The Athens Clarke County Planning Department

Shaping Our Community

Why should we plan?

Our community is not the same place it was 20 years ago; nor will it be the same place 20 years from now. Athens-Clarke County is an exciting and vibrant community. Like other communities all over the country, Athens-Clarke County must take active, thoughtful steps to preserve a high quality of life. The path to accomplish this goal involves planning for how land is to be used, protecting the natural environment, designing visually appealing places and developing a transportation system that integrates a variety of options.

A State-wide Mandate

Athens-Clarke County is not alone in the development of Comprehensive Plans.   Every county in Georgia has prepared and must maintain viable Comprehensive Plan documents.

The Georgia Planning Act of 1989 articulates the requirement that every local government in Georgia develop a Comprehensive Plan meeting the minimum established standards. The same Act gives the Department of Community Affairs the authority to establish these standards and procedures for appropriate and timely comprehensive planning by all local governments.

The purpose of the Community Comprehensive Plan is to help the community address critical issues and opportunities while moving toward realization of a unique vision for the future. Comprehensive plans for every local government in Georgia are required by state statute (O.C.G.A. 50-8-7.1 et seq.)

In order to maintain qualified local government certification, and thereby remain eligible for several state funding and permitting programs, each local government must prepare, adopt, maintain, and implement a comprehensive plan that meets the planning requirements established by the Department of Community Affairs.

Athens-Clarke County and the City of Winterville adopted the current Community Comprehensive Plan in March 1999. The update to this Comprehensive Plan is due June 30, 2008.

Where are we now?

Because Athens-Clarke County has so many wonderful features, it is important that we all work together to protect and enhance them.  Now it is time to take a look at our existing Comprehensive Plan and make sure that its vision still holds true for our community.  Every ten years, Communities within Georgia re-visit their Comprehensive Plans.  There have been many changes in Athens-Clarke County in the past ten years.  Now is the time for us to refine and re-dedicate this vision for the future of our community.  The goal, of course, is to plan for future growth in a way that improves our remaining problem areas while at the same time enhances the many existing assets that define Athenians’ exceptional quality of life.

The summer of 2006, Mayor Heidi Davison appointed a Steering Committee to guide the update of the Comprehensive Plan.   These Steering Committee members represent the various areas of interest and concern within Athens-Clarke County.  The City of Winterville, likewise, appointed a Steering Committee.  (link to Winterville) A list of Community Stakeholders was gathered and invited, along with the community as a whole to Kick-off the Planning Process. 

Over the Spring and Summer of 2007 the Steering Committee members chaired various subcommittees to address the areas of Population, Economic Development, Environmental Resources, Cultural Resources, Facilities and Services, Intergovernmental Coordination, Housing, Land Use and Transportation.  During the spring, a survey of our community was distributed and the information gathered analyzed.  Three community workshops were held over the summer.  The Steering Committee prepared the Combined Document of the Issues and Opportunities, Policies and Short Term Work Plan and the Growth Concept Map.  The Planning Commission submitted an edited versioon of the document to the Mayor and Commission, along with the Future Development Map and the Steering Committee's Combined Docuement.  The Mayor and Commission met in Worksession to review the work to date.  The next sep in the process is a Public Hearing by the Mayor and Commission, scheduled for Thursday, February 21, 2008.