Town commissioners last week got a first look at a long-range plan that could guide future development of Fuquay-Varina’s two commercial districts—Main Street and Broad Street--as well as the connecting area between.

The plan, put together by JDavis Architects, would blend some residential use and office and institutional development into the downtown centers and along the Highway 401 corridor between the two. It also proposes numerous appearance guidelines that would apply to all new buildings and those old ones being renovated.

During discussions, it was suggested the town could incorporate some of the recommendations into the town code as requirements for development; others might be used as suggestions to those planning new construction or renovation in the commercial districts.

Some examples of business/residential combinations already done along Broad Street on the Varina side of town by developer Bill Akins were cited and commended by the consultants.

Town Manager Andy Hedrick pointed to the new O’Reilly Auto Parts store on Main Street and said that company agreed to some design changes recommended by town planner Mike Sorensen, even though the changes were not required by the code.

Both architects representing JDavis at the meeting, Rodney Swink and Larry Zucchino, expressed approval of both the O’Reilly store and the CVS Pharmacy next to

it. Both said they might have suggested some changes, especially in areas designated for parking, if they had been involved with the site design, but they generally approved of the new buildings.

The consultants studied an area that extends along Main Street from Vance to Ennis Street and across the railroad to Broad Street then along Broad to a point beyond Stephens.

They examined each property along the route and considered buildings they thought would eventually be demolished and replaced and what type of replacement construction might be best suited for the area. They looked at vacant properties and those that remain residential and considered what types of buildings might fit best in these transition areas.

Hedrick asked board members about holding a public hearing or a town meeting in September to show the plan to citizens. The board took no action on the suggestion but did like a suggestion that the plan be shown to the Chamber of Commerce and to Downtown Revitalization representatives.

Several board members warned against haste in adopting the plan. Commissioner Cindy Sheldon expressed concern several times for those developers who have plans already in the works for commercial projects. She said they should not be delayed or required to go back and redraw plans because of new requirements. Sorensen said his department is currently reviewing four site plans for properties within the business districts.

Town Attorney Mark Cumalander said that, should the board adopt the plan and change some of its code requirements to support the plan, it could do so, making the changes effective at some future date, so plans already in the pipeline would not be affected.