According to Dawson County Community Development Director Lynn Tully, the Community Agenda is the most critical component of the Dawson County Comprehensive Plan. It lays out the community’s desired future and puts forth a strategy for reaching that future...
The Dawson County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that the 2008–2028 Community Agenda has been transmitted to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for review.
According to Dawson County Community Development Director Lynn Tully, the Community Agenda is the most critical component of the Dawson County Comprehensive Plan. It lays out the community’s desired future and puts forth a strategy for reaching that future. “The community agenda sets the stage for the next 20 years in Dawson County,” said Tully. “It is our primary tool for community services, utilities, and guiding development in Dawson.”
The agenda consists of three primary components including Community Vision, Community Issues and Opportunities, and Implementation Program. It also includes two maps describing both current and future development patterns for the county.
“The agenda represents diversity and economic growth in many forms,” Tully said. “Citizens express they are most concerned with sprawl and the ongoing elimination of green space in neighborhoods and preservation of rural areas. These concerns along with issues such as water quality, unattractive commercial areas and traffic alleviation will all be reflected in the final agenda,” she continued.
Input for the Agenda was compiled from citizens, the Dawson County Long-range Planning Committee and members of the Board of Commissioners. It was then presented to the Dawson County Board of Commissioners for a comprehensive review prior to transmission to the State. Following review by the Department of Community Affairs, the final draft will be presented to the Board of Commissioners and the public for adoption at a regular Board of Commissioners meeting.
“The Agenda is the culmination of a variety of pieces of work, including a community assessment, public participation plan, vision statement and future land use plan,” Tully stated. “One of the most important components of the Agenda is the Short Term Work Program which outlines the steps to implement the plan for the next five years.”
Citizens are encouraged to provide additional input for the Community Agenda and may attend and participate in the final public hearing expected in October. Additionally, citizens may complete an online comment form located on the Dawson County website. “Community input is important and comments will continue to be taken into consideration up to the final public hearing,” said Tully.
For more information visit the Dawson County website www.dawsoncounty.org. Community Agenda may be found under Community Development Department/Comprehensive Plan. (http://dawsoncounty.org/page.php?id=281.)