Simpsonville moves forward on downtown 'vision'

The Simpsonville City Commission Tuesday voted to advertise and accept bids from consulting firms that would draw up plans for a downtown district.

Earlier this year, the commission asked Triple S Planning and Zoning Executive Director Ryan Libke to help the city take a look at the U.S. 60 corridor through Simpsonville by using a small-area study. Such a study would find ways to create a true downtown Simpsonville along U. S. 60.

Commission member Vicky Wise said residents would like to see sidewalks, benches, underground utilities. city street lights and appropriate commercial development along the corridor.

"This may take twenty years to happen, but we need to lay out a good footprint now," Simpsonville Mayor Steve Eden told the commission. "If we don't have vision, we will get development piecemeal."

However, City Administrator David Eaton told the commission that Triple S does not have the money to fund a study, and it may be a couple of years before it could move forward.

"I don't think we want to wait that long to get started," Eaton said.

So the commission agreed to allow Triple S to advertise and receive bids from consulting firms that would conduct the study.

That firm would be charged with creating a sense of place, identifying and evaluating future land uses, identifying necessary improvements to transportation, utilities and other systems, and identifying sustainable infill development with planned commercial and residential growth.

Eaton said the commission would not be obligated to go forward if the costs of the study are too high.

"Once you get them, you can look at them and accept them or reject them," he said. "This will cost you nothing."

Proposals would be due Nov. 21.

Also on Tuesday, the commission:

Agreed to forgo establishing a drug testing policy for city employees while the Kentucky League of Cities works on a model program.

Agreed to adopt an identity theft program.

Discussed purchasing a propane canon for bird control.

Heard that total profit from the Simpsonville Fall Festival came to about $8,600.

Agreed to cancel its meeting for Wednesday. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.