Georgia today: state of adventure, prepared by Georgia Department of Community Affairs, 1983 November

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GE'ORG~A TODAY:
State of Adventure issues and Alternatives
Prepared by Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Jim Higdon, Commissioner
Intergovernmental Assistance Division 40 Marietta Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30303 404-656-2900
November, 1983

Table of Contents

Introduction

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Section I: Regional Growth Patterns and Developmental Concerns Mountain Region Piedmont Region Coastal Plain Region Coastal Region

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Section II: Area Issues and Alternatives for Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9

Altamaha Georgia Southern Area Plann ing and Development Comm ission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Atlanta Regional Commission

, 19

Central Savannah River Area Planning and Development Comm ission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 35

Chattahoochee Flint Area Planning and Development Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Coastal Area Planning and Development Commission . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Coosa Valley Area Planning and Development Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Georg ia Mountains Area Planning and Development Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Heart of Georg ia Area Plann ing and Development Comm ission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Lower Chattahoochee Area Planning and Development Commission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Mcintosh Trail Area Planning and Development Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Midd le Flint Area Plann ing and Development Comm iss ion

107

Middle Georg ia Area Plann ing and Development Commiss ion

115

North Georgia Area Planning and Development Comm iss ion

131

Northeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Comm ission

147

Oconee Area Plann ing and Development Comm iss ion

155

South Georgia Area Plann ing and Development Comm ission

163

Southeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission

169

Southwest Georgia Area Plann ing and Development Comrrussron

177

Introduction
The Georg ia Department of Community Affairs is pleased to present the first biennial Georgia Development Profile. entitled Georgia Today.
State law passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor in 1982 requires the Department of Community Affairs to" . . . prepare a growth and development profile of the state . . ." every two years. The law also requires each of Georgia's 18 Area Planning and Development Commissions (APDCs) to prepare "an area biennial development profile " to be submitted to and reviewed by the Department.
Area Planning and Development Commissions prepared Area Development Profiles during early 1983, drawing upon their familiarity with local people and problems to identify major developmental issues. Upon approval by the Board of each APDC, Area Development Profiles were submitted to the Department of Community Affairs in May. 1982. The Department, in turn . relied heavily upon the grassroots perspectives of the Area Development Profiles in its preparation of Georgia Today.
The 1983 Georgia Development Prof ile cons ists of two publ ications. This volume, Georgia Today: Issues and Alternatives, reports local concerns identified and approved by the Board of each APDC in the Area Profiles . A companion volume. Georgia Today: Trends at a Glance. illustrates key facts about the State's people, economy. natural resources and hous ing .
Together, the two volumes paint a picture of Georgia as a state progressing on many fronts. yet will ing to acknowledge and address barr iers to future progress.
This volume of Georgia Today presents information about development trends. issues, and alternat ives for action from two perspectives.
Initially, for purposes of providing a broad look at developmental issues facing major reg ions of the State, the focus is on four regions : Mountain , Piedmont . Coastal Plain and Coastal. This sect ion discusses major physiographic or geographic characteristics and historical trends in each region, and identifies major developmental issues facing each region .
Secondly. a closer look is provided at specific issues and alternatives for action facing local governments in each of the State 's 18 Area Planning and Development Commissions. These issues were identified by the Area Planning and Development Commissions in documents prepared by them to meet the requirements of Georgia Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter 8. Sect ion 35. Each document was approved by the Board of the respective Comm iss ion before being submitted to the Department of Community Affairs for use in preparation of this document. The material used in this section was taken directly from " Part III, Issues and Alternatives ." of the Area Development Profile prepared by each APDC .
Because geographic and economic similarities of the State ao not necessarily coincide with the boundar ies of the 18 Area Planning and Development Comm iss ions , the boundaries of the regions desc nbed in the first sect ion of this vol ume do not COinc ide with the bou ndaries of the Area Planning and Development Commiss ions . Each section is the refore accompan iea by maps wh ich Ident ify the coun ties Included in the region or APDC under discussion .
Geor qi s Code Annotst ea. Titte 50. Chap ter 8. Sections 8 and 35. The 18 Area Plan ni ng an d Devel opme nt Com mrssro ns mcruce m e Atlanta Reqlon al Corn rrussron , createo un d er se narate legislati on .

Section I:
Regional Growth Patterns and Developmental Concerns
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\Ji; Cities greater than 100,000
.J) Cities greater than 50,000
~ Cities greater than 25,000
U~ Cities greater than 10,000

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Sou rces 1. Cox. Willi am N. and R. Mark Roge rs, " Georgia: Rebu ilding in 1983", in Economic Review, February, 1983,
pp. 20-39. 2. Fort Stewart Impact Coord inating Committee. 3. Georgia Department of Commun ity Affa irs, Growth and Change in Rural Georgia: Issues and Ooc ortunities,
1980, pp.12-15. 4. Kings Bay Impact Coordi nating Comm ittee . 5. Schretter, Howard. " Nature and Impact of Georgia 's Physical Geography on Growth and Development ",
unpubl ished paper prepared for presentation to the State Plann ing and Communi ty Affairs Comm ittee, September. 1981 .
4

Mountain Region
The northernmost part of Georg ia is dom inated by the southern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains. This region is one of the most sparsely populated and rura l areas of the State. About 12 percent of the State's popu lation lives here . Counties bordering the Ch attanooga and Atlanta metropol itan areas are exper ienc ing growth pressures as oeoole and jobs move out from these large cities. Other malar cities in the region are Dalton , Rome and Gainesv ille.
The Blue Ridge Mountains in th e eastern port ion of the Mountai n Region have elevations nearing 5.000 feet ana are characte rizeo by steep slopes . narrow ridges and sma ll. narrow valleys containing little developable land . The northwest section of the Mountain Reg ion is characteri zed by flat, long valleys and high ridges.
The rocks of the Blue Ridge Mountains (and of the adjacent Piedmont Region) conta in the greatest divers ity of minerals in the State. but low concentration and high production costs are a hinderance to production . To the west. the ridge and valley sections of the Mountain Reg ion have many minerals which have been mined In the past. However. production today is limi ted to bar ns. coa i and talc. This western sect ion is also charactenzed by solu ole bedrock w hich is responsible for ground co llapse and sinkho le format ion , a phenomenon w hich is espec ially likely to occu r in urban areas whe re water withdrawal may accelerate caveins.
While some groundwater (in excess of 15 million gallons a day) is withdrawn from aquifers in this region , the major source of water is rivers and reservoirs .
Floodplain soi ls on valley floors in the Mountain Reg ion are suitable for agriculture and timber production as well as for moderate urban deve lopment. However. soils on hilly uplands, moun tain slopes . and ridge tops are better suited for forest and somet imes pasture lands. Soil prob lernsrnay be the grea test constra int on urban development in this region. Develop ment on unsu itab le so ils can cause soil eros ion. water pollution and run the risk of structu ral co llapse . sep tic tank flood ing and other hazards to propert y and persona l safety.
The Mountain Region is heavi ly dependent on manufactunng . more than any other part of Georgia. About one-half of the region 's wor kers are employed in manufacturing. and two-th irds of the manufacturing jobs are In textiles and apparel. The region produces more than half the world 's tufted carpet. with Dalton as the focal POint of this activity. The carpet industry is heavil y dependent on the reqion 's surface water resources.
Wh ile aqr icu ttural emp loyment In the reg ion has plummeted from 25 percent In 1950 to below 5 percent in 1980. the pou ttry industry has expenencea a phenomenal rise. and cont ributes about 30 perce nt of the State's ag ricu ltur al receipts. About half of the State's bro ilers are produced in this region . Hall Coun ty is the center of the pou ltry and pou ltry products Industry. much of Which is produced for export.
5

Piedmont .Region

The Piedmont Reg ion is a gen tly rolling, hilly area . bounded to the north by the foothills of the Arpalach ian Mountains . and to the south by the " fall line ", that line connect ing points on the State's rivers where navigability upstream becomes impossible because falls occur in the rivers . This line approximates the location of a preh istoric coastl ine.

Three of the region 's major cities-Columbus, Macon and Augusta-are located near the fall line, where settlers started trade centers and manufacturers located for water-powered energy. To the north lie metropolitan Atlanta. the South 's serv ice. finance. and transportat ion center. and growing Athens . home of the Univers ity of Georgia.

Th is region , containing about one-th ird of the State 's land area. is the most densely populated. containing almost two-th irds (60 percent) of the State's popu lation . Its diversified economy. with a hea lthy mix of serv ices . finance. insurance. trade. and government. plays an important role in the State's economy and serves to attrac t new growth to the State .

The Piedmont is similar to the Blue Ridge in underlying geological foundat ions . The inactive Brevard fault. which today poses no threat to normal development. runs di agonally across the area . marked by the course of the Chattahoochee River. Piedmont soils tend to be thin and erodable, caused to a large extent by a century of grow ing cotton here . However. 25 to 50 percent of the reg ion 's soils are still considered prime farmland . They are also good for most construct ion but are generally unsu itab le for sept ic tank use.

Because of highway cons truct ion. economic growth. and lack of natural barr iers to expans ion. many



of the reg ion 's smaller cities and rura l areas are also experiencing unprecedented growth . Problems of water

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supply and water pollution. along with need for expansion of the ground transportation system. have the potential

to impede future growth in and around the metropo litan areas ot the reg ion .



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Coastal Plain Region
The Coastal Plain Region stretches across the southern third of Georgia and contains about 22 percent of the State 's population . It is primarily an agricu ltural area , with its populat ion divided about evenly between rural and urban areas . One metropolitan area . Albany, is located here , as are a large number of smaller, subregional centers: Valdosta , Waycross. Thomasville. Americus, Dubl in . Moultrie, Statesboro. and Tifton .
It is an area of relatively flat land and generally sandy so ils in the eastern portion . the heritage left by the sea that once covered th is area. The western portion of troe Coastal Plain contains richer sed imentary soils which originated in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, eons ago .
The pr incipal mineral resources of the State . kaolin and fuller's earth. are found in this region , in a belt just south of the fall line . extend ing across the State .
Lime sinks, caused by soil falling into cavities eroded in underl ying limestone. are found principally in the southwestern portion of th is regio n. and are accelerated by massive pumping of ground water.
This reg ion , which conta ins three-quarters of the State 's prime agricultural land and five major waterproducing aquifers. is the agricultural heartland of the State . Soils are generally well drained and suitable for both agr icuitural use and urban development. However. floodp la ins . poorly drained porous soils, and river swamps. found along the coastal fringe of the Coastal Plain , are unsu itab le for use oecause of frequent flooding .
The Coastal Plain is the center of the State 's agricultural , mining and timber industries. ~J1anufactur ing , however. provides the largest share of employment. wi th apparel. textil es, and food processing predom inating.
Developmental concerns of the Coastal Plain center around unregulated and over-use of the aquifer. future competition between agriculture and forestry use of pr ime aqricultural lands. and mine dewatering which cou ld resu lt in contaminat ion of the aourter.
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Coastal Region
The str ip of coun ties bordering the Atlantic Ocean enjoy an environment and economy somewhat different from the ne ighboring Coastal Pla in . although they share certain common features such as timber production and sandy soils. The Coastal Reg ion. the smallest in the State, contains only 6 percent of the popu lation . One ma jor metropolitan area. Savan na h. and a smaller city. Brunswick. are located her e, as are two fast growing military " im pact" areas su rro und ing Fort Stewar t and the Naval base at Kings Bay.
The region is characterized by extremely low elevation with numerous river swamps, extensive sa it marshes, and barrier islands. a number of w hich are in State and federa l ownership and undeveloped . The barr ier islands are recent accumu lations of sand transpo rted by river and ocean and stab ilized by vege tation . The marshes are also formed by material deposited by rivers and the tides and . while extensive deposits of phosphates are located there, are protected because of their ecological value. especially to the fishing and shrimping ind ustries.
Porous sandy soils. an ext remely high water table, river swamps. coasta l marshes, and salt water intrusion all tend to lim it the location and the kind of development which can read ily occur in the Coastal Region .
Howeve r, the coastal env iro nment and resources. along with the two ma jor military installations, pre Sent opportunit ies for somewhat greater eco nom ic diversification than in the neig hboring Coastal Plain . Major manufacturing sectors are paper. tooo. chemica ls. transportation equ ipment. fabrica ted metals. lumber and apparel. The two ma jor ports at Savann ah and Brunsw ick generate a number of jobs. as does the tour ism industry. Fish ing and shrimping . whi le sm all sectors of the economy, generate some food process ing jobs and contribute to the reg ion 's divers itica uon .
An important factor in the Coas tal economy over the next decade will be the Trident Submarine Base at Kings Bay. which is expec ted to have a m alar irnoact on the southern po rtion of the reg ion . Constr uction costs are expected to be approxirnatelv $1.8 bill ion and the " boom" years are expected to be from 1986-1995. The population of Camden County, where the base IS located, is expected to grow by 250 percent in the next 15 years . Expans ion at Fort Stewart has leveled ou t. bu t that area's popu lation has grown by over 200 percent since the Army bu ildup began in 1974.
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Section II:
Area Issues and Alternatives for Action
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Altamaha Georgia Southern Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Diversification of the Econom ic Base 2. Funding Sources for Improvements 3. Housing for Low and Moderate Income Families 4. Improvements in the Non-physical Infrastructure 5. Improvements in the Physical Infrastructure.
IR ~ D " nted fro m C ha pte r III . " Issu es and Aile rn3t,ves _ 198 3 Area Oevetoom eru Pro tue . cm oareo ov the Alta ma na Ge o rqia So ut h ern Area Planning an d Development Cornrmss ro n .)
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Altamaha Georgia Southern Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
Ma jor Issues and Prob lems Facing the Are a
Based on review of the discuss ion and information presented in the preceding Sect ions of this Area De ve lopment Profile, five general areas of ma jor issues and prob lems have been ide nt ifi ed . These are:
1. Diversificat ion of the Area's economic base. L.. Fund ing sources for improvements. 3. Housing fo r low-and-moderate income families. 4. Improvements in the non-physical infrastructure. 5. Improvements in the phys ical infrastructure.
These "general" areas have been identified rather than specifics because each impacts on several different but specific and sim ilar issues and problems. Each general area, and th e re lated specif ics, will be addressed in the following discussion.
Di versification of the Econom ic Base. The diversification of the Area's economic base is essentia l in addressing problems of median family inco me , per capita income , poverty, and emplo yment, and to a greater or lesser degree in addressing the other "general" areas of issues and problems. As was indicated earlier, agriculture remains an important part of th e Area 's economic base, but is decl ining in importance. With inc re a si ng mechanization, fa r mi ng has become le ss la bor int e ns ive . While agr iculture and agribusiness will continue to be important, unless the economic base is expanded to provide addit ional emplo yment opportunities the Area can only look forward t o an inc re a se in "ex po rti ng" persons in the producti ve age groups.
Without expansion and diversification of the Area's economic base, employment opportun it ies and inc o me will cont inue to rise slowl y. Unless additional employment opportun it ies for both males and fema les are real ized at better than min imum wage levels , a high proportion of the Area's residents will continue to li ve near or below pover ty level. Should th is occur there will be a ser ious lag in disposable inco me , in ava ilable loc a l funds to support cont inued growth in housing and other activit ies, and in the local tax base to support im pro ve d and expanded physical and non-physical infrastructure.
Local efforts ha ve been and wil l continue to be made toward expansion and di versif icat ion of t he Area's econom ic base. However resources are limited, and c ontin ue d support fro m t he st a t e and fe de ra l lev e l will be necessar y. Effor ts to promote, gu ide, and encoura ge qual ity ind us t r ia l and other econom ic development in rural a re a s by state and fe de ra l agencies, and funding assistance as needed. will enab le local go vernments and a ge nci e s wit hin the Area to capitalize on ex ist ing re so urc e s a nd inve s t me nt s.
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Fun din g So urce s fo r Improvements. Fund ing sources fo r im prov e ments are essen t ia l in t he a reas of econom ic de ve lopment , the expan sion or im pro ve m ent of low-cost hous in g, and physical and non-p hys ical in f ra str uc t ure . Fund ing at the local le vel is lim ited due to the relati vely low ta x base, and conservati ve le ndi ng practices by loc a l fina nci a l insti tu t io ns.
Funds fo r th e im pro ve ment of ho usi ng condit ions fo r persons wit h low - a ndmoderate inco me are limi t e d prim arily t o va ri ous fe deral pro gra ms , th e re ntal subsid y progr a m th rough th e Georgia Res ident ial Finance Agency, or t he Co mm unit y De ve lo pment Block Gra nt (C DBG) pro gr a m ad minist e red by th e Geor gia De part me nt of Co mm un ity Af fa irs (DCA) . Wit hou t th e co nti nu at ion or e xpans ion of t his ass istance , or the ide ntifi c a ti o n of o ther non-loca l fun di ng sources , the im prov e me nt s in hou si ng conditions in the Are a whic h were rea lized dur ing the past ten ye a rs ~annot be sustained or accelerated. As indic a t e d abo ve diversificat ion and expar.s.on of the e conom ic base to ge ne ra t e highe r inco me lev el s wo uld lessen the need for this ass is tan ce , as inc re ase d dis po sabl e inc o m e wou ld redu c e dep end e nc e on subsidized hou sin g, but t his is not e xpected to t ot ally e li m inate t he ne ed.
Because of the high "f ron t-end" co st s assoc ia ted wit h impr ov em ent s t o t he phys ical inf ra st r uc tu re, identifi ed needs canno t be met wi t ho ut outs ide fund in g as sis tance. This is particular ly t rue for wat e r and se wer or street and road improve ment s to guide or fost e r commun it y or econom ic growth or develo pment , wh e re no im medi a t e "pay back" results , and could be cl ass if ied as a "ch icken-or-egg" situation. Although revenue bond financing can be utilized to finance water and sewer im prov e me nts, with a limited base of customers and re la tive ly lo w inc o m e levels the fe e s requ ired quickly become more than res idents can a fford.
Due t o his t oric ally low inc om e levels a nd an em phas is on ag ric ult ure , mu ch of the rura l e lder ly pop ulation must now e xis t on e xtre mely lo w an d fix ed inc om e s. In recent ye a rs several fe de rally fund ed pr og ram s directed at ass is t ing t he e lderl y ha ve been put in place and accom plished mu ch. Local resources a re inade qua t e to support these programs , and cont inued assistance is essent ial if th e gai ns realized are to sustained and expanded.
Recent developments in the product ion or sm uggling of drugs hav e pla c e d extraordinary demands on t he ru ra l She rif f ' s De partments , police depart me nts , a nd courts. A system whi c h woul d or dinarily be e xpected to handle "rout in e" poli c e matters must now address pro blems gen er ated by c r im inal opera t io ns with fin an c ial reso urces whi ch may e xceed th e e nt ire budget of a rura l c oun ty or c ity . Incr e a sed fu ndin g assistance fro m th e sta te and fed e ral le ve l i s essent ia l in th is are a .
Hous ing fo r Lo w- a nd-Mod erat e Inco me Fa m ilies. Ade qua t e hou si ng fo r low -a ndmoderate in c o me fa m il ie s remains a press ing pr o blem. Impro vements hav e be e n made over the past several years. but much remains to be done. As ha s be e n indic a t e d, co nt inue d and expanded sources of fun di n g are needed. As t he Are as econom ic ba se e xpands a nd divers if ies. add it iona l disposable inc o me will be a va ilable to a llow t hose depe nde nt on subs id ize d or as si st e d ho us ing a nd t hose livi ng in substandard housi ng t o improv e th ei r living co ndi t ion s. However unt il th is goal is ac hieved , and e ven a fte r wa rd t o a lesse r e xte nt, a ne ed fo r e xpa nde d lo w- a ndmod e ra t e cost housing oppo r turut ie s and cont inu ed a ssis t an c e will c ontinue . :-'\ uch c a n be accom plis hed at relatively lo w c ost t hro ugn ti m ely re habilitat ion to sub-
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standard housing units before they reach the deterioriated/dilapidated stage, rather than through more expensive new construction. This ,will not only achieve the goal of standard housing, but will stabilize existing neighborhoods and maximize the usage of existing physical infrastructure.

The improvement or expansion of adequate and affordable housing for low-andmoderate income families will add to the quality growth of Area communities, and to the overall social condit ions for Area residents. Local governments have utilized federal programs and COBG funds toward this end, and will continue to do so. However local resources for this purpose are extremely limited.

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Imorovements in the Non-Physical Infrastructure. Improvements in the non- ' " ..

physical infrastructure include such things as the continuation or expansion of pro- '

grams benefiting the elderly, continued adequacy and availability of public transporta-

tion, improvement and expansion of the criminal justice system (police protection

and courts), and vocational training. Elderly programs and the criminal justice system ha ve been addressed earlier, and will not be discussed again here.

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The continued adequacy and availability of public transportation is an issue

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which has de veloped recently due to federal deregulation efforts, and focuses primarily , ,~_ . .5

on freight rather than passenger service. In rural areas bus lines are the primary

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source of "next-day" less-than-truckload (LTL) freight service, and as such are essen-

tial for businesses and smaller indust ries for small shipments of parts or materials.

Similarly, ra il serv ice is often a critical factor in industrial location. Recent proposals

to reduce or eliminate service threatens this, and can have a serious impact. While these ra il or bus line s cannot be expected to continue , unprofitable service in all

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cases. the impa c t resulting fro m loss of LTL freight or rail connections should be

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given consideration in such decisions. ' Voca t iona l t ra in ing opportunities are essential to any effort toward upgrading

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the skills level of the work force, and can playa major part in economic development , " . ~:"

e fforts. Wh ile voca t ional courses at the high school level are valuable, post-secondary . : ' . '

inst ruc ti on is necessary to adequately train potential workers. The Area presently

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has five comprehensive vocational high schools, but post-secondary instruction within _ '"

reasonab le co m muti ng distance (30 miles) is not available to a majority of the Area

