The City of Franklin has a broad range of existing land uses including the historic downtown central business district and surrounding neighborhoods, big box, strip commercial and industrial development along Armory Drive, single-family residential development in the northwest quadrant of the city, and agricultural and forestal areas interspersed throughout. Map 8-1 depicts the existing distribution of land uses within Franklin. It is important to note that approximately half of the land within Franklin is currently in agricultural, forested and open space uses that may be converted to more intense uses as population and land values increase. C. Zoning The existing zoning in Franklin is depicted in Map 8-2. The majority of the commercial and industrial areas are in and around the historic downtown, along the Armory Drive corridor and in the southern section of the City that includes Pretlow Industrial Park. A recent rezoning of a 60 acre parcel located adjacent to Pretlow Industrial Park adjoining US Route 58 to South Street from residential to B-3 general commercial serves as a major step by the City to incentivize economic growth along the Route 58 corridor and in the adjacent revenue sharing area of Southampton County. Most of the remaining land area is zoned for various types of residential use. Small areas of land zoned for Neighborhood Business are interspersed within the residential areas. The zoning ordinance text amendments in the B-1 Neighborhood Business District recently adopted by City Council now allows for mixed-use facilities in those areas which also provides for a residential housing component. D. Downtown The continued preservation and utilization of the historic downtown buildings is a critical aspect of capitalizing on the existing strengths. Map 8-3 shows the area City’s encompassed by the Franklin Historic District and also outlines the 2000 Floodway and Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries downtown. Restoration efforts following Hurricane Floyd have been quite successful and today many businesses are thriving but the threat of future flooding remains. The City should continue to pursue Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding for flood proofing non-residential buildings in the downtown area and to elevate existing residential housing units in the special flood hazard area. The City should also consider seeking brownfields assessment grant assistance through the US EPA to encourage redevelopment of vacant, underutilized, or blighted nonresidential properties in the downtown area, as well as elsewhere throughout the City. Since 1985, Franklin has been a part of the Virginia Main Street Program. The Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in partnership with the Department of Historic Resources, ties
The City of Franklin has a broad range of existing land uses including the historic downtown central business district and surrounding neighborhoods, big box, strip commercial and industrial development along Armory Drive, single-family residential development in the northwest quadrant of the city, and agricultural and forestal areas interspersed throughout. Map 8-1 depicts the existing distribution of land uses within Franklin. It is important to note that approximately half of the land within Franklin is currently in agricultural, forested and open space uses that may be converted to more intense uses as population and land values increase. C. Zoning The existing zoning in Franklin is depicted in Map 8-2. The majority of the commercial and industrial areas are in and around the historic downtown, along the Armory Drive corridor and in the southern section of the City that includes Pretlow Industrial Park. A recent rezoning of a 60 acre parcel located adjacent to Pretlow Industrial Park adjoining US Route 58 to South Street from residential to B-3 general commercial serves as a major step by the City to incentivize economic growth along the Route 58 corridor and in the adjacent revenue sharing area of Southampton County. Most of the remaining land area is zoned for various types of residential use. Small areas of land zoned for Neighborhood Business are interspersed within the residential areas. The zoning ordinance text amendments in the B-1 Neighborhood Business District recently adopted by City Council now allows for mixed-use facilities in those areas which also provides for a residential housing component. D. Downtown The continued preservation and utilization of the historic downtown buildings is a critical aspect of capitalizing on the City’s existing strengths. Map 8-3 shows the area encompassed by the Franklin Historic District and also outlines the 2000 Floodway and Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries downtown. Restoration efforts following Hurricane Floyd have been quite successful and today many businesses are thriving but the threat of future flooding remains. The City should continue to pursue Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding for flood proofing non-residential buildings in the downtown area and to elevate existing residential housing units in the special flood hazard area. The City should also consider seeking brownfields assessment grant assistance through the US EPA to encourage redevelopment of vacant, underutilized, or blighted nonresidential properties in the downtown area, as well as elsewhere throughout the City. Since 1985, Franklin has been a part of the Virginia Main Street Program. The Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development in partnership with the Department of Historic Resources, ties