Major moves for a controversial pedestrian promenade in downtown Roswell are on hold until the end of the year or longer, according to the city.
The potential closure of Canton Street to vehicular traffic on weekends has caused a great stir in the city since the spring when Mayor Kurt Wilson announced the plan. During a City Council workshop on Friday, council members decided not to immediately hire an urban planner to conduct a study on the possible economic impact to the neighborhood dining district, as suggested by a task force selected by the mayor and council.
Instead, the city will complete a long-term economic development plan which is already in progress. The plan is addressing four city nodes including parts of Ga. 9 — where Canton Street is located — as well as Ga. 92. It’s expected to be presented to City Council by the end of the year, Wilson said.
At that point, Council can decide if hiring an urban planner is warranted, he added.
Economic Development Director Darryl Connelly told the officials that a completed economic development plan would help determine what questions need to be answered in a study of the Canton Street promenade area.
That could be job creation through the larger downtown area or, separately, the economic impact on businesses, he said.
“That, to me, is not clear what we want to get out of it yet,” Connelly said of an independent study of Canton Street.
Councilwoman Sarah Beeson, who is in favor of the city hiring an urban planner to study the district, also agreed that slowing the process for the promenade project is a good move.
“To me, it makes the plan (for Canton Street) far more intentional,” Besson said following the meeting. “When you’re considering the economic impact of not only a potential road closure, but creating a pedestrianized area, I want to make sure it fits within the larger framework of what we’re trying to do.”
A few business owners and residents who attended the Friday morning meeting said they are relieved by the city decision. Residents in nearby neighborhoods said they would expect disruption on their streets from visitors to a revamped Canton Street. And numerous businesses predict a decrease in revenue without a parking deck in place.
Cities around the globe with successful pedestrian promenades first conducted extensive studies, they say.
Jenna Aronowitz, owner of 1920 Tavern restaurant on Canton Street, said her research has found that successful promenades have parking, mass transit, density of residents, and an attraction such as a park, entertainment, or a university.
“How can they think we will be successful if we have zero of the criteria (in the immediate area),” she said on Friday.
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