Collective Think Tank - Building a Better Belmont

Imagine this - this space is used as a collective think tank on how to improve and build up Belmont, it's businesses, and it's residents. Turning something negative into a huge positive. Most of the folks posting here have higher than average IQ's but have choosen to digress into trollish behavior rather than rise above the negativity. Think about what could happen if everyone collaborated for good and not evil. The possibilites are endless and the rewards you would reap would be that of good fruit, not rotten karma. Who's willing to give an anonymous think tank a try?

Turning Over A New Leaf wrote:

Imagine this - this space is used as a collective think tank on how to improve and build up Belmont, it's businesses, and it's residents. Turning something negative into a huge positive. Most of the folks posting here have higher than average IQ's but have choosen to digress into trollish behavior rather than rise above the negativity. Think about what could happen if everyone collaborated for good and not evil. The possibilites are endless and the rewards you would reap would be that of good fruit, not rotten karma. Who's willing to give an anonymous think tank a try?

I think that's a great idea and that was the purpose of this forum in the first place. I was excited when I first found this site because I thought it would be a great place for networking and keeping up with local issues but I quickly learned about the world of trolls.

I'm game....

Businesses I'd like to see in Belmont:

- Trader Joe's
- A good bagel & coffee shop

Infrastructure Improvements:

- Better sidewalks and pedestrian crossings
- Traffic signals that aren't always on the fritz
- More Athletic fields.

I totally agree about the sidewalks and pedestrain crossings, they are terrible. Trader Joes would be great beside Roses, but I love Caravan coffee, it's addicting! I think athletic fields are in the works, but they may be way down SP road. Good suggestions and good idea!

Malcolm III wrote:

I'm game....
Businesses I'd like to see in Belmont:
- Trader Joe's
- A good bagel & coffee shop
Infrastructure Improvements:
- Better sidewalks and pedestrian crossings
- Traffic signals that aren't always on the fritz
- More Athletic fields.

Trader Joes would be awesome and the sidewalks / pedestian crossing need work for sure.

Timothy wrote:

I totally agree about the sidewalks and pedestrain crossings, they are terrible. Trader Joes would be great beside Roses, but I love Caravan coffee, it's addicting! I think athletic fields are in the works, but they may be way down SP road. Good suggestions and good idea!

caravan sux. their house coffee is always cold!

I like Caravan's OK, but it's a true coffee shop - They don't serve breakfast or lunch other than a muffin or other simple fare that can be made well ahead of time.

I'm thinking of something more like an Einstein Brothers that serves Lox and Bagels for breakfast and grilled panini's for lunch.

Turning Over A New Leaf wrote:

Imagine this - this space is used as a collective think tank on how to improve and build up Belmont, it's businesses, and it's residents. Turning something negative into a huge positive. Most of the folks posting here have higher than average IQ's but have choosen to digress into trollish behavior rather than rise above the negativity. Think about what could happen if everyone collaborated for good and not evil. The possibilites are endless and the rewards you would reap would be that of good fruit, not rotten karma. Who's willing to give an anonymous think tank a try?

we need like a really cool spy store with shoe phones. and somewhere to get dog biscuits shaped like hearts. my goal is to see like a popcorn place with zillions of flavors and then like a new hair cuttery with a stylist for black folks or a tired soda shop with rotten oranges in the window. maybe we can even get a tanning place or one of those asian style nail salons where the people live upstairs. anchor it all with an eighties style pizza place and somewhere for the seniors to sit and mumble about the good ol days. Oh, and a bar, we need a bar, kind of like that place Cheers where everybody knows your name. We should have a bronze statue of a Stowe wearing a smoking jacket and a millenium style bike shop. and most importan is we need a laundromat for the working class immigrants and then maybe wed have some Obama money left to get a DOLLAR TREE where everythings a dollar, but it keeps getting smaller.

a real pizza parlor

Mr Belmont wrote:

a real pizza parlor

Imposter. Get you own ID moron.

Mr Belmont wrote:

<quoted text>
Imposter. Get you own ID moron.

Imposter. Get you own ID moron.

Mr Belmont wrote:

<quoted text>Imposter. Get you own ID moron.

What's an ID moron? Both you Mr. Belmonts need to learn proper punctuation.

I was envisioning with this thread as not discussing specific stores or people or pizza, etc. Rather, taking a serious look at the factors effecting Belmont such as crime, population growth, infrastructure and etc. Let's start with population. Some estimates indicate our population will double or triple by 2020. How is that going to effect the quality of life in Belmont? What do we need to be doing now to ensure this does not become the next Pineville? What issues will effect the future and where should tax money be spent most wisely? Is growth in anwser or is managed growth the key? How important a role will having good leadership play?

Let's try to stick to the big picture and not get bogged down in petty pizza reviews and character assassinations. I am happy for any new business who opens in Belmont and I wish them well whether they cater to my particular needs or not.

Looking beyond the recession and the housing crisis, how will Belmont evolve and what should it evolve into. Many folks don't want any change, but change has already come and more is on the way. The question is, where do we want to go from here?

