Vision
- Manage growth while maintaining a high quality of life
- Create a robust bicycle and pedestrian network, with safe connections to points of interest (parks, schools, recreation facilities, shopping)
- Develop a road network that is accommodating to future growth in the area
- Adopt a flexible development strategy that accommodates a wide range of needs from residents of all ages
- Encourage the development of a Cove Town Center with a mix of residential and commercial uses and gathering spaces for community events
- Protect mountain slopes and flood-prone areas from development
Summary
Growth in the Cove has brought challenges in conjunction with opportunity. The Cecil Ashburn Drive widening project, and the expectation of accelerated growth following its completion, provided a unique opportunity to create a vision for the Cove. The questions the City of Huntsville Planning Department set out to answer were: How do we accommodate this growth while maintaining a high quality of life in the Cove? And, how do we make the Cove a more cohesive community?
After gathering input from a series of public meetings as well as an online survey, the City of Huntsville created a Small Area Plan for this section of the City. The plan highlights several issues considered important by the residents of the study area, including:
Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity: Expanding the greenway network, safe crossings of U.S. 431, closing sidewalk gaps
Road Improvements: Safety improvements to accommodate growth, access management on U.S. 431, Old Big Cove Road improvements
Land Use: Flexible growth strategy with an eye towards land preservation
Final Plan Materials
Land Use: Existing (within City limits) and Future
Cove Town Center: Top results from group exercise in June of 2019
Last modified: July 27th, 2022 at 3:32 pm
Actions
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Ensure that Cove Area greenways are adequately represented in the citywide Greenway Master Plan
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Close gaps in the sidewalk network
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Coordinate with ALDOT to create safe bicycle and pedestrian crossings at major intersections on US 431
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Add safety improvement road projects to the City’s Capital Improvement Plan
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Work with ALDOT on access management improvements on US 431
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As land is annexed into the City of Huntsville, use the Land Use Plan for guidance on zoning designations
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Continue engagement with Grow Cove
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Assist with creation and implementation of design guidelines, if needed
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Work with large landowners in the creation/development of a Cove Town Center
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Coordinate with other City departments and Huntsville City Schools regarding the future need of public facilities in the Berkley-Cherrytree area
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Conduct a corridor study of Old Big Cove, between Taylor and Sutton
