AUGUSTA-RICHMOND COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 1

INTRODUCTION 3 THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT 3 THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS 4 PUBLIC CONSULTATION 4 PRELIMINARY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 4

CHAPTER 2 - POPULATION 11

INTRODUCTION 13 THE PLANNING AREA 13 POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD TRENDS 13 Race and Sex Characteristics 17 Population by Age 19 Educational Attainment 21 Income 23 Population by Census Tracts 26 POPULATION, HOUSEHOLD AND EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS 26 Population Projections 27 Household and Housing Projections 28 Employment Projections 28 ASSESSMENT 30 Population and Households 30 Race and Ethnicity 31 Age of the Population 31 Educational Attainment 32 Income and Poverty 32

CHAPTER 3 – HOUSING 35

INTRODUCTION 37 RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS 37 HOUSING UNIT TRENDS 37 HOUSING TENURE 41 VACANT HOUSING UNITS 42 AGE OF HOUSING 43 HOUSING COST AND AFFORDABILITY 44

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HOUSING CONDITIONS 48 HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS AND SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS 49 HOUSING PRODUCTION AND PROGRAMS 51 PUBLIC HOUSING 52 ASSESSMENT 52 Type and Location of Housing Units 52 Age and Occupancy Characteristics and Housing Conditions 53 Housing Cost and Affordability 54 Special Needs Housing 54

CHAPTER 4 – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 57

INTRODUCTION 59 REGIONAL CONTEXT 59 Fort Gordon and the Savannah River Site 60 ECONOMIC BASE OF AUGUSTA 62 Employment by Sector 63 Wage Levels 65 Income and Earnings 66 LABOR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS 70 Labor Force and Employment 70 Labor Force Participation 72 Occupations 73 Commuting Patterns 73 RECENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND TRENDS 74 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES 76 Economic Development Agencies 76 Financing Mechanisms 80 ASSESSMENT 83 REGIONAL ECONOMIC CONTEXT 83 ECONOMIC BASE OF AUGUSTA 84 Employment, Wages and Income 84 Labor Force Participation and Commuting 85 ECONOMIC RESOURCES 86

CHAPTER 5 – TRANSPORTATION 87

INTRODUCTION 89 ROAD NETWORK 89 Interstates, Freeways and Expressways 89 Arterials 90 Collectors 91 Local Roads 91 RAIL TRANSPORTATION 91 TRUCKING, PORT FACILITIES AND AVIATION 92 Trucking 92

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Port Facilities 93 Aviation 93 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES 94 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 94 ROAD USE AND CONDITIONS 95 Travel Characteristics 95 Street and Highway System 97 Intersection Problems 100 Vehicle Parking 101 Maintenance Activities 102 LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION 102 ASSESSMENT 103 Road and Bridge Needs 103 Vehicle Parking 106 Rail Transportation 107 Trucking 108 Aviation 109 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities 110 Public Transportation 111 Transportation and Land Use 113

CHAPTER 6 – COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES 119

INTRODUCTION 121 GENERAL GOVERNMENT 121 PUBLIC SAFETY 122 Richmond County Sheriff's Office 123 Fire Protection 124 Emergency Medical Services 126 Animal Control 127 EDUCATION FACILITIES 127 RECREATION AND PARKS 128 WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS 129 Water System 129 Finished Water Storage 132 Water Distribution System 132 Wastewater Treatment Facilities 134 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT 135 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 137

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CULTURAL FACILITIES 138 Libraries 138 Museums 138 Augusta Welcome Center 140 Fort Discovery 141 CIVIC CENTER AND SIMILAR FACILITIES 141 James Brown Arena 141 Bell Auditorium 141 Imperial Theatre 141 Sacred Heart Cultural Center 142 Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre 143 OTHER ATTRACTIONS 143 Riverwalk Augusta 143 Augusta Botanical Gardens 143 Springfield Village Park 143 Augusta Common 143 Lake Olmstead Stadium 143 . Phinizy Swamp Nature Park 143 Augusta Canal National Heritage Area 144 HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES 144 University Hospital 145 Charlie Norwood Veterans Administration Medical Center 145 Trinity Hospital of Augusta 146 Walton Rehabilitation Hospital 146 Doctors Hospital 146 East Central Regional Hospital at Augusta 147 Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center 147 Medical College of Georgia (MCG) and Hospitals 147 Select Specialty Hospital 148 ASSESSMENT 148 CONSISTENCY WITH SERVICE DELIVERY STRATEGY 148 GENERAL GOVERNMENT 148 PUBLIC SAFETY 149 EDUCATION FACILITIES 149 PARKS AND RECREATION 151 WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS 151 Future Water Needs 151 Projected Wastewater Flows 153 WATER AND WASTE 153 Water System Improvements 153 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT 156 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 156 LIBRARIES AND CULTURAL FACILITIES 156 HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES 157

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CHAPTER 7 – CULTURAL RESOURCES 161

HISTORY OF AUGUSTA 163 HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND DISTRICTS 165 ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES 168 HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES 169 Survey and Nomination 169 Property Restoration 170 Property Rehabilitation and Adaptive Reuse 171 Local Historic Preservation Programs 171 Participation in Preservation Programs 172 Historic Documents and Records 173 ASSESSMENT 173

