Looking Ahead

Keeping Banks Banks as We Grow

With approximately 1,100 new homes planned, the decisions we make today will shape Banks for generations. We must prepare for growth while protecting our small-town character and keeping Banks a livable, connected community.

What I Will Keep Moving Forward:

Creating More Opportunities for Local Businesses

I support the proposed "Neighborhood Commercial" plan along Main street, which would allow small, neighborhood-serving businesses closer to where people live. I will also continue working to improve downtown parking, signage, and wayfinding; connect trail visitors with Main Street; identify places where businesses can open or expand; and ensure business owners have a voice in City decisions that affect them.

Community-Led Comprehensive Plan
After the last few years of decisions that have raised questions about Banks’ direction, I asked the City Manager and City Attorney to begin updating our Comprehensive Plan. The City Manager was successful to secure a grant to support the process, which will begin soon. This plan will guide Banks’ growth and development for the next 30 years or more. It must be open, community-driven, and reflect what residents believe Banks will need—not only today, but for generations to come.

Connected Trail and Green-Space Corridor
Explore a local trail connection from Wilkesboro Road to the Banks–Vernonia and future Salmonberry trails. This could give residents a safer way to walk and bike without using Main Street while connecting parks and green spaces along the corridor.

Emergency Plans That Work Together
Bring the City, Banks Fire District 13, Banks School District, CERT, and community partners together for regular planning, communication, training, and exercises. Their plans must work independently when needed and together during a major emergency—not just a big binder sitting on a shelf gathering dust.

Infrastructure That Connects Banks
Plan roads and transportation before growth creates greater congestion. That includes exploring how underused railroad corridors could provide new street connections, safer routes, and better emergency access while respecting property owners and future community needs.

Dependable Water for the Future
Always look for additional water sources and storage options instead of relying on one proposal. Every option must be carefully evaluated for reliability, capacity, cost, and its long-term effect on Banks taxpayers.

Welcome the New. Carry Our Community Legacy Forward.

Banks can grow without losing what makes it Banks. The goal is not to stop change—it is to prepare for it and guide it responsibly.

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