DESIGN

• Need safe and convenient parking area near and in the rear of the square – 20

• Need a park area downtown – 15

• Need a unified look (awnings, brick crosswalks) – 13

• Need to put utilities underground – 13

• Improve and add sidewalks – 12

• Improve drainage with curb and gutter – 5

• Need uniform street lighting – 4

• Need trees – 4

• Need more greenery (native plants) on the square – 3

• Need storefronts to reflect character, sophistication – 3

• Improve traffic flow – 3

• Need historic looking signage – 2

• Need design guidelines for new construction – 2

• Need to look at Kollock’s drawings for design ideas – 2

• Need to set and enforce design standards – 2

• Need to inventory our historic buildings – 2

• Need the uniqueness of Blairsville preserved – 2

• Need traffic control, slower speeds, stop signs instead of yields, need pedestrian safety – 2

• Need flower boxes – 1

• Need signage and design controls for shops – 0

PROMOTION

• Campaign to get local shoppers downtown – 5

• Need to emphasize our mountain charm – 4

• Need to determine an identity for the city to market (what do you associate it with?) – 4

• Capitalize on Appalachian heritage – 2

• Need music events on the square – 2

• Market our unique character and friendly people – 2

• Use the sorghum festival facility year round for more events – 2

• Advertise downtown as a destination – 2

• Educate kids on the value of downtown, get them involved – 1

• Need a marketing plan that promotes pride in downtown, rich history, education, real

• history – 1

• Need community support for local events – 1

• Need activities for kids – 0

• Need to bring youth from other communities (Atlanta, Chattanooga, etc) to learn about our history – 0

ORGANIZATION

• Need safe and convenient parking area near and in the rear of the square – 20

• Need a visitor center with parking, public restrooms, information, and info kiosks – 16

• Remove truck traffic (need bypass) – 13

• Need to put utilities underground – 13

• Improve and add sidewalks – 12

• Get drug dealers out – 10

• Need public-private partnerships – 9

• Improve drainage with curb and gutter – 5

• Need crowd control at night – 4

• Improve traffic flow – 3

• Need traffic control, slower speeds, stop signs instead of yields, need pedestrian safety – 2

• Need flexible policies to preserve views and meet infrastructure needs with growth – 2

• Get teens to help design a hangout – 2

• Keep streets clean – 1

• Update buildings to code – 0

• Need handicapped parking on the square – 0

• Need business owners to cooperate with the Historical Society – 0

• Need information on highway projects to help with our planning – 0

• Need short term and long term plans – 0

• Need to utilize volunteers – 0

• Need major activity centers connected – 0

ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING

• Need more retail (and fewer offices) downtown – 17

• Need mom/pop locally owned shops (not chains) – 9

• Need a hometown restaurant and more restaurants – 7

• Need financial incentives for building restorations, new and expanded businesses – 6

• Need art and craft shops – 1

• Need a variety of businesses – 1

• Need more historical shops to attract tourists – 1

• Need to meet local shopping needs – 1

• Need unique shops on the square – 0

• Need industrial buildings near the city but not downtown – 0

• Chevrolet building – 0

• Need to have store hours be consistent – 0

• Need activities for kids – 0