped shape it.
“Most importantly, this is a community plan. It belongs to the people of Harrisburg,” she said. “This is our opportunity to be proactive rather than reactive, and I hope our residents will continue to engage in this important conversation.”
Residents can weigh in
Residents will have several opportunities in October to learn more about the draft, ask questions and provide feedback before the planning process is completed.
Harrisburg will hold four drop-in “COMPversation” meetings focusing on the proposed Place Types, Vision Map and implementation recommendations.
The meetings are scheduled for:
Thursday, Oct. 1: 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Harrisburg Fire Station No. 1, 6450 Morehead Road.
Monday, Oct. 5: 9 to 10:30 a.m. at The Burg Church, 7155 Hickory Ridge Road.
Thursday, Oct. 15: 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Vortex Bottle Shop, 4469 School House Commons.
Friday, Oct. 16: 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Sunflour Bakery, 5040 N.C. Highway 49.
The public draft is available at OneHarrisburgNCPlan.org. Residents are encouraged to review the plan and its Vision Map and Place Types and provide feedback as the town moves toward the next phase of the process.
Following the additional public review period, the plan is scheduled to be presented to the Harrisburg Planning and Zoning Board on Oct. 20.
A public hearing before the Harrisburg Town Council is scheduled for Nov. 9 as part of the town’s formal review and adoption process.