Comprehensive Plan Adopted by the Summers County Commission: January 11, 2017 Table of Contents Chapter I: Introduction Overview ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 Goals and Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Quality of Life ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Historic Preservation ......................................................................................................................... 3 Environmental Integrity and Conservation ...................................................................................3 Economic Development ...................................................................................................................4 Creating the Comprehensive Plan .................................................................................................................. 4 Summers County Planning Commission ........................................................................................ 4 The Planning Process ........................................................................................................................ 4 Notice and Public Participation ....................................................................................................... 4 Jurisdiction ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter II: County Overview Brief History of Summers County ................................................................................................................ 7 Human History ................................................................................................................................... 7 Historic Land Uses ............................................................................................................................. 10 Natural History ...................................................................................................................................11 Statistics .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 Population and Demographics ......................................................................................................... 13 Growth/Management Decline .........................................................................................................15 Prior Land Use or Comprehensive Plans ...................................................................................................... 16 Chapter III: Housing and Residential Existing Conditions .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Community Input ............................................................................................................................... 20 Statistics ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Anticipated Needs ..............................................................................................................................21 Goals, Objectives, and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 21 Financial Considerations ..................................................................................................................................26 Chapter IV: Transportation Overview and Historical Transportation Patterns ....................................................................................... 28 Goals, Objectives, and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 28 Vehicular .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Railroad ................................................................................................................................................ 32 Air ......................................................................................................................................................... 33 Port/Waterways ..................................................................................................................................35 Non-motorized Transportation ....................................................................................................... 35 Financial Considerations ..................................................................................................................................36 Chapter V: Infrastructure Overview ............................................................................................................................................................ 38 Recent Infrastructure Projects .......................................................................................................... 39 Public Input ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Water and Sewer ................................................................................................................................. 40 Roads .................................................................................................................................................... 42 Telecommunications .......................................................................................................................... 43 Goals, Objectives, and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 45 Financial Considerations ..................................................................................................................................46 Chapter VI: Public Services Overview ............................................................................................................................................................ 47 Public Safety ........................................................................................................................................ 48 Schools ................................................................................................................................................. 48 Libraries ............................................................................................................................................... 50 Hospitals .............................................................................................................................................. 50 Long-term Care Facilities and Nursing Homes ............................................................................. 51 Parks and Recreation ......................................................................................................................... 51 Civic Organizations ............................................................................................................................ 53 Goals, Objectives, and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 53 Financial Considerations ..................................................................................................................................54 Chapter VII: Current Land Use Overview ............................................................................................................................................................ 55 Land Uses ........................................................................................................................................................... 56 Natural Extractive Resources ........................................................................................................... 56 Agricultural .......................................................................................................................................... 56 Commercial ......................................................................................................................................... 56 Population Centers ............................................................................................................................. 57 Manufacturing/Industrial .................................................................................................................. 57 Publicly Owned................................................................................................................................... 57 Historical .............................................................................................................................................. 57 Chapter VIII: Planned Development Patterns Environmental Constraints to Development ............................................................................................... 59 Floodplains .........................................................................................................................................