CHAPTER 8 - NATURAL RESOURCES & GREENSPACE 177

INTRODUCTION 179 AUGUSTA’S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 179 Climate 179 Topography 180 ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING CRITERIA 180 Overview of Water Resources 181 Aquifer and Groundwater Recharge Areas 182 Recharge Areas with Low Susceptibility to Pollution 183 Recharge Areas with Medium Susceptibility to Pollution 183 Recharge Areas with High Susceptibility to Pollution 184 Wetlands 185 Water Supply Watersheds 187 Protected River Corridor 189 ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS 190 Floodplains 190 Soils 191 Agricultural and Forest Land 193 Plant and Animal Habitat 194 MAJOR PARKS, RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AREAS 195 Savannah River 195 Augusta Canal 195 Phinizy Swamp Wildlife Management Area 196 Phinizy Swamp Nature Park 196 Merry Brickyard Ponds 197 Spirit Creek Education Forest 197 AIR QUALITY 198 GREENSPACE PROGRAM 203 ASSESSMENT 204 Groundwater Recharge Areas 204

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Wetlands 205 Water Supply Watersheds 205 Protected River Corridor 206 Floodplains 206 Soils 206 Other Significant Natural Resources 206

CHAPTER 9 – LAND USE 211

INTRODUCTION 213 LAND USE CATEGORIES 213 EXISTING LAND USE 214 AREAS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION 216 Significant Natural and Cultural Resources 217 Areas Where Rapid Development or Change of Land Use is Likely 217 Areas Where Development May Outpace Resources and Services 218 Areas in Need of Redevelopment and / or Aesthetic Improvements 218 Large Abandoned Structures or Sites 219 Areas with Significant Infill Opportunities 219 Areas with Significant Disinvestment 219 RECOMMENDED NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS (PRELIMINARY) 219 Downtown Augusta 220 Old Augusta Neighborhoods 220 West Augusta Area 221 South Augusta Area 222 East Augusta Area 222 Belair 223 South Richmond 223 Fort Gordon 224 ADJOINING COMMUNITIES IN RICHMOND COUNTY 224 Hephzibah 224 Blythe 225

CHAPTER 10 – STATE QUALITY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVES 233

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION 235 Service Delivery Strategy 235 Developments of Regional Impact 235 Regionally Important Resources 235 Regional Planning and Development 235 Coordination with Fort Gordon 236 Transportation 236 Water Resources Protection 236 Water and Wastewater Service 236 Air Quality 236 Land Use 236 Planning and Related Studies 236

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Coordination with Richmond County Board of Education 236 STATE QUALITY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVES 237 Quality Community Objectives 237 Regional Identity Objective 237 Growth Preparedness Objective 238 Appropriate Businesses Objective 238 Educational Opportunities Objective 239 Employment Options Objective 239 Heritage Preservation Objective 240 Open Space Preservation Objective 241 Environmental Protection Objective 241 Regional Cooperation Objective 242 Transportation Alternatives Objective 242 Regional Solutions Objective 243 Housing Opportunities Objective 243 Traditional Neighborhood Objective 244 Infill Development Objective 244 Sense of Place Objective 245

CHAPTER 11 – COMMUNITY AGENDA 247

PURPOSE 249 PARTICIPATION PROCESS 249 Public Notification and Involvement 249 Public Meetings 250 Comprehensive Plan Committee 250 COMMUNITY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES (FINAL) 251 COMMUNITY VISION 253 General Vision Statement 253 Future Development Map 253 Neighborhood Area Narrative 255 IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM 280 Goals and Policies 280 Short-Term Work Program 294 Supplemental Plans 303 Plan Amendments and Updates 305

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS

P-1 Population and Household Trends, 1980 – 2000 14 P-2 Comparison of Population Trends, 1990 – 2006 15 P-3 Recent Population and Household Trends, 2000 - 2010 15 P-4 Comparison of Population Trends, 2000 – 2006 16 Percent Change in Population, 2000 – 2006* 17 P-5 Population Trends by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2000 – 2010 18

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Projection of Racial Trends, 2005-2025* 18 P-6 Population by Sex, 2000 – 2010 19 P-7 Trends in Population by Age, 2000-2020 20 Age Distribution Projections, 2010-2030* 20 P-8 Educational Attainment, 1990-2000 21 Educational Attainment, 2000* 22 P-9 Selected Education Statistics, 1995-2001 22 Education Attainment Projections, 2005-2030* 23 P-10 Total Personal Income Trends, 2000-2005 23 P-11 Household and Per Capita Income Trends, 2000-2010 24 P-12 Household Income Distribution Trends, 2000-2010 25 Percent Population below Poverty Level, 2000 & 2006* 26 P-13 Population Projections, 2005 – 2030 27 P-14 Household and Housing Unit Projections, 2005-2030 28 P-15 Employment Projections, 2010 – 2030 29 P-16 Population Trends, 1950-2000 31

