Gordon County Joint Comprehensive Plan 2018 - 2028 Including the cities/towns of Calhoun, Fairmount, Plainville, Ranger and Resaca 1 This page purposefully left blank for two-sided printing. 2 Gordon County Joint Comprehensive Plan 2018 - 2028 Including the cities/towns of Calhoun, Fairmount, Plainville, Ranger and Resaca Prepared by the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission 1 Jackson Hill Drive, Rome, GA 30161 Adopted by: Gordon County Calhoun Fairmount Plainville Ranger Resaca 3 This page purposefully left blank for two-sided printing. 4 Insert Gordon adoption resolution here 5 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-side printing. 6 Insert Calhoun adoption resolution here 7 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 8 Insert Fairmount adoption resolution here 9 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 10 Insert Plainville adoption resolution here 11 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-side printing. 12 Insert Ranger adoption resolution here 13 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 14 Insert Resaca adoption resolution here 15 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 16 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Gordon County Commission Calhoun City Council Fairmount City Council Becky Hood – Chairperson James Palmer – Mayor Calvin Watts - Mayor Chad Steward – Vice-Chair Jackie Palazzolo Jim Dodd Kevin Cunningham Al Edwards Linda Johnson Bud Owens Matt Barton Junior Holsomback Norris Sexton David Hammond Steve Fain Plainville City Council Ranger Town Council Resaca Town Council Greg Martin - Mayor Chad Stamey – Mayor Samuel Allen - Mayor Ray Black Aprile Bailey Todd Rutledge Jim Miller Brian Crider Nathan Wyatt Clark Bunch James Haynes Justin Barton Frances Fossett Sonja May – Town Clerk *All pictures and graphics by Brice Wood unless otherwise stated. *Cover photo courtesy of Calhoun, Georgia Government’s Facebook Page. 17 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 18 STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Gordon County Calhoun Becky Hood – Chairperson, County Commission James Palmer – Mayor Jim Ledbetter – County Administrator David Hammond – City Council Mitch Ralston – Gordon Co. Sheriff Eddie Peterson – City Administrator Susan Remillard – School Superintendent Paul Worley – Asst. City Administrator Kathy Johnson – Chamber of Commerce Sharon Nelson – City Clerk Paul Carter – GA Northwest Technical College Larry Vickery – Calhoun Utilities Paul Carter – GA Northwestern Technical College Jeff Defoor – Calhoun Utilities Pete Weber – Gordon Hospital Michelle Taylor – School Superintendent Lisa Crowder – Gordon Co. Health Department Dee Wrisley – Calhoun Schools Debbie Vance – Gordon County E911 Kim Townsend – Recreation Dept. Randall Fox – Fox Systems, Inc Terry Mills – Fire Department Roberta Charbonneau – Family Connections Lenny Nesbit – Fire Department Lisa Stone – GA Department of Public Health Jerry Crawford – Water & Sewer Don Holley – Recreation Department Fairmount Plainville Calvin Watts – Mayor Greg Martin - Mayor Charles Boswell – City Council Ray Black – City Council Joe Holder – City Council Jim Miller – City Council Charles Long – City Council Frances Fossett – City Council Lane Bennett – Police Chief Clark Bunch – City Council Sandra Langston – City Clerk 19 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 20 STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS CONTINUED Ranger Resaca Michael Stamey – Mayor Samuel Allen - Mayor April Bailey – Town Council Sandra Adams – Town Council Brian Crider – Town Council Nathan White – Town Council James Haynes – Town Council Kelly Shaw – Town Clerk Sonja May – Town Council 21 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 22 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION: PROGRESS IN THE MAKING ............................................................................................... 27 Gordon County – Past, Present and Future ........................................................................................... 28 CURRENT DEMOGRAPHICS ........................................................................................................................... 31 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – THE PEOPLE’S VISION .............................................................................................. 33 2. GOALS AND VISION STATEMENTS ............................................................................................................... 34 Joint Community Goals .......................................................................................................................... 34 Mission/Vision Statements .................................................................................................................... 36 3. REPORTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT .................................................................................................................. 37 4. NEEDS & OPPORTUNITIES ........................................................................................................................ 61 5. Land Use ............................................................................................................................................. 69 6. Forward Momentum: Community Work Programs ....................................................................... 128 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................................... 151 23 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 24 TABLE OF FIGURES 25 This page purposefully left blank to allow for two-sided printing. 26 1. INTRODUCTION: PROGRESS IN THE MAKING Why plan ahead? Successful local governments in the State of Georgia are perpetually looking towards the future in an effort to identify upcoming trends in evolving fields such as the economy, housing, transportation, education, and environmental protection. This allows them to continuously have a competitive economy and provide a proper quality of life for their citizens. Proper planning also allows local governments to be cost efficient by identifying future issues and expenses far enough in advance to proactively address them prior to their becoming larger issues. Having a current and valid comprehensive plan also allows local governments to maintain their Qualified Local Government (QLG) Status, with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Maintaining QLG Status keeps local governments eligible to receive State grants, as well as government-backed low interest loans. Planning Requirements The State of Georgia has minimum planning standards that DCA is tasked with administering. These minimum standards were updated in 2014 and all plan updates must adhere to the new rules. A full plan update is required every 10 years, however the Joint Steering Committee looked at some elements, like population projections, as far forward as the year 2030. This joint comprehensive plan has been prepared in accordance with the Georgia Planning Act of 1989 and the corresponding Rules of Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Chapter 110-12-1, Minimum Standards and Procedures for Comprehensive Planning (effective March 1, 2014). The following elements have been addressed in this 10-year update: Community Vision and Goals – This includes a Vision Statement for each municipality and joint community goals, agreed upon by each community. Report of Accomplishments – A table summarizing the status of the projects from the previous five-year work program. Projects determined to be “underway” or “postponed” have been included in the newly created work program. Needs and Opportunities – A list created by the joint stakeholder committee that reflects the current state of each community and opportunities for growth and development. Community Work Program – A list of specific projects to accomplish within the next five years. This list of projects are designed to address each of the needs and opportunities. Land Use/Future Development Guides - – a spatial organization system created through maps of each jurisdiction. These are used to show how people interact with the land 27 and how development will change the landscape in the future. Calhoun and Gordon County plan for future land use through zoning. Fairmount, Plainville, Ranger and Resaca currently have no zoning ordinances in places and rely upon Future Development Maps for land use decision-making. Gordon County – Past, Present and Future Gordon County was officially created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 19, 1835. Prior to becoming Georgia’s 94th county, the area was explored by Hernando Desoto and was home to New Echota, capitol of the Cherokee Nation from 1825 to 1835. The Cherokee lands were later distributed among white settlers during a land lottery. The Native Americans were removed from the land in what later became known as the Trail of Tears. The land in this area was widely regarded for its agricultural uses, thanks to nutrient rich soil. The City of Calhoun, originally known as Dawsonville, developed along the Western and Atlantic Railroads, as well as the banks of the Oostanaula River and Oothakalooga Creek. Local residents voted for Calhoun to become the county seat in 1851 and the city became incorporated the following year. Gordon County saw significant action during the Civil War during The Battle of Resaca, part of General Sherman’s famous Atlanta Campaign. An estimated 7,000 troops, both Federal and Confederates,