Town Hall Meeting Summary -- City Council Goals and Objectives
Throughout May and June 2019, Clemson City Council hosted a series of Town Hall meetings designed to seek input from Clemson residents regarding their concerns for the community. In September 2019, City Council completed a list of several goals divided into 4 larger themes as a way to address the concerns raised during these town hall meetings. These 4 themes are listed below; clicking on each of the banners below will display a detailed list of the goals associated with each theme. Updates will be included as they become available.
- Establish goals/priorities of the Joint City/University Advisory Board for each of the working groups which have been created by November 2019.
Kick-off meeting was conducted on August 28th, 2019. Click here to view the JCUAB section of the City's website.
After this meeting, work groups developed their key goals and objectives. Click here to view all of these goals and objectives.
- Work to better communicate the shared programs, activities, and partnerships between the City of Clemson and Clemson University so that there is a higher level of awareness of the active relationships between the two entities. Use the Community Connection, City & University websites, and other publications to communicate existing and on-going efforts and shared benefits.
The restructuring of the JCUAB was the initial step to improve communications with the City. COVID has necessitated shared communications between the two entities. Officials from both the City and the University met frequently to discuss the ever changing situation, and the University has agreed to work with the City to help ensure that students will follow the mask ordinance and other guidelines put in place for the safety of the public.
- Discuss and publicize existing in-kind contributions, programs, activities, or services that Town & Gown contribute to shared programs and activities.
- Directly communicate to the Clemson University Board of Trustees the changes and priorities from each Working Group and status of the overall relationships with the City of Clemson. (Possibly at the February meeting of the Board of Trustees).
- Establish a regular meeting with the Clemson University Community Relations Director, at least twice monthly, to ensure that both City and University are kept apprised of projects, programs, and activities of each entity.
- Establish an annual Town Hall Meeting to be hosted by both the City and University to receive comments and communicate issues to our shared constituents. (Note: This is in addition to the annual State of Clemson event).
- Finalize City priorities and activities that City Council desires to achieve as a result of public input from the Town Hall Meetings.
This full list contains these priorities and activities.
- Evaluate and enhance as needed the communications tools and efforts that are utilized by the City of Clemson to promote greater transparency. Current methods include the Community Connection, websites, the City E-blast system, Facebook groups, hang-tag flyers, electronic newsletters, Twitter, formal media releases, and other methods. Consider contracting with a professional communications consulting firm to assess City communications methods and recommend enhancements.
The City continues to use these methods and others to communicate with the public. We have included a government transparency link on the main website page as well as a button that leads to public safety related articles. For every important notice, event, etc in the City, an article is posted to the website, then an email blast is sent linking that web article. That article is also linked to our main Facebook and Twitter pages. Additionally, Parks and Rec and Police had assisted in getting work out through their own channels. Other methods are used as they are deemed necessary. The City also recently rolled out an app to aid in reporting issues and finding necessary information.
- Consider whether the City of Clemson could benefit from creating a Public Information Officer to coordinate and enhance communication efforts. Implement a public request tracking tool to allow departments to be more easily informed of needs in the community and to communicate results back to persons in the community. Use a "report card" on the City web site to advise the public on the status of goals and objectives.
- Begin discussing the possibility of increasing the City property tax millage rate or other funding sources for specific and targeted projects, activities, or goals.
- Following the completion of the Comprehensive Plan Update, consider and update the City Vision and Mission Statements. Consider creation of a new master plan.
In January 2020, Council enacted a moratorium on all multi-family housing with more than 200 beds and established a steering committee to guide the City through a strategic planning process. This committee then hired a steering committee, who developed the ClemsonNEXT project. Click here for more information about the ClemsonNEXT project or join the ClemsonNEXT facebook group.
City Council approved a new vision statement in early 2021..
- Continue to invest and maintain existing community parks and assets:
- Nettles Park current and future expansion land: A consultant group has been hired to create a Master Plan for the Nettles Park expansion
- Consider redevelopment of Clemson Park: The City is working with a consultant group on a plan to revitalize Clemson Park, including creating a hub for the Green Crescent Trail.
- Dawson Park
- Abernathy Park and Boardwalk: Decking has been replaced. The City hopes to replace the railings in the near future.
The City is working to replace the remaining decking in house.
- City Police Department expansion needs: Construction is currently ongoing.
- Downtown Welcome Center & Police Substation
- Other City-owned buildings and facilities
The wastewater treatment plant expansion, Littlejohn Community Center Expansion, and addition of the third gym on the Central Clemson Rec Center are complete.
- Consider infrastructure safety enhancement possibilities:
- Implement a policy and procedure for speed humps and other traffic calming systems.
This policy and procedure was adopted by Council in August 2019. Click here to view the full policy and procedure document.
- Continue to invest in (and possibly increase the annual budget for) sidewalk construction.
- Increase the number of bus shelters on CATbus routes: Three new shelters were added in late 2020 at the CATbus headquarters, on Highway 93, and on Calhoun Street.
- Continue to enhance Downtown Camera System
- High visibility crosswalk markings.
- Consider the need for additional signalized and pedestrian activated traffic signals.
- Invest in the Green Crescent Trail System and work with the Friends of the Green Crescent.
In Summer 2019, City Council allocated $650,000 toward Phase 1 of the Green Crescent Trail System, which will begin at Clemson Park. In July 2020, the City hired Pond Associates to implement these first stages, and initial plans are for construction to begin in 2021.
- Better utilize the City Arts & Culture Commission to encourage public art.
The Commission has an instagram page to promote public art in Clemson.
The Commission partnered with the Arts Center and Clemson Community Care to utilize old parking meters for the "feed the change" project. Local artists can paint parking meters, which the City will place in strategic locations. All proceeds from these meters will be donated to the Clemson Community Foundation and will contribue to the public art presence in the City. The Commission also partnered with Leonard Keller to commission a mural on the side of Judge Keller's in downtown Clemson. The final mural was selected by the Community. The project has been delayed due to some repairs that must be completed. For Juneteenth 2021, a Unity mural was completed and unveiled on the police substation in downtown clemson.
- Consider relocating the Child Development Center and determine if a daycare center can be developed.
This issue has been reviewed and was determined not to be pursued.
- Consider issues related to gentrification of neighborhoods, workforce housing, and inclusionary zoning.
This is a serious consideration with the City's strategic plan and the ClemsonNEXT project.
Each of these goals and objectives is being addressed to some degree by the ClemsonNEXT project. After the completion of the strategic plan, each of these will be addressed in more detail.
- Consider Keowee Trail development.
- Cohesive planning process.
- Identify ways to preserve/honor our past.
- Following the Comprehensive Plan Update, examine zoning ordinance and modify as needed.
- Examine the current housing mix within the City of Clemson, including single-family, affordable housing, student housing, retiree housing, etc.
- Review and analyze traffic issues on roads.
- Regularly inventory underused commercial spaces and identify potential and alternative uses (Food Lion, commercial space in mixed-use buildings, etc.)
- Initiate a formal process for interacting with other university communities that are experiencing similar issues (i.e. Auburn, Blacksburg, Davidson).
- Develop a plan to attract more Clemson University faculty and staff to reside in the City of Clemson.