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highways. With increased reliance on truck transport by indu st ri e s and businesses, the continued improvement and maintenance of the highway network serving the Area has a direct bearing on the diversification of the economic base .t hro ugh econom ic and indust ri a l development.
:\ lt e rn a t ive s for Action
Four pr imar y sources of alternat ives for act ion have been identified, which, like the general areas of major issues and problems discussed above, address a number of specific issues and problems areas; these sources are the federal government, state government, local governments, and the private sector. The following discussion will address each of these sources and the ir attendant alternatives for action.
Federal Government. Existing federal programs which assist rural areas should be cont inueo and expanded. Economic development funding through the Econom ic Development Admin istration (EDA), the Farmers Home Admin istration (FmHA), the Sm'all Business Ad m ini s t r a ti on (SBA), and the Urban Development Act ion Gram CUDAG) program through the Department of Housing and Ur ba n Development (HUD), is invaluable to rural areas. However in every case the regulations and application process need to be streamlined. Too frequemly the monumental paperwork required is perceived as an insurmountable obstacle, or the process takes too lo ng to meet "real time" demands. Implementation of a "project referral" system between agencies, and a concerted effort to develop more uniform application requirements, would elim inate the need for revision and resubrnission.
The various EDA programs remain the primary tool for general economic de velopment, but the process is so cumbersome that inhe r e nt delays frequently cannot be reconciled with a need to proceed expeditious ly. A real im pr o ve me nt in the promot ion of economic and industr ial development would be the re laxation of the "bird-in-hand" requirement, to permit the developmem of industrial parks without a committed tenant. Too often a prospect would locate if the park were developed, but cannot afford to wait on the application process to fund the de ve lopment.
The primary federal programs impacting the provision of housing for low-andmoderate income families are those administered by HUD and FmHA. These should be continued and expanded. An im pr o ve m e nt would be to allow militar y fam il ies to be cons idered in mar ket demand figures for feas ib il it y stud ies. This has been a problem in areas impacted by military buildups such as that at Fort Stewart. Conflicting interpretations on allowable lot costs (primarily involving FmHA) need to be resolved. The Small Cit ies CDBG program, funde d by HUD and adm in istered by DCA, has had an excellent impact on im pro ving housi ng and ho using opportunities for low-and-moderate income persons, and needed public fa ciliti es improvements primarily benefiting low-and-moderate income persons, a nd should be continued and expanded.
Because of the impact of drug related cr im inal act ivrn e s in rural areas, and the fact t ha t this problem transcends local and state boundaries, fe de ra l action to pro vide assistance in meeting this is needed. The im pa c t is fe lt in t he detect ion and apprehension stage, and during judi c ial proceed ings, and any ass istance should take into account the overall problem.
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It is ant icip ated th a t t he J o bs Partnership Tr a in in g Ac t will have a very rea l impact on t ra in ing unskilled wor kers fo r permanent emplo yment. However th is wi . not replace the need for traditional pre- and post-secondary vocational training. Add itional federal ass istance is needed to provide t h is train ing, and construct and equip add it ional co m pr e he n sive vo c a tio na l hi gh schoo ls and Area Vocat ional Schools. Without th e ability t o pro v ide a train e d wo rk force wit h th e ne c e ssa ry sa leable skills. eco no m ic a nd ind ust ri al dev e lopm ent to dive rsify th e Are a' s econom ic base and im pr ov e in c o m e le ve ls will be ser iously ha ndica pped .
Federal programs designed t o im prov e the quali t y of life for the rural e lde rly must be cont inued and ex panded. Wit ho ut these progr ams those people who ha ve depe nded on agri c ultur al e mp lo yment an d t h us ha ve buil t up no pr iva te re ti r e m ent ben efit s will c ont inue to e x is t on e xtreme ly lo w an d fix ed inc o m e s.
Ser ious considerat ion should be given to the reexamination of relaxed requirements for the elim inat ion or re duct ion of t r a in and bus service in rural areas. While financial hardsh ip on the o pe ra ti ng ent it ies must be recognized , the im pa c t which loss of LTL freig ht ser vice a nd, t o a le sse r degree , passenger service will have on ru ral com m un it ies mus t be c o nsi der e d.
Sta te Go ve rnm e nt . Ex ist in g state pr o g r a m s whi ch ass ist rura l areas should be con t in ue d a n d e xp an ded . In t he a re a of econom ic a nd ind ustr ial deve lopment e fforts shou ld be m ade by t he Depa rtment of Industr y a nd Trade to ascertain whether prospects really need to locate near metro politan areas and, whe re appropr iate , to attempt t o gui de these pros pects t o rur al lo c ati o ns . It is recognized th a t in indu stri al de ve lop ment "the c usto mer is a l wa ys ri gh t ", but whe re pros pects specif y a metro po lit a n a rea that may be a ll th ey kn o w abo ut t he state ; wit h pro fess ional gu idance t hey . m ay fi nd th a t a ru r al loc a ti o n will be tter meet their needs.
The state's "e m e r ge ncy" econom ic de velopment wa t e r and sewer grant program has been a valuabl e tool in pro vid ing serv ices needed by a prospect in a short time. The progr am sh o ul d be co nt inue d a nd e xpanded , a nd so me of the "po li cy" lim itations dro pped or rev ise d. As a cas e in point, a pr oj e c t t o pr o vid e im prov e d wa t e r service to me e t fi r e insu ran c e ne ed s wa s deni e d considera t ion. The resu lt ing new emplo yment opportunit ies woul d have rep r esented a n e xpans ion of a bo ut 48 percent in t he employment in t wo fa ct o ri e s . It wou ld se em t ha t a new jo b is a new jo b, re ga r d le ss of whether it resu lts fr o m e xpans ion of t h e wo r k force in a present emplo yer or location of a ne w operat ion.
With the a va ila bility of add it ional funding fro m th e federal $0.0 5 pe r gall o n gaso line tax, th e De pa rt me nt of Tr a ns po rt a t io n shoul d giv e prio rity co nsid e r ati on to highways in ru ral a r e as which have m e pote ntial o f be c o mi ng "develo p m e nt al" corr idors . Additi o nal attent ion shou ld be given to by- pass st udi e s fo r urb an areas in t he rur al parts of th e st a te.
The import ance of vo ca ti o na l educa t io n was di scuss ed in th e pr e ced ing se ctio n. The Stat e Board o f Educat ion shou ld give serious co nsi de r a ti o n t o th e creat io n of add it ional c o m pr ehe ns iv e voc a uona l hig n sc hoo ls. the c o ns tr uc t io n of ne w .-\r e a Vocati onal Schools in rur a l areas pr e sent ly ce vono a 3G -m ile cr iving di s t a nc e of e xist ing .-\rea Sc hools. an a inc re asea suoport fo r voca tional tr a in in g.
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Continued and expanded state support and assistance is needed in criminal justice and protection of persons and property in rural areas, particularly in drugrelated efforts and the courts 'system.
Local Governments. The local governments within the Area will continue their ef fo r ts to promote the expansion and diversification of the Are a 's economic base , and address issues in the areas of housing for low-and-moderate inco me fam ilie s. improvements in the non-ph ysical inf ra str uc t ure , and impro ve m ent s in the physical in fra s t r uc t ure , to the extent poss ib le.
Local governments will continue to actively pursue funding assistance through all available programs to meet ide ntif ie d issues and problems. Where outside assistance cannot be obtained every effort will be made, within existing fiscal constraints, to achieve solutions through local efforts. Quasi-governmental agencies, such as Industrial Development Authorities and Downtown Development Authorities, will cont inue the ir efforts to encourage, promote , and attract quality econom ic and ind ust ri a l growth and development. Whe re justif ied and fe a si ble t he se e fforts will incl ude t he pro vis ion of funding fo r de ve lopment t hro ugh re venue bond issues and pass-through loa ns.
Local governments should continue to give serious consideration to the adoption and enforcement of local controls such as zoning, subdivision regulations, and codes programs to guide and control growth wi thin their communi ties.
Private Sector. The efforts of the private sector are directed to the realization of return on investment, rather than addressing identified iss ue s and problems. However these efforts result in the expansion and di versif icat ion of the economic base , im pr ove me nt s in housing opportun it ies fo r lo w- a nd- mode ra t e inco me persons, and ra is ing of income le ve ls. The pri va te sector (deve lopers ) should cont inue e f forts to ut ilize a vailable assistance progra ms to capitalize on t he resources of the Are a . Lending inst it ut io ns should give serious considerat ion to liberaliz ing current conservative lending practices, within the constraints of responsible management, to provide financing for entrepreneurial activities of all t ypes.
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Atlanta Regional Commission
Major Issues: 1. Economic Development 2. Natural Resource Protection 3. Governmental Affairs 4. Transportation 5. Housing
(RePfl nted from Ch aot er III . " Issues and All ernatives '. 1983 Atl ant a RegIOn Area Oevetoo ment Protue. prepared by the Atlanta Reg iona l Com rrussion .j
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Atlanta Regional Commission
Issues and Alternatives
A. Ma jor Issues and P roblems Facing the Area
over the past several years two documents have been prepared that identify important issue' areas in the Atlanta Region. One document, entitled Decade of Decision, was pUblished in 1981 by Research Atlanta. This pUblication addressed many important issues regarding race relations, governmental op~rations, economic development, education, crime and public s~fety. Another report, entitled Reqional I~sues, was pUblished in 1981 by ARC as a staff wor k ing paper. This paper discussed issues in the areas of social and human services, transportation, natural resource conservation, energy conservation, economic development, governmental affairs, regional amenities and housing.
For the purposes of this Profile , five issue areas have been selected for discussion based on their importance to the fut ure growth and d e v e l o pme nt of the Region. These issues, economic de v e l o pme n t , natural resource protection, governmenta l affairs, t r a n s po r ta t i o n a nd housing, will be discussed below:
1. Economic Development
The Atlanta Region has always enjoyed a diversified economy. In 1980, 67.6 percent of the Region 's jobs were in the services, government , retail trade and manufacturing sectors and were relatively evenly d i v i d e d among those sectors. Manufacturing represented 14.8 percent of all jobs while services had 20.4 percent, government 16.3 percent, and retail trade 16.1 percent.
Significant employment growth since 1960 combined with increasing convention activity, the introduction of major league sports and the attraction o f the home or regional office headquarters for man y of the nation's top f irms have established the Atlanta Region as t h e c apital of the southeast. This economic g r owt h mo me n tu m will likely con tinue in future years.
Howev er, i n spi te of such a bri g ht eco nomic outlooK, the Region f a c e s ser io us p roble ms. Per h a ps th e g r e a ~ e s t is t he l e vel o f u n empl oym e n t , p a r t i c u l a rly in t he City o f Atlanta. For inst ance, a s wa s d i s c u s s ed in Sec tion I of the Profile, t he U.S. D e p a r t~e n t of Labor est i mate d t hat, in 1982, 23,000 persons in the City of Atl anta were u n empl oy e d. Un emp l oym e n t in At la n ta is c on c e n t ra t ed i n cert ain socioeconomic a nd a g e groups: u n emp l oITIe n t a mo n g t eenag ers exc eeds 20 percent; amo ng s kil led a nd u n sk i l l ed blue col lar wo rk e r s , i t is about 15 p erc en t; and a mo ng b l a ck ma l es ag ed 20-24 it r eac hes 25 percent.
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The city's economy is growing but the new jobs being created require office, managerial and technological skills. 'Th e unemployed do not h a v e the skills necessary to compete for these jobs. Employers of unskilled and semi-skilled workers are either disappearing or moving to the urban fringes. Therefore, Atanta's economy is faced with the irony of unacceptably high unemployment rates among certain types of workers on one hand and, conversely, employers who must fill office, managerial and technical jobs with people outside the ci-=.y.
Other regional economic concerns include encouraging continued private investment in the central area and other mature portions of the Region, slowing increases in health care costs, retaining business and industry, training and retraining the labor force to ma t c h available j o b s , and designing industrial promotion efforts which attract operations that will most benefit the Region.
'2 . Natural Resource Protection
The quality of life in the Atlanta Region is influenced by many environmental factors. Our air, water, land and other natural resources directly affect our health and en joyment of leisure time. I n turn, a concern for natural resource conservation by the Region's people is essential if successful enviro~ental programs are to be developed and implemented.
Water is immensely important to any urban area. During the seventies the local goverr~ents began extensive p12~ning and 'c a pi t a l investment programs to upgrade existing wastewater treatment plants and to construct new facilities to meet federal water quality requirements of "fishable and swimmable" water by 1983. These programs, authorized under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (PL 92-500), helped make progress in eliminating point source pollution problems. However, much remains to be done. As federal funds for wastewater management are reduced during the eighties, local governments will need to find alternative .f und i ng sources to continue the momentum established during the seventies if high quality water standards are to be met.
Also, during the seventies the Region recognized the importance of protecting the Chattahoochee River as its principrl source of water. Land development standards were established to control surface water runoff and to protect the scenic quality of the river corridor. In future years it will be increaningly important to enforce existing development standards and to establish new programs to protect this critical water source. The continuation of research on the effect of the combination of chlorination from treatment plants and organic residue from Lake Lanier which enters the
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river through Buford Dam will continue ~o be important to the water quality of the Chattahoochee. If it is determined that this combination is causing a hazardous situation, preventive steps will be essential.
Toxic pollutants in the nation's waterways are a growing concern across 'the country. It may be necessary to establish more stringent national and state standards in future years to control these pollutants. Establishment of such standards would have definite enforcement and possible capital investment implications to governments in the Atlanta Region.
surface water runoff has also been identified as a water q~ality problem. During the seventies most of the local governments adopted erosion and sedimentation control ordinances to control runoff. The improved enforcement of those ordinances and continued planning to identify even better ways to control runoff will be important as the Region continues to grow in the future.
In recent years, the Atlanta Region has faced occasional water supply shortages in the summer and fall. Long range solutions to this area's water shortages will require intergovernmental cooperation since many local jurisdictions, the state and several federal agencies are involved in the water supply management structure. Such coordination of systems will probably need to include more system interconnection for drought management and other emergencies.
The Atlanta Region has been relatively fortunate compared to other major metropolitan areas with respect to air quality. Despite the rapid growth of the Region, improvements have been made in air quality levels. Even so, the Atlanta Region is presumably in violation of several national air quality standards established by the Federal Clean Air Act. The attainment and maintenance of clean air is a very important concern.
As has been mentioned several times in the Profile, the Atlanta Region has no major physical barriers to growth, such as an ocean or mountain range. Rapid development of the area has resulted in a low density, sprawling development pattern. An increasingly important concern will be the protection of land as a resource. Land use reaulations can be used to shape long range urban growth, discourage incompatible land use patterns, encourage higher densities where appropriate, encourage prOtection of open space and protect environmental quality. However, regUlations sometimes result in increased short ter~ costs to the developer and consumer. Economic and political ~ealities will continue to be important deter~inants a s ~o how restrictively local g o v e r n me n t s will regulate land use.
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Other important natural resource protection concerns in the Region irrclude negative environmental impacts on resources resulting from solid waste disposal, hazardous waste disposal and urban noise.
3. " Go v e r nme n t a l Affairs
Currently there are 46 municipalities, seven counties, and 56 authorities in the Atlanta Region. These local governments and state and federal agencies provide facilities and services to the people of the Atlanta Region. The combined cost of governmental facilities and services will likely increase in future years as inflation takes its toll, as the population increases and as services are improved. At the same time citizens will exert greater pressure to hold down governmental spending . Proposition 13 in California and Proposition 2-1 /2 in Massachusetts, both of which place severe legislated limits on property taxation, are examples of electorate demands to constrain governmental spending by limiting revenues.
A major concern facing all units of governments will be to satisfy demands by the general pUblic for i mproved governme n t a l service while recognizing equal demands to control government spending. This will lead to increased productivity and economies and shared responsibilities in governmental operations.
In many metropolitan areas, particularly the Atlanta Region, there appears to be no widespread interest by the general public in consolidating or combining governmental agencies. In fact the reverse is true. There is a recognition by the electorate that governmental agencies that are most responsible to citizens are those which are responsible for relatively small geographic areas. For instance, the small and medium sized cities in the Atlanta Region are likely to be able to respond more quickly to the electorate than the larger agencies . However, smaller governments have greater difficulty in providing quality pUblic facilities and services.
Therefore, an important concern for Atlanta Region governments will be to improve and economize on service delivery systems and other governmental operations while retaining a system which allows elected officials to be accountable to a manageable number of people - either small cities or districts within larger governments. This will likely demand more cooperation by local governments in service delivery, more sharing of facilities and more intergovernmental contractual arrangements for the provision of pUblic services.
Local governments in the Atlanta Region rely on the property tax as the basic revenue source for governmental operations. A major i s s u e will be to determine and implement the most
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equitable revenue generation methods to finance increasingly expensive governmental services. In future years local governments will be attempting to identify new and acceptable ways of producing revenue such as more service delivery fees. as an example. At the same time governments will need to recognize the fact that excessive use of service fees to finance operations will place; strains on low-income and fixed income persons.
In addition to finding new and fairer ways to increase revenues, equitable ways must be found to finance Region serving facilities. Facilities such as wastewater treatment plants, pUblic hospitals, health facilities, and cultural facilities are examples. These facilities are generally located in a single jurisdiction but provide benefits to the entire Region. A closely related concern is the equitable financing of programs, services and facilities intended for persons who cannot afford to pay for them. Most of the Region's poor are located in the City of Atlanta, sometimes requiring the city to pay more than its share for these programs.
At some point in the future cities and counties in the Region will need to improve or replace the aging water and sewer infrastructure (as well as other public facilities) on a systematic basis. In addition to providing basic services, this will be one of the most costly expenses governments will face. It is important to begin now to identify when such improvements will be needed and how they will be funded.
Providing pUblic education is a key responsibility of local governments. It is also the most costly service they provide. In the Atlanta Region school boards operate school systems, not the local government. Traditionally, education has been a closely guarded service by local government school boards which are accountable directly to the electorate.
There are some important future issues in the area of education. One deals with responding to a generally decreasing and shifting school enrollment in future years. This trend will likely result in more surplus schools as weLL as program changes. Also, new schools may be needed in reviving areas such as central city neighborhoods.
Another issue concerns improving the quality of education throughout the Region. While school systems will probably cont inue to be a closely guarded local operation, there will be a n increasing need to provide the highest quality education to all people. This may result in more cooperation among school sY5tems in providing specialized programs and facilities.
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4. Transportation
In the early 1970's, transportation issues . focused on several key areas - the emerging awareness of an energy constrained future, the conflicts between highway construction and urban land uses (particularly residential areas), the need to carefully evaluate the impact of transportation facilities on the environment and community, the level of commitment to mass transit, and use of complementary modes such as bicycles and pedestrian facilities. Additional issues are emerging, such as the course of our energy future, and new issues have now arisen which will challenge earlier ideas of what we can accomplish.
The first challenge is energy conservation. The transportation sector of the American economy uses 26 percent of all energy consumed in the United States. More than 97 percent of energy expended for transportation purposes is petroleumbased. Of petroleum-based transportation uses, 60 percent is far automobiles, 15 percent for diesel vehicles and 13 percen~ for aviation fuels. The availability of inexpensive fuels i n con junction with demands for more powerful engines and more l ux u r i o us automobiles resulted in the manufac~uring of cars t~at were less energy efficient in the mid 1970's than in 1950.
Over t h e past several years, national policies affecting urban transportation planning focused on conserving available fuel through increasing the efficiency of the existing transportation system. Other federal responses to transportationrelated energy issues include lowering speed limits on highways, increasing the fuel-efficiency of automobile engines, encouraging urban reinvestment and more efficient land use policies, resource recovery requirements for petroleum products, deregulation of domestic oil supplies, and new governmental procurement standards.
Recent changes in federal policy indicated a stronger reliance on the market to adjust energy supplies and prices in order to distribute and conserve our f ue l resources. Such action places more of a burden on local areas t o develop energyconscious plans. Responses to energy issues in local and regional transportation planning are best illustrated by the variety of TransDortat ion Svstem Manaaement ( TSM ) Dro ;ects which ~re being imple mented: By d e f i ; i t i c n these iow: or ooncaoital-intensive projects are used to i mprove t h e operating efficiency of the existing transportation facilities in urban areas. TSM projects include intersect ion and signali=ation i mprovements, preferential treatment for h i gh occupancy v e h i c l e s , one-way streets, reversible l a n e s , staggered ~ork ho u r s ~ ped e s t r i a n and bicycle facil ities, and inc entives for par k/ri de lot and transit use. ~e political a nd tecr.ni c al a c c~ p t a b i l i ty of these l o~ -c ~ s t , h igh - im p a c t pr o jec~s ha s resulted in implementation success across the nation.
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private responses to transportation-rela~ed energy issues have been spurred by economic considerations. Individuals have altered their travel habits in response to higher gasoline orices and, in some cases, the lack of conveniently available fuel. While average auto occupancy is still low, at approximately 1.2 people per auto, transit ridership has increased, ridesharing (carpooling and vanpooling) is gaining popularity, and average per capita gasoline consumption is dropping due to more efficient auto engines and a reduction in non-essential trips.
Other trends are evident in private enterprise. They include increased flexibility in administrative policies which provide incentives for transit and ridesharing use, investing in urban infill or redevelopment projects which promote efficient land use patterns, and the technological development of new or modified transportation modes.
There are three ma j o r unresolved transportation energy quest ions with wh ich the planning process must deal. First, what are the long-term fuel opportunities for transportation: i.e., can we continue to plan for gasoline engines? Second, in view of dwindling oil reserves, for what technological breakthroughs in mobility can we plan, e.g., electric cars? Third, what are the socio-economic decisions that are evolving which will affect transportation system requirements - including lifestyle changes, alternative work scheduling, the equity and costs of v a r i o u s mobility levels, and environmental concerns?
A second eme r g i n g issue is how to finance transportation f a ci l i t i e s and services. Over the past ten years increasing emp hasis h a s been placed on low-cap ital, low impact pro jects through the TSM concept . The current direction of federal policy is toward less funding for transportation projects.
The most profound change to occur in financial assistance for highways is the termination of the Interstate Program. Costs for c omp l e t i o n are high yet the funds available are at best stable . At t h e same time many local governments are also cauaht in a fiscal saueeze due to declinina tax bases and risi~g - costs f o r mu n i c i p a l ser vices. It is b~coming increasing l y d i f fi cu l t for l o ca l a o v e r n me n t s to fund the ma i n t e n a nc e of l o c a l fa cili ti e s , m U ~h less fun d the construct ion of ~ew ones.
After two d e c a d e s of declining patronage, an infusion of f eder a l, state and local subsidies for transit in the last de c ad e ha s cont~ibuted to growth in patronage and re venues. ~ e w ra i l s yst ems a r e underway with At l a n t a being a significant ex a mpl e of an i n t e g r a t e d :b u s / r a i l system~ However, ~ isi na cos t s a nd fares are once again threaten ing patronage growth. El i minat i on o f fede r a l o p e ra t in g a s s i s t a n c e is l i kel y a n d fede r a l pa r t i cipa tio n i n c ap ital p r o jec t s , a t best, is going t o be de l a y e d .
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A major question in the Atlanta Region concerns whether the basic refer~ndum rapid transit system can be completed with reduced federal participation in the capital cost.
With major cutbacks in federal funding, three concerns must be addressed:
o The necessity of relying on less capital-intensive improvements and programs to achieve our regional objec~ives.
o The necessity of seeking alternative sources of capital financing (private financing, bonding, authorities, local taxation and subsidy).
o A greater reliance on private investment or self-supporting serv~ces, which means improvements and programs must be evaluated as much in terms of their gross profit or breakeven potential as in terms of their pUblic benefit.
A third issue deals with the nature of the transit market and the types of services transit offers. The Region has made progress in building an integrated bus/rail system. Suburban counties have also made progress in studies of their shortrange transit marke~s. In light of these and the funding constraints there are now important questions on the timing and completion of extensions to the system.
The basic rapid transit system is under construction in the MARTA service area of Fulton and DeKalb Counties. .~ter native services in non-MARTA areas may include the following:
o The possibility of one or more local transit systems;
o The possibility of shuttle buses to the rail line or downtown from park and ride lots;
o The possibility of paratransit only in the outlying counties; and
o Express buses on high occupancy vehicle lanes in outlying counties.
A four~h issue concerns ~he degree to which communications will replace conventional transportation in future years. The communications revolution which began in the early 1970's may accelerate in the 1980's. Cable ~elevision is now rapidly growing and computer technology is q u i c k l y co~ing into an affordable price range for virtually any business use and many personal uses. The linking of these technologies now creates the real potential for changes in travel patterns el iminating or reshaping work, personal business and even pleasure types of travel.
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5. Housing
The housing stock is one of the most important components of any metropolitan area. -I t is the largest user of land, generates significant revenues for local governments and requires extensive public services and infrastructure. The location and quality of housing areas have an effect on and are affected by the location of all of the other activities of the Region.
In recent years there have been significant increases in the cost of h o u s i n g. It is naN extremely difficult even for families of mo d e r a t e i ncome to af for d housing. It will become increasingly important in future years to produce more affordable housing. Higher density development, smaller units, innovations in construction techniques and materials have cost saving possibility. In addition, codes and other gover~mental regulations should be reviewed to identify and remo ve i~p ed im e n t s to im p l e me n t i n g innovations in housing
construct~on.
The provision of decent, safe and sanitary housing to lowincome famil ies will continue to be an important concern. There are major qu e s tio ns about how to provide h ou s i ng to lowincome fa~ilie s through pUblic housing construction projects, rent sUDolement programs and incentives to private developers. It will t ake a combination of ma ny approaches. It will continue to be important to provide low-income housing throughout the metropolitan area - not just in the central city.
Discrimi nation i n housing still exists a nd will continue to be a prob l e m. Many peop le are prec l uded fro m certain areas or t ypes of h o u s i n g by excl usionary ma rk e t i n g practi es. \~ i l e blacks and other minority groups have suffered mo s t from such practices, women, fami lies with children, students, handicapped, welfare recipients and divorced parents also experience discriminat ion in the housing market. It is essential to broaden the housing c hoices of all persons.
Protecti on of the h o u s i ng stock wi ll be an i ncreas ingly important i s s u e in f u t u r e y e a r s. Progr ams to c onserve existing neighborhoods, rehabilitate existing housing, and upgrade pUblic facilities a nd services in older a rea s will be critical if t h e h o ~ s i n g n e ed s of the Re g io n are t o be me t . In future y e a rs ful l s c a l e replac ement of t~e housin g stock is not economica l o r d e s i r a b l e . As t h e c o s ts o f r e n ova tio n and ~a i n t e na nc e in c re a se . mo r e a n d mo r e neigh b o r hood s will b e sub ject t o d e c l i n e u nles s a c t iv e pr o gr a ms d i s c o u r a g e t hat trend.
The d i s p la ce me n t of low or modera te income a n d e ld e r ly , fixed i ncome oe r son s f r o m revi vin g a rea s . ~ri ncipal l y i n the central city , i s ~ c on ce r n . ~s ol der neigh bo rh o od s un dergo restorat i on, la nd v alue s o f t e n in c rea s e . ~ s a r esu l t lon g- ter~
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residents often cannot afford to remain in the area. This issue should be addressed concurrently with efforts to encourage upgrading older residential areas.
B. Alternatives fo= Action
Tne following is a listing of possible actions which might be undertaken by the pUblic or private sector to address the issues and problems discussed in the last section. The list is not exhaustive and certainly will be expanded and detailed in future updates of the Profile.
1. Economic Development
o Investigate and implement transit service area expansion programs or =evised scheduling that would provide central city residents better access to suburban job centers. (MARTA)
o Promote desired industrial development within the central city and other established portions of the Region, by providing public improvements and pro~ective zoning for potential sites. (Local governments)
o Establish Urban Enterprise Zones as appropriate to enhance central city industrial development. (City of Atlanta)
o Continue efforts to maintain and increase Atlanta's role as a convention center as convention facilities are providing a growing base of low skilled jobs. (State, local governments, Chambers of Co~~erce)
o Target industrial promotion programs to high technology, communications and related indus~ries. (State, local governments, Chambers of Co~~erce)
o Continue and expand job training and retraining programs. (Local governments, school boards)
o Continue and expand business retention oroorams oarticularly in the established portions of the a~ea: Such programs might include the preparation of inventories of available buildings and land for business use, providing assistance to business in finding suitable space, establishing evolving loan programs for building or renovation. (Local governments)
o Continue to encourage e=forts to revitalize the southern portion of the downtown area through redevelopment projects such as the Heart of Atlanta and Government Walk projects. (City of Atlanta, private sector)
30

o Continue and expand public investment programs to attract private investment. Some potential areas include the central area, certain transit station areas and sites targeted for redevelopment. (Local governments)
o Begin studies to determine the impact of pUblic and private investment proposals on mature portions of the Region. (State, ARC)
o Require public facility and service impact studies of ma jo= development proposals before approval. (Local governments, private sector)
o Encourage joint pUblic-private developments "that would result in the pUblic sharing in profits generated by developments. (Local governments, private sector)
2. Natural Resource Protection
o Continue state, local and regional planning of water supply, wastewater management, water quality, air quality, solid waste disposal and other environmental quality planning. (State, ARC and local governments)
o Investigate funding alternatives to continue the upgrading momentum of wastewater management treatment established during the seventies. (State, ARC and local governments)
o Increase acqu isition of open space. (State and local go vernments)
o Initiate stronger land use controls to protect sensitive areas in the Region. (ARC, State and local governments)
"0 Improve the enforcement of erosion control ordinances. (Local governments)
o Identi f y and protect cur=ent and fut ure water supply basins. (State, ARC and local governments)
o Encourage water conservation measures (ARC and local governments)
3. Governmental Affairs
o Actively investigate the feasibility of consolidating cert ain pUblic services. (State, ARC a n d l oca l governments)
o Investi gate a nd implement alternatives to the property tax for increasing governmental revenues in future years. Such possibilities as local sales a nd payroll ta x and user and serv ic e fees should be investigated. (State, ARC and local gove rnment s )
31

o Undertake studies to determine ways to increase efficiency
and produ~tivity in government operations. (Local governments)
o Study tax sharing possibilities and mechanisms among governments in the Region. (ARC)
o Design and implement a statewide health plan for the medically indigent. (State and local governments)
o Continually study and monitor local health system needs and resources. (State and ARC)
o Continually study and implement measures to improve educational programs and facilities. (State, local governments)
o Identify schools which are likely to become surplus in future years and begin to identify potential reuses. (Local governments)
o Use capital improvement programming to ensure the wise and highest priority use of future funds. (Local governments)
4. Transportation
o Continue and strengthen the coordinated regional transportation planning program which includes ARC, GaDOT, local governments and MARTA. (All governments)
o Emphasize transportation system management projects such as intersection and signalization improvements, preferential treatment for high occupancy vehicles, one way streets, reversible lanes and others as efficient energy conserving improvements and alternatives to new construction. (State, ARC, MARTA and local governments)
o Investigate alternative ways to raise additional funds to improve facilities' maintenance. (State, ARC and local governments)
o Consider alternatives to expensive fixed rail rapid transit for the developing portions of the Region. (State, ARC, MARTA)
o Implement mass transit service in the suburban counties unserved by MARTA. (State, ARC, local governments and possibly MARTA and private involvement)
o Continue to evaluate the community and environmental impact of transportation improvements. (State, MARTA, ARC, and local governments)
32

o Study alternative revenue generation possibilities to prevent increased transit fares. (MARTA, ARC, State)
5. Housing o Undertake housing quality studies to determine the condi-
tion of the Region's housing stock. (Local governments) o Remove, as appropriate, code or regulatory impediments to
encouraging innovation in housing construction. Investigate other possibilities to encourage reduction in housing costs. (State, local governments) o Expand efforts to construct housing for low-income residents. (State, local governments) o Establish loan programs to encourage improvements to the housing stock. (State and local governments) o Develop incentives to encourage an economic mix of housing throughout the area. (State and local governments)
33

Central Savannah River Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Public Facility Improvements 2. Educational Improvements and Available Training 3. Maintenance of Highways and Transportation Improvements 4. Availability of Industrial Sites and Financing 5. Recruitment of New Industry and Business and Expansion of Economy 6. Downtown Revitalization and Development of Tourist Attractions 7. Availability of Adequate Housing 8. Land Use Regulation Improvements
(Reprrnted from Ch apter III. " Issues and Alte rnatives ', 1983 Area Devetooment Pro /tie , preoared OV lhe Cent ral Sava nnan River Area Planning and Developm ent C omrmssron .)
35

Central Savannah River Area Planning and Development Commission Issues and Alternatives
This part o f the profil e ident ifies the major problems and issues facing the CSRA. Possible appro aches to sol ving these problems are also offer ed in this section. The solution to many of the se problems will require local, state, and federal cooperation.
In a recent surve y conducted by the CSRA Planning and Development Commission, local gove r nme nt was asked what types of technical assistance from the APDC was need ed. Types of technical assistance offered were in the areas of economic develo pment, gene r a l government, human resources, protection of persons and property, and trans portation. Even though this survey does not directl y correspond with the i dent ificat i on of maj o r i s s ue s i t docs give some i ndi ca t i on as to what are the maj or ar eas of impro ve ment and c oncer n .
The i.ia j o r issues wi th res pect to economic development that have been identified bv local gove r nme nt of f i c ia l s and civic groups are 1 i s t e d in the following sections.
TIle ma j o r i s s ue s ide nti fi ed are on l y t hose is s ues rele vant to econo mlC and physica l deve lop men t o f t he CSRA .
37

~.1:\JOR ISSUES i\,'Jn PROBLDIS F/\CI:JG TIlE CSRA
The major pr ob le m arc as confronting the' th irt e en counties include:
o Public facility impr ovFme nt s .
o ~la i n t e n an c e of hi ghways and transportat ion i mp r ov e me n t s .
o Educational impr ovemen ts and a vai labl e training.
o Av ailabil ity of industrial s i t e s a nd fi nanc i ng .
o Recruitment of new industrY and hus iness and e xp ans i on of economy.
o Down t own revitalizat ion and de ve lopment o f tourist attractions.
o Availability of adequate housin~.
o Land use re gulation i Mprove ments.
Puhlic Facility Improve ments
On a re gion al h asi s ho t h c ity and co unt y ~o v e rnme n t s ar e findin g it i n cr eas ingl y dif ficult to ma ke the necessary i mpr ov eme nt s re qu ired to accommodate gr owt h and development. With limited f ederal and state funds ava i l a b l e in recent years most cities/count ies have resort ed to the issuance of bonds to finance public projects. The increase in the use of this type funding has subst antiall y reduced the local gove r nment s a bi li ty to take on mor e debt.
The result has heen that many communities have s us pende d the implementation of projects that would enhance physical growth and economic development. In some cases the maintenance of existing facilities has also suffered because of the financial crisis of some local entit ies.
Presentl y many communltles need additional water and sewer capacity before any new industries can be accommodated . Improvements along sewer lines to reduce infiltration is also required on most older s ys t ems to minimize the capacity pr ob l ems during peak capacity periods.
Other pub l i c i mprovements i nc l udi ng additional recreational facilities, primary health care facilities, cultural facilities, facilities for the protection of ~ersons and property are needed to improve living conditions and therefore the attractiveness of the communi t ie s .
Educational I m.nrov ement s and Avai l ah l e Training. Si gn i f ic ant pr ob l ems confronting t he CS ~A wi th in the s cone o f ed uca ti ona l and in-
t ellec t u a l enr i chMent a r c ( 1) th e Inw l e vel of fu nc t io na l lit era cy (~) the hi~h rate of school drop-outs ( 3) the inad equacy of education al facilit ies and (4) the insufficient availability of vocational-t echnical education for hi~h tech industries.
38

Levels of functional literacy are low and school drop-out rates are hi gh in

the CSRA as well as other regions in Georgia and the southeastern United States.