Turning Over A New Leaf wrote:

I was envisioning with this thread as not discussing specific stores or people or pizza, etc. Rather, taking a serious look at the factors effecting Belmont such as crime, population growth, infrastructure and etc. Let's start with population. Some estimates indicate our population will double or triple by 2020. How is that going to effect the quality of life in Belmont? What do we need to be doing now to ensure this does not become the next Pineville? What issues will effect the future and where should tax money be spent most wisely? Is growth in anwser or is managed growth the key? How important a role will having good leadership play?
Let's try to stick to the big picture and not get bogged down in petty pizza reviews and character assassinations. I am happy for any new business who opens in Belmont and I wish them well whether they cater to my particular needs or not.
Looking beyond the recession and the housing crisis, how will Belmont evolve and what should it evolve into. Many folks don't want any change, but change has already come and more is on the way. The question is, where do we want to go from here?

To answer your questions:

1. "What do we need to be doing now to ensure this does not become the next Pineville?" Other than being a traffic congested nightmare of people who don't talk to each other except at the Country Club and functions at their kid's Private School, there's nothing wrong with Pineville.

2. "What issues will effect the future and where should tax money be spent most wisely?" Pretty much the same issues as any other small town on the outskirts of a large city:
- Urban sprawl which includes traffic congestion, stressed out utility systems, crowded schools, drugs, violent crimes, etc.
- Loss of town's identity

3. "Is growth in anwser or is managed growth the key?" If by "Managed Growth" you mean telling property owners they can't do what they want with their land, then that will go over like a turd in a punch bowl. Growth is neither an answer, nor a solution. As you say - it's inevitable change. Personally, I'd like for the Garden Parkway to be built without the Toll booths, so that Southern Gaston County is opened up without people having drive through my neighbourhood to get there.

We also need to establish public transportation corridors. They don't need to be built right now, but we need to have an idea of where we want them to be, and start buying the land, so that it doesn't cost so darn much and so many people's lives are affected when it becomes a necessity.

Thankfully we will have the Garden Parkway to ease traffic on local roads!!

Turning Over A New Leaf wrote:

I was envisioning with this thread as not discussing specific stores or people or pizza, etc. Rather, taking a serious look at the factors effecting Belmont such as crime, population growth, infrastructure and etc. Let's start with population. Some estimates indicate our population will double or triple by 2020. How is that going to effect the quality of life in Belmont? What do we need to be doing now to ensure this does not become the next Pineville? What issues will effect the future and where should tax money be spent most wisely? Is growth in anwser or is managed growth the key? How important a role will having good leadership play?
Let's try to stick to the big picture and not get bogged down in petty pizza reviews and character assassinations. I am happy for any new business who opens in Belmont and I wish them well whether they cater to my particular needs or not.
Looking beyond the recession and the housing crisis, how will Belmont evolve and what should it evolve into. Many folks don't want any change, but change has already come and more is on the way. The question is, where do we want to go from here?

Effect is a noun, affect is a verb. They aren't interchangeable.

Statewide wrote:

Thankfully we will have the Garden Parkway to ease traffic on local roads!!

I'm not sure if you are serious or sarcastic, but I do have concerns about the parkway. Unfortunately, debating if it's coming is fruitless, because it is coming. The question what impact will it have on Belmont?

Turning Over A New Leaf wrote:

<quoted text> The question what impact will it have on Belmont?

The phrase "The other side of the railroad tracks" will most likely somehow apply to neighbourhoods on either side and around the Parkway.

Just as I-85 is a dividing line between Belmont and North Belmont, the area South of the Parkway will have it's own unique feel to it.

Whether it's mostly industry, Fancy Schmancy homes or Trailer parks, is as of yet TBD.

This question will be determined by the rezoning requests and hearings that are sure to follow the building of the Parkway.

Turning Over A New Leaf wrote:

I was envisioning with this thread as not discussing specific stores or people or pizza, etc. Rather, taking a serious look at the factors effecting Belmont such as crime, population growth, infrastructure and etc. Let's start with population. Some estimates indicate our population will double or triple by 2020. How is that going to effect the quality of life in Belmont? What do we need to be doing now to ensure this does not become the next Pineville? What issues will effect the future and where should tax money be spent most wisely? Is growth in anwser or is managed growth the key? How important a role will having good leadership play?
Let's try to stick to the big picture and not get bogged down in petty pizza reviews and character assassinations. I am happy for any new business who opens in Belmont and I wish them well whether they cater to my particular needs or not.
Looking beyond the recession and the housing crisis, how will Belmont evolve and what should it evolve into. Many folks don't want any change, but change has already come and more is on the way. The question is, where do we want to go from here?

We need to thwart the current direction of plans for more multi-family housing. I believe our mayor, our planners, and some council members envision an Agenda 21 type community with packed multi-family dwelling and people riding rails everywhere. NO! We need zoming in place NOW to prevent sinlge family tracts from becoming multi-family! Controlling the NUMBER of people is the only way to preserve an quality of life we still have left. More traffic, more people, more noise, more pollution, etc.. is what ruins our quality of life. Move toward single family - not multi-family or cookie cutter houses on postage stamp sized lots! We cannot afford mass transit...it does not alleviate traffic ( All major areas with it still have clogged roads!). It is only an expensive variable in the transportation mix. Additionally, we have very little land left for more roads. The only answer is to control population growth!

FYI: There is a LOT wrong with Pineville! You must not go there much Malcolm! Or else, you are Yankee from a congestion metro area and you see it through those eyes.

Mr Belmont wrote:

<quoted text>Imposter. Get you own ID moron.

Moron. Get your own ID. Idiot.

How is that Mr. Spelling Police Man.

The Original!