Planning

Responsibilities

Planning staff work with various community and agency stakeholders to prepare plans, reports, guides, and studies that focus on guiding orderly and appropriate growth and development, which focuses primarily on land use, parks and recreation, housing, transportation, environment, and any other element that may influence changes within the community over time.

Comprehensive Land Use Plan

The City updated its Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 2012. The Plan is the City's official statement of policies for directing growth and development in Marion for the next twenty years. It replaces the 1978 Land Use Plan and responds to new growth pressures, facility and service needs, and other factors that have emerged since the original plan's adoption. The 2012 Comprehensive Land Use Plan was adopted by the City Council on June 19, 2012. A digital copy of the plan can be downloaded from the list of plans.

Other Plans

Planning staff also work to develop other plans that supplement the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. A list of plans that have been completed in the past ten years, that are currently being implemented through grant awards or other funding allocations, can be found on this page. A digital copy of many of these plans can be downloaded.

Planning Director

The Planning Director serves as the staff liaison to the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission, as well as other boards or committees from time to time.

For more information on planning activities please contact Planning Director, Heather Cotton.

Planning Documents

Bicycle Plan

  1. Marion Comprehensive Bicycle Plan - May 2016 (PDF)

Economic Plans

  1. Marion Market Study (PDF)
  2. North Carolina Small Towns Economic Prosperity Plan (PDF)
  1. Public Service Announcement - Outdoor Seating (PDF)

Land Use Plan

  1. 2012 Land Use Plan (PDF)
  2. Section 1 Table Of Contents (PDF)
  3. Section 2 Chapter 1 (PDF)
  4. Section 3 Chapter 2 (PDF)
  5. Section 4 Chapter 3 (PDF)
  1. Section 5 Chapter 4 (PDF)
  2. Section 6 Appendix A (PDF)
  3. Section 7 Appendix B (PDF)
  4. Section 8 Appendix C (PDF)

Maps

  1. County-wide Center Fold Map (PDF)
  2. Downtown Parking Map (PDF)
  1. Marion GIS 2019 (PDF)

Parks & Recreation Plans

  1. Downtown Walking Trail Brochure (PDF)
  2. Greenway and Park Phase 2 (PDF)
  1. Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PDF)
  2. Peavine Rail Trail Master Plan

Safe Routes To School

  1. Safe Routes to School Plan (PDF)

Transportation Plan

  1. Historic Downtown Streetscape Plan (PDF)
  2. Marion North Carolina - North Main Street Corridor Draft (PDF)
  1. Marion Streetscape Plan Map (PDF)