Fuquay-Varina (NC) Commissioners to Weigh Park Plans, Budget Priorities, and Downtown Zoning During Tonight's Meeting
Residents will see early decisions on parks, budget direction, and downtown land use, along with several community event approvals and infrastructure updates.
Fuquay-Varina, NC, Feb. 17, 2026 — Fuquay-Varina’s Board of Commissioners will meet this evening at 7:00 PM at the John W. Byrne Municipal Building (map) to cover an agenda (document) that mixes long-range planning decisions with community-level items that could shape how residents experience parks, downtown spaces, and town services in the coming years.
While several ceremonial and procedural items open the meeting, the core of the night centers on parks investment, the town’s next budget cycle, and a proposed zoning change in downtown Fuquay.
A decision point for Library Park
One of the most consequential items is the future of Library Park, where commissioners are expected to select a preferred conceptual design.
Town staff worked with Site Collaborative to refine park concepts following public feedback collected last fall. Survey responses indicated that residents largely want the park to remain an open, flexible gathering space, with improvements including landscaping, accessible paths, restrooms, lighting, and seating.
The recommended design aims to balance those priorities while adding amenities and a memorial honoring military service members, a request that repeatedly surfaced in community feedback.
Construction costs will be refined later, but early estimates suggest the project could exceed $1 million, with funding decisions expected to be included in future budgets.
If approved, the concept would proceed to detailed design.
Community center redesign moves into early stages
Commissioners will also receive a presentation on conceptual improvements to the South Park Community Center, a project identified in the town’s parks master plan.
The proposed redesign aims to modernize the facility by improving circulation, acoustics, aesthetics, and program space, while expanding the fitness area and creating a clearer entrance.
Construction funding is tentatively planned for a future fiscal year, meaning Tuesday’s presentation serves as an early step in shaping the project before formal budget commitments are made.
Public input will be collected after the meeting through the town’s engagement platform before a final design recommendation returns to commissioners.
Residents invited to help shape the next town budget
Another key component is the town’s pre-budget public input hearing, which gives residents an opportunity to weigh in on priorities for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget.
Town staff is in the early stages of developing both operating and capital plans, and the hearing is intended to gather feedback on services, projects, fees, and long-term priorities before the draft budget is prepared.
While not required by state law, town leaders say the hearing helps guide resource allocation and the emphasis placed on initiatives in the coming year.
Residents can also submit comments through the town’s online engagement platform, where a budget survey has been active since early January.
Downtown zoning change moves forward for first reading
Commissioners will also review a proposed zoning map amendment for property at 220 W. Academy Street, near the Fuquay Emergency Food Pantry.
The request would change the parcel from downtown commercial zoning to an office-and-institutional designation, allowing uses such as offices, schools, or assisted living facilities while prohibiting several other uses requested by the applicant.
Town staff says the proposal aligns with the community’s long-range land-use plan and supports policies encouraging redevelopment and investment in the downtown area.
Tonight’s discussion is informational only, with no vote expected at this time.
Community events and smaller items are also on the agenda
Several consent agenda items focus on routine town operations and community events.
Commissioners are expected to consider approvals for the Beans & Bumpers Chili Cook-Off and Car Show, which could draw roughly 2,500 visitors to downtown in March and require temporary road and parking closures.
Additional items include recognition of police grant funding, a small fundraising amendment for the Police Explorers program, and a scheduling adjustment for the town’s upcoming budget work session.
The bottom line for residents
Tonight’s meeting blends near-term community matters with longer-range planning decisions.
Residents interested in parks, downtown development, or how the town prioritizes spending in the next fiscal year may find the meeting especially relevant. The budget hearing, in particular, offers one of the few formal opportunities for public input before decisions begin to take shape.
For residents looking to influence priorities, or simply understand where the town is headed, this meeting offers a preview of several decisions that will shape Fuquay-Varina’s growth and public spaces in the years ahead.