Furthcrmore, many of the public schools in the non-metropolitan counties need fa-

cility expansions and renovations.

.

The area vocational technical schools need additional updated equipment to improve the skills of students so that they will be equipped for the jobs of the future . The schools have continued to improve the 'eduactional programs.

Additional on the job training and classroom type instructional training is needed so that .t he region can compete with neighboring states when sOliciting new employers. Most companies considcr the availability of state funds for on the job type training to be a plus for a community that they are considering for an industrial plant location.

Maintenance of Highwavs and Transportation Improvements
The maintenance of roads and bridges continues to be a financial prohlem for counties and cities. ~la j o r hi ghway improvements are also needed to provide for the shipment of goods. As indicated in Chapter I, most of the major transportation corridors require additional passing lanes or other improvements.
An improved north-south transportation corridor is also required to attract some t ypes of industry. This would enhance access to other major markets.
Improvements are a l s o needed along ll, S. Hi ghway 301 and a long hi ghways be tween Hacon and Augus t a . Such improvements would also enhance the movement of goods and enhance tourism.

Availability of Industrial Sites and Financing
In many communities there are no available industrial sites with the necessary improvements. Given the number of new industries that should locate in the region within the next few years, many communities that have available sites will not have sufficient space in the 'ne a r future.
The financing of new manufacturing facilities or expansion is becoming more and more of a problem. Hi gh interest rates and the difficult y of placin g industrial revenue bonds' have prompted many companies to put off ex pansion projects.
Low interest fin ancin g inducements could also be a means of attracting various types of industries and ot he r maj or emnloyers, f or e xamp l e , low interest f i nanci ng could attract start up "h i gh tec h" companies. In many cases s uch fin ancing i s difficul t to obta i n f or small co mpanies.

Recru it ment of New Iridus t r v ;lnd Bus i ne s s cs and Ex,na ns i on o f Eco no m.y
The thirt e en count y re gi on w i 11 continue to have j ob losse s from labor inten- ~ s i ve t ype emplo yers. The a r oa need s to co n t i nue to diversify its econo mic base in order to lessen the i mpact o f t h i s trend .

39

Many communi tics, particularly the more rural areas, cannot afford full-time industrial recruitmcnt programs. Thus these areas arc s omewhat at ;l disadvantage in their efforts to attract new employers.
The targeting of specific industries and other major employers should be,undertaken to encourage the diversification of the economic base. Possibly hi r-h tech, nology industries should be encouraged to locate facilities in the region. Co~a nies should be solicited to locate their regional or any of their corporate t!~e offices in the region .
The regions assets in attracting such industries are (1) the technical-vocational education faei 1i ties located in Augusta and Swainshoro; (2) the U.S. Army Signal Corps located at Fort Gordon and the proposed National Science Center for Com~unications and Electronics; (3) financing availahle through private sourc~s and the CSRA Resource Development Agency; (4) the assistance provided by the Geor gi a Institute of Technology's Advanced Technology Development Center; and (5) overnll livability of the area.
The Medical College of Georgia and its Research Institute have potential in attracting biomedical type companies. The Med i c a l College has technical, research, and other assistance available to such companies. Technology development center could be developed in the region in conjunction with the ~ledical College to attract medical related companies.
Downtown Revitalization and Develonment of Tourist Attractions
As noted in Chapters One and Two, there has been an outmigration of businesses from the downtown . area of many cities. This trend has resulted in the loss 0f reventft f or many cities as we l l as reduced the attractiveness of downtown locations for new types of businesses. Presently there is a need to reverse this trend and attract new businesses to the downtown areas. Public improvements such as additional uarking is required to stimulate downtown development. Financial inducements are als~ possible ways of encouraging downtown development.
There are several potential tourist attractions that should be cultivated to stimllate the areas economy. In addition to Clarks Hill Lake, the various historical 1reas, and annual events, the location of the National Science Center for Communi:ations and Electronics could increase the number of tourist dollars spent in the are a ,
The riverfront attractions proposed for downtown AU~lsta could also attract tourlstS. A marina and construction of Fort Augusta are proposed for the riverfront area.
AvaUability of Adequate Housing
Significant accomplishments have been made with respect to the reduction of substandard housing. However, the a re as inventory o f substandard housing remain high~r than the State average. Additional improvements are needed to enhance the li~a)ility of rural and urban communities.
As indicated in Chapter One and Two, and additional 11,000 dwelling units are ne edad for new households between 1980-RS. It is e s t i ma t cd that 6,000 of these
40

dwellings will be renter occupied given the present high interest rates for horne mortgages.
-Land Use Regulation Improvements Twelve cities and two counties have adopted and continue to update zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations. Burke County has adopted a land development code which is similar to a zoning ordinance and a subdivision regulation.
As mentioned in Chapter One and TWo, some residential developments have located just outside a ci ty with land use r-egu l a t i ons where the county does not have regulatory controls. In some instances these residential areas have unpaved roads, inadequate water lines, and road and lot widths that would not meet the minimum requirements if these developments were located inside the nearby city.
The problem with these developments is that the city is requested by the residents of the area to be annexed. When this occurs the city is also requested to make costly improvements.
Another problem is that residents of these areas sometimes do not request the nearby city to annex their area, however, they do request the county to make improvements such as the paving of roads.
There needs to be policies adopted by city governments regarding the extension of utilities such as sewer and water. There should also be policies adopted concerning the annexation of developed areas.
In addition, counties should be encouraged to adopt regulatory policies.
ALTER NATIVES FOR ACTION
It \~ill take both public and private sector initiatives to resolve many of the issues/prohlems idcntified in the previous section. With the recent curtailment in federal sources of funding local governments will have to seek alternative sources of funding for public facilities and services.
TI1C following is a discussion of potential methods of resolving some of the before mentioned problems associated with growth and development.
Public Facilities. The funding of public facility improvements is a major problem conrrontlng local government. There are several sources of funding nublic facilities that are available to encourage gr owt h and economic development.
Some of the mOSL nee ded t :~es of puh l i c facilities and potential fund ing are li s tcd he l ow. Obvi ous l y not ever y local gove r nment is e l i gi b l e for all sources identifi ed. This l ist is intended to gi ve an overall list of funding.
1. \vas t ewa t e r and water t r cn tmen t f ac i I i tics - ~1any communities r cqu i r e i mprovements to treat ment pl ants and /or sewer ~n d water linps before there is sufficient capacity to aC commodate f ut ur e capac ity.
A. \',' ns t eh'a t e Y" treat ment pl ant i mp ro vcme nt s - Fn rrncrs llome Administration (FrtlIA) and the Env i r onme nt a l Pr o t ec t i on Division of the Ceor q i a Department of Na t ur a l Rcs ourc es
41

(OS R) a r e potent i al f ed e ra l s our c es f or treatment plant e xpansion. ON R f unds are awar ded as gr a nt s and Fn~A fund s are awa r ded as gr a nt s and .l oans . However, ONR funds are difficult to obt a i n for man y small communities that have not previously applied for funding. FmHA loans ar e available for most ' rural areas but it is difficult for a communit y to obtain a FmHA grant under currcnt guidelines.
The Georgia Ocpartment of Na t ur a l Resources has an emergency grant pr ogr am fo r communities wi t h severe problcms.
B. Ivater and sewer line improvements - Both FmHA and DNR funds can be used for such improvements. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Department of Community Affairs can fund such improvements providing the particular pro jects meet their criteria.
2. Recreation and cu l t ur a l facilities - The Georgia Department of Na t ur a l Resources through the land and water conservation fund has grants available for outdoor recreation.
Possible s our c es of funding f or cultural and civic facilities are limited. The Economi c Deve lopment Adm i ni s t rai t on will f und such pro jects pr ovi di ng th er e is pr iv a t e s e ct or i nvo lv ement . For e xamp l e, a ci v ic center with a ma j or hot e l deve lopment could be e lig i bl e for such funding.
3. Fire, Police, and Jail facilities - TI1e funds for these type facilities are very limited. However, in some instances fund i ng h as been made available throu gh some state pr og rams .
Other pos si b l e me th ods o f f undi ng pub l i c f acilit ies is by increasin g local option sales tax and /or i nc r ea s i n g user fe es where appro priate.
De vel opers of majo r pr oj e c t s s uch as s ubdi vi s i ons could a l s o he requ ired to pay an a s s es sment per lot that coul d be used to e xpand pub l i c facilities such as recreational facili t ies , wa t er tr eat ment p lant s , re gional water retention basins, etc.
\~nere pos s i b l e , counties should cooperate and work together in constructing public faciliti es. In the past, counties in the region has constructed multi-county facilities where feasible .
. Educ at ional Imp rov ements 3nd Avai l able Tr aini n ~
The funding of educational f ac il iti es is ava i lab l e through the Georgi a De pa r t ment of Education. These funds are avail able for primary, secondary, and voc a t i ona l technical school facilities.
The c os t of pr ovi di ng t h e technical e quipm ent r equ i red to train persons f or high ly tec hn ical j obs has gr ea t ly e sc al at ed dur in g t he pas t f ew ye ar s . Duri n g t his pe r i od there has been an increasin g de mand on voca ti ona l - te ch ni c a l schools t o or o vide emp l oy ee s with more skills and training.
It will be difficult t o fund all of the nee ded e qu ipme nt through pub l i c funds. Therefore , pri vate sour ce s o f funds suc h as c om~ a ni e s requ ir ing highly s killed emplo yees will be encoura ged t o contr ibute to voca t i ona l - tech n i c a l s chool s .
Tr a ini ng is avail ahle for persons s eeki ng sk i l ls f o r emp l o !~ e n t throu ~h se veral pro grams. The Geor gia Depart ment o f Educat ion a dmi n i s t e r s the Georgia Quick Start
42

,rio-5<'lg

r t

ar aminth

rou new

gh t he a emp loye

re es

a

vo f.or

ca s

t p

io ec

nal 1"f ilC

te ch tas

nic k's .

a

l

s choo ls .

TIle pro gram as s is t s employ-

\
The are a vocational -techni c al schools a ls o offe r programs that provide future

I veeS with the necessar y s kill s for va r i o us j obs . To i mpr ov e the mar ke t ab i l ity

p o~e of the pro grams, the Geor gia Department of Educa t i on is examin ing the poss i-

l

S' Ot V
1

of

offerIng

an

aSSOCI a t e

de gree.

The CSRA Employment and Train ing Cons orti um ad mi ni s t er s va rious training pro-
ar.1S for both c l as s r oom t ype ins t r uc t i on and on the j ob trainin g.

The Job Training Par t ne rshi p Ac t (JTPA) whi ch will make available funds through e State of Geor gia f or tr aining potential emplo yees.

-~i n t en an c e of Hi ghways and Transportat ion Imorovements As previously mentioned i mprovements are needed to provide transportation cor.i dors for north-south and to some extent east- west transportation. The onl y avail, Ie f undi ng sourc e fo r t hese ma j or improvements is throu gh the Georgi a De partment f Trans port ation . In th e f utu re the ev alu ation of tollways and other alternative funding sources will be r e qu ir ed to accelerate th e implement ation of these need im-
rovements.

,ailabi lity of I ndus t rial Site s a nd Fi nan ci ng
As me ntioned, many communi ties do not h ave s ufficient industr i al site / p arks i t h th e neces s ar y pub lic i mprovements s uch a s sewe r, water, gas . e tc . The f i nan i ng of i ndustria l and comme rcial proje cts has his t orical ly been throu gh t h e private ect or . In many c~ses , industria l pr oj ec t s have been fi na nc ed wi t h i ndu s tri a l revenue bonds .
Dur in g the pas t few ye ars seve ra l pub l i c s ou r ce s o f fundi ng has bee n made avai l ab l e to th e pr i va ce sec to r . The Department of Hous in g an d Urb an Develo pment t hrough the Urban De vel opment Ac t i on Grant (UDAG) pro gram will finance commer ci a l nJ i ndus t ria l pr o j ec ts on a r a t l o basis. The se funds can be used to purch ase fixed assets and fin ance buildin g c ons t r uc t io n .
TIle Economic Deve lo pment Admi ni s t ra tio n ( EDA) will al so pr ovi de f i na nc i ng for :1 "us t r i a l pro j ec t s. TI1e CSRA Pl a nn i ng and Develo pment Commi s sion was awar ded $1 ~ i l l i o n In 19 79 throu gh EDA t o l oan to expandin g busi ness es .
I n :iJditi on, the CSi\..-\ Pl anni ng and De ve lo pment Cornm i s s i on adminis t ers Small us i ness Adminis tra t ion (SBA) 50 3 and 502 pr og ra ms which pr ov i de fund i ng fo r com-~ rcia l and indu s trial pr o j ec ts. Priva te partici pa tio n from l en di ng sou rc es i s II :; ,) r equired by t h i s p ro grn m.
' . The De pa r t me nt of Co mm u n i t y ,-\ f f a i r s -( CDBG) p r ogr am o f f e r s fundin g to c i t i es - .::; l !:lr t o the De pa r t me nt o f Housin g a nd Urba n Developme nt ( UDAG) pr og r am.

. !.'h::l l r c c r u i t mc nt ;1 r0 gr :l::1S h a ve been fo r t h e mo s t pu r t funde d t hrough l ocal : () \' P fn :::C ll f a nd n r i v. rt c ~ o n t r ib u t i o n s . Ch an lic r s of Commerc e n nd i ndu s t r i a l a u t hor i > : ' S h av. :1 c t i.\~ I\' hc e n i nvo l vc d w i t h the dcvc l o pmcnt o r' r c c ru i t ncn t pro gr a rn s .
43

The CS~~ Planning and Development Commission ~lso has ~n industri~l development program which provides fechnical assistance to locnl development groups.
The continued improvement of local economic devel opment programs is required for communities in the region to be able to compete for new employers on a state, national, and international basis.
Statewide economic development assistance is provided by the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade and Dep~rtment of Community Affairs. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, Seahoard System, and Norfolk-Southern Railway all have economic development programs.
Downtown Revitali:ation and Development o~ Tourists Attractions
As previously mentioned, where there is private commitment, the Department of HUD through the UDAG program, and the Economic Development Administration will provide funding for downtown development projects. Downtown Development Authorities may issue development bonds for projects in certain areas.
The incentives available in the forms of investment tax credits by restoring older buildings can also spur downtown revitalization. The certification of historic structures program is administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
The funding of the National Science Center in the Augusta ~letropolitian Area will be through local funds and private contributions. Presently there are no state or federal funds available for funding such major tourist attractions.
Availability of Adequate Housing
The elimination of substandard housing continues to be an ohjective of communities in the area. Presently the Depart ment of Housing and Urban Development and Farmers Home Administration, Federal Housing Administration, and Veterans Administration are the sources of funding for new single and multi-family housing. The Georgia Residential Financial Authority also provides home financing.
Development bonds are being increasingly used to finance multi-family developments.
Funds are available through the Depa r t ment of Community Affairs for housing rehabilitation through the CDBG program.
Land Use Regulations
In some instances in the rural areas there needs to he policies adopted by the city and county gover~ent that requires residential devel opers to construct projects that comply with both city and county minimum standards for construction. In some cases this would require county gover~~ent to adopt such minimum standards similar to that adopted by cities within the county. For example, a city and county could adopt similar suhdivision regulations. This would possibly encourage development to occur in areas where there are public facilities already in place for development.
In some cases, city government should adopt policies regarding the extension of sewer and water to unincorpoT3ted are~s. The 3pproval or disapproval of extending these services as well as other services could be used bv city government as a means
44

of insur i ng that

i

t i t d c ': C'lo I';::c ~ t :; ::1 ~ ; '. " ' : :~ : :-: c { , !-:" , :- : : : ,' , i ; :-::::l S

to

r

e

s

dc n

n

c

c

n

fo rm

the ir deve l opmen t s t a n J ~ rd s .

Other Al t e rna t ive s

With the reduction in the ava il abilit y of non loca l Sou rces or f~n J i ng f or ? r o j e ct s ,

ommunities
~tates ha ve

throughout the nat ion ha ve loo ked adopted le gislat ion whi ch pe rmi t s

at va ri ous a l t e rna t i ve ci ties/counties to use

sou rce s . ~l an y appr oaches :hat

were not befor e ava ilable.

One such met ho d is the us e o f lon g term l eases . In some states a co mp an y wi ll construct and operate the needed public facilit y such as a wastewater treatment ? l an t or civic center and lease the faci l i ty to the local government . This situation is particularl y att racti ve to a p riva t e de velo per whe n i t invol ves the rehabilitat ion of an ol der struc ture t hat i s el i gibl e ror histori c t ax cred its.

Anothe r dev e l opment too l i s the us e o f ta x i nc rement bond f inanc ing. Under mos t state le gislat ion , taxes ge ne r at ed by a devel opment project are used to pay
off bond s fin an cin g cert ain impro vements.

SU~L\l-\ RY

As i nd i ca t cd t he maj o r is sues o f the a r e a e volve around the fu nd i ng of pub l i c fac ili t i es; educa t iona l facilities and pro gram s; ma j o r hi ghwa y impr oveme nt s ; ad equate housin g ; dOIV ntow n r evi t ali zat i on pro j e ct s ; a nd ec onomic development pro j e cts. In ~e ner~l , these a re not new iss ues or new prob lems . As d escribed throu ghout th e p ro fi l~. pa s t effo rts have r e s u lt ed i n bett er l i ving cond i t i ons for citi zens o f t he Cent ral Savannah Ri ve r Area .

Howe ver , :h e con tinued impr ovement of l i vin g cond i tions a nd o f t he a r ea's economy r equire t h e ong oi n g effo r t s o f local, s tate , and f ederal gove r nme nt . I f local gove r nmen t s i n the regi on a r e pro vi de d with proper a s s i s tanc e , the be fore ~~ n tioned issues c an be add re ss e d.

The coope ra t i cn and pa rticip a tio n o f fed e ra l, st ate, an d loc a l gr oup s in re-
qui red t o r e sol ve ma ny of the prob lems th at communi tie s in th e CSRA face. Publ i ci
pr iva te fi nanc in g of many communi ty pro jec ts as well as economic de velopment proj ~c t s is also nece ssa r y t o create addit ion al j obs and provide the necessary publ ic i~p rovecent s. \ew approache s t o sol vin g th e se probl ems should be mad e available t hrou ~h the passage o f s t a te and local l eg islation an d the c r e a t i on of new pro gra ms on the local an d s t a t e level.

45

Chattahoochee Flint Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Availability of Useable Water 2. High Finance Rates for Construction and Housing Loans 3. Lack of White Collar Jobs 4. High Incidence of Crime 5. Problems of Small, Incorporated Communities
" il l -' : . .. ..... ' 0 - ::~:~, . is sue s ana Alte r-
: '-" " ~' (1 :J r1 fl n t P ro t ne, o l l .... r':)CF"'! e e Fli n t Area '-' . - "' ::-""""': e n t Cc m rms s ro n I
SOUIIl
G e o r !:lil ~
47

Chattahoochee Flint Area Planning and ,Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
:\1AJOR ISSUES AND PROBLE ~,1S FACING THE AREA AND PROPOSED ALTERN ATIVES
Issue 1. The st atu s of the availability of usable water is considered to be the Chattahoochee- Flint ar ea' s most prevalent concern. Although this prob lem a r ea v nr ies in severit y throu ghout the region. it is a ma jor are aw ide issue . Gro und wnte r r e s e rve s tend t o limit development in po rtion s of the a r ea due to the lack of such sources or to the very poor quality (high in mineral coritent ) found in some sources. The quality of the water of the Ch attahooch ee River due to the lack of ad eq u a t e sew a ge tre atm ent in the metropolitan At lnn t a a r e a renders this potenti ally lar g e water s ourc e virtu all y imp os sib le to use as drinkin g water t h r o u g h much o f th e a r ea . Al most the s ame situ ation exists for the Flint River an d it s trib utary , Line Creek. The lack of adequate water supplies hampers in dustri al g r owt h to s ome de gree. Fire protection in most rural sections of the fiv e-cou n ty a r e a is excellent. except for one item--adequately de ve lop e d rural wat er systems. Water syst ems are generally available, ho wever. a r ou n d t h e periphery of the three largest cities in the are a-- LaG r an ge, Carrollton , and Ne wnan .
Alterna tiv e 1 . In order to obtain an adequate an d potable water supp ly for pr esent and future ar ea residents, efforts must be directed toward r end erin g the Ch attahoochee River , the Flint River, and Line Creek u snb le . Th ese efforts must be undertaken jointly by all governmentnl b odie s in volved, both upstream f r om t h e a r ea and within the Chattahoochee- Flint boundaries. County-wide wate r systems must be d e v elop ed to reduce the depletion of gr ou nd water aq u ife r s by individual h ousehold s . Also, county-wide systems are a must if ma xi mum fire protection is to be provided to all residents. commercial establishments, a n d industries. Th e a v ai la bil i t y of water is a must for continued in du stri al d e v e lo p me n t in the a r ea .
Iss ue 2 . A s econd issue wh ic h h a s affec te d d e v el opme n t in t he are a is not uniq ue t o t h e Ch a tt ahoo c h ee-Flint a rea . T hi s h as b een t h e high fin anc e
r nt es invol vin g con s t r uc t ion a nd hou sin g loans. It IS felt th at with lo wer
r nt os durin '; the past dccade , the entire n r en would h ave realized much rno rn s ignifica n t g r o wt h . The pa rt i al failure of th e plann ed n ew commu ni t y o f Shen ando ah in Co wet a Count y is an ex c e lle n t example of the netrntivn affects of the high interest r ates .
.Al t c rri n t ivr, 2 . Fu ll v r cn lizin g t ha t th e n at ionwide a nd s t nt ew i d c s it ua ti o n l'eC::1r rlin g- h i'!, h int e r e st r ut e s is dc fi ui t e lv n ot a lo c al p rob lcru. it could be r c corn mc nrtc d t n n t a ll a r en lendin g" institution s h c u rrt cd to do c v cry t hin g in t h r-i r p ow e l' t o p n s s on lo wer i rn c i-cs t rnt c s to .i r c n r e sidents ju s t as ~ f) () ll :1'1 po sxib l.: i n o r d e r t o s t im u la te r-cs id cn r i .i l as wel l as cornmc rc ia l :I n ti i nd u s t ri nl con s t r u ct io n . T his i s pa rt ic n lnr l v t r u e :It t h is peri od i n l i: : ~ l ' wh e n p r irnr: iu t c r os t r nt c s :\I' C \) p. r>i llll ill ~ t o d cc rcns c .
49

Issue 3. The third issue facing- the area, has been the general lack of s ub st nn ti a l white collar opportunity de v e lo p me nt . While impressi v e s t rk h ave be en made in ntt ructing bn sicall y blue collar job s , the lack of Wh' collar jobs has promoted commut ing to the Atlan t a metropolitan area for more financially rewarding- employment.
Alternative 3. The ability to nttrnct and keep whit e collar employees within the five-count y ar ea is the responsibility of sever-al interrelated factions. If the educational system could make the necessary ad jus trne , to their curricula to provide training related to soft industries an d rnoi, high technology, it is felt that industries and related employment sourj, would be given the proper impetus for lo c a t i n g within the area. If thh change could occur, the area would be able to retain many of its re sidcn t s who commute to the Atlanta area for gainful employment nn d thereby improve the ove rnll quality of the living- environment.
Issue 4. A fourth major problem which is quite e vi d en t in much of t h e a, is the high incidence of crime. Crime rates have climbed in direct proportion to the completion of the Interstate Hi ghway System through the area from the At lnnt a metropolitan a rea , These highways, accor d ing to law enforcement of'ficinls throughout the five-county area , are directly linked to the higher crime rnt e fostered by vastly improved accessibilit y to the Atlant a area. The law enforce ment a gen cie s in the area which are considered to be very good for the most part. cannot keep pace with the incre asing d e ma nd s pl aced upon them. The lack of sufficien t manpower coup led wit h restricted b ud ge t s render the effectiveness of most of these a g e n ci e s in d e ali n g with the criminal overflow from the Atlanta area le s s than ideal. This indeed is one of the area's most serious problems.
Alternative 4. The incre asing incid ence of cri me wi t h i n the Chattnhoochee-Flint area is de finitely not unique to the region but is compounded by its proximity to the Atlanta metropolitan area, coupled with the accessibility nffo rried by the two interstate hi ghways--I- 85 and 1-20. There is really just one solution to this--highly increased funding levels for all area la w en fo r ce me n t agencies. T hi s recommendation encompasses all lev el s of lawen fo rcerne n t iu clu di n a , but not limited to. incre ased man power, incr-e ase d t rain in g- , la r g e r fa ci li t ie s . more s p eci fi e d equipment as well as standard requirements, and definitely increased sal aries in o r de r to .rt t rrict the be st pos sib le person nel ( t h is is not a de ro g ato rv ju d gemen t of present pe rso n n e l- - thcy perform a n excellent serv ice within th e con fi n e s of th eir limit e d r e sourc es) . An y imp ro ve me n t in law en fo r c e rncn t capa b i li ti e s wi th i n the At la nt a me t ro p olita n a r e a co u ld h e lp re d u ce th e crimin a l ove r fl ow w hicn is 5 0 pro vn lc n t with in th e a re a at pre s ent.
50

Coastal Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Economic Diversification and Soc ial Equ ity 2. Groundwater and Protection of Environmentally Sensitive Areas 3. Port Development and Fisheries 4. Labor Force Training and Evaluation 5. Public Works and Capital Improvements Programm ing
(Typed from Chapter III. " Issues and Alter nanves ", 19 63 Area Develo p m e nt Pro tste , prepar ed Oy the Co asta l Are a Plannmg and Developm ent Cornm rsstcn.)
,
\
53

Coastal Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
A. t-la j or Issues and Problems Facing the Area: Suggested Alternatives to Action
Although there have been profound indications of progress within the Coastal .;;PCC counties, there are still several rrajor problems of economic deve.Ioprent; and social equity. It is expected that continuing economic develo~nt will indirectly mitigate sorce aSfcts of these problems, but due to their chronic and formidable nature, spec.i.fi.c actions must be taken to resolve them. The f o l l owing outlines developrent problems and suggested actions as int erpre t ed f r am the previous anal ysis .
1. Economic Di versification and Social Equity
Land a.vnership, employrrent, and .inccrre infonnation indicates that there i s a reIat.ive I y high concentration of resources devoted to a few industries, prirrarily pulp and papez , chemicals, and related products. For areas outside of savannah, wherein the urban econany is already greatly diversified, potential instability of communities based on only one or two industries is a serious developrent pr obl em. To sarre extent, the presence of military operations at Fort Stewart and Kings Bay serves to offset this potential instabi li ty , but feder'al, employrrent rray also be subject to fluctuations due to program funding , military defense strategy at the national level, as well as other factors. Likewise, tourism has helped to diversify local economies, and continuing e ffort i s beinq made to ensure the greatest poasib.le realization o f t his opportunity.
Ye t , d e s pi t e these historically errerging sources of econanic diversification, those with l ittle education or training, many living in rather rural surroundings, and predominated by racial minorities, prirrari.Iy black, suffer frC1'.11 chronic undererrp.loyrrent; and concomitant 10... incares. ~mle f i gure s shew a s.Li.c ht; reall oca tion of ateve-poverty incorre toward the black population over the pas t ten ye ars , there is still a conspicuous devi a tion between races, with blacks having nearly doub l e the average proportion of households living belcw poverty , ..:';11d , equally troubling, figures show no improverrent whatsoever in the overall pr oportion of coastal households living below poverty over the past ~e.11 ye ars . This low .incore qr' oup , consisting of sorre 18% of all households , r epres ent s a serious challenge to publicly sponsored economic developItem: ac tivi ty.
The ccmbi.ned need f or dive r s ifi ca tion and wi der distribution of the benef i ts pr ovided by economic deve Ioprent; suggests the creation of a strategi c deve Ioprent. p l an wni.ch can target prarotional efforts toward industry f or wni.c h the are a is best suited. Factors such as capital and later intensity, goods vers us sexvices c r oduc tion , and distribution of return on investment should be rmr e care rul.Ly considered in deve Iorrrent; strategy than trey have been in t he pas t . For examp.Ie , convent.i.onaL \..i sdan r egardinq the preference f or iliah-!=,ayir:.q capital intensive jobs over I ow- pay inq l abor intensive employrrent ,
55

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is already well dccurrented , a Lthcuqh -:"':"08 scec i f i.c l':":,i ts of this va s t under-
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at least grea tly reduce , the adverse ccnsecuences 0: ::a..~ing t oo much grot.::""::'-
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56

with the pr o spec t s o f continued and intensified convers i on of land to urban

uses, suggest the need f or ITOre sophisticated and r i gorously ITOnitored

environrrental controls.

