The community is invited to provide feedback on the progress of the revitalization of Paducah’s Southside at a listening session on Monday, November 25 from 5:30 until 7 p.m. at Community Financial Services Bank at 2550 Irvin Cobb Drive (CFSB’s Southside location). Members of the Paducah Planning Department and the Southside Steering Committee will facilitate the meeting with conversation questions to include the following:
- What do you consider to be the Southside?
- What amenities would you like to see on the Southside?
- What would you like to see in a housing plan for your neighborhood?
Mayor George Bray said, “The Paducah Board of Commissioners is focused on revitalizing Paducah’s Southside and increasing the housing stock across the entire City. We have set aside significant funding in the current fiscal year budget to work on this initiative. An incentive package was introduced last year, but so far it hasn’t reached benchmarks we were hoping to achieve. To make sure we are hitting the mark and developing packages of incentives and programs that the community wants, we need to take a moment to ask for feedback and listen to our stakeholders. Suggestions, ideas, and input from the public will help us generate stronger programs for our local businesses, developers, and residents.”
Director of Planning Carol Gault said, “I am a strong advocate of listening to the community. We have had the Southside Incentive Program in place for more than a year. We want to know what’s working and what needs to be adjusted. Plus, we want to hear from the public about what types of revitalization and housing programs they would like to see in their neighborhoods.”
For nearly four years, the City of Paducah has prioritized the revitalization of Paducah’s Southside. The Southside Steering Committee, a group of community members with a passion for the Southside, began meeting in early 2022 to assist the City with this effort. In 2023, the City of Paducah created the Southside Incentive Program, a package of incentives for businesses and for housing stabilization and beautification. The Walter Jetton Neighborhood has been the first focus neighborhood for the residential incentives.
To view the current Southside Incentive Program details and applications, visit Southside Incentive Programs. Questions about the program can be directed to the Planning Department at 270-444-8690 or Southside email(link sends e-mail).
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