Graham council moves to advance downtown water and sewer work ahead of full Small Area Plan

City of Graham leaders voted to prioritize underground water and sewer improvements in the downtown Small Area Plan to ensure utility upgrades happen before the North Carolina Department of Transportation repaves downtown streets.

Planning staff and consultants from Toole Design Group said the plan’s most urgent technical need is replacing aging water, sewer and stormwater systems under downtown streets. Council authorized staff to proceed with preliminary engineering and to pursue grants and design work for the infrastructure elements. Downtown Development Coordinator Mary Faucette described the Main Street and placemaking goals that would follow once the infrastructure work is sequenced: “The Main Street approach offers community based revitalization… and is easily tailored to local conditions,” she told Council during early presentations.

Why it matters: Council members and residents repeatedly told consultants that surface changes such as streetscape, angled parking and pedestrian features are important, but several members said those changes should follow utility work so a future repaving by NCDOT isn’t undone by subsequent trenching. Council directed staff to take the infrastructure package to design and to return with cost and phasing details and any funding opportunities. The motion approving the infrastructure-first approach passed after public comment and a November–December refinement of the plan language and appendix.