.

In addition to the controls thernselve s , there will be need for further carrnitrrent of public resources to their effective linplerrentation. Past policies have been often regarded as abstractions having little application in daily OPerations of lcx::al gove rrurent s , and even rather SPecific controls on zoning and subdivision have teen inconsistently applied. Exceptions, variances, and other deviations from adopted land use controls have not teen unccmron, and the dcx::trine of "highest and best use" has prevailed over rrore subtle considerations o f public \<.elfare and environrrental quality. There i s a substantial component of political r esolve in such i s sue s , largely generated through publ i c education and involverrent which is critically important. B3J.ancing concern f or pub l i c resources with strategic developrent will be essential to campet~~tmanagementof the area.

3. Port Develonment and Fis he r i e s

Arrong the rrost va luabl e assets of coastal Ceorgia are its ports in savannah and Bnmswick. Toge the r , they have contributed enornously to the econanic deve l oprent o f the area, and the state has recognized this leveraging t hrough substantial investrrent in port improverrent and expansion. Unquestionably, one of the prirrary sources of potential f ut ure econanic de veloprrent will be in port and port-related enterprises. In keeping with the :iJnportance of port comrerce in a wor'Ld of greatly expanding international trade and the competitive advantages of watertorne comrerce, coastal Georgia must direct deve l oprent efforts towards ccmpl.errentary actions a irred at capturing all possible port rrarkets. This will rrean intensified coordination of prcrrotiona l activities, sustained developrent of the image and infrastructure o f the area as a port region, and competitive rrarketing of f acilities , services , and quality of life.

Along wi th po rts , one of the rrost econanically prorrusmg natural
assets of the coast is access to rrarine fisheries. Locally, fishing and
seafood processing represents a major component of the economy, ye t there is reason to l::elie ve that the potential is far greater. The international narket f or seafood and seafood products is increasing dramatically, and only a f ew o f the nurrer ous speci es of potential ccrnrercial va l ue are pr e s ent ly landed. Various studies have e s timat ed that only a fraction of the econauic potential of mar.ine f i s heries has been captured i n coastal C-eorgia, and they ha ve recarrrencied extensive inve s trrent i n m::rlern equip:-ent and f acilit i es s upport ing divers ific a tion and expansion o f the fis heries indus try . This undertaking woul.d involve major capital i nve s trrent s in docking, fue l ing , pac k inq and pr oces sing f ac i lities as we Ll, as special loans to pr iva t e fi s he rrren t o cover t he consi cierable f r ont - end costs o f equipping their ve s se l s f or c apt uring di f f e r ent species. Combined wi th the substantial potent i a l f or ye ar- r ound f ishing and seafood processing, the multiplier eenefits of such .irrves trren t.s are truly r errarkable. Above all, this industry pranises to preserve an incentive for pr otecting natural environrrental r esourc es \~ile o::crinq e~loyment t o rrany ~~dividuals who are pres ent ly UI1CI11!?10yed or underemployed.

57

4. I.2Jx)r For c e Tr a ining and Eva l ua tion
Fmong the foremost problems of the area is the accurate assessment of labor f or c e potential in relationship to f or e s eeabl e demand and training capabilit i es. LocaL economic de ve l oprrent endeavors are hamper ed by a lack of documented evi denc e indicating the skill tyPe and level of L~ose readily available for employrrent; without, such information, prospective errployers may choose to locate where there is rrore convincing substantiation that their labor needs will be rret. Likewise, labor training activities mist, have information regarding the exis ting and potential gr owth in demand for vari ous s kills so that programs can be buil t and rrodified according to the area I s errerging economic deve l oprrent potential. The .in forrnat.i.on d i l errrra is parti cul arl y pr obl emat i c during periods of economic f l uc t ua tion and technol ogical change when market; c onditions are so dynamic that s urve y result s are quickl y outdat ed.
In the past , sore o f the rros c skille d and bes t traine d have been l eft with no a l ternative other than l e aving the area to f ind employrrent elsewhe re . Havi ng va l uabl e s kills wni.ch cannot be pr oduc tive ly a ppli ed in local businesses and indus tty , or wni.ch cannot be effectively used to in- l duce new industry t o locate in the area i s a regrettable loss of human and institutional resources. By improving the information linkages &lOng employers, pr os pective employers, labor training institutions and pr ograms , a nd vari ou s pl anning and de vel opment a genci es involved in local economic de ve I oprrent. , much o f this needles s wa s te can be avoided . SiJ., ti l ar l y, this information must be used to rea c h those who are currently l eaSt prepared f or empl oyment so that tra ining pr ogr ams c an be used to con~sate for existi ng e c onomic inequities , an intransigent prob.Iem a f f ec t ':"'19 ne arly on e- f i f th of the area 's popula t i on .
5. Public hb r ks and Capi tal Improverrents Prograrrming
Though many cc:mnunities are s erved with adequate water, sewer , and service systems, there re:rrain areas whe r e the s e publicly sponsor ed arrenities are not ava i l able . I n several cases, successf ul economic development achievements will be severely hampered, if not pr ec l uded , unless thes e impr overrent s are pr ovided . Hajo r errp.loyers t ypically r equire at a r:l.inimum that the s ites where they l oca t e have a dequate wat.er and sewer : de pending upon the t ype and scale o f the f a cil i ty being considered, the demands of industry may be substantial. ..:".I.nd although local qove rnrrerrt.s 'wi ll event ually rec oup the initi a l cos ts o f public infras truc t.ure , the SITBll ccrtrrurri ties are e specia l ly hard pr e s s ed to finance these major pr ojects . In s uch cases, a critical canponent o f ec onomi.c dev e Ioprent; .inves rrrent; stra.tegy wi l l be support o f l oca l pr o jec t s wi th gr ant s or low- inter e s t guaranteed loans t o ensure t irreI y c a pt ure of pot.ent.i.a.l econanic bene fi t s wi th leng ':e:rm advantage to the comnunity.
Another a s pec t o f capital .investrrent; iI1 public works i s t he use o f fi s ca l anal ysi s in eva l ua t i ng pr ospcc t ive deve l oprent , whether res ident i a l , comrercial, indus tria l , or pub lic . By more cauti ous examiriat.i.on of the c a pital and operating c osts of public facili tie s and services and ~~e r evenues lL~e ly t o be ge ner a t e d throug h Glxes and s e rvi c e fee s pa i d by p r o-
58

perty owners and users, well in advance of demand,' public authorities will be capable of rrore prudent decisionrtEking. This kind of analytical scrutiny will enable reasonable and ba..lanced assessrrent of needs and suggest the scheduling and allocation of projects, payrrent/payoff plans, and other factors which collectively determine the effectiveness, usefulness, and equitability of publicly sponsored projects. Proposed developments can be
rrore completely evaluated for weir actual burden on public systems and
associated or induced demand , such as that created by users of ccmrercial business, employees, and development "infill" which major developrent can often precipitate. with a ~ll-docurrented and thoroughly analyzed approach, reccmrendations and decisions of planning agencies and local officials will convey a greater sense of corrrn:Ltrrent and understanding, leading to policy \vnich is objective and consistent.
B. Mditional Analysis of Alternatives for Action
In response to the identified issues and problems discussed in the previous section, the follo.ving material describes actions which can be taken to address these major issues. The recorrrrendations included here will be as broad as possible, taking into account potential and responsibilities of both the public and private sectors, yet they will be assigned to very SPecific aspects of identified problems. In rrost; cases, recamendations will overlap from one problem area to another due to the interactive, systems-like nature of economic development which this Profile seeks to recognize. It is understood that these recamendations will be used in developing the State DeveIoprent; Profile which in turn will be used to assist the Governor <?TId General Jlsserobly in "developing policies for guiding the coordinated and harrrorrious developrrent of the state".
1. Regional Economic r:.evelopment Plan
There is a continuing need for an overall plan which can be used by local officials, developrrent agencies, and private industry to direct and coordinate developrent efforts. These efforts .inc.Iude invest::rrEnt of public and private capital, prarrotional activities, location and timing of infrastructure improverrents, and t.ra.irii.nc and rrobilization of the labor force. The objectives for such a plan \<XJuld include improved utilization of the region's natural resources, such as marine resources and recreational/ tourist attractions; identification and accelerated development of the markets for ports, seafood and seafood products, and various water-related and water dependent, industries; identification of industries with favorable long-term potential for diversifying the regional economy and creating employrrent for those who are currently disadvantaged econanically; and evaluating prospective development for impacts on existing industry, capital
and labor mix, burden on public facilities and services, ~~ revenues and
indirect multiplier revenues fran various sources, and long-tenn stability of the regional and local e conanie s . Financial analysis wou.Id also be de s i r abl e as a basis for realistic assessment of ~xisting and potential sources for fund.inq .irif.rast.ruct.ure , expans.ion of local businesses, investment capital and capture of return on local investment, especially for those ~mo are most economically dcpri\~d.
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Eesides pr ovi ding a plan per s e, whi ch s hould serve a s a work.inq docurrent subject t o per.icd.ic r eview and rrcdification , the proces s woul.d a s s ure the regional c oordination of multiple interests through a widely repres ented forum . \'Jith I1B 111berS of the industrial , financial , educational , labor and public sectors s e rving a s o f f icial advisors in a body c reated t o over see regional e c onanic developrent , there would be an improved ability to target efforts and t o rral.(e tangible headway t owards developrent objectives . Assistance available through the advi sory body could s ignificantly impr ove the c apabilit y of G~e smal l er c orrnnmi ties , while also advancing gene ral coordination arrong public agenc ies and pr iva t e industry . .'\bove all , a strate g ic plan and s upporting pr oces s would s ubstanti a l l y reduce the t endency f or duplication of effort , unc oordinated t iming , and c ounte rproduct ive pr CITOtion which i s e i t.l-J.er untarge t e d or i l l - conceived .
2 . P.egi ona l Gro.Jth l1ana qerre nt Pla.l:
Existing proDle~s of ground~Bter a l l cc a t i on and saltwater intrusion , together wiG~ gr~ving population densities i n certain are a s , suggest the need f or a rrore c oor dina t ed rreans of c ont .ro .lLi.nq and manaqi.nq vi tal r e gional res ources. At pr e s e nt , an e r r a t i c and unpredictable amal gam of l ocal ordinances and c odes , state envi.ronrrent.a.l pr ot e c tion laws , and pr iva t e market; s pecul.a t .ion , de t e rmine the location , t ype, and .irnpact.s of land developrre.nt and use . 'imle there are pr o t ec t ive controls whi.ch s e rve to limit environmental adversities in certain areas , the cumulative and indirect effects o f numerous de c i s i on s often go un checked ~'1til some critical i s sue or threshold a..:::-i ses . At the se t~~ll1g points , reactionar)' respcnses often include a s h i f t of private costs , a c cumulated over long pe r i ods , to t.~e general pub l i c in the form of tax increases or reduc ed q ua l i ty of l ife . In order t o avoid or a t leas t s i.qni.f i c ant I y r educe the occurrence of illadvised developrrent \\nich can r esult ~! ~~ese inequitabl e ~lIpacts, it i s r ecc:rnrended that 2. regi onal gr o"Jth manacerrent; plan and supporting proces s s hould be deve .Ioped ,
The plan and pr oce s s \VQuld include surve i l l ance of on going developrrent and developrent i s sues , natural envi.ronrrent.al. capacities and f ores e e abl e impacts and Lirni,t.at.i.ons , and erre r ging trends whi c h influence f ut ure develop-
rrent . Local gove rnrre.nt s represent ed i n t.he proce s s wouI d te enc ouraged to contribute policies ~,d findL!gs from pa s e: studie s, and to appropriat ely
rrodi f y growth-inducing pr ograms s uch a s capl-t a l improverrent s a cquisition and sale of publ i c l und . P.epres e nta ti'.'e s o f pr ivat;e i ndus t r y and rrernber s of the real e s tate deve Ioprent. ccrrmuru cy would a Lso be e ncourage d to c ontribute .inforrnati.on regardi::g current ::-:::-ob1cr1"o5 and pct.ent.i.a.i r.eans for r educing anticipated adver-si t.i.e s , ,'-nd , ~f c our se , t he ge ne r a l pub lic wouLd be invited t o c crrrrent, 0 :: cr.i t.i.ca L aspe c t.s o f r eq.iona.l qrcwtn , .incLud.inq f uc t o r s \vhi ch are les s eas i ly c~lant i r ied ~ucn a s c~la l i ty of life , ne igr~r hoed ident i f y , and "sense of pLace I, G::)l l1g cevond conven t i.ona .l req .ionaL l and use p .Lann.iriq , che ~..roNth rranacerre n t; appr oac h ....oul.d s eek a rrore active, r e presentative , and a uthori t.at.ive ro.le i n e;uici ing var.i.o us c r i t.i.ca.L de c i s i on s anel ac t i ons . ~.'hile the l ega l autr..or i ty ::0:::- .irnp.Lerren t.i.nc pLan recc:mrendations unde r existinc state 101\" i s tenuous , o t her f o rms or i.nducerrent; s ho uld be c onsidered , s uch a s Loca.I t a x .inc c nt i -....2s and ::t:nc.ing r e qui.rerrenr.s f or projects app.ly .inc for s w t e and rcdc re.l suppor t .
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Econanic deve lopren t e f:orts guided by t.he regional plan and process described in the pr evi ous section could also be used to ccrrp.Ierrent; the objectives o f qrowth nanagerrent by assuring coordinated action in support of long-tenn stabili ty i deve l o prent actions sponsored by public agencies in compliance wi th the econ anic d e ve Ioprent; p r oces s would serve to f urther induce private sector a c tivi ty to mee t; r equirerrents o f water supply and quali ty , land carry ing c a paci t y, transpor-..ation, drainage, and other systems linked to environrrental stabi l i t y. Es s ent i a l ly , the growth management process .Duld provide a more comprehensive basis f or e valuating, predicting and determining the r easonabl e constraint s on sustainable gr owth associated with direct and indirect consequences of e c oncmi,c developrrent. Through the guidance of this proce s s , .irnpend.inq deve .Loprent, location, pa t t e rn , intensit y, and design could l:::e rrod.i. f .i.ed so as to reduce burdens on public resources, whether natural or built.
3. Port and Se a f ood Develo;rrent ? rocra:.ll
Industrial a u thor i ties (Savannah Po rt Author i ty , Brunswick Port Authority and the Georgia Ports _:mtl'.ori t y) are already involved in the pr omotion and phys i c al improvement/~~~sion o f port facilities and certain waterfront p r oFrty and backup areas. Ye t there is no clearly stated, public l y adopt e d develo pren t pr~arn integra t ing the obvious potential of coastal ports wi, th the ongo ing activ i ties o f industrial developrrent a gencies. In order to better coordinate the e f f orts of vari ous lxxlies prorroting ports and/or industria l grO\vt.h, it is s uggest..o..d that a regional strategy f or complementary deveLoprent; o f the FOrts and regional economy would l:::e of d i s t inc t advantage. This strategic rranagerrent process would enable all parties concerned t o identify the most LikeI y p r o s pec t s which collectively repr e s ent the target f o r pr arotiona l e f forts. Canbining the rraterials, contacts, and site info rrration o f e very ex i s ting authority, the strategy would s erve to e s tabli s h cooperative rathe r than corrpet.i.t.ive work.inq relationships. Fur'J- ler, a strategy would r educe the tendency f or dupl i ca tion o f e f f o rt and mi s p l a c ed emphasis iI1 local prarotional activities. It would serve an .impor'tant; f unc tion as a vehic l e for translating identified needs for e c onanic diversification as stated in the regional econanic developrent p l an into more dir ect act.i.on, Differences among local employment needs, locational f a c t or s , site characteristics, and public facilities and tax burden could be used to guide a c tions to produce a better allocation o f devel opren t and .irrproved market; capture.
At the same t~;e , r e lat ed rrari~e-resources potential r emains r elatively i solated and unexpl.o.i ted f rcm the standco.int; of a c tive industrial/econanic de ve Ioprent. . Due to the tzends in wo r Ld rnarke t.s and potential s upply yi e l d s , i t i s reasonabl e to expec t tl'.at diversi fica tion and expanded industri alizat ion of the C-.eorgia f i s heri e s .indust.ry woul.d be a pr o lific ccrrponent; of a regional de v e l oprre nt pr ocram. To sore extent , research and education conduc t e d by the Cepan:rent of 1\atura l ?.esourc e s and the Unive r s i ty o f Georgia ~Bri.,e R,t ens ion S~;ice s~~ t o prcllOte thi s develo pment , but c urr ent e f f orts are s t ill rather limited . Sy .irrit.i.at.i.nq a more a c tive p r ogr am of ~~~rimentation , 3a:.cpling , education , and e s pec ial ly c a pital investment f .irianc .inq , Local, capaci t .i.es could be gre a t ly .irnproved , At the same ti.rre, a s s uranc e s o f marke t; d emand could be pr or.ot ed through industrial deve l op-
61

rrent integrated arrong coastal carrmunities; here again , targeting and cooperative strategic planning would serve the interests o f the individual communities and the region , while sponsoring gr owth in employment in a l abor intensive industl:y. Seafcxxi processors and busi nesses s upplying equiprent and rraterials t o the fisheries industry are obvious candidates f or indus trial gr Otlth in select coastal areas, especially wnere sites and an active diversification program are in place. This coordination is particularly needed in f i s he r i e s , where .independent., self-employed businesses typically prevail, and where G~ere i s therefore no representative forum for promoting corrrron interests. Under these conditions, it is essential that sore k ind of collective body and associ.ated pr oces s intervenes to reduce the uncer-
tainty o f new rrarkets and different species, equiprrent and methods.

Together , the substantial economic potential of port facilities , waterborne c ommer c e , and ITarine fisheries represents a rrajor opportunity for economic deve.Ioprent; in coastal C-Orgia . ;lor eover , port developrent stL~lates industri al growth throughout G~e state, because o f the sizeable hinterland served by relatively few ports in the southeast. By improved planning and manacerrent; of deveI oprent; ac tivi tie s associated with ports and f i s he r i e s , pr omotional e f forts will be rrore e ffective and f ut ure realization of this pot~~tial \v.lll be gr ea tly enhanced .

4.

Labor Force E\~luation and Training Needs ~ ses sment

Local industrial development agencies have noted that it has been ver)' difficult to obtain accurate labor information for use in recruiting new business prospects to the area. Occupatriona.L staffing patterns and employment records can be used to estiITate i ndivi dua l s already working in various s killed areas, but l ittle is known about j ob rrobility , training potential, levels of under e.rnpl oyrrent (\-.Dr ki n g at Lcwe.r than highest trained skill levels ), and other relevant indicators which can be persuasize in attracting new employers to G~e area . Equally important t o effective economic deve l opment achieverrents is the application of labor information t o the deterntination of current and future rrarkets f or tra ine d personne l. Vocational training has largely relied on historic trends, market; influence s and derrand ge ne r a t e d by hearsay pa s s e d arrong \-.Drkers and those
~~tering the job force, and other unreliabl e sources . In order to better
appl y limited t.ra.irii.nq funds, f ac i lities , and instructors to deveLoprent; and retention o f the labor for c e f or long-term , stable e conomic deve l o prrent, sane rrethod i s needed to .irnpr ove .inforraation whi ch s hapes training pr ograms.

In response t o t.his ne e d , it is r'eccrrrrended that; a s vs tern f or inventorying , pr OJec ting , and eva l uatL'1g labor f or ce ca pacity ~d market should be e s t abl i s hed . Thi s sys tem vouId include a de tai led survey ; conduc ted a t regular int erval s , o f current; s kill l e vels and 2.rr.ployrren t by s kill; wa ge
rates by skill; ccm nut ing and rrobility patt erns a nd t.hresho.lds: and place.rren t histories and migra tion patt erns of trained and unt rained pe r sons , Th i s .in f orrra t.ion would be used t o ccrrpare e xistinq and pr oje c t ed erro.loyrre nt; opportuniti es wi th current l abor availabili ty, and to de rive concrete obj ectives f or capturi ng a gr ea t e r portion of the r e gional labor market as wel l, a s pr ospec tive errml .ovee s , In con juncti on wi th state and national labor trends and industrial/econanic c r cwth analysis, goal s f o r rrodi f yinq prarrotional efforts and training programs wou l.d be deve Ioped, :'lanaging this

62

la.t:or i :1:formation s ystem would require guidance by a r e gional board corm::osed o f a ppropriate o f f icials, including maj or, employers, voca tional traini ng instructors/ administrators, industri al deve l oper s , and local CO\'err::-ent representati v es, arronq others. I t i s critical that the exe c u tive bod y ma irrca.in a "mixed scarming I appro a ch whereby roth s hort-term decisions and l ong-term goal s are c o ntinual ly r e v i e\ved f or consistenDJ and e f fecti':e.l'1esS. By s eeking a pr a c t ical balanc e of irmediate needs and op:fXJrt:'..:':u.tie s wi,th longer range trends, e c onomic deveI oprrent a c tiv i ties can be tet t er control l ed f or the bene fi t of Labor , employers, and gene r al cClmluni-:.y stability.
5. Capi tal I;T:?r overrent s Proqrarrming and Eva l uation
As pr evi.o us.ly discussed, pr evai l i ng rret.hods for underta1dng public \.xJrks i.-:? r ove.lrent s at fhe local level are often reactive, erratic, and unplanned. I f t.he deve l oprent supported by watier' and sewer s ystems, roads, and rec~eaticnal f a c i lit ies , a~ng other such p r o j e c ts , is to r eflect a ccrrmi,CEnt of t.he publ i c t o long-term goal s for economic and cc:rnnunit y de ve .lorrrent , t.here must l::e a manaced approach to invest:rrent. Guided by the re::; i.cna l eccnomic deve l oprent plan and the regional gro'>'lth rnanaqerrerrt; plan, ~ecorrr.endations f o r a lloca tio n , timing and design of corrmunity fac.i.Li. t.i.e s should l::e wade . Si nce these de c i s i o n s are p r irreri l y the jurisd i c tion of s L~g le, or occ~s ionally combinations of, c i ti es and co~~ties, it is t.:.-. .rea s on able to expect; r egion a l authority over their d arain . None theless, it i s quite possibl e to establish a genera l capital i.cpr ovement s pr oces s a s a cerrponent o f publ i c rrana gement wi.thin rrernl::er gove rnrrent s of the rec.ion , 'Through a well des igne d procedure f or basing inves trrent dec.is i.c ns on obj ecti ve infomation and pr a c tic a l anal ysis, ccmnunities can recoup a grea t portii.on o f publ i c costs using equitable fee s , taxes and
asse s srent.s , whiLe a lso guiding we character and pa t t e rns o f qrowth \..ni ch
dete~ine tr.eir qual i ty of life .
rl critical component of this pr oces s \.xJuld necessaril y include project.-by-p ro jcct, eva l u a tion of capacities, costs (capital and operating) , associ a t ed .impact.s (roth direct and indirect), and an analysis of the distribution of benefits and costs. Scheduling of financial and phy s i c a l ele..~~ts o f p r opos ed pr o j ect s should be thoroughly scrutinized for possible cons~~e..~ces on ser\'ice d e livery , r e venue f low, and similar aSPects of r ela t e d, s upport.inq, and parallel pr o j ect s . Pr o j e c t s wou l.d also be weighted by urc ency and i ,11pOrtance, pa rti cul arly in r eferenc e to .irnpend.inq deve l o prren t; C??o !:""t.t.:.'.1ities , costs, and c cntxl i ance wi. th adopted e c onanic de veloprent and ~a..w' mana gement pl.ans , Feas o.'1able p l ans f o r a s s uring f inanci.al, equi, ::::. ::::' .L~sinq fair a ssc s srrent.s on t:.he pr.inc.ipaL tene fic iari es o f publ i c pr o j ec r.s s hould be cons.i.d e.rcd whenever pes s ibl e , and detailed pr ocedure s coulc. ~'2 c.evi s ed f or co.'1duct~'1g L1iS kL~d o f a sses smen t . Factor s s uc h a s tra::i.c ; e ne r a tion , s~~lcjTIent ( te~r~ry during cons trJction a s ~el l as
perrranent. l , a'( burden on benefic iaries , local f inanc a.a L .invo l verrent. , r.ar~e t :Q~ecas t s , ~{ce s s capa citie s Li similar f acilities els e\vhere in the
cc."':TTIt1..'1it::', and de s i.cned capacity and adapt abilit"/ s hou l d te considered .
The rrore corrpLe t.e t1:e c va.luat.i.on , the rror e ob jective and Lec a l Ly j u s tif i abl e the i i.-.cii..iGS , o nc e a uru. formly ac1-ni.nistered pr oce s s i s e s tablished . Longtern :-~o:-: r:L~::rinq deci s i o n s ( f i.ve ye ars o r rrorc ) wou.Id also oenefi.t; from a ccmparaal.e ~.xoj ec tion of .irrpac t;s , costs, benefi t s and their di. s tiri.bu t.i.o n .
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Coosa Valley Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Creation and Retention of Jobs 2. Diversification of the Region 's Manufacturing Sector 3. Management of the Region 's Natural Resources 4. Transportation 5. Provision of Affordable, Quality Housing
I Tv~e d tro m Ch apt er III. " Is su es and Al te r natrves', 19 83 A rea De vetop m e ru P rotue . prepared by the Coosa Valley Are a Pla nni ng and Developm ent Cornrms sro n .j
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Coosa Valley Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
I
Infonmtion and data pr e s ent ed in the Coos a Va l l e y Area DeveIoprnent Profile i dentifies five major issues that must be addressed by the ouhl.i,c and oriva te sectors for solutions to occur. The following issues ~ith al.cernat.ives are discussed: creation and retention of jobs; diversification of the region IS rranufacturing sector; m:magement of the region I s natural resources; transportation; and provis i on of affordable, quality hous ing .
creation and Retention o f Jobs
A very' .irapcr rant; problem fac ing the Coosa Valley now is unemployment. Duri11g 1982 the region experienced an average annual unempl oyment r a t e of 10. 9 %. The fir s t U'oD rronths of 1 983 saw no impr ovement in the area IS unempl oyment r ate wi th a J anuary average o r 11.1% and 11.3 % in February (C~rgia Department of Labor. Civilian Labor Fo r c e Estimates). Unemployment has a serious, negative impact on the affect ed worker and his/her family. It al so pl aces additiona l strain on the f inanc i al resources o f local and state gov ernment . It is rros t imperat ive that citizens o f the Coosa Va lley have opport unities to obtai n good jobs wi thi n their c orrmunities wn.ic h a llow them to r ealize their pot.errt .i.al, and improve the quality of life.
Alternatives :
IDeal s ove rTlr.",ent s in the Coosa Valley mu s t take a leader s hip r o l e in preparing the i.r conmunities f o r econanic growth . They mus t provi d e adequate public uti l i t ies (wat.er and sewer i : good local transportation; prepared industrial sites; good educational fac i l i t i e s ; and other community facilities required by industry. IDeal government s must create an economic d eve lopnent team whose job will be to organize the local e f fort. The State o f Georgia mu s t g ive support to the local e ffor t by providL~g financia l r esources f o r i.mpr oving ,vater and s ewer fac il i t i e s and r equired indus trial sites. The s tate mus t al so a s sis t each ccmnuni t y in marke ting their a s s e t s t o pot ential industry. This econanic development e f f or t must be a partnership between l ocal qove rnment; and the State o f Georg io. .
Di ve r s ifica t ion o f the Reg ion ' s ~Bnufacturing Sector
;.la.nurLlcturi ng is an impo r tant part of the Coosa Va lle y economy prov i d.inq 60 ,26 8 j o bs in 1980 o r 40 % o f a ll jobs . Textile employment pro\i dc s appr oxirr.ately 50 ~ o f a l l manufac turi.nq jobs in the area. In recent ~e~rs , ~ s t....'1e comoet i t i on o f f orei qn text iles increased and our economy e n t e r ed reces s i on , the t.e xt.i Le industry s l umped. This r e s u l ted in many
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local t.ext.i.Le Employers e ither closing or decr ea s ing their "MJr k f or c e substantially . The Coosa Va lley ' s dependenc e on t~tiles became apparent . It i s ve ry .important; f or the area to attract d iffer ent types of manu fac turing jobs ard to les sen the negative consequences of an overdependence on t.exti.Le s ,
Alternatives :
Local economic development efforts in the Coos a Valley should s eek a diversified manufacturing bas e for the region ' s econany . As outlined previously, there must be a partners hi.p between local corrmunities and the St a t e of Georgia in encouraging economic qrowth , Local goverrments mus t provide the organizat ion in each comnunit y for industrial deve l opment and must c omnit t.he neces sary f inancial resources to a ttract new growth . The State of Georgia als o has an imEXJrt ant resEXJnsibi lity of a s sisting l ocal govern~ents in financing needed public utility, transEXJrtation, educational and o the r improvements .
Since the region does have a relatively high unemployment rat e , a good deal whic h i s related to the t.ext.i.Le s l ump, there needs to be an effort to retrain workers for jobs in indu stries other than t.ext.i.Les , The J ob Training Partnership Act which will replace the Ccmprehensi ve Ernp.loyment; and Training Act (CErA) on october 1 , 1983, can be an .irnpor tant; j ob training program for the Coosa Valley.
This progr am' s goal is to develop a partners hip between the publ i c and private sector s to train people for producti ve jobs. The J ob Training Partnership Act can be a tool f or ret:"aL'1L.':.g our unemployed t.ext.i.Le wor ker 's for ocher jobs at the s ame time he Ipi.nc broaden the reg ion 's indus trial base.
H:magement of the Region ' s Na t ural Re sour ces
The Coos a Valley i s for tunat e to have a good natural resource base which enhanc es the reg i on ' s qua l i ty of life . I t i s mos t imEXJr tant that we manag e and. utilize these nat ural r esources wi.seIy a s the are a g rows and develops . Proper management o f physical q rcwth will help ensure that fragile natural areas such a s mountai n s Icpes and wi Id.l.i.fe habitats are prot ect ed . It will also help conserve t.he areas I pr ime farm land . Ccrrmunities mus t recognize t.he importance of c ont.ro .ll inq the development o f flood pl a ins to l e ssen the po s s i.biLi t y o f ext.ens i ve damage to private property requiring goverrmental f inanc i al a s s i stance .
A maj or problem fac i.nq the p rope r ~a,'1age::l2nt of the Coos a Va l l ey reg ion 's nat.urnL resources is t..'ie cua .li t y o f wa t.er source s. Problems with wat.er qua l i ty are directl y u:::ectbq the r egion I s abi lity to attract certain t ype industr ies . Pot.ent i a l .iridust.r i.es wni.ch are larqe water users and have significant orqanic ','laste d i s c harge probabl.y voutd not be perrni.t.t.ed to l oca t e in the Coos a '.'alley because o f State requ.Lations . This , o f course , affect s the area ' s abi.Li t y t o c r eat e new jobs and broaden the indus trial rose .
..... second pr oblem fac i ng the best util i za t ion o f the area I s natural r esourc e base i s t.hat; o f solid was t.e d i s cosa l . :.1any c armuni ties are f a c ing a need t o l ocate , ac quire and mana qe s an i tary landfill s ites . They need
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technical assistance in locating the proper d.i sposal. site and then in designing how the site will be operated to obtain the maximum utility. A regional a ppr o a ch to solid waste d i. sposa.l. may be required to ensure that the area I s natural resources are not harmed by haphazard solid waste di5EXJsal.
AlteIT'.ative s :
Local governments within the ten-county area need financial assistance from the State of Georgia arrl the f ederal, government to construct the neces-
This sarv water and sewer f ac i l i tie s which pr ot ect the area's water resources. is imI.=Drtant not only for conservation of the water rut to the region I s future econcmi.c developnent. The Georgia Depart::ffient of Natural Resources is currently studying the wat.er quantity and quality problems in the region in order to guide its de c i s i on rraking regarding water allocation permits (Georgia DNR, PD. \va t er Availability & Use: Coosa River Basin. 1982 ). It will be necessar:y f or local gove rnment s to WJrK closely with state officials in des i gning the best possible water management plan for the COOsa Va l l ey . A similiar effort is need.ed in solid waste disposal.
Transportation
The Coosa Va lley is gene r a l l y well served by the existing transport.at.ion network. One problem doe s exi.st; with adequate north-south access. U. S. Highway 27 is the m3.jor north-south route now. The fastest qrowi.nq areas of the Coosa Valley are those counties located next to an interstate hi.qhway (Bart ow, Catoosa, Dade, Gordon, Haralson). Conversely I the slowest g;Lowing areas are those counties located on the region I s interior wi.t.hout; interstate highway access (Chat.tooqa , Floyd, Polk and Walker) . Al thouqh d irect access to an interstate hi.qhway may no t be the only factor influencing a c orrmunity's gr o\vt.h it is an impo r tant vari abl e .
A l t e r n a t iv e s :
One of the rros t practical alternatives for improving the north-south access in the Coosa Va lley is the wi.den.inq of U. S. Highway 27. The Georgia Department o f Transportati on has several projects under study which wo u ld i mprove U. S. 27. This voul.d enhance the ability of several Coosa Va lley ccmnuni.ti es t o a t tra c t new gr owt h and create additional j ob oppor t uni t ies f o r their c i t i zens .
Provi s i on s o f J\f o rcabl e , Qual i ty Hous i.,.1CJ
l"'..s tJ:8 po pu La tion of the Coosa Va l ley region increases, so will the dernand [ or add i t i onal hou s ing units. However , several f ac tor s can contribut e
::0 an .i.nad oquat.e hous i ng suppl y. The availability of r.ortgage mo ney and
i.11t.cre s t r a t.c s , wri i.c h s teed a t a high o f 1 6'$ just one ye ar a go, has t~ crt.:li..ll1y been a d i scouragement t o new purc has e s . Al.so , the shortage .;': .id equa t;c nous i.nc i s prevalent t.hrouqhout; t.he Coos a Va l ley reg i on . ~::":'s pr ob l.cm i s cii r ect l ,! tio::i t o the h i gh c ost o f mor tgage money and the .:c.'1ec l l ~Xx)l.- ,-'1201101','/ . The 1 982 hous ing starts in Georgia were equal to :l-:os c 0;: 104 6 , o r t he l owe s t recorded in ve ars . The ave.race cost of
: :2~s illCj na t i.onwide i s S8 6 , 000 . Bui lder s in the Coosa Valley region have
v,s ti..-.:-a t o::i t.ha t; chc Lowes t; c ost o f new c onsnruct.ion \-.Duld range f r an
69

