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Mixed Use and Commercial Centers Most commercial activity in Harrisburg is located on Highway 49. Unlike many other communities, Harrisburg does not have a traditional downtown commercial area. Although there is some concentration of commercial activity on Highway 49 between Morebead Road and Roberta Road, the area appears to have more of a look of a highway strip commercial area rather than a central business district core. Only a short portion of Highway 49, between Morehead and Pahicia Roads has sidewalks, however, the sidewalks will be built on the remainder of highway when the Highway 49 widening project is completed in 2002. This is the only thoroughfare in Town with sidewalks. Aside from some of the stores located in a shopping center type development, only a handful of the other stores on Highway 49 have common walls normally associated with businesses located in a downtown area. Overall, there appears to be very little linkage of the buildings in this area. This sort of development is more consistent with highway development which is more automobile-oriented rather than with tmditienal downtown pedestrian-oriented developments common in other communities. Commercial development outside of the Town of Harrisburg is extremely limited. A handful of these establishments are located to the east of Town on Highway 49 and in the southern portion of the planning area along Highway 24/27. Continuity between businesses along either highway does not exist, however, because they are found in scattered locations. Mixed Use and Commercial Centers - Plan Recommendations As a general goal of this plan it is desired that commercial developments occur within larger planned developments that include a mix of office, retail, and residential uses. Strip centers physically separated from surrounding development are not desired. It is the intent of this plan to place emphasis on commercial development in the center of Harrisburg creating a downtown to serve as the magnet for retail, office, and service activities. The future land use map provides three districts for potential commercial development, the Neighborhood Commercial, Village Mixed Use, and Town Center districts. Neighborhood Commercial District The Neighborhood Commercial district is found at three intersections within the Town of Harrisburg's service area. The first is at Morehead Road and Highway 49, the second is at Robinson Church Road and Rocky River Road, and the last is at the intersection of Hickory Ridge Road and Rocky River Road. The Neighborhood Commercial District is designed to meet the retail and service needs of its surrounding neighborhoods. These centers will be approximately 70,000 to 100,000 square feet and include grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, dry cleaners, and other minor retail and services establishments. These centers are also encouraged to include an office component. Proposed centers should be well designed and landscaped and fit in with the character of the surrounding area. Centers should be integrated with the surrounding neighborhoods to ensure easy pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile access. Loading and service areas should be well screened from the view of adjoining properties as well as public fights-of-way.