By Shamona McClary

Kannapolis Citizen

The North Carolina Research Campus is still in the planning phases, but one thing is for sure — it will impact the city in a major way. So much so, City Manager Mike Legg asked City Council Monday for feedback on how to get a grip on the situation right now.

"This thing needs some structure and focus," Legg said.

As an attempt to address the future changes in the city, Legg and Community Relations Director Jennifer Woodford presented council with a draft of a city comprehensive plan and economic growth strategy and community education outreach proposals.

The plan consists of goals the city wants to accomplish as the town shifts from a manufacturing-based economy to one centered on knowledge.

Legg outlined three phases of city tasks.

The first phase would assess how the campus would impact the economy in such areas as real estate values, disposable personal income, education needs and population.

"There are so many moving parts to this campus," Legg said.

Phase two would involve more outreach to the community and defining the community's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Based on phase one and two, phase three would implement strategies in such areas as revised land use, non-downtown commercial redevelopment, quality of life and small business support and recruitment.

Partnering with other groups and getting the proper funds is crucial to the project also, Legg explained.

The city has an option of using funds from the $200,000 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant for parts of the plan.

The Biotech 101 forum was a success in December, and Woodford proposed more programs to continue to involve and educate the community. Some of the programs would include Rowan-Cabarrus Community College forums, small business seminars, youth town hall meetings and workshops involving local and regional leaders.

"We're on board and we're going to do this project," Councilman Ken Geathers said.

Contact Shamona McClary at 704-933-3450 or smcclary@salisburypost.com.