$35,000 t o $45,000. In addition, the a vailability of utilities plays a strong role in where new construction will take place. Federal and state subsidized housing is available for hane ownership, rental assistance, and new single/multi-family construction. Two areas of concern wi.t.h subsidized housing are: 1) general lack o f knowledge on federal and stat e housing pr ogr ams , and 2) the wait.inq time and so-called r ed tape involvement wi th these programs. AI t.erriative s :
Solutions concerning housing problems can and are being addressed. The current conventional fixed interest rate is 12~%, down 3~% f rom j u s t o ne year ago. Some rrortgage lenders believe that the interest rate c ould drop as low as 11 %, but should remain constant f or at least the next; 12 rronths. In direct relationship to the l ower interest rate, new hou s ing starts are showing an increase. These increased housing starts are a step in the right d irect i on to address the ove r all housing s hortage L~ the Coos a Va lle y regi on . Building costs are no t expect.ed to show any significant decr eas e . The availability of Land and the r oad s ystem is qood a s it r elat e s t o hous inq , however , mor e long r ance planning ne eds t o address the availability of utilitie s . Also, s i gni f i c ant eff o r t needs to be made in maki.nq the a vail ability of subsidi zed housing progr ams rror e knowledgeable to citi zens, l oca l buil de r s , officials, mortgage sources, and others.
Na t urally , these issues are not exhaust.ive but they do represent a broad spect.rum of the region IS rrost pressing problems.
70

Georgia Mountains Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. The Economy 2. Transportation 3. The Natural Environment a. Water Resources b. Financing for Water and Wastewater Treatment Projects
(Re p ri nted fr o m Chapte r III " Issue s a na AI!e rna trves', ~ 9 8 3 -1 -ea Devetooment Protue . pr ep a red ov me G eorc.a MOUnia ln s Area P lanning and De velo pme nt C c rnrm ssro n )
71

Georgia Mountains Area Planning and Development Commission

Issues and Alternatives

The Georg ia Mo u n t a i n s are a o f t en e xper iences pr ob lems

a nd issues \vhi ch are corr~o n t o oth e r r egi o n s of Ge o rgi a , but

at o t her t i mes t hi s reg .io n ha s u nique d i ff i cu l t ies - due

largely to geographic l ocat ion and t opog r a phy . This portion

of the Profi le wi ll deta il t hose i s s ue s and problems which

are the most significant to t his area and which are most

amenable to state act ion .

The issues are presented

alongside al ternati ve s for action for considerat ion by the

State of Georgia.

The following maj o r i s su e s are discussed: the economy, transportation, and the natural environment. Numerous other areas were examined in Parts I and II of the Profile; however, these three topics are the most important and deserving of attent ion in Part III.

The ~c onomv

A. Maj o r Issues and Prob le ms Fac ing t h e Area

The Georgia Mo u n t a in s area economy has been evol ving for the p a s t th irt y years f r om agr icu lture to manu fac tur ing and no w i s mov i n g more to ward wh ite collar employment. Yet, some problems have cont inued. Per capita i n c ome and med ian fa mil y income levels re ma in below the state average. Unemp l oym e n t has remained hi g h e r t han the state as a whole in recent y e a r s . So me port i o ns of t he reg ion cont inue to su r r e r from t he absence of an y signif icant new economic acti v it y - particularl y t he mo s t mou ntainous, northernmost counties. Often new j o b s d o not ma t ch t h e locat ion or skill levels of available workers. The nondurable manufactur ing industry (largel y textile and apparel) has been a dominant force in area employment for the past t wo decades. This component of the economy has been particularl y affected by the most recent recess ion a nd by t he compet ition from fore i gn ma n u fa c t u r e r s .

8 . Alternati ves for Act ion

Th e S ta te of Ge o rgi a i s at a c ri ~i c al j u n c t u r e i n i t s

economic d e v e Lo prne n t; The II ',.;a ,:e II of ne '..,; i n d u s t r i e s c oming

to Geo rgia ha s di~inished s o ~e w h a t,a nd a t t e n t i o n n e ed s to be

ci ven J

to

what

th e

st ate

s hou l d

do

~o

o r e oa r e



_

for

it s

future.

Geo rg ia ha s reac he d a p o i :: t .~'he r e .1. ~ rnus t, d e c ide wh a t it

w i s n e s t o bec o me a n th e v e a r 2 COO and b e yo nd. Th e state

should b e c ome pro a c t i v e and s h o u l d b e gin d evel o pin g an

economi c d e v e Lo pme n t; s t r a t e c y '.vh i c h i s not r e s t r i c t i.ve b ut

whi ch e na bl e s the r e g i o n s o f ~ ~ e s t ate to deve lop by using

thei :- b est as s et s . Such a s t:-s t e gy s houl d examine the best

op po r t; u rii t i e s fo r e co nomic S r o:..;th 1 n v a r lOUS areas of the

state .

A st ra tegy s h o ~ l d ~e not be a r i g id g ro wt h

b I u e p r i.n t , o u r; should b e a n '2 n u ric l a ted p ol i cy 0 f h ow t he

73

asse t s o f an a re a can be be s t promoted to the mutual benefit o f ~~a ~ re g i o n a nd of the state as a whol e . Certa in areas, s uc ~ a s the Georgia ~o u n t a i n s regi o n, have u n i que potent ial f or to u ri sm and for selective indus tr ial and commercial de v e Loprne n t . A state economic de vel o p ment s tra teg y should e mphasize such factors, thereby generating bene fits to local govern~ents and to pri vate enterpr ise.

A state economic development strategy should address components of t he economy suc h as industrial, commercial, a n d to ur is m. Pro mot ional and ass istance efforts from state go ver:::ne nt s ho u l d be t a rg e t ed t o i mp lement the strateg y. Cer tai n reg io ns c o uld o e n e f i t mo r e f ro m tour ism e mphas is wh i l e urban areas may need "a s s i s t a n c e in helping exist ing industries expand their operat ions. At the same time, every ass istance activity should be available to be used, as app r o p r a a te , by an y part of the state. As an example, wa r e h ou s e and who les ale development is occurring largel y ar ou nd the Atl a n t a met ro p o l it a n area; howe ver, re gions which i n clud e ma j o r tr ansportat ion arteries s uch as 1- 85, S.R. 3 65,
S.R. 4 00, a nd u . s . 441 c o ul d benef it f r orn spec i a l pr o motion
of t hese areas f o r such environmental l y acceptab le j o bcreat ing activ i t ies.

The state's strategy should inc lude promotion of Georgia products both domestically and internationall y. Agricul tural products are being marketed in t h i s manner; ho we ver, ~tate government should also incl ude such promotion for many other goods produced in Georgia.

Cer tain areas of the state need special a SS is~a nce f r om

the state in alter ing the "one i ndustry " foc us of the i r

economies. Particular attention shou l d be devo t e d i n the

state's strategy to those areas ( i nc ludi ng the Georgia

Mo untains) which are so dependent upon the textile and

apparel sectors of the manufact~ri ng i n d u s t r y .

This

attention should be aimed at helpi ng the areas d i versify

their economies. I n the case o f t he Ge o rgi a ~ou nta ins area,

mo r e a ttentio n sho u ld be d e vo te d to t ou ri sm ( p a r t i c u l a r l y

e mphas izin g acti v it ies such as b oa ting , h i k ing, camping,

r i v e r tr i ps, e tc. ) .

Si :ni La r l:' , o t h e r c o nc e n t r a ted

ass i sta nce shou l d be devo t ed co thos e a reas i n t he rea ion whose i n c o me le ve ls lag so f a r be hi n d oc~ e r c o u nt ies and ~the

state as a whole. Touris m a n d d ur able c o o d s ma n u f a c t u r i ng

sh ould be two emphases in the n o r t~ e rn counties of the

Georgia Mo u n t ai n s region.

The state I s strate g y s ho u l-d ernph a s :.::e us e 0:: existi na

i ns ti t ut ions as r esources, but a c oo r c i n a ted effort should

b e directe d b y the Go v e r no r o r hi s de si g n e e t o ensure

su cc ess.

Ac to r s in t!1i s p ro cess s h o u l d in clu d e t he

De o a r t.rnen t; of Lridu s t r y and Tr a de , t: ~ e Geo rg ia Tech

74

Enainee r ing Exper i ment Stat ion s, other commun ity serv ice ar;s o f th e Uni vers ity Syst e m, a nd o t her appropr iate
age nc ies i n sta te g ove r nment .

The state strategy s hou l d be de ve loped wi th ac t i ve

part ic i~at ion of l o c al gover nme nt s, AP DC ' s , chambers of

commerce, indust rial and downto wn d eve lopme n t au t hori ties,

and other i nterested c i t izens and organizat ions.

The

strategy should result from a conse ns us of part icipation.

preparation of a strategy should not be carried out without

public participation and scrut i ny. The future growth and

development of the State of Georg ia are a t stake and the use

of a planning process wh ich e xcludes di verse interests and

views will be counter-productive.

The Commission on State Growth Policies should investiaate the issues s ur r oundi ng de velopment of a state economic development strategy. If the Governor and General Assembl y deem it appropriate, the Commission s hould p repare the policy, uti l izing additional advisory groups for spec ial i zed tec hn ical i n f o r ma t i o n .

T _r c- spor ta t i o n

A. Maj o r Issues and Problems Faci ng t he Ar e a

A we l l- de veloped trans portat ion networ k i s essentia l to the growth and prosper ity of any community or region. As a whole, t he Georgia Mo u n ta i n s area is fo rt u n a t e to ha v e g o o d hi g hwa y access, part icular l y along t he f o u r growth corr i dors desi gnated b y the state f o r the Ap p a l a ch i a n Regiona l Commission ( I - 8 S , S.R. 365, S.R. 400, and U.S. 441). The corridors are bringing positi ve benefits to adjacen t c ities and counties. Conversely, several of the more mountainous counties (Towns, Union) suffer from isolation and poor access due to inadequate and often unsafe roads. The primary cause for these problems is t he mountainous topography; the roads h ave e xcess i ve curvature and narrow lanes in pl aces. The dec is ion not t o extend S.R. 400 beyond its current terminus at Dahlonega wil l cont i nue the proble ms o f is ola t i o n for To wns and Un i o n Count ies . There f ore, i mp r ovemen ts to U.S. 76 provide t he on l y f e a si b l e so lut ion to imp r oved access. An add i ti on a l h ighway p rob lem in t he r e g i o n is th e a b s en c e o f adeq u a te e a s t r- we s t; access be t ....ee n Cornelia and Daw s onville i n th e so u t he r n por t i on of th e reg ion. Th e exte n s ion of S. R . 36 S t o To c co a i s n e ed ed t o f o s te r f u t.u r e g rowth in Habe r sham and S te phens c ount ie s. Rai l ser vice i s c u r r'2ntly u nav ail a ble in s eve n o f the region 's 13 co u nt i es. The ab s en ce of r a i~ t r a n p o rta t ion in ~any aD the re g i o n I s co untie s p r e s e n t s an im p edimen t to :urthe r economic development .

75

B. Alternat i ves for Action

.

The improved access to Towns and Union Counties can

c orn e along U. S . 76 if improvements are made. The Georg ia

Department of Transportation prepared the u. S. 7 6 Corridor

Study in February, 1982, which analyzed the problems of this

imoortant highway and recommended improvements along its

entire length from South Carolina to the Tennessee border.

The recommended i mp r ove me n t s should be implemented as soon

as oossible to facilitate the future growth and economic pro~perity of this portion of the Georgia Mountains region.

The proposed east-west S.R. 53 Connector from near Cornelia to Dawsonville has not been evaluated by the Georgia Department of Transportation. This proj ect would invol ve new construction and some realignment of current r cuc e s , The proposed route would provide access in the southern portion of the region immediately north of Lake La n i e r and Gainesville and would connect t wo growth corridors, S.R. 365 and S.R. 400. It is r e c omrnende d that the Department of Transportation begin a feasibility study for this pro ject as soon as possible.

The extension of S.R. 365 to Toccoa and beyond is planned and will occur as funding allows, although construction will not be four-lane, limi ted access. This proj ect should proceed as rapidly as possible, because Habersham and Stephens Counties need this improved access for continued growth.

The absence of rail service in seven o f the region's 13

c o u n t i e s wa s discussed in Part I . It is recognized that

topography precluded rail service for the mountainous area .

Howe ve r , it is desirable to have such ser vice for economic

de velopment.

The Georgia Mountains Area Planning and

Development Commission encourages the railroad companies and

the Georgia Departmen t of Transportation to periodically

re-e valuate t he economic feas ibil i t y o f new rail service to

the currently uns e r ve d counties.

The presence of new

industr y in some count ies of the Georgia :'10untains region

may :nak e such ne:..,r ser v i c e po s s ible. S i mi La r 1 '/, .i n counties

wh e r e rai l serVlce is currentl y pro vided, the State of

Geo rsi a i s ursed t o s uppor t l o c a l e ff orts t o k e e p rail

ser~ice wh e n ser v i ce di s c o n ti n ua t io n is pr oposed.

Th e :ra t u ra l

M. Majo r Issues an d Probl e ms Facing the Area

~2te r ?esau r c e s . The nat ural en v ironment i s o ne of the mos t .' 2 1 U2. b l e a s s e r s o f :'he r e c i on . 'I'h e rno un t a i n o u s t o p o -
g ra~hy is bo ~ ~ ~ u g g e d a n d r r2g 11e . ? er h aps t~e mo s t i Qp o r -
t a n t li n k a ae be tw ee n :' he ~3 t u ral e nVi r o nme n t a n d the

76

p h ys ical de velop men t of t h e Georgia Mo u n t ai n s area is t he ne ed to mai n ta i n an ade quate suppl y of -c Le an wa t e r for human consumption, indu s t ri a l use, and recreation.

The Georg ia Ho u n t ain s area faces a cont inuing d ilemma concerning the water supply and its ability to support continuing growth. Approx i matel y 60 percent of municipal water is deri ved from deep wells; however, continued heavy utililization of groundwater is inadv isable due to the length of time required to replen ish ground water and also due to the potent ial for q r oundwa t e r contamination. The igneous rock foun d in the storage strata of the Georgia Mountains area i s not porous like the limestone common to the southern portion of the state. As a result, groundwater storage is not reliable, and wells and springs often cease produc ing water during periods of light and infrequent rainfall .

Urban development brings the potential for pollution of

area waters from sewage, from industrial wastes, and, parti-

cu larl y in Lake Lanier, from siltation.

Since the

comple t ion of Lake Lanier in 1957, approx i mate l y ten percent

of t he lake's storage capacity has been lost due to

s i l tation. Sedi ment deposi ts are the l a r ge s t contributors

to water po l l ut i on i n the region. De ve lop ment near Lake

Lan ier ha s a lso acce l erated the eutrophication process due

to sediment and nutrients entering the lake. Lanier i s

already class ified by t he Environmental Protection Agency as

ha vi ng "dangerous" eutrophication due large l y to high l eve l s

of phosphorous from development activi t y.

A threat to the water resources i n the Georgia

Mountains region is the increas ing population of

metropolitan Altanta which rece ives 90 percent of its water

from the Chattahoochee River.

Ever- increasing water

wi thdrawal from the Chattahoochee and dependenc y on Lake

Lanier for maintenance of river flow by metropol itan Atlanta

pose serious concer ns for the area's wa t e r suppl y .

Over a l l, t he de mand for wa t e r , s i Ltat ion caused by de v elopment, and incre a sed l evel s o f co ntami nants in La ke La n i e r a r e becomi ng se vere prob le ms whi ch nee d state a ttention .

Finan cing fo r Wate r and Wa stewater T r e a tm ent P rojec t s .
The plight or local g ove rn~e nts In th el r fr equ e n t in abillty
to pay all th e c on s t r~ ction c o st s for wa t e r s up p l y an d wa stewa t e r t r e a tment fa ciliti e s is well d o c ume n t e d . Dur ing
1982 , the sta te En v ir o nmenta l Fac il i t ies St u d y Co mm i ss i on analyz ed loc al gover nment needs in both these areas.
SUb se q ue n t l y, t h e 198 3 Gen e ral As s embly ac cept e d and i ~ pl e me n t e d th e Co mm i s si o n I s r epor t, i n c l u din g the d e s c r i p -

77

t i on of the mag nitude of need and the suggestions for inst.itut ing addi t i o na l state financial assistance to local government.s for constr uct.ion of such fac~lities .

Wastewater treat.ment. received more attention in the study, for more accurate data on this topic was available to the Commission. However, due to the unique needs of the Georgia Mountains area for additional surface water supplies for this rapidly growing region of the state, the administrative agency for this state assistance program, the Georg ia Development. Author i ty, may not presently be aware of these unusual water supply needs.

B. Alternatives for Action

Water Resources. Reliance on groundwater supplies in the region is not recommended. Therefore, the Georgia Mountains APDC reco~~ends that more localities develop surface water s uoo Li e s . The construct-ion of impoundments wou ld be required in ma n y cases and state approval of such proj ects would be required. Additional attention to this topic will be presented below in the "financing" alternative.

The Lake Lanier Study Committee prepared a December, 1982, report with recommendations to deal with water supply and pollution problems and other issues affecting the lake. The applicable recommendations affecting these topics are presented "h e r e for state consideration.

1. Adequate planning for water quality and quantity in

the Upper Chattahooc hee R.iver Basin s hould be seen as an

imperat.ive by the St.at.e of Georgia. It is recommended that

this topic be assigned to the Natural Resources Committee in

both the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia

Senat.e and that. both these committees be briefed on the work

on the Lake Sidney Lanier Study Commi ttee. It is further

recommended that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

immediately ini tiate e f f or t s to study and identify met.hods

b y which t he Atlanta me t. r o p o l i t a n area and other portions of

the state whi ch are dependent on the Upp e r Chattahooc hee

Ri ver Basin as a source of water might be guaranteed an

adequat.e supp l y o f wat.er of high q u a li t.y bot h for the

- short.-ranee

and

l

o

n

a-

-

r

a

n

e ~

e

f ut u r e.

2. Lake Sidney Lanier must be protected from the ravages of soil er osion and sediment.ation wh i c h rob the lake of va l ua b l e wat.er st.or age space and pol lute i t wit.h mud. It i s recommended t hat. t he Na t.u r a l Resources Commi t t e e of the Ge o r g i a House of Re p r e s e n t a t i v e s consider mo di fi c a t i o n s to t he state Eros ion a n d Sed i mentat ion Ac t, of 1975 so as to e ff e c tiv ely close l oo ph ol e s whi c h mi gh t prov ide f o r circumve ntio n of the i n t e nt of t he law. Such a loophole is seen In t he exe mpt ion wh .i c n l s c u r r e n tl y pro vided for p r o j ects

7G

i nvol v i ng f i ve acres or less. Other exemptions to t he Act s ho ul d be s t.u d i e d as well in or der to see i f the law i s wer k i n g as i t wa s i n t e n d e d by the General Assembl y.

3. Ex is t ing sta te en v ironmental protect ion la ws mus t

be v igo r o usly enforced if Lak e Sidne y Lan ier i s to be

adequate l y protected. It is recommended

that

the

Georgia Depart~ent o f Na t u r a l Resources study the

effect i veness of enforce me nt of ex ist ing state laws such as

the Er osion and Se dimentat ion Act o f 19 75 and regulation s

as the y mi ght appl y to La ke Sidne y Lanier and that, in

concert with the local governments of the area, procedures

and r egu l a ti o n s be ado p te d to pro v i de ma xi mum enforce ment.

4.

Without some alterat ion of water management

practices in the Upper Chattahoochee Basin, the State of

Georgia could face a se vere wa t e r suppl y cr is is duri n g

periods of low flow as earl y as the mid-1980's. The Genera l

Assembl y and the Gover nor should immediatel y move to use

their power and good offices to see that construction of a

propos e d reregulat ion dam t o be located 6.3 mil e s s ou t h of

Bufor d Dam is begu n and completed as soon as possible, and

that "recreation" becomes an authorized project purpose for

t he management of Lake Sidney Lanier.

5 . The rapid urban ization of areas around and near Lake SidneY Lanier is causing so much construction that defects in state law related to adequate sewage treatment are be ing revealed. The Genera l Assembl y shoul d imme d iatel y consider t he enactment of a law similar to that enacted by the State of South Carolina which would prohibit utility providers in Georgia from connecting any service to a buildi ng si te for which a sewage treatment permi t had not been obtained (Lake Lanier Study Committee, 1982).

F in a nci ng f or ~v a ter and Wa s t e ',v a ter Trea t men t Pro j ec t.

The prob le m wi t h l o cal go ver nments I f in a nc ing of s ur f ace

water i mpoundments was mentioned earl ier . The Georg ia

Mo u n t ai n s APDC recommends that the Georgia De velopment

. Author ity make spec ial provisions In its new e nvironmen tal

fa cili t ies f i nanc ial ass istance progra ms for t he

co ns tr uct io n of t h e necessar y surface wa t e r i mpoundmen ts in

the mo u nta i n o u s re g ion of Georgia.

Geor gia Mo u n t a i n s

cc~~ uni~ie s cu r r e n t ly rel y i ng on g r o u ndw a t e r are sub j ec t to

the unp redicta bi li ;:y of weathe r co n d i t io ns, t her e b Y

rend ering them s u b ject to d rought - rela t ed wa t e r s h o r t a q a s .

Ev e r v e f fo rt s ho u ld b e made by the S ta t e of Geo r g i a t o

p rovlc e funding as si sta n c e fo r s uch p ro b le ms .