H-1 Total Housing Units, 1990 – 2006 38 Housing Unit Trends, 1960 – 2006* 38 H-2 Housing Unit Trends, 2000 – 2006 39 Percent Change in Housing Units, 2000 – 2006* 40 Units in Structure (Percent), 2006* 41 Residential Building Permits, 2000 – 2006* 41 H-3 Housing Tenure, 2006 42 H-4 Housing Vacancy Status, 2000 43 H-5 Year Structure Built, 2006 44 H-6 Supply of Affordable Housing, 2000 44 Median Value, Owner Occupied Housing, 2006* 46 Median Monthly Rent, 2006* 46 Percent Cost Burdened Homeowners, 2006* 47 Percent Cost Burdened Renters, 2006* 48 Percent Overcrowded Housing Units, 1970-2000* 49 H-7 Housing Needs of the Homeless, 2005 49 Employment Trends, Savannah River Site, 1987-2003* 61

E-1 Employment Trends by Sector, 2002 – 2006 63 E-2 Employment Projections, 2010 – 2030 64 E-3 Comparison of Sector Employment, 2006 64 E-4 Wage Levels by Industry, 2002 – 2006 65 E-5 Household and Per Capita Income Trends, 1999-2006 66 E-6 Richmond County Income as a Percentage of GA & U.S., 1999-2006 66 E-7 Sources of Personal Income by Type, 1990 – 2000 67 E-8 Sources of Personal income by Type, 2005 – 2025 68 E-9 Earnings by Sector, 1980 – 2006 68 E-10 Projected Earnings by Sector, 2010-2030 69 E-11 Percent Earnings by Sector, 2006-2030 70

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E-12 Resident Labor Force, Annual Average, 2006 71 E-13 Labor Force and Employment Trends, 1990 – 2006 71 Unemployment Rate Trends, 1990-2006* 72 E-14 Labor Force Participation Rates, 1990 and 2000 72 E-15 Percent Employment by Occupation, 2006 73 E-16 Commuting Patterns by Place of Work, 1990 and 2000 74 E-17 Commuting Patterns by Place of Residence, 2000 74 Recent Business Investment Augusta-Richmond County* 75 Ten Largest Employers in Richmond County* 76

T-1 Means of Transportation to Work 96 Travel Time to Work, 2006* 96 T-2 Level-of-Service Standards for Urban Arterials 97 T-3 Road Segments with Level of Service below "C" 98 T-4 Performance Measures, ARTS Congestion Management System 99 T-5 Selected Congested Road Corridors 100 Number of Intersection with 20+ Accidents, 1999-2004* 101 T-6 Programmed Transportation Improvement Projects 106 Passengers at Augusta Regional Airport, 1990 – 2004 107 Total Riders on Fixed Route, Augusta Public Transit, 2000-2006 112

C-1 Fire Department Facilities and Equipment 125 C-2 Water Withdrawal Permits, Augusta-Richmond County 130 C-3 Water Treatment Plants and Chlorination System 131 C-4 Surface Water Storage Facilities 132 C-5 Ground Water System Storage Facilities 133 C-6 Wastewater Treatment Plants 135 C-7 Augusta House Museums 140 C-8 Projected Water Consumption, 2003 to 2025 152 C-9 Wastewater Flows, 2003 – 2025 153 C-10 Ten Year Capital Improvement Plan – Cost Estimates 154 C-11 Series 2002 Bond Projects: Summary of Estimated Cost 155 C-12 Series 2004 Bond Projects: Summary of Estimated Cost 156

HR-1 National Register Historic Districts 166 HR-2 Local Historic Districts and Properties 167

N-1 Land and Water Area in Richmond County, 2000 180 N-2 State & Federally Protected Plants and Animals 194 Days Exceeding 8-Hour Ozone Standard, 1997-2006* 199

L-1 Existing Lane Use, Augusta-Richmond County, 2007 216 Preliminary Character Areas* 226

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LIST OF FIGURES

1 Study Area 10 2 Population Change, 1990-2000 33 3 Housing Unit Change, 1990-2000 55 4 Street Network 114 5 Signalized Intersections 115 6 Transit Routes 116 7 Percentage of Households With No Vehicles by Census Tract 117 8 Proposed Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 118 9 Community Facilities 158 10 Public Water System 159 11 Public Wastewater System 160 12 Historic Districts 175 13 Natural Resources 208 14 Ground Water Recharge Areas 209 15 Greenspace Program 210 16 Existing (2007) Land Use Map 230 17 Richmond County Georgia HSI Site Locations 231 18 Preliminary Neighborhood Area Map 232 19 Future Development Characteristics 307 20 Future Development Resources 308 21 Future Development Patterns 309

APPENDIX 311 A Community Participation Plan 313 B-1 Sample Comment Card 321 B-2 Sample News Release 323 B-3 Sample Public Meeting Notice 325 C-1. Issues and Opportunities Survey, January 2008 327 C-2 Stakeholder Survey, April 2008 - 335 C-3 Survey of Draft Goals, June, 2008 337 C-4 Survey of Preliminary Character Area Development Objectives - June 2008 339 D General Guide to Zoning Districts in Augusta 341 E Report of Accomplishments - STWP 2003-07 343

___ Note: Asterisk (*) denotes a chart

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