Take Part in the 2019 Rabun County Joint Comprehensive Plan

Rabun County is currently working with the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission (GMRC) to update its Joint Comprehensive Plan.   This current effort is part of an overall planning process required by both state and federal directives, and updates of this type are done every five years.  Dr. Keith Nelms, Chairman of the Tallulah Falls Downtown Development Authority, the Tallulah Falls Representative on the Rabun County Comprehensive Plan Council, and Professor in the School of Business at Piedmont College, tells why it is so important for residents to get involved in planning for the county’s future.  “The Comprehensive Plan is used by local governments over a period of years, comprehensive plans cover 20 years, and it is a reference document, so as elected officials come and go, they have a point of reference that says this is what our larger plan is. It is important for citizens to be involved because you need to tell your governments what you want to see happen in your community.  So, it is important to attend these meetings, to participate in the survey, and when you attend the meetings you also get to hear what other people think. It is part of an important broader discussion for the community.” Planning efforts are well underway for the 2019 update, and community meetings are being widely attended. To date, two community meetings have been in the City of Clayton, with subsequent meetings also occurring in Tallulah Falls, Rabun Gap, and Sky Valley. Additional meetings are scheduled for Aug. 13, in Dillard at 5pm in City Hall and in Mountain City at 7pm in City Hall.  The Rabun County Board of Commissioners and the GMRC are also including an online survey for residents desiring to participate in the planning process but are unable to attend community meetings.  A link to the survey can be found on Rabun County’s home page at http://rabuncounty.ga.gov/.  Each community meeting is facilitated by a representative from the GMRC, and each meeting is designed to solicit participant feedback and community input.  The plan will identify both the issues and opportunities that impact Rabun County, and will enable local officials to better manage community resources as well as provide a forward-thinking work program to help coordinate support services for local governments and direct state activities for the region.