79

Heart of Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Ma jor Issues: 1. Industrial Development 2. Housing 3. Transportation 4. Health Care Facilit ies and Professionals 5. Water and Sewer Improvements
(Rep rinted from Chapter III. " Issues an a Alter natives ". 1983 Area Deve lopment Proine , oreca reo bv In e Heart at Ge or gia Area P I~ n n'"9 ana Devetop rnent Comm is sio n.I
81

Heart of Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission Issues and Alternatives
This section of the Area Development Profile will outline the major issues existing in the Heart of Georgia area. It will also give possible actions and/or solutions to the major issues. All issues and problems facing the area have not been included in this section.
A. 1. Major Issue - Industrial Development
creating additional jobs by expanding present industries or by attracting new industries continues to be a high priority in the area. Increasing the tax base and diversifying the employment of the area are tied to industrial developmen t .
2. Alternatives for Action
There are a number of ways that industrial development can be increased in the area. One of the ways to attract or have existing industry expand is to orovide services and facilities for their use. Services and facilities that ~ould increase this development would be improved access roads, increased capacity of water and sewer systems, acquisition of land, railroad connections, and landscape development. P~anning for these future developments is also necessary prior to construction.
Funding to make these improvements is always a problem. Local industrial authorities can issue industrial revenue bonds to cover the cost of man y i mprovements and expansions needed by industrial parks. Local governments and Chamber of Commerce can also assist in attracting new industry by promoting their area of the state.
Federal and state grant money can also be requested to assist in making improvements at new or existing industrial sites . Some programs currently available would be the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) , and the Farmers Home Administration (FHA). The Small Business Administration (SBA) may also be able to fund some of the needed improvements.
Cooperation between local, state and federal governments, their agencies and the private sector is also a means of increasing development in the area.
B. 1. Major Issue - Housing
The p r o b l em in this a r e a is the supp l y of sound standard housin g t hat is avail able to the low o r mode ra t e income l eve l fami l y. Both f o r sale a nd rental units are needed i n a l l s e c ti o n s of the He a r t o f Geor gia area.
2. Alternati ves f o r Ac t io n
To resol ve the shorta ge of housin g for low to moderate income f ami l i e s , a number of solutions are a v a i la b l e . Local governments over the p ast f e w y e a r s have taken ad vanta ge of state and federal programs to fund construction of
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public housing, rehabilitate housing and subsidize rent payments. Efforts should continue in applying for these grant funds and rent subsidies. Current programs that should be investigated for funds would 'b e the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act, Farmers Home Admi n i s t r a t i o n (FHA), and Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG). Investment in private rental units should also be encouraged.
C. 1. ~~jor Issue - Transportation
Providing for a safe, efficient and low maintenance system of both air and land travel is a high priority of the area. Many of the cities in the area are still in need of having streets paved for the first time and a high percentage of county roads still remain unpaved. Maintenance of these unpaved streets and roads is a major problem for local governments. Erosion along these unpaved roads also creates tons of silt flowing into area streams and rivers which presents environmental problems.
The existing airports in the area have all been paved, but extensions to so me o f the runwa ys are necessary to accommodate larger aircraft. Other facilities that are needed at these airports include lighted runways, aircraft tiedowns, hangers, power plant repair, airframe repair, and navigational equipment .
2. Alternatives for Action
There are several options available to improve and expand the e xisting transportation system. Professional planning and engineering services should be used to determine what impro vements or changes should be made. Low maintenance should be a prime consideration to any improvements o r changes that are made. Funding sources that should be investigated for transportation would be t h e State Department of Transportation ( DOT ) I Fe d e r a l Highway Admi n istration ( FHwA) , Economic Development Admi n i s t r a t i o n (EDA) , and Fe d e r a l Av i a t i o n Administration (FAA) .
D. 1. Ma j o r Issue - Health Care of Facilities and Pro fessionals
The la c k of h e a l t h care facilities and t he pro fess io nals to staff these f a c il it i e s , along wit h the pri vatel y emplo yed p r of e s s i o n al is a serious problem. As not ed e a r l i e r three counties in the a r e a have no hosp ital fac il ities and no de n t i s t s . Six (6) out of nine ( 9) counties ha ve five or less ph ysicians. The l ac k of these facilities and prof essionals causes ser i ous health care proble ms a nd i nconv eniences for local residents.
D. 1 Al te r n a t ive s f o r Ac t ion
To attr~ct health care professionals a n d a d d or improve health c a r e f acilities, c ities and counties must begin an active recruitment pro gram. ~ecent med i c ~ l s chool g r a d ua t e s and medical pro fessionals wor kin g in areas wh e r e there is a n ove r abundance of pro fessionals should be contacted about re locating. Incentiv es f o r t hese me d i ca l pro fessionals t o r elocate should also b e d ev e lop ed . Re novrt t i o n o f ex pa n s i o n of ex i s t i n g med ical f acilities o r construction of net~ fa c i li t i e s s hould also be investigated. Funding for this t ype co ns t r uc t i o n
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could come from private donations, local government and federal and state grant programs. E. 1. Major Issue - Water and Sewer Improvements
Hater and sewer improvements can be tied to a number of important issues in the area. Many new industries require large quantities of water and the availabilit y of sewer services. New and existing housing also require both water and sewer service. Fire protection is also dependent on an adequate amount of water to provide safe living conditions. E. 2. Alternatives for Action
Several federal and state gr a n t programs are available for fundi ng water and sewer projects. The Community Development Block Grants offer funding :or projects which serve low to moderate income households. Urban Development Action Grants a nd Farmers Home Administration grant and loans are also alternatives for f un d i ng water and sewer projects. Local funding of the needed
impro ve ments is also a n available alternative. An increase in local taxes
or new taxes such as the local option sales tax could be instituted.
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Lower Chattahoochee Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Population: Socioeconomic Status 2. Rural/Urban Segregation 3. Inadequate Public Facilities 4. Small Industry Closings 5. Major Industry Layoffs 6. Inadequate Transportation Facilities 7. Assistance Funding Availability 8. Vocational Education 9. Human Resource Use
10. Downtown Redevelopment
" {' lI'-n. 4 l _ <X ...
(Beonntec tro rn C hap ter III. " Is sues ana Alterna trves , 1983 Area Oevetoo me nt P rotste , prepared Oy the Lower Cnauan oocn ee Area Planning and Develop ment C c rnm.ss.cn .:
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Lower Chattahoochee Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
First and foremost, it must be stressed that the economic problems facing rural and urban areas in tne APDC region have existed for many years. Although many recent national and local economic problems have complicated conditions, problems are deep rooted with substantial history. There exists no immediate overall resolution to all problems. Existing economic problems are composed of many smaller elements. The approach needed is to try and remedy each small element while maintaining an overall perspective as to direction. The particular issues and their alternatives for resolution are as follows :
A. Major Issues and Problems
The major issues and problems facing the area as identified by the Lower Chattahoochee APnC are as follows:
population Socioeconomic Status
Revie\v of population statistics regarding poverty level, income and employment show alarming differences between state and local levels. The APDC area has extremely high percentages, particularly in unemployment and poverty levels. Although the rural area has significantly greater economic problems than urban areas, all have disproportionate shares of low income groups.
Rural/Urban Segregation
For the most part, economic and community development efforts generally ignore the interface between rural and urban areas. Changes in one area has effects in the other. Although these effects are often subtle and go unnoticed, they certainl y exist. Expansion and employment activities sometimes fail to realize untapped resources in either area.
Inadequate Public Facilities
In the urban area sufficient public facilities exist to att~act ne w i nd us t ry and to allow expansion of existing industr y.
i! 0 h' e v e r , the a v a i I a bi l I t y 0 f so me 0 f the s e fa c iIi tie s i s 5 0 met i me s
c o ns t ~ ~ i n e d due to existing public policy regardin g develop ment.
~ o r t ~c ru r a l a r e a the picture is entirely different. In ::::lr1\" : :1:; (' 5 t h e e n t i r e infra structure of small to wns is s ub s t a rr:: ~ l : \ " l ~ c k i n g o r i n need of repair. Facilities such as wa t e r , S ~ ~e r ~ nJ il t i l i t i e s wh i c h are the bare essentials for development, .: :- ~. ;; 0:' .i v a i L a b l e i n su fficient degrees to meet existing needs :::i h'::: >_' :0 5 e xp a n si o n ne e ds.
:':-. r o 1I L: no u t t he a rc a , as '.ve 11 as the nat ion. are cor d n urn be r "l : : ::ll ~ : 'l L~ l ;1l~ S S C S h a v e c l os ed t h e i r doors . Given the s mall
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pr of i t mar gin most entrepreneurs oper~te under, long-term adv e r s e economic cl i mates creat~ Iln~an~gc~hle stress on this industry ; Except f or the e mp l oy e e who loses his joh, indi vidual small business closing~ tend to go unnoticed . Collectively, however, they create a major economi. problem. This , problem is particularly acute in the rural area where the major economy is comprised of small businesses.
Ma j o r Industry La yo~fs
Both in the urban and rural areas, the manufacturing sector has been hard hit and has suffered substantial losses. This impact has been felt greatest in the resulting unemployment rolls. The dominance of this sector in the local econo my has contributed to the si ze of the problem. Again, this change i n emplo yment complexion in rural and urban areas has compounding effects due to their interrelationships.
Inadequate Transportation Facilities
The transportation network for the entire APDC area would be greatl y enhanced i f a major south leg was const ructed to other metropolitan markets, i.e ., Corridor Z. Once this is accomplished the area would have efficient and convenient north/south access. Also, the improved transportation efficiencies would allow less expensive transportation as well as open new undeveloped markets.
Also, transportation availabilit y is a major issue in the area. Although numerous state and soc ial service a gencies are involved in providing transportat ion, loc al trans portation availability is still a problem for th~ poor, elderl y and handicapped. Given transportation's importance to development, this area deserves considerable attention.
As s i s t a n c e Funding Availability
Over the past several years federal and state pro grams have concentrated on privat~-public partnerships and economic development activities. Programs such as HUD's Urban Develooment Action Grant (UDAG), Communit y Development Block Grant ( CDBG) and the Small Business Administration's 503 Pro gram have pr ov i de d a great sti mulus to econo mic development nati on wi d e. H o~ e v e r , the numerous con straints associated with t hes e p r o gr ams ha v e s ub s t a n t i a l ly li mited their availabilit y to t he g e ne r a l pu b l i c a nd in tu rn " reduced their effectiveness . Re gulatory and le gal requirements associated with their legislation pertainin g to r eport in g, qualifying and timin g have eliminated enti re s ec tors from participation .
Vo c a t i on a l Education
At the J u n i o r Hi gh and Hi gh Sc ho o l l evel vo c a t i ona l education is limited across both rur al a nd ur ban s ys t e ms . Althou gh s om e s ch o ') ls o f fered voc ational p ro g r ams , the y a r e narro w in scope and rela te to p a s t in dustr y co mp l e x ion s an d do no t e mbrace futurist ic j o b d i r e c ti o n s . Adva nc e d t echnol o gic al t ra ini n g t o r s k i l l e d jobs
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is virtually non-existent. Thi~ training could provide an upgraded labor market for new and expandIng industries.
Human Resource Use
The greatest wasted potential in this area is its human resources. Through lack of adequate information flows and misinformation, frictional unemployment for this area is felt higher than in most areas. Those seeking employment are often not meshing with those who need employees. There is a need for a coordinated system to provide immediate and convenient information concerning job availability.
Also, many area residents fail to get jobs due to inadequate training or insufficient training. Although the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) will provide job training for some sectors of society, it does not satisfy the needs of the displaced worker and other more affluent sectors of the work force.
Downtown Redevelopment
Peculiar to this APDC area is a wealth of intact turn-ofthe-century downtown areas. Unfortunately, many have lost their identity and vitality. In Columbus a substantial effort is currently underway to revitalize the downtown sector as is the case for some rural cities, i.e., Shellman, Georgia. However, greater efforts need to be directed in all cities to maximize the downtown potential. It is felt the downtown area represents significant development identification. Also, for many it allows identity with the city itself. Some convenient mechanism needs to be established to allow upgrading of the downtown areas.
B. Alternatives For Action
The following alternatives for action are offered to address the issues identified. It is felt these are realistic remedies which can be undertaken by the public sector primarily with some application by the private sector. Since many problems have overlapping resolutions, alternatives are presented to problem areas as a whole.
Program Modification
At both the state and federal levels, many of the constraints facin g the private and p u b l i c sector need to be eliminated. It is ~ell understood that most of the legislation is the result of co~promise and fixed into law. However, this does not reduce the fact that restrictions as to users of funds, use of funds and timing of funds act as major constraints to overall implementation. Pro grams such as IIUD' s UDAG and Cn BG, SBA's 503 and DHR's CSBG are ~xtremely ~orthwhile concepts, yet many of the guidelines set for t h for their implementation, as well as award are time and mon e y consumin g.
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Resolution of this problem addressing each particular program and its components would constitute a reporL in itself. However, it is felt necessary to apprise state and federal elected officials of the problem and hopefull y act as a catalyst to have the problem further investigated. It is felt by the APDC that this could be one of the single most important alternatives for action available to the public sector and should be investigated in great detail.
Entitlements for Small Cities
A major economic boost to rural counties ~nd cities would be to become designated entitlement cities for Community Development Block Grant funds. Currently, non-metro areas compete for CDBG funds on a statewide basis and are not guaranteed funding. This condition does not allow for prudent long-term planning for development. If rural communities had a generalized idea as to funding timing and amounts, they could more accurately plan for economic and community development.
Educational Facilities
Fundamental to increased and maintained economic growth is increasing the educational level of the local residents. At this particular issue the state and federal governments can play an i mportant role. Increased spending for educational development must occur before economic growth is maintained. It is recommended that federal, state and local governments expand their educational budgets and direct spending on vocational training, advanced technology and better classroom tools. Also, funds must be ' generated to ensure the maintenance of competent teachers who are the backbone of any educational process.
Employment Training Program
Although the Job Training Partnership Act is the latest legislation aimed at remedying training problems, it is directed primarily to a low income sector. Currently this is not the only sector in need of help. It is recommended that a publici private partnership be developed between local government and industry aimed at maximizing both resources to br ing about a coordinated effort. It is further r ecommen ded that an effort be undertaken by the Department of Community Affairs or similar agency to investi gate the feasibility of such a partnership.
Local Level Decisions
It is recommended that mo r e emp hasis be directed to greater local level decisions on trans ~ortat ion, e ducat ion, and economic d ev e l op me n t funds. Currentl y, there is a trend d e v e l op i n g out of the federal administration gi v i n~ greater autonomy to local fund use. It is suggested that this effort be further expanded and provide adequate local input to federal and state funding alternatives.
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Infrastructure Emphasis

Although the rural and urban ~Tea infrastructuTp. condition,

articularly public facilities, is an extremely complicated
Problem, special emphasis must be directed to resolution of this

~Pbrosbolleumt.e

Adequate public prerequisites to

facilities such as water and sewer are economic and community development.

~any rural areas are lacking adequate public facilities to ~aintain existing development much less attract new industry. It

is recommended that a legislative panel or committee be develop ed

to investigate the alternatives available to the local, state an d

federal governments.

Existing Industry Development

At the local public and private levels, expanding existing
industry potential is a major step toward improving economic development. During 1982, the greatest growth in the business sector occurred in industries with less than 100 employees. The APDC is currently working with local businesses trying to expand small industry potential.

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Mcintosh Trail Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Deterioration of Central Business Districts 2. Lack or Loss of Employment Base 3. Levels of Economic Development Efforts 4. Inadequate Public Water Supplies 5. Inadequate Public Facilities 6. Lack of Affordable Housing Alternatives 7. Substandard Housing 8. Scattered Residential Growth
,Repr,nted from Chapter 11 1." Issues and Auer natives '. t983 Area Devetoo m ent Protue . prepared by tne Mci ntosh TraIl Area Planrnn q and Development Co rnrrusston .I
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Mcintosh Trail Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
The previous two chapters showed the changes that have occurred and are occurring in the area. Implications of these changes were also di scussed as they rel ate to the region ' s economic, physical, and social structures. This chapter presents major issues affecting the region's future and alternatives for responding to the issues.
Major Issues and Problems Facing the Area
Several major issues confront the region's private and public sectors. The region's future will be largely determined by the methods and degree of success with which these issues are resolved. Each of these issues are discussed below without any specific order of priority.
Deterioration of Central Business Districts
Many central business districts in the region have experienced loss of businesses and structural deterioration. Some of the businesses have closed, while most businesses leaving the central business districts have relocated to scattered sites along major highways, commercial strip centers, or outlying shopping centers. Loss of these businesses has resulted in higher commercial space vacancies in the central business districts. Higher vacancy rates in the central districts have contributed to a physical decay of the older downtown structures. For example, in the severely distressed block of downtown Griffin, 13 out of 16 commercial buildings are vacant and the block is raoidly deteriorating. A deteriorating downtown encourages shoppers to shop outlying or suburban districts.
Deterioration of downtown districts is crucial to the region for several reasons. Fi r st , the deteri ora ti on encourages development 0 f scattered and highway strip commercial areas. Second, the downtown suffers, so does the community. Third, retail sector jobs are lost to outlying areas.
The major avenue for addressing this problem is the Downtown Development Authorities Law. Ho~ever, this law does not specify standards for desi gnating the downtown area and, therefore, has been used as a tool for encouragi ng local reta i 1 development throughout some communities.
Lack or Loss of Emoloyment 9ase
Most of the region ' s employed workers must commute to work places outside the region. During the 1970's, growth in the local employment base did not keep pace with the labor force or population growth. Most of the workers fr om the region's northernmost counties had to commute to Atlanta or near ~tlanta i~ 1980. Thus, the growth in these counties has been, and continues to be, dependent upon the employment conditions in and near ~tldnta.
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Rural counties in the southern hal f of the region have gained relatively few employment opportunities. Several of these counties have been heavily dependent upon a few major manufacturing employers. Since 1980, several of these major employers have ceased operations while a number of other firms have reduced operations.
Levels of Economic Development Efforts
Few counties have an industrial development authority with a staff. Most counties and the area's municipal ities rely on volunteer efforts by local businesses and elected officials. Rural counties (such as, Butts and Pike) lack the resources to hire a full-time staff to manage and undertake economic development efforts. At the areawi de 1evel, the designated economic development district lacks the level of funding to fully staff an active economic development program. This lack of staff to manage the economic development programs has resulted in varying levels of effort with the rural counties experiencing only limited success in their efforts.
Inadeauate Public Water Supplies
Most of the region's counties a~e either developing or seeking funds to develop major water reserVOlrs. Some of these efforts are designed to facil Hate development of county-wide water systems and to serve future population levels. Other counties are seeking to develop reservoirs merely to ensure adequate water supplies for the existing businesses and residents. During a previous drought in 1980 - 1981, some businesses were required to cut back operations because basic water demands exceeded some communities' total water suppl ie s . Without greater publ ic water suppl i e s , the region will be incapabl e of accommodating anticipated population levels and will experience greater difficulty in attracting certain types of industrial firms.
Inadeauate Public Facilities
Relatively little of the unincorporated area currently has public water systems. Yet these areas will probably experience the most development in the 1980's and 1990's. Lack of adequate water syste~s in unincorporated areas enc0urages lower dens i t y developments and hinders adequate fire protection.
A nunber of small towns have outdated water treatment and distribution systems. These syste~s need upgrading to properly serve existing customers and to be capaole of ex pansion into adjacent unincorporated ar~dS.
Sewer syste~s are generally confined to the region's larger communities. Some of these syste~s need to upgrade/expand their treat~ent capacities to accommodate any new growth. Distressed communities have exoerienced some difficulties in attracting industrial plants due to inadequate treatment capacities.
The basic problem with all of the public facilities is funding. r'los t of the communities lack adequate financial resources to undertake the needed improvements.
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Lack of Affordable Hous i ng Alternatives
Costs of constructing new hous i ng are increasing rapidly. These increases make home ownership increasingly 1ifficult. Manufactured housing offers an alternative to conventional site-built homes at a much more affordable price. Yet regulations on location of manufactured housing impose severe restrictions on such housing until these regulations are reasonably modified, no affordable housing alternative to conventional housing will be widely available.
substandard Housing
One-tenth of the region's housing stock is substandard using 1980 Census data. This percentage is decreasing even though the number of substandard units is not dec r eas i ng meas ur abl y . At the present ti me, none of the local governments are providing housing rehabilitation assistance. Past efforts to initiate such programs have failed due to lack of funding.
Scattered Residential Growth
r~st of the res idential growth is occurring on lots greater than one acre through unincorporated areas. This growth pattern poses feasibility proDle~s for devel opi ng central water systems. Further, such lot sizes do not pr ot ec t agr i c ul t ur al or environmentally sensitive lands if the development is scattered.
Alternatives for Action
All 1evel s of government and the private sector can undertake actions to address the region ' s major issues and problems. Some of the actions recommended i n this section will require substantial funding levels. Other recommended actions require changing procedures and regulatory provisions. Rec ommended actions are provided below for four categories: economic development, housing opportunities and development, public facil ities, and land development.
Economic Develooment
This category covers a variety of topics including downtown revital ization, enterprise zones, financing, job training, and staff resources.
Downtown Revitalizat i on. The current pri mary tool for downtown revital izatlon is t ne Jownt own Develooment Auth or i t i es Law. However, this law lacks an effective tar geting provision. Consequently, the law. needs to Je amended to require the targeting of e1 igible assistance to the older central business district.
F~exib1e development regulations providing special benefit to downtown deve I cpnent s c an prov i de additi ona1 i ncent i ves for down town inves~~ent. Such special ~ o n s i d e r a t i o n s should be incorporated into state enterprise zone legi slat ion. Regard l ess of the status of state ent e r pr i se zone l egi s l atio n , local qover rm ent s should revise their
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development regulations to encourage ~o re imaginative and intensive downtown developments. Mixed use developments should be specifically encouraged by such regulations.
Enterprise Zones. State legislation should be passed authorizing local governments to estab 1ish speci ali nvestment zones. The number of such zones should be restricted for communities outside ~ajor cities (such as, Atlanta, Columbus, etc . }, No community outside such cities should be allowed to have more than one zone. While minimizing red tape, all such zones should be establ ished following development of a zone strategy and state approval of the strategy. Incentives allowed for any designated zone should include tax increment financing for public improvements, special employment deductions on taxes, flexible development regulations, and special matching grants to local governments for financing private investment.
Financing. Existing techniques for private inves~~ent financing should be more effectively util ized. The recently established r<k Int osh Trail Area Development Corporation, (lHADC) should take an active role of supplementing conventional and development authority tax-exempt f inancing. Specifically, the Community Devel opment Block Grant (CDBG) program has never been used in the area to l ever age private sector investment. Only one Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) has ever been awarded to a local government for the purpose of leveraging private investment.
Within the next two months, the MTADC should seek and receive certification as a Certified Development Company under the Small Business Administration's Section 503 Program. Assistance under this program should be targeted, to the extent practical, to distressed communities and areas of high unemployment. This program should be used to fill the voids left by restrictions on tax-exempt financing imposed by regulations and practical mtninum limits (i.e., no financing of restaurants and no bonds of less than Sl,OOO,OOO). A special effort should be made to - focus this assistance on businesses in high-growth industries and projects that enable existing businesses to moder ni ze and more effectively compete in the market place.
Current unreasonable and counter-productive restrictions on use of tax-exempt financing should be removed or at least relaxed. Financing of restaurants wi th tax-exempt notes shoul d be allowed if needed to bring about the investment into distressed areas. Excessive report ing requirements should also be reduced. Legislation pending in the U.S. Congress to allow combining tax-exempt notes in conjunction with Section 503 loans should be implemented. All of these actions require federal legislation. Federal and state laws should be revised to clearly allow tax exempt notes for mixed use projects including residential unit s ' combined with other uses.
Local participation in the UDAG program needs to be expanded. At the present ti me only four communities (Griffin, Jac kson, Tho maston, and Zebulon) are classified as UDAG eligible. However, all but Thomaston have been reclassified as " nondistressed" and will lose their eligibility after August, 1983. Another eleven communities are
10 0

classified as distressed but not "UOAG eligible". Preapplications for dete~nination of el igibil ity should be submitted for each of the area's distressed cities. The McIntosh Trail Area Planning and Development Commission (lHAPOC) should take a lead role in promoting the UDAG program as a "last resort" source of fixed a.sset financing. Where a community is UOAG eligible the MTAPOC should actively work with local officials to util ize UDAG funds when appropriate.
The potential for use of CDSG funds as an econom ic development tool has been widely ignored. Transferring the COSG program to the State of Georgia has helped change this situation. Recent actions to establish a quarterly economic development set-aside program has further enhanced the use of COSG funds for economic development. However, no local governments in the region have taken advantage of this tool. This apathy is in part due to the lack of an aggressive 'llarketing of the program by the MTAPOC. Efforts should, therefore, be undertaken by the r1TAPDC to infonn local decision-makers in government and the private sector of the pr-oqram' s economic development potenti al. COSG funds should be considered as a last resort tool for primarily fixed asset financing.
Private inves~~ent financing should be as simple and private as possible. Creative financing, however, should be utilized if necessary. Available government programs should be combined whenever necessary to leverage private i nvest ment , The rHAPOC should take a significant role in developing the creative financing packages if necessary.
Some potential private investment in distressed areas is lost to other areas because t he i nvest ment will result in higher tax revenues without corresponding publ i c improvements . Tax incre'11ent bond financing is one method by which such investment may be encouraged. State legislation authorizing local tax increment financing programs should be submitted and passed in the next legislative session. Such programs should be targeted to distressed areas and be based on a locally adopted district or neighborhood strategy.
Revolving loan funds have been demonstrated, in other areas, to be potentially significant sources of gap financing. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was once a viable source of funding to capitalize such a fund. with the reduction in EOA funding, state and local sources need to be established and developed. State funds should be appropriated to establish areawide revolving loan funds for areas of high unemployment. Administration of such funds should be by the economic development districts without any substantial funding for administration of the fund s , Private sources of capital ization funds are extremely difficult to develop, but should be agressively pursued. Consortiums of local banks shoul d be consi dered as a possible source of ' loan pool funds.
Job Training. An increasing number of new j obs are requiring hi gher degr ees of tec hnol ogical traini ng. Traditional labor intensive jobs requiring only strength and physical endurance (i .e., manufacturing type jobs) are gradually diminishin g the ir role as a proportion of the job base . Many labor intensive industries are ~odernizing to become
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more competitive. However, this modernization also requires a more modern work force. Government training and job programs have traditionally filed to provide this modern work force. In todays economic development environment. areas with a trained work force will be more likely to attract the new investment than other areas.
The new training programs authorized by the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) offers the potential for retraining displaced and older workers and properly training younger lower-income wor~ers for the modern work place. These new programs will be operated under the direction of a Private Industry Council (PIC) primarily composed of local business persons. Emphasis in these programs should be placed on the needs of small businesses in growth or. at least. stable industries.
An emphasis on job training for private sector labor needs. as opposed to public service employment. and program governance by a locally appointed PIC suggest the new programs will be able to overcome the fail ings of the CETA programs. Restriction of administrative costs to l5~ of the total program al so suggests the JTPA programs will address more of client training needs. The State of ~eorg ia should mi ni mi ze the administrative burdens placed on the local PICs. Simplified administrative and planning require~ents can result in more practical programs. Even though the JTPA authorizes the use of l5~ of the funds for administrative costs. this should not be interpreted as an automatic use of l5~ for administration.
The JTPA encourages the use of existing areawide districts for implementation of the programs. By following APDC boundaries. the Governor reflected the Legislation's intent. These agencies have a history of publ ic-private partnerships and economic development activities. It is strongly recommended that the State of Georgia discourage the establishment of new, federally-funded areawide agencies to administer the programs. Existing agencies should be used to administer the programs and deliver services. Agencies with records of high administrative costs in operating train ing programs should not be used as the lead administrative agency. Rather, these agencies should be used as subcontractors in del ivering the services.
Heavy emphasis needs to be placed on private sector job placement of training participants. On-the-job training with cost sharing between the local businesses and the PIC can encoura ge such placement. Potential problems exist due to the ambi guity of the JTP~ and accompanying regulations. Effective on-the-job training programs with PIC-private business cost sharing previsions and ult i mate or ivate sector placement should be clearly authorized, encouraged, and implemented in the area. Specific terms of such programs should be locally establ ished based upon cl ient and business needs and available resources.
Training programs funded by the J T?A grant in the area shOUld be closely linked to local educational entities (especiall ..,. secondary education) and economic development agenCles. Such 1inkage would ensure the programs do not duplicate current efforts and in fact. address training needs at a 1ife stage of the par t i c i pant s that is mos t appropriate. Ry 1inkage with the local 1nd areawide economic developnent age ncies, the programs~ould be mor e ;nar ke t - or i e nt ed and less bureaucratic.
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Staff Resources. Due to federal, state, and local budget cuts, the MTAPDC has suffered serious staff reductions. These reductions and the uncertainty of EDA planning grants have hindered the agency's economic development efforts at a time when the assistance is most needed. Only a few of the local development authorities have any staff resources. It is essential that the i'1TAPDC attempt to fill this gap. To the extent possible, the MTAPDC has attempted to do so in the past year. However, limited resources have resulted in only limited success.
The MTAPDC as the areawide development district should continue i t s efforts to fill the local development staff void. Special emphasis should be placed on rural counties with high unemployment (such as, Butts and Lamar Counties). Existing resources should be continued for this purpose. However, recognizing that such resources are inadequate, it is essential that the State of Georgia fund a rural economic and community development technical assi stance grant program to di stricts and counties with planning staffs. Such support must be in addition to the current state support to the APDCs. The additional support should be performance oriented wi th bonuses for successful projects and reduc ti ons for low performance proj ects.
Local governments should also consider the feasibil ity of jointly funding a district level economic development professional. Continual funding of such a position should be based on performance.
The district economic development program should not be a grantsmanship program. Rather, the district's econom ic development staff assistance should be concentrated on assisting local authorities in attracting private investment. Specific actions should include finance packaging, marketing, and coordination of development approvals. Where a necessary development entity does not exist, the district staff should aid the local officials in establishing, activating, and operating the entity. If the proposals presented under the section on "financing " are to be i mplemented, the district staff should playa key support role.
Housing Opportunities and Develooment
Efforts in this category need to be focused on providing reasonable cost housing (primarily through the private sector), housing rehabil itation, equal housing opportunity, and innovative and efficient development.
Reasonable Cost Housing. Th e ~t l n to s h Tr ai l Area has a housing problem. Hous l ng costs ar e rising, many local regulations unreasonably hinder the private ~arket place, and at least one-tenth of the supply is substandard. Related t o these interrelated aspects of t he problem, most local markets are either clearly light or only moderately competitive. Publ icly assisted housing has a role in solving the problem, but cannot and should not be expected to solve the prOblem. Such housing only addresses a small portion of t he low/moderate income sector of the market.
103

