FAYETTEVILLE — The public is invited to participate in a weeklong planning process that could help guide growth in west Fayetteville.
A kickoff for the Wedington Drive Corridor Plan is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville, 560 N. Rupple Road.
The planning process gives residents an opportunity to provide input on what types of development they'd like to see and how roads, sidewalks and trails should be built in a 424-acre swath of land on either side of Wedington Drive — from just east of Interstate 540 to just west of Broyles Avenue.
Fayetteville's population on the west side of I-540 grew by nearly 75 percent — from 8,979 residents in 2000 to 15,651 residents in 2010 — according to Census Bureau data.
Peter Nierengarten, the city's sustainability and strategic planning director, said about half the land is undeveloped.
City officials could change the master street plan, rezone land and design capital improvement projects based on results of the corridor plan.
Thursday's kickoff event will be followed by a hands-on design workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. An open house is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29, and city staff will present the results from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Nov. 1.
All events will be at the Boys & Girls Club.