Photo (left to right): Planner II Palmer Stroup and Planning Intern Wes Banks
The City of Paducah’s Planning Department is launching the Southside Property Inventory project this summer as part of the broader Southside Revitalization Plan. This effort is capturing a comprehensive snapshot of the current housing and property conditions in the Walter Jetton and Uppertown neighborhoods. The goal is to compile this data into an illustrated report providing a baseline for measuring the success of revitalization efforts over time.
To gather information for the inventory, members of the Planning Department, Planner II Palmer Stroup and Planning Intern Wes Banks (pictured), are walking block-by-block through the Walter Jetton and Uppertown neighborhoods and visually documenting each property.
Using ArcGIS (a mapping program), they are recording basic details for every parcel of land including property use (residential, commercial, vacant, etc.) and general condition. The team also photographs each property to create a visual record. This information later will be expanded into a more detailed form with each parcel receiving its own descriptive entry.
Planning Director Carol Gault said, “If you see two young men wearing bright yellow Southside shirts, they are working to gather information for the Southside Plan. We encourage residents to say hello if you see Palmer and Wes in your neighborhood this summer. They are excited to connect with community members and answer questions about the project or the revitalization plan. This is a very special project that is thoroughly developed by real people who care.”
“Coming into this job as an intern, I expected to be filing papers or getting people’s coffee, but instead the team has plugged me right in,” said Wes Banks. “From walking around town collecting data to meeting with residents to discuss Paducah’s history, I have had busy days. Working on the Southside Neighborhood Revitalization Plan every day with the team and being out in the community are great reminders that planning is more than zoning and maps. It’s about people and listening.”
The Southside Revitalization Plan has been adopted by the Paducah Planning Commission with the Paducah Board of Commissioners expected to have the first reading of the document at its July 22 meeting. If you would like to view a copy of the draft Southside Revitalization Plan, copies are available in the Planning Department inside City Hall at 300 S. 5th Street and online.
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