Public sector responses to the problem should include reasonable regulatory relief, greater participation in federal and state housinq programs, encouragement of fair housing practices, and creative financing assistance. All local govern~ents should review their regulations and assess their impacts on housing costs. The MTAPOC should provide technical assistance in carrying out the assessment. These reviews need not be a quantitative assessment of the impacts.
Unreasonable restrictions on the private housing market hinders the market's ability to respond to the demand for moderately priced housing. Regulations of housing development should be based upon a locallydeveloped housing opportunity strategy. Such a strategy should show how the community is address ing the housing needs of all market segments in spite of the regulations. Special state legislation requiring such a strategy prior to, and as part of, any regulation restricting the distribution of hous ing by type should be seriously considered. A housing opportunity strategy should not be a bureaucratic numbers game as was the Housing Assistance Plan formerly required for COSG funding. Rather, the strategy should be a policy-action guide that uses and involves all elements of the development process. The MTAPOC staff should assist in the development of these strategies. Funding of sucn assistance would likely fallon the State government.
Few commun i ti es util i ze federal or sta te resources to address serious housing needs of the lower third of the market. Most communities do not have any assist~d housing developments. However , nearly all communities have a significant need for housing at prices affordable to the lower-income segment of the population. Greater participation in grant and loan programs for assisted housing on the part of local govern~ent and the private sector would help address the problem. Lack of assisted housing confines low-income persons to substandard, rental units.
Few, if any, local g o v e rn~e n t s have fair housi ng policies. Local govern~ents should adopt such policies to encourage the private sector to operate fairly. ~ h e n a segment of the population is unduly restricted to a certa in area or type of housing, that segment is unable to freely compete for t~e lower priced housing on the market and must be subject to the private sector desires. No evidence indicates a lack of equal housing opportunity, al though some governments have objected to specific asslsted housing proposals and some c o~ u n i t i e s are becomin g more heavily concentrated cen ters of minor ity and l ow- i ncome population groups.
Develo pment of hous i ng within the reach of low- i ~come and moder at eincome families will reauire some creative financing. Feder al progra:ns have insufficient funding levels. Further, it is unwise to rely only O~ federal dollars. High-risk loan pool s can and should be used to promote rehabilitation of owner-occuoied and rental units. L:" ' G funds can and should be used to dttract private investment in moderate income housing. MTAPOC staff should assist in devel~~ing the financ i~" packages where necessary.
Hous i nq Rehabilit ati on. The region ha s a si qni ( ,,,,, lit substan dard housing pr ool em . re t , no ho usi ng rehabil i ta t t on program functions i n
104

the area. Local govern ments with substandard housing problems should seek COSG funds to address the more serious housing problems of poor families. Less serious needs of financially sufficient families should be financed by the private sector with UDAG or. COBG funds being a minor part of the project if necessary.
Equa 1 Hous i ng Ooportuni ty. Lack 0 f equal housi ng opportunity restrlcts the competltlveness of the discriminated class. Local governments should promote equal housing opportunity. Participation in available programs is a potential met hod for encouraging equal opportunity.
If a class of persons is the target of overt or covert discriminatory practices or attitudes or the private sector is unable to prov ide reasonable cost housing where jobs are being developed, the lower income segment is less able to fully participate in the area's economic growth. To obtain those new jobs the discriminated persons have a higher commuting costs. Further, the low-income segment generally will be emp loyed in low-paying jobs and, therefore, unable to afford the commuting costs.
Innovative and Efficient Develooment. Local governments should proviae tne prlvate mar Ke t wlth flex151e regulations. Specifically planned unit developments and cluster housing development should be promoted, especially in areas experiencing suburbanization pressures. The MTAPOC staff should provide the local governments with assistance in reasonably managing such development practices.
Public Facilities
Several key issues regarding publ ic facilities have merged. Recommendations for action are presented as water supply and financing.
Water Supp l y ~Jo agency has satisfactorily addressed tii;: future water neeas or the area. Consequently, each local qov ernmer.t is pursuing water supply resources separately. An areawide Water Resources Study and Program of Impr ovement s should be developed by and for the area. Funding for such a massive endeavor would need to come from the federal, state , and local governments.
A mul ti-county reservoir system should be developed. Sprewell Sluff Dam should be re-examined as a serious alternative. Such a regional system would be far more effective than the current scattered, separate approach.
Financin g. Routi ne mai nt enance and rehabil itation of public facil itles snoul d be locally financied pri marily by the users (i.e.,' water system custo:ners, sewage customers, e tc . }, Local util ities should review util ity rates to ensure adequate revenue for such activities.
State legislation shoul d be passed establishing a tax incre~ent financ ing program for public facilities. This prooosal was desc r i bed under the "economic development " section of this chapter.
105

A state mat chi ng grant program should be established to finance local public facilities. The current programs are too limited as to funding level and types of projects.
Funding of pUblic facil ities should be contingent upon a local capital improvements budget. Emphasis should be placed on projects that are essential to a community' s economic development and/or essential to alleviate a current health hazard.
County-wide water systems should not be financed with state or federal funds. Rather, local governments seeking to develop county-wide systems should use local bonding authority to finance the improvements.
Land Develooment
Imple~entation of the foregoing reco~nendations would have a profound impact on local devel cpnent , Add i t t onal acti ons shoul d be taken to specifically address land developnent.
ResDonsi bil ity. Local governments shoul d conti nue to have maj or governmenta I responsi bi l ity for manag i ng 1and develooment practi ces. This assignment of responsibil ity is clearly stated in the Georgi a Constitution. Areawide and state levels of management would be failures. General state enabl ing legislation should be authorized and then passed by the legislature to ensure similarities in procedures and require reasonable regulations and management practices.
Develooment Management. The current practice of merely regulating the prlvate sector should be replaced by a management system. Regulatory approaches have tended to be, at best, only moderately effective and frequently imposes barriers to accompl ishment of other goals.
A development management system should have three basic elements. First, the system should be comprehensive. Not only should regulatory tools be utilized, but other tools should be incorporated into the system. Tax exempt financing and other governmental financing programs should be used to encourage the private sector to develop commercial and office developments in the older central business district and other distressed areas. Capital improvement plans and budgets should be adopted and used to direct local development within the market place contraints. Local governments should not react to development by extending util ities and infrastructure to developnents in a haphazard manner. Regulatory tools should be used to support the finance and capi tal improvement tool s .
Second, the system must be reasonaDle and somewhat market-oriented ~hile the system must protect the public interest, it should be flexible. Third, the system should be based on a pUblic-private partnership.
Development management should be based on a develooment plan. Such a plan should real istically assess the community' s probl~s and needs.
Professional staff should be utilized in developing and administeri ng the managem ent sys t e.n, The 1o\TA?O C should assist govern ~ents in these activities.
106

Middle Flint Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Unemployment and High Poverty Levels 2. Substandard Housing 3. Farm Failures and Protection of Prime Farmlands 4. Increasing Cost of Providing Local Government Services 5. Absence of Rural Fire Protection and a Regionwide Emergency Disaster Plan 6. Lack of Upgraded Prime Arterial Highways for Industrial Development 7. Health Care Services 8. Expansion of Naturai Gas Lines

(Reorlnted trom C hapter ut .vtssues and Ar te r-
nanves. 1983 Area Deveto o m ent Protite ,
prepared ov tne Middle Flint Area Planning ana
Development Co rnrmssron.)

' ... ; ...:;:..

.~

.I .

107

Middle Flint Area Planning and Development Comm ission Issues and AlternaUves
A . M:ij or Issues and Problc'1\s Fac i ng the Area
B. Alternatives f or Ac t ion
In or der t o provide c l ari ty in the account of the major issues/problems facing the p~ddle Fl i nt r egion , and t he a lternative solutions t o those problems, the s e two sections have been ca'1\bined in a n out l i ne form .
Eac h iss ue or problem is briefly surrmarized. The i nterrelationship of s ever a l o f G~ese probl e'1\S ha s already been d i s cus s ed in the Area Developme nt Profile so some probl ems have been combi ned where appropriate.
A . Ma jor Issues a nd Probl e.'1\s Fac i no the Area
PROBIEl =1
Une.~D lov~ment and Hioh Povertv Level s (Discussed in Sectlon I .C . , EconoIT~, of the Area Development Profile)
Unemployment and a hi gh poverty rate a re seriou s i nterrelated problems for t he who l e Midd l e Flint region . Ivi th an annua l aver age unemployment rate of 10. 1% in 1982 , a s oppos ed t o an 8 .5~ rate for L~e state , unemployme nt has been runninq at averages c l os e t o L~e na tional level . One coun t y , Macon , had an 11 . 8% une~lol~ent r a t e .
These hi gh unerrp l oyrnent; l evels correspond wi th a high povert y rate . I n 1980 27% o f a ll persons in t he area wer e below the poverty thre s hol d. \mile this figure is down form 1970 (35%) , i t i s much higher than the s tat e average of 16%.
The gener a l improvement i:1 poverty statistics from 1970 to 1980 canno t continue i f unemplo}ment re~ains a t hi~h l eve ls . 30th publ i c a s sistance and pr i vate economic deve .Loprent; are neces sary , wi th an empha s i s on the latter , to reverse the cycle o r pover t.y wi.t.hi.n the r egiol1.
B. Alt erIl.ative s f or .; c t i on
Unempl mment and Hi::h ?m 'e r t '.' L2ve l s
.:Ut e rTla ti'.'e Solutions
':\ . Expansi.on 0: t...';e Lndust.r i.a l ba s e o f t he r'eo i.on through the
fo llowi ng pos s ible sethods :
(1 ) l oc a l ~overn~en~ bus i ne s s cCDr d i na t i on \vi thi n the r eg i on to a t trac t .i.ndus t.rv
109

(2) state and yor f eder a l gr ant s specifically targeted for use in industrial site preparation
(3) use of e..xisting state and/or' federal gr an t s such a s D.D. A.G. and CDBG for economic developnent
(4) use of Eccnomic oevel opnent Administra tion (EDA) gr a nt s for market s t ud ies t o attract industry
(5) local govern~nt tax incentives for business/industrial location
B. Improvement of t he job training me thcxls and f ac ili t ies within the region.
(1) coordination of all the diverse elements o f j ob traini na from high schools to t.~e new J ob Training Partner s hip .:;c ~
(2) coordination of these job training organiza t ions with l ocal busines s to tar qet areas whe r e empl oywe nt oppor tuniti es a r e and wi l l be
(3) r egionwide l aror JTI.arket s t ud ies t o t a r get specific job need s o f emer ging industri e s-financed t hrough j oint f ederal , s tate ,and l ocal fund s

C. Continuation o f inccme mai ntenance f eder al/ s tat e di r ec t a id t o the poor , wi th r einstatement of f i nanc i a l a i d to the "wor king poor" (minimum waae wi th f ami l ies ) t o i nsure their ability to
keep working.

A.

~Bj or Issues and Pr oblems Facina t he .~ea

PROBI."1 ;:2

Substandard Hous inq (Discussed in Secti on LB., Housing , or the Are a Developr:-ent Pr ofi le)

Substandard hous i ng , wh.i. Le vas tly improved from 1970 , i s still a major problem fac i ng the area . A 9. 9% substandard housing rate for t he rvti.dd l e Flint r egion i s substantially highe r than the state average o f 3 . 8%.

Conti nued fede r a l and s t a te hous i na a ss i s tance i s nc~es sar/ , a s wel l as pr i va t e ly f i nanced l ew/ moder a t e income hou sinc to r ed uce these~ hiah l eve l s .

Cenera Ll v , a be tter economic c Lirra t;e (r ed uced unemo.l.oyrnen t , I ower :.:ove r t,;! ra tes)

a s d i scus sed i n or obl.ern number one wo uLd a l so e l Lev i.a t;e t he hi.ch s ubstandard

housing r a t.e , .

-

110

B. Alterna tive s for Ac t i on Substandard Housinq
Alter native Solutions
A. Continue community development block gr an t r ehubi l i tation programs
B. Consideration of a l t ernat i ve f eder al public housing programsreinstatement of funds f or such programs
C. Str onger regionwide hous ing codes to condemn substandard units
o. Promoti on of bet ter subdivision r egulations and building codes
f or new units to prevent future housing deterioration
E. Pr omot ion of solutions listed under problem 1 to improve the general economic conditions of t he area and stimulate new hous ing cons truction
A. Major Issues and Problems Facing the Area
PROBLE:.'1 #3
Farm Fa i l ure s and Protec t ion of Pr ime Farm Lands (Discussed in Sections I. C. , Economy, 1.0., Natural Resources, of the
Area Development Profile)
The problem of f arm f ailures i s not indigenous to the Middle Flint area, but has been occurr i ng na tionwide . .7\ part of the pr obl em has been large f arm debts accrued t hrough f ed er a l l oa ns . In addit i on , farm prices have not kep t pace with the high rate of inf l ation t hat ha s plagued t he nati on as a whole the past several years . Imen i t co s t s more t o qr ow the crop than you can sell it fo r , it is quite eviden t why f armers are in f i nanc i al trouble.
\men f arm fai lures increase, pr ime f arml and could be endangered f r om sale for more "profitable" devel opment . This is especially true in areas where signi ficant gr owth is occuri ng , a s in the Amer i cus and Cordele ar eas . The l oss of pr L~e f armland t o deve lopment des troys a non-renewable natural resource.
B. Alterr.atives Eor Ac t i on
Fa rm FQ ilures and Prot ect ion of Pr ime Farm Lands
Alternati ve Solutions
t\ . Encourac e ITOr e d ive r s e farminq a lternat i ve s , i .e .tnlck f armi.nq , publ i c retail ( p ick-~Dur-own ) ~ e t c.
111

B. Exparisi.on of f ann prcx:luce processing plants within the region

C. Discourage ~xorbitant fann debts accrued through loans

D. Provide state and federal agricultural assistance through modernized marketing techniques

E. E.'q)and and improve irrigation systems regionwide

F. Enactment of strong county zoning ordinances that identify and protect prime farmland

G. Enactment of state or local ordinances that pr ot ect prime farmland's purchase for speculation or large absentee (forei gn or domestic) ownership by corporate entities

A. Major issues and Problems Facing the Area

PROBLE:l.1 #4

I ncreasing Cost of Providing Local Government Services
(Discussed in Section II. A. , Gro.vth and Developrrent, of the Area Develq:ment Pr ofi l e )

The high inflation rate has not only impacted fanners (see Problem #3) , but has also a f f ected local gove rnment I s ability to provide services. Also, a lack of coordination beh~een local governme nt s , effecti ve zoning ordinances, and better budgeting methods have combined to f urther increase the cost of providing services.

B. Altermtive s for Action

Increasing Cost of Provi d i ng Local Gover rment Services

Alternative Solutions

A. Consolidation of all or speci f i c governmental services between county and city government s f or cost e f fect i veness

B. Enactrr.ent of zon ing ordinances that reflec t cost ef f ect ive cons i derati on of the present /fut ure prov ision of se rvices

C. State a s s i s tance i n fomula ting budge t s ystems analvsise spec i a l ly for smal l communities

D. Continued state and federal a s s i stance i n provi s ion of vi ta l corrnun.it y servi.ces , su c h .J.S sewer and wat er

:.... .
\ \
\
\.

Cco r'd i nat i.on/ccrrrrmni cat i.on be tween l ocal ccmnuni t i es wi. tru,n
:.!1e coa i on to exchanae diffe rent me thcx:ls o f co s t ef ~ec t ive ;:rovis ion of services

112

F. Financia l As s i s tance t o l ocal cQlmun i t ies f or the prov is i on of better f i sca l and phy s ical pl anning
A. Mcl jor Issues and Pr ob l ems Fac inq the Are a
PROBLE:\l #5
Abse nc e o f Rura l Fire Protec tion and a Regior..:ide Dnerqenc~' Di sast. e r ?lan (Discussed i n Secti on I .C . 2 , o f the .qrea Develo?~ent Pr ofil e)
The absence of rural f ire protection is a serious problem facing bot~ the lives and pr'oper t.y of resident s in a ll unincorporated sections of the eight county ~hdd le ?lint r e0ion . At a minim~ t here s hould be firefis ht.in? personnel and equip"e nt ~de ava i l a bl e t o pro t ec t the lives o f the rural area's residents.
Cooperative aqre~~nt s bebveen e~i stinq f i ref i s ht ing agencies and these rural areas i s a ?Os s ible so luti on.
The l ack of a re:;iG"'.;i::~ d i s a s ter plan i s a nother s erious safe t y deficiency. Ln the event o f a major d i s a s t er (L e . a train dera.i.Irnent; of hazardous ga s e s) , no p I an exi st.s f or evacuation , t.errpora rv housing , and medica l treat~nt fo~ the vic t ims .
B. Al ternat i ve s for Act.ion
Absen ce 0: ~al Fire Pr o t ec t ion and a Regionwide
~~rGency Disas ter Pl a n
.~ terna tive Solut i on s
A. Sta te as sis tance f o r r~al f i re prot ec t ion
B. Joint agree.me nt s between city, c ounty, and state (forestry ) fire f i ght i ng services to provide assistance to rural areas
C. Irrpre s s upon l ocal county res i dents the fi nanc i a l benefit i n dec r eased insurance p r emi.ims by rhe prov i.s i on o f fire protect i on ser vices
D. Obt a i n a c r an t f rem s t.ate or :ederal d i sas t e r management agenc les LO r-r e pa r e a r egi o na l ~ergency Di s a s t e r Plan
i\ . ~'Bjor I s sues a'1cl ? robie:" s ~:'ac i r.~; ~~e .qre a
rROBLE.'1 =6
Lac~: .::> : _ J..~ r3.c!C(l ~ ri:~:e :~..r -:.e :- : Zl l :-: ic h~.t"a\' S
=o ~ I :-::ills tr i a i L-:-2'.~e lc ::~.e~ t.
(Di s cus sed in SeC:':"2 :1 _.c. 2, 0: ::':-.e :'..rea L>2'.'e l o;:!:'.ent Pr o f i le )
Lndust.rv nC'.v c o.'"1'L"'::c s a s .J. pr e r ecu i s t.e :'0 Ioca t i.o n ac cess t o a n "adequate"
hi ghway t.rans co r ta t i on sv s cem. The c:e f rii t i.on 0: t..~e t erm adequa t e ranees
113

f r cm all. inters ta t e to a we LL maintained two-Tane h iqhwav , However , the p revailing trend is t oward loca tion i n c lose proximit y to well rmintainea , four-lane , 1Lui ted a c ces s highwa ys. For G~e r egion t o remai n competiti ve in its e fforts t o a t trac t new i ndus try , upg rading of the e xisting f ede ra l and stat e highway s ystem i s Important..
Pres ently , the r egion has o ne interstate, U. S. 7 5 , that bisects the eastern counties (CCO l y , Cri sp). The o ther existi ng U. S , hi g hways (1 9 , 280 , and 41) a r e i n need of upgrading t o f urthe r attract industry t o the area.
The l ack of a f our- lane connect o r f rcm t he Americus g r owth area to the Ccrridor Z proj ect, linking Columbus wi th the por t of Brunswic k i s a l s o a dra\~ck to i ndus trial devel opme nt .
B. AI terrative s fo r Action
Lack of UIXJraded PriIr.e Ar terial Hiqhway s for Ir.dustrial Develoanent
Altern3tive Solutions
A . State Depar'trnent; of 'I'reri sportzrt i.on upgracnng of U.S .19 and U. S . 280 wi th four l ani ng or construction o f passing lane s
B. Construc tion o f a connector hi. qhway between the coastal ports and we s ter n Georgia tha t \,Duld pas s through the pr inc i pal economic deve l opoent; areas U"''ne r i cus , Co r dele) of the r egion
'I'...D rni.nor is sues me r i t no ting .
Heal th Care Services (Di s cussed i n Section I. C. 0 f t.he Are a Deve lop.-ne m: Pr ofile ) \vhic~ could be ~uproved by increasina o r mai ntaining s tate and feeeral he a lth care a id . Al so , an e :--. pa ns i o n of the existinq llur s i ng school (l,eorgia Sout.rr..:estern College- ..\rne r i c u s ) '.voul.d be beneficial.
:.-.oa nsi o n o f ~;a tura l (',as Line s to the nor t hern a rea o f the reg ion (Di s cussed i n Sect i c n I .C . of the Area Deve loprr,en t Profi le) . Thi s is t o aid indus tria l develo~men t .
The a l ter r.ative sol utions l i s t ed to the s e rru j o r i s s ues/ pro bl ems a re by no means the c n ly o ne s . Indeed it wi Ll, take a s muc h crea tivity a s t echnic al e'~ertise or financial s U?FQr t t o solve r.a ny o f L~e ~roble~ f ac i nq t he :liddle Flint reo i.on . The r e i s r eason f o r o p t imi sm in no tinq t he pa s t tre nds o f reduct.ions i n the povertv r at.e s , de c rea s e s i.n substandard hous i nq , a nd 2.J1 c xpan s i.on c f t he i.nd ust.r.i.aI bas e , bu t; the p re sen t cond i t i o ns juxtaposed wi. ch s ta te ave r ac e s l e ave Li, tt l e r oom :o~- ccrnpl.ac e ncy .
114

Middle Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Deficiencies in Certain Community Facilities and Services : Education, Social Services, Water and Sewer Systems 2. Suburbanization vs Vitality of Central Business Districts and Urban Neighborhoods 3. Need for Additional Standard Housing 4. Inadequate Physical Facilities and Infrastructure 5. Need for Improved Intergovernmental Relations and Cooperation 6. Decline in Acreage of Prime Farmland and Commercial Forests 7. Need for Regional or Metropolitan Area Transportation Planning 8. Expected Decline in Textile Manufacturing
~ P P D n rll elj Ir C" r1 C n aoter 1l l. ls ' u e s an a A tterp.It I\"~ S . : :38 3 ..:~~ 3 C ~ ~ e IOD m d '1 r Pro ute . orec areo ov tn e M,dale G ~ o rG l a "'re3 Prann ' Cl .1'1 a Deveroornent Cc m rruss ror,
115

Middle Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission Issues and Alternatives

This section identifies and comments on a few of the

~hia~rnei

f

ica are

n

t no

i

ssues easy

and reso

problems lutions to

present the is

in sue

o s;

ur sevenand, in

c

ounty some

area. cases,

alternatives are not suggested because t h e issues need additional

study.
-Malor Issues and Probl ems Facinq th e-A-r-e-a

1. There are Deficienci es in Certain Community Facilities and Services.

The region is increasing in population at a rate of about two percent per ye a r . Most of the growth is in the form of suburbanization. The increase in population coupled with the movement of population and industry toward suburban and rural communities will undoubtedly have significant effects on public facilities and services in the cities and surrounding areas. Obviously, the future demand tor schools, recreation facilities, social services (especially tor the elaerlyl, and water and sewer systems is de pendent on the number and characteristics or the populat ion to come. By eliminating some of the element of doubt as to the tuture po pu l a t i o n ,' local officials are better a b l e to determine a community's need tor various publicl y-financed facilities and services.

a. Schools, _~ducation_,_ana Tralning

If current birch, death, and migration trends continue, Middle Ge orgi a s population will have very different characc eristics 3U years from now. Because birthrates are declining, the region should have proportionally fewer school children. Consequently, the demand for both pU blic and p r i v a t e school facilities should decreas e. Th is tr end is best exemplified within Bibb Count y which s houl d experience an absolute decline in the nu mb er o f sc hool e n r o l l me n t s . Moreover , partl y becau se t h e birthrate is much higher for non-wh it e s th an t or whlt es, non-white children enroll ed in Bib b Co u n ty s ch ool s will significantly outnu IT.ber wh ic e c hi l dren.

An ad citi o nal tren d t h at will become more appa~ent a s t he l ~ e Us p rogre ss concerns the fact that man v school f aci li t l es have o v e r -e x t e n d e d the ms elves to ~ ee t t h e d em a n d a t t h ~ o ~ c time baby boom and will now h a ve to t i r;c wa v s to pay t o r taci lities too La r q e f o r lJr es e n t d e ma n d . T !-l e r e c o n t f (1 11 i n 9 0 Ef 0 f man y
local q r arr.ma r o cho o i e n r o Ll i..o n t s su p p ort t n i s trend.

117

Jones County is the exc eption to both these trends. Although total school enrollment in suburban counties is expected to remain fairly constant, Jones County's high rate ot n et in- migration among school ag e persons sugge ~ts th e e ve n t u~ l overcrowdin g of existing facilities. It a p p e a r s that addiciona l schools may neea to be construct e d in the future.

As indicated in Secti or. s I-C-2(c) and II-A- 2, the educational system is qu i t e e x t e n s i v e . Th ere is a mi x ot vocati onal, s o co no a r y , unci po s t r s e co no a r y sch ools, both public ana priva t e. C omments herein are addressed primarily to pUblic secondary schools.

The quality of area school systems as measured by student performance on Georgia1s Basic Skills Test is not particularly good. Only Houston County students exceeded the state average score for 1982. Houston students scored six points above the state average. Considering that Georgia does not have a glowing reputation for education, this situation does not speak well for the quality of public education. Table 17 lists the average BST scores for each county school system.

Exactly what factors contribute to poor performance by area school systems is not known. It could be inadequate tunding, 1ntervention of the federal courts, intervention by federal a q e n c a e s , public apathy, mismanagement, too few high quality teachers, parental failure in child rearing, lack of discipline, etc . ~1 0 s t 1 ike 1 y it is a co mbin a t ion 0 f so me 0 r a 11 the factors.

The problem obviously is not just limited to this area. The average score for all Georgia students was only 649 of a possible 8UO points. However, the problems seem to be more acut e 1n this area because the area average score was 644, or five points below the state average.

Another major need of the area is to increase the

number of engineers availabl e and improve the skill

levels of certain categories of workers. This is

especially true for machinists, millwrights, and other

similar trudes. The number at trained workers avail-

able in these categories must also increase if the

region 1S to attract those firms which have been iden-

tified as the most likely to be interested in locating

in M1ddle Georgia.

