Officials in Habersham County and its municipalities have been gathering input for months on the county’s comprehensive plan. What they’re finding out is that people who live here don’t want much to change.
Adam Hazell is the planning director for the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission (GMRC). He has been working with the county and the cities of Alto, Demorest, Clarkesville, and Mt. Airy to pull together the five-year plan.
Hazell says, based on the feedback his office is getting, residents want to maintain the current level of public safety services and maintain Habersham County’s rural character. They also want the area to remain affordable to live in, have agriculture remain a viable industry, and retain its small-town accessibility.
Most of the respondents do not oppose growth, but they do not want it to become difficult to drive across town due to traffic congestion, Hazell says.
READ Draft of joint comprehensive plan
Future roadmaps
Comprehensive plans serve as roadmaps for future growth and development. The state requires communities to have them in order to be eligible for all forms of assistance.
The joint comprehensive plan Hazell and the GMRC Planning Department are helping pull together will help all five local governments address growth and citizens’ needs over the next five years.
They’re incorporating public input and that of elected officials into the plan.
GMRC has been gathering input through public meetings, emails, and a survey that was available on Habersham County’s website.
This is the last week for public input. A handful of people took advantage of the opportunity during a public meeting Tuesday night at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville. They met with Hazell and reviewed maps and other documentation that will be included in the plan.
The county released a draft copy of the joint comprehensive plan on September 6. To read it, click here. Hazell emphasizes the document is only a draft and a few things may change over the next several weeks.
The last joint comprehensive plan public meeting is Thursday, September 7, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Cornelia City Hall.
