Work underway on new long-term Middle Georgia plan
Public feedback is being sought as a plan for Middle Georgia's growth and development is mapped out over the next six months.
The Middle Georgia Regional Commission is working on the plan that addresses areas such as transportation, commercial development and improved housing opportunities. The regional plan is designed to allow the 11 counties served by the commission to focus on using resources and strategies to improving the area.
The commission is seeking input from the public, which includes a survey that assesses people's thoughts about what's important for the region. It's imperative that feedback from Middle Georgia residents is incorporated in the plan, said Laura Mathis, deputy director of the Regional Commission.
"Even the best-intentioned local government officials or Regional Commission staff member can't know everything," Mathis said. "We want to take advantage of the almost 500,000 people in Middle Georgia."
The Middle Georgia Regional Commission serves the counties of Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs and Wilkinson.
The first portions of the report were put together after the Regional Commission held a stakeholders meeting in September that brought together elected officials, government employees and some leaders in the private sector. Those components detail how the public can become involved and provide data on the region's demographics.
"There are a lot of potential issues to address, but obviously we do have challenges like an unemployment rate in Middle Georgia that has persistently been a little higher than other parts of the state and higher levels of poverty," said Greg Boike, senior government services specialist for the Regional Commission.
Among the other issues listed in the preliminary report are an economic base that's too dependent on Robins Air Force Base, a large number of dilapidated structures and a high number of commercial vacancies along major thoroughfares. The plan suggests providing incentives to businesses, improving technological infrastructure and redeveloping blighted properties as some of the solutions to the problems.
Issues like clean water and air, transportation and rural health care have to be looked at a macro level, said Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert.
"They defy city by city or even a county by county response. You have to work together on them on a regional basis," he said.
The plan will incorporate some of the ideas from urban redevelopment plans adopted in places like Warner Robins, Macon-Bibb County, Perry, Eatonton, Fort Valley and Peach County. After completed, the report will have to be approved by a 60 member regional commission council made up of representatives from the 11 counties.
To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
To take the survey and read the first portion of the 2016 Regional Commission Plan visit www.middlegeorgiarc.org/public-administration-planning/regional-plan/
This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Work underway on new long-term Middle Georgia plan ."