A comprehensive community plan prepared for the Stellar Communities Grant application was approved Tuesday night by the New Castle City Council.
Mayor Greg York said 2013 is the first year Stellar Grant officials are requiring a comprehensive plan be attached to the letter of interest.
"This is the first year that it needed to be approved by the City Council to have a plan," York said. "In this plan, we have a short-term plan, a 10-year plan and a strategic plan."
York said Tuesday was the only time council could approve before the deadline to send the letter.
Cathy Hamilton, Hope Initiative executive director, thanked the council saying, on behalf of all the people who came out to the five public forums, the approval placed an "exclamation mark on all that work."
The comprehensive plan included a detailed course of action for the Historic Jennings building project, housing rehabilitation, sidewalks, streetscapes and green spaces.
"Not everything that we think would make our community better falls inside the parameters of the Stellar Grant," York said. "When we get the letter put together, the plan will be even more detailed."
After council approved to move forward to develop the plan, Mayor York asked Brian Riggs, assistant pastor of Memorial Wesleyan Church, to share NC Pride's plan to plant urban orchards as part of improving green spaces.
NC Pride is a new group working to clean blighted properties, demolish abandoned homes, create green spaces and even plant urban orchards.
Riggs said designing an urban orchard at 21st Street and I Avenue, replacing the old parking lot of Chrysler, has already started.
"Our goal is the orchard will be self-sustaining and everything will be edible," Riggs said. "We would like to place these in lower income parts of town where kids and people can get the nutrition they need."
Riggs said the trees planted will be of the dwarf variety, allowing kids to reach the fruit. Blueberry and blackberry bushes will also be added.
"We feel we can really improve areas with greenness," Riggs said. "It's going to meet a lot of nutritional needs and will fill these vacant lots in different areas of town."
Riggs said the biggest challenge will be for them to do a soil sample test, after the ground thaws, to make certain it is safe to grow.
Council member Sandy Bertram said the idea presents a great opportunity to include youth to help prepare and plan.
"They are our future and this is great for us to show them how to do this," Bertram said. "If we don't get them involved, they won't have much pride in our community."
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