A group of about 20 students from Clemson University’s Landscape Architecture program has presented a semester-long study of Jackson County’s infrastructure, utility availability and transportation issues to Sylva town officials.

The study used topographical, ecological and developmental information and provided site designs of potential improvements in different locales in and around Sylva. The students looked closely at a section of N.C. 107 between Wal-Mart and Ingles, an area known as Love’s Field.

“Some of their concepts that we’re really interested in is what they talked about in the Love’s Field area,” said Town Manager Richard McHargue.

The tract long has been thought of as a possibility for development. The county is building a new Social Services center across from Southwestern Community College and there are several expansion projects planned at SCC.

The Clemson students also proposed turning a section of N.C. 107 into a boulevard with tree-lined medians to help prevent accidents and absorb runoff, and expanding the town’s sewer lines to eliminate septic tanks responsible for groundwater pollution.

“We were highly, highly impressed with the product they came out with,” McHargue said.

The project came from architect Mary Palmer Dargan, a visiting professor at Clemson and Jackson County landowner. Dargan approached county planners about working together, and town planners and Tuckasegee Water and Sewer Authority officials jumped at the chance. Such comprehensive studies would normally cost thousands of dollars if done by professional consultants, McHargue said.

And there’s a reason for the cost. Planning takes time.

“We really didn’t know what we were getting in to,” said Corey Watson, a student on the utilities division of the project.

Such in-depth studies and designs are not a routine part of the landscape architecture program, providing for a challenging but educational experience.

Now that the study is complete, McHargue said that the town may seriously pursue some of the proposed concepts. All of the students’ data was collected and burned onto a CD for easy reference, meaning that more work can be done to see what would be required, both technically and financially, for the plans to come to fruition.

“Money is always a struggle,” McHargue said.