~

118

Several companies n eeding these skills wer e interested in the Mac_on area but chose to locate in
. other places because workers with these skill s are
lacking.
b. Social Services
Middle Georgia communities can also expect the demand t o r public l y-supported services to increase, particularly those servic es benefiting the eld~rly population. Census data tor 1980 clearly indicate that the region's population is growing older. Partiall y because of Improvements in health care, elderl y perso ns now co mpr ise a gr eater proportion o f the region's population. Moreover, the area's percentage of elderl y persons is anticipated to continue to increase o ver the next 30 years, suggesting a greater dema nd f o r he a l t h care, nutrition, transportation, and other pu bli c ly-fi n a n c e d ser v ices.
While the region's tax burden is expected to increase, man y Mid dle Georgia communities will have proportiona lly fewer young adults working to support the soc ia l services. For example, the mo s t notable short a ge of young adults between the ages of 20 to 44 is found i n the cit y of Macon. Historically, most of Macon's young adult population has migrated to larger, more industrialized cities in search of jobs. Accord ing to 1 ~ 8U Census dat a, this trend has slowed, but no t re vers ed. Thu s, ther e is still a need for Macon to r etain and e x pa nd its population of productive y o u n g adults by creating job opportunities thro ug h a n acceler3t e d e c o nom i c de velop ment effort.
c. Wa te r a n d Sewer S v ste ms
The suburbanization of Middle Georgia's population will undoubtedl y have s ignificant i mp l i c a t i o n s for wate r and sew er s yst e ms, p a r ti c ul a r l y those i n su b u r Dan an d rur ol commun iti es. It i s anticipatea th at r a p id g r o wt h In outl yin g a r e a s will place additio D3l d em a n d s o n s yst e ms that a re having difficulties meeting current water and s ewag e disposal neeas. For exa~ p le, th e cit y o f Ro b e r ta ha s b e e n atte mpt in g to o ve r c o me its ~ ater aeficienci es b y drilling new wells and b y c onstructing an additional water treatment plant, p ump , und pipeline. Li kewise, J ones Count y IS att e ~ pti n g to me e t current r e s id ential, commercial, a nd i n cu s t r i o l dema n d s fo r wat er by u pgradin g i ts ex isti ng sy s tem . On 0 mo re limited scale, the city o f Gr a y has b e e n a t t e mp t i ng t o ove r c o me its water defi cienCI es th r oug h th e co ns t ruc t io n of intake facilities
11 9

and a sewage treatment plant which would provide a foundation for futur e growth and development . Obviously, with the region's primary growth occurring in these suburban ana rural co mm unities, adequate water supply and sewage treatment facilities will be of vital concern. See Section 1-0(1) for specifics concerning water and sewer needs.
2. The Trend Toward Suburban izat ion i s Detrimental to Continued Growth and Vitaflty~~1~~~EIE~I_~~~I~~~~=~istEI~!~ and Urban Neighborhoods.
The traditional "downtown" areas of many urban cities, the central b u s i n e s s distr ict (CBO), has been undergoing a gradual decline since the late 1940s. Typically, its streets are congestea; it has inadequate parking facilities; it lacks otf-street loading facilities; it is not compactly organized for shopper convenience; and it is o ld in appearance and lacks an architecturally integrated design. Moreover, most land in the downtown area is highly valued, expensive to redevelop and owned by numerous persons who cannot agree on a coordinated renovation polic y. The CB Os of Ma c o n , and Warner Robins exhibit many of the abo ve problems. However, CBOs are areas of enormous investment, and must, if possible, be revitalized.
Factors which contribute to decline of CBOs need to be examined and, where poss i ble, mod ified to alleviate further decline. Macon suff ers from the decline in its CBO more than Warner ;xo b i n s or Perry. However, the other cities are onl y about ten year s behind Macon i n suburbanization trends.
Some ot the factors which contribute to decline of CBOs ~re the development of sUburban industrial parks, tax differentials, provision ot urban services by county govern ments, cheaper land, cr i me rates, mo r e open space, d itf iculty of ann exat ion, an d lac k of d e ve l o p me nt regu lations in rural areas.
The subur banization of a re a inaustr. ies fro m urban to su hurban in du str i al d i stric t s h~ s se rve d to reinforce outwar d po Pu 1 a t ion s h 1 r t s t h r 0 ugh 0 u t ~h d a l e Geo r 9 i a . Bee a us e employees pre fer to reSide nea r t heir place o f emp l o y me n t , the locating ot industr y in o u t l y i n g areas tends to discourag e growth in urban nei g hbor hoor.s of Macon a n d l,~ a r n e r Ro bin s .
,Shifts in Mi d d le Ge o r g ia ' s pop u l a ti o n away from inner -city neighborhoods toward subur ban and rural areas could have far-reachin g e tEe c t s o n comm u n i ty tax p o l i c i e s .
120

Frequently those who move a re tax producers, and those who remain are tax consumers. As a r esult, suburbanization is expected to depr ive urban co mmunitie,s--particularly Macon and Warner Robins--of substant ial increases in their tax base. As the costs and demand for var ious social services rise, pressure for hig her prope r ty taxes increases because there is no growth in the tax bas e. The pressure for the tax increase is also associatea with the extent to which central cities provide surrounding suburban populat ions with places for emplo y ment, shopping, recreation, and
cultural facilit ies.

In recent years, local communities have adopted a somewhat new attitude toward controlling population growth. As discussed earlier, population growth can be encouraged, or if desired, discouraged through the regulation of subdivision developments, zoning ordinances, and the issuance o f builaing permits. While zoning restrictions have been overthrown by forces favor ing residential development, in recent years restrictive policies in granting building permits and sewer construction have had decisi ve eff ects in controlling growth. Thus, by adopting a fu ll set of regulations, communities are better able to pursue a planned pattern of development. Con versely, ~he absence of such regulations encourages ad hoc grow th and allows the construction of housing units wh ic h may th emselves become substandard by virtue of th eir locat ion, platting, building materials, etc.

3. There is a Ne e d for Additio nal Standard Housi ng throughout

the Area. Numbers of

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Although the area's housing stock increased by 30 percent during th e past t en y e a r s , substandard housing remains a problem. In 1976-77, field surveys indicated 21 percent of the housing st ock wa s substandard. According to 1 980 Censu s fig u r es , 6. 9 percent of the housing either does not have co mp l ete p l u mb i n g facilities for exclusive use or lacks o ne or mo r e plumbing f a c i l i t i e s . Of 106,187 housing units, 7,3 28 a re as de scri b ed above. A total of 6, 003 house hol ds, 5. 7 ~ e r ce n t of the housing stock, contain 1 .0 1 or 20 re ~e rso n s pe r r o o m. As a p e r c e n t ag e o f ho usi ng, t he y re ate s t neea to r aJd i ti o na l standard hous ing is in T w igg s , Crawto r d , Mo n r oe , ana Jones Counties. S ect ion 1-8 c o nt ain s inr o rma t l o n ~ e l a t i n g to housing condition in 1 ~7 6 a nd 1 9 80 .

121

4. Inaaequate Ph vsical Facilities ana Infrastructure ~Slow

Future Economlc Develo .p. ment ana Ln du.s t r i a I Growth.

-

Basically, the region has many qualities which ma~e it attractive for industrial expansion and growth . In certain local ities the physical facilities are adequate, and for certain types of industr y, a trained labor force is available. While t here are more positive attributes for industrial growth than negative ones, there are a few critical deficiencies in facilities and infra-structure.

In the area of general economic development, a significant need exists tor start-up space for newly tor med ventures. This "incubator" space currently is not available and its absence hinders the region's development efforts. Ideally, there should be a location with substantial space available and under public control which would be used as temporar y start-up locations f o r business and industries. Thos e which are successful would later be transitioned into perman ent locations throughout Middle Georgia.

Another item mentioned unaer issue one and discussed extensively under Section 1-0 is inadequate water and sewer systems. Few industrial parks in the area could accommodate a water-using industry. Even fire protection capability is a problem in se veral industrial areas. Decision-makers are aware ot the needs and are tr ying to make improvements . But, maj or improvements in water and sewer systems are ver y expensi ve; and the need for both is not limited to lndustrial areas. Very little of the suburban area has sew er ser vice ana not all has water service. Most sewer treatment plants are old and functioning near capacit y.

5. There is a Need for Improved Int er~~~~rnme~!~l-Rel~!i~n ships and Cooperatl on.

As suburbanizat i on i n c r e a s e s , the need tor cooperation between va r i o u s units of go vernment increases. Problems that were once confir. ed to a s ingle localit y take on multi-jurisdiction al sl gni ficance. When th is o c c u r s , adjoining unIts ot gove r n me n t need deeper understanding and appreciatIon of eac h o t h e r's proble~s. For example, many times decisIons b y a count y to prO VIde traditional urban services to devel o ped ar eas near cities results in enclosing th e c it y a n d p r oh i b i t i r.g futur e exp ansion.

Warner Robins an d Mac on are suffering from the inability to annex new gr owth a r e a s . Under the present Georgia anne x~tI on l aw s , t he citi es a r e fi nd i ng annexat ion vir tuall y Impossl bl e b e caus e c ount y go v ~ r n m e n t s pro vide a wide r ari q e o t p u b l i c s e r v i c o s , T h er e i s I i t t Le inc enti v e to be annexed by a c i t y una t o r ay h i c be r t a x e s with very little lmpro v em ent in s e r V l c e s .
122

As rural areas become more urbanized, the need for water and sewer services increases. Most times it would be more practical and economical to provide these services across jurisdictional boundaries. There are several cases in Midd le Georgia where the water lines of two governments parallel each other less than 20 feet apart. The lines are not even interconnecte6 by meters so one government could sell water to the other in an emergency. In fact, some jurisdictions have policies aimed at not providing cross-jurisdictional services.

The problem of local go vernment fragmentation and duplication of services mostly occurs in Bibb and Houston Counties. Many independent local government agencies regularly make decis10ns about the development of the community. In addition to the general-purpose city and county government, special-purpose boards, commissions, and authorities set policy for planning and zoning, water and sewerage, industrial development, downtown redevelopment, health care, housing, mass transit, highway improvements, and other traditional local government functions.

This fragmentation suggests the need for communication, coordination, and cooperation among the various local government agencies. To address this need, the Mayor of Macon in 1980 proposed a comprehensive study of community development which became known as the "1990 Plan." The study was pre pared by the Middle Georg ia APDC and subsequently a60pted by a total of 19 public and quasi-public community organizations as a general guide for decisionmaking. Nore importantly, the 1990 Plan inspir ed the creation in 1~82 of the Macon-Bibb County Coordinating Council, which has been formally recognized by 26 participating organizat ions as their principal forum for communication, coordination, and cooperation.

Governments need to exam1ne the possibility of merging services where possible, eliminating double taxation, and in general, being more coo perati ve with their neighbors. This espec iall y applies to count ies and their municipalities.

... 6.

Pri Ac r

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a.

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-a

n-a-

-C-o-m-m-e-r-c-ia-l-

-F-o-r-es-t-s-

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-D-e-c-l-i n-i_n a _

-in-

Middle Georgia 1S tortun at e to have a wealth of natural resources. Two important resources are pr1me Earmland and forests. As e xa mi n e d and reported in Section 1-0, c h a n g e s are o c c u r r a n q i n bo t h . Farmland is being l ost to ur b anization. Fore sts aL e being lost to urbanizat i on and by co n v e r s i on to .t arm 1 and . I nth e Eu t u r e, bot h may well d ecline in a c rea ge a nd eco n o mi c value a s a result

123

of urbanization or conversion to other uses. The loss of prime tarmlana is probably more si gnificant than the loss of forests because once land suitab\e for farming is converted to other use, it is usually permanently lost. The amount ot lana suitab le for farming is only a small percentage of the region's total land area. It needs protecting.
7. Transportation Plann ina Should be Cond ucted on a Re3l~nal or Metrop olitan Area Ba s i s .
The rapid growth of Warner Robins and nort hern Houston Count y, and the close economic relationship between Warner Robins and Macon, have led the federal Office of Management and Budget to recently change the name of the Macon metropolitan statistical area to the "Macon-warner Robins" HSA. In addition, the Bureau of the Census has recently de s i q n a t e d \'larner Rob ins as an "urbanized area", which qualifies local governments in northern Houston County tor federal funaing to conduct urban transportation planning.
The pattern of suburban development around the MaconWarner Robins urban core suggests the need for cooperative decisionmaking among cities and counties in the Middle Georgia region with respect to transportation improvements. In fact, the intent of Congress in authorizing federal funding for urban transportation planning is precisely to promote such reg ional cooperation ( 23 U.S .C. 134). Furthermore, federal regulations stipulate that "to the extent possible, onl y one metropolitan planning organizat ion shall be designat ed for each urbanized area or group of con t iguous ur b an i ze a are as" and th a t th e MPO "should perform the functions required by OMB Circular A-95" (23 CFR 450.106). Thus, f ederal legislation and regulations strongly suggest the establis hment of a single transportation study for the Macon and Warner Robins areas and the designation o f the Mi d d l e Georgia APDC as the MPO to conduct this transportation s t udy .
At pres ent, separate transport ation studi es are be i ng conducted f o r t h 2 Ha con an d Wa rne r Ro bins are as. Th~ Macon-Bi bb Count y P lann in g and Zoning Commission is t he MPO for the Macon Area Tr ans portation Stu a y, which cover s th e nort hern p a r t ot Hou s to n Co u n ty . P eac h Co unt y-- the fourth co unt y i n the new Ma c o n -W a r ne r Robins MSA-- is not invol vea in a trans port atlon stud y, nor are the rapialy growlng Middle Georgla countl es ot C r a wf o r d , Honroe, and Twig gs.
124

By federal regulations, the designation of MPO's is the joint responsibility of the State and local governments. A thorough review of existing designations in light of recent growth trends would represent an opportunity for state and local officials to establish an urban transportation planning process that recognizes the interjurisdictional nature of regional devel09ment.
8. A Decline in Textile Manufacturing is Expected
Another potential industrial problem which should be examined is the expected decline in textile manufacturing. The textile industry is the largest manufacturing employer in Middle Georgia. It IS very vital to the area economy. Textile manufacturing has been declining in the United States tor some time. Foreign countries can produce textile products cheaper than U.S. manufacturers. It seems logical to assume that the local textile industry will begin a decline within the next few years. In fact, it may have begun already. We need to anticipate the change and begin preparing to retrain textile workers for other types of jobs.
3. Alternatives for Action
There are a number of actions which state, local and federal officials can undertake to help alleviate the issues and problems identified above. However, practically speaking, a number of issues and problems within the issues will not be resolved until a majority of the population and elected leaders change their ideologies and traditional ways of thinking. A good example ot a problem which will probably not be corrected under existing ~hilosophy is the inadequacy of schools and education. No matter what local officials think or do, the federal courts ~nd federal agencies dictate policy and direction. Therefore, there is little need of including any alternatives to correct the problem.
1. Aao.ption of Urban Growth Policies
If area communities do not like the pattern or extent of development and population growth, conscious decisions can be made to change these trends. Locdl governments can decisi velY influence c~anqe by establishinq an urban growth pol;cy which l i n k s ~~pul;tion growth t ; d~cisions regarding downtown revitalization, transportation syst ems, industrial park de veloFffient, annexation/consol idation, and development r egulations. In thi s manner, policy can be established with t he lntent o f providing for orderly ~pu latlon growth ~nd communit y developmenc throughouc MIddle Georgia.
125

2. Revitalization of Central Business Districts and Urban NelghborhooaS-----------------------------------------
Much progress has been made by Fort Valley, Perry, Warner Robins, and Macon with regard to CBD renovation. Much of the work has been done through urban redevelopment authorities, Community Development Block Grant Programs, and other federal programs. Macon is an entitlement city under the CDBG program. Warner Robins was recently designated as an entitlement city. In addition, Houston County has done extensive redevelopment in Elberta community. Jeffersonville, Byron, Fort Valley, and Crawford County have used CDBG to moaernize public and private housing.
Local governments should continue to use federal grant and loan programs to renovate housing, improve water and sewer systems ana redevelo p CBDs. Other sources of funds could be revenue bonds, tax incentives for investment, and public and private capital in leveraged loan programs.
Development of urban growth policies should consider what role the CSD wil l pla y. Policies which contribute to its decline should not be adopted.
3. Use of Annexation or Consolidation to Improve Services, ElimInate Duplication of ServIces, I mprove-rnter;Qve-rnmen= tal-Relations, and_~~~E_!~~~~_~~~S~ly_~S~l~~l~~!_!~ Ser vices
The most obvious method for keeping municipal tax bases roughly equivalent to the demand for urban services would be for citIes to annex tringe areas as they become urbanizea. Historically, this practice has been widely used to expand city boundaries to keep pace with urban growth. However, due to legal ana political considerations, annexation has become increasingly impractical as a growth management tec hnique.
Today, annexation of developed territor y requires legislation approval or a majority vote on referendum. The more common methoa--the ref erendum--requires that annexatIon be approve d by vo t e r s in the outl ying areas as well as those wit hin th e c it y. This requirement of obtaining approval from all the areas concerned, combined with the fact that ann exation is usually unpopular in suburban ar eas already enjoyin0 urban s e r v i c e s , has made the pract ice impractical.
The legislature should re- exumir.e the issue of annexation. The methoa s p re s e n t ly a v a i l a b l e to cities for expanain g th eir tDun a arl e s a re p ro~ lb i t i v e to growth and vital Ity.
126

Consolidation ma y be a possible alternative. Integrating the functions of a city and county or portions of a county and one or more cities wou~d make the provision of urban services easier and more efficient. In the longrun, it would lessen the financial burden to provide services, eliminate double taxation, and reduce the number of governments providing services.
Two localities in Middle Georgia seem ideally suited for consolidation .. These are Macon-Bibb County and Houston County, north of Georgia Highway 96, Warner Robins ana Centerville.
"I n 1903, the General Assembl y passed and the Governor signed into law a bill authorizing the City of Macon and Bibb County to create an intergovernmental relations study commission. The stud y commission would advise the General Assembly on matters relating to intergovernmental relations in the community. Its recommendations ma y include, but are not limited to, proposals for the merger or consolidation of local governments, annexation, merger of governmental services between political subdivisions, repeal of municipal c harters, and other proposals for governmental reorganization to achieve more efficient and effective delivery of governmental services." By enactin g this legislation, the State has offered Macon and Bibb County a valuable opportunit y to directly address the issue of local government fragmentation.
Nothing specific has been aone in Houston Count y regarding consolidation, but maybe it s h o u l d be considered.
4. Imorovement of Communit v Facilities, Services and Industrial Parks
As discussed extensi vel y in Section r-D( 1), water and sewer system improvements are need ed in most industrial parks and in most communities. Local go vernments and other public an d quasi-public agencies should map out detailed plans for s ystem i mprovements and expansions. It may not be p r a c t i ca l po li t i c a l ly , but jurisdictional lin es s ho u l d be ign or ed d urin g the ma pping process.
Dec isi onma k ers s h oul d e x a mi n e the develo pment of ina ustri al pa rk s in r e l at i on t o utility serVice expansion and p l a n ne d g r o wt h areas. Indu strial parks d o not have to be locat ea o n the fring e ar e a o f cities. In-town industrial a r e a s such as t he Se v enth Street, Hillcrest, and Allie a Industrial Districts in Macon have significant room fo r g r o wt h and ha ve t he po te n t i a l to attract different ty p es o r industri es wit h out ~dv e r se ly affect ing t he g r o wt h
127

of suburban industrial parks. Light manufacturing and warehouse/distribution activities could take place in al l of these areas while heavy manufacturing industries could be accommodated most readily within the Seventh Street and Allied Industrial Districts. Moreover, these districts could appeal to a wide range of industries that can take advantage of the proximity to labor and markets associated with the urban area.

Houston County and Warner Robins need to work together to establish one or two industrial areas in or near Warner Robins. Locating ~ n industrial park several miles outside Warner Robins will only encourage add itional suburban growth and increase the demand for county services.

Another viable project which has interest from timeto-time is the construction of a road directly from Warner Robins to the Macon Airport Inaustrial Park. This coula benefit Houston and Bibb County. It would also demonstrate the kind of inter-governmental cooperation needed throughout the area.

Two other needs which coula benefit the area economy if resolved are identified in III-A( l)a and III-A( 4). These are deficiencies in certain trade skills and a lack of incubator space for new industries. Area vocational schools should work with economic de velopers to identify the trade skills needed and to establish training programs in the vocational schools or through OJT programs with local industries.

The newly authorizea Jobs Training Partnership Act may be a source of manpower ana funding tor such purposes.

Local governments, industrial authorities, chambers of Commerce, and others should consider pooling their resources to establish "incubator space" of var ious t ypes throu ghout the Macon-Warner Robins urbanized area. If a unified erfort to attract industr y were put forth, as opposea to individual eftort, morc might be accomplished. At least the resource base ~oula be increased.

5. I moro v em ent in Housina Stoc k



d

Improved housing conaitions can be attained throug h a public /private partnership. This can be accomplished through corporations such as the non-profit Greater Macon Housing Corporation (Gt-1HC). The Gl>lHC is committed to meeting the rehabilitation and replacement goals of Macon througn the cooraination of ? u b l i c and privat e resourc~s.

128

The federal government alone cannot solve Macon's housing issue; however, fed eral guaranteed financing, recognition and technical assistance are expected to attract private capital, expertise and commitment.
Other alternatives for improving the housing stoc k are:
- Expanded use of ho u si ng programs offered by HUD, FmHA, and other federal agencies.
Adoption and enforcement of building and housing cod es by rural communit ies ana counties. In 1977 Jones, Monroe, and Twiggs and the cities of Culloden, Danville, and Gray had not adopted building codes. The cities of Fors yth and Jeffersonville had adopted codes but did not enforce them.
Adoption of zon ing and subd i vis ion regulations to help preserve sound neig hborhoods. In 1977, the count ies of Monroe and Twiggs, and the cities of Culloden, Danville, and Forsyth had not adopted such regulations.
- Creation of housing author ities to provide alternate financing mechanisms such as public housing and tax exempt bond programs where none exist.
. 6. Reqion al Transportation Pl anninq
The pres ent designation o f two MPOs to conduct transportat ion studies for one Metropolitan Statistical ,Ar e a will not produce coordinated results. Officials should rethink the designations in light of present and projected growt h trends and consider regiona l transportat ion plann ing. The region should include Peach County north of Powers ville Communit y, south Jones County and Gray, and the two presently designated urban areas.
7. Conservation of P rim e Far ffil and a nd Co mffiercial Forests
This iss ue h3s t e en e x a mi ne d numerous times by such agenc ies a s th e Stat e De partment of Agriculture and F o re st ry , by l e g i slat i v e co mmittees, federal agencies, and o the rs . Few workab le so l ut ion s ha v e be e n pro duced. T his t OP1 C aese rves furt h er exam i na t ion and action eith er at t h e s t a t e or f e de~ a l l e v e l .
Local gov e rnme n cs c an al sc our a ge the con vers ion of f arm o r timbe r l a nd t o o the r pur p ose t hrough the use of lan d :control o r d ina n ce s a na g r o wt h ~0 l i c i e s . This may not be t h e be s t o r a pe r ma ne n t s o l u t i o n to the problem.
129

The Georgia General Assembly should reconsider the bill which would permit land to be taxed on the bas is of use and not its appraised value. Exemption to the normal taxation rules tor farm and forest land would discourage its use for other purposes.
130

North Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Low Per Capita Incomes 2. High Unemployment 3. Concentrated Single Industry Economic Base 4. Lagging Infrastructure Development 5. Deficient Industrial Tax Base 6. Lag in Retail Sales Per Capita 7. Conservation of Water Resources 8. Inadequate Growth Management 9. Protection of Transportation Facilities
10. Inadequate Housing Supply
' ; " ~ " n : " a Irn m Cnac ter III. " issues and Alrer. -t \,t" , ' :~ ~ 3 ~' t"'d Oe veto o m e nt Pr o fil e . - ~ l ~ .~ cv I " " N or th Georo ra Area Planrunq
; "", ~ ' oo m " n l Co rnrms sro n .)
,
"
131

North Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
~'ajor probl ems and i ssues affectin g eco nom ic , physical and community deve lopment i n t he North Georgia At'ea emerge from a cons ideratio n of the current and fores eeable statu s of cond ition s i n the Area compared to need s , concerns , and goals for an i mproved s tandard of li vi ng, maintenance of en vironm enta l qua l ity, and achieving a desired quality of l i fe. Th e pr obl ems and is sue s and th e activiti es undertaken o r unde rway to addre s s them have been des crib ed i n detail in " t he prec eding se ctions. Th e f oll owing pa ra graphs provide a sy nops is of t he mo st s i gnifica nt issues and ide ntify alt e r nat i ves fo r ac ti on recommended to further addres s and substa nti a l ly r e solv e the Area ' s pr obl ems .
A. Major Is sue s and Problems Facing the Area
Th e major i s s ue s i n the Nor t h Geo rg ia Area are :
low per capita incomes high unemployment co ncent r a t ed s i ngl e in dustry economic base l aggin g infras t ructu r e devel opmen t de fi c i en t in dus t r i al ta x ba se lagging per ca pita retail sales conserva tion of wa ter resources i nadequ ate grow th management in adeq ua t e eas t- wes t highway access a nd pr otec ti on of
exis ti ng t ran s por t a t i on fa ci l ities inad equate housing supp ly
Low Pe r Capi ta Income s
Fiv e of t he s ix Nort h Georgia Ar ea Count i es had per cap ita incomes l owe r than the State avera ae . Lo\'.J per cap it e> income i s a handicap wni ch impc ct s 10t 0 ' :.1 t i.e . <.i ; vi duc "l s a no f amil i e s directly e ffe cted but in di rectly t he communities and area as a whole. Low i ncomes limi t purchasin g powe r and l i mi t i ndi vi dua l cont r i bution~ to the eco nomy . Fr om housi ng t o health care t o r eta i l and s er vi ces expenditures, low per capi ta inc ome serves t o depress l eve l s of activity .
Low inc omes fu r th e rmor e t e nd to l i mi t the ab ili ty t o pay t axes and publ i c service f ee s , l i mit th e ta l. ba se, and l i mi t t he prac tica l level of l oca l tax ass ess ment s and a s s i gnabl e se rvice fees. Low public r evenues l i mit oppo r t un i t i c s for qua l i t y educationa l f ac i lities and programs; minimiz e wa t e r , s ewe r , sol i d wast e and other communi t y s e r v i ces prov i s i ons ; and r es t r i c t local gove r nme nt a l ca pab i l it i e s fo r l ocal pl annin g s no manaqement sy s t ems . Eff or ts t o at t r ac t new ec onomi c dev el opme nt pros pec t s are unf or t unate ly undermin ed whe n needed se r vi ce s arid fa c i l i t i e s or pref e r r ed amen i t i es are not av ail abl e o r provid ed at t he de s i r ed lev el.
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Higll Unemployment
North Georgia Area unemployment has been increasing since 1979 and in 1982, the area exclu s i ve of Ch erokee County had a rate of 11 . 0 percent. In Fannin County and Pic kens County, the unemployment situation ca n be described as chr oni c .
High unemployment is a terrible wa s t e of human resources which amplifies the prob l em of low per capita income, and can cause a significant drain on other public res ources. Experienced over an extended period of time, unemployme nt causes family and community stress and typical results a re chi l d abuse, high rates of divorce, and crime. Other problems typicall y experienced are the economic repercuss ions such as bank loan and mortgage defaul ts and reduced sales and service activities. Chronic unemployment in the area eventually leads to out-mi gration of the potentially productive population and represents a l os s of ec onomic resources.
Concentrated Single Industry Economic Base
There are 162 tufted carpet manufacturers in Whitfield, t~urray and Gilmer Counties and numerous othe r anc i l l a ry firms. In all, over 40 percent of the total area's pri vate sector employment is dependent on carpet and rugs. The concentrat i on in selected counties i s phenomena l with 73 percent i n Murray County and 60 percent in Whitfield.
Concentration of the Area's ec onomic base predominantly in a single industry increases th e pot ent ia l f or unemployment and other economic ills. Per iodic eco nomic downturns are intensified; unexpected interruptions in i ndustry ma t e r i a l s and services (i.e., oil embargo, transport s t r ik es , raw ma t e r i a l shortages) can sharply impact the Area 's economy nega t iv ely ; and while not probable, the possibili ty of chang ing t~cI" ; " ! C':J ~ E ~, obso l e s ce nce , and/or fo : ~ ;gr. competition could devastate the Ar ea' s economic base.
Lagging Infrastructure Deve l opment
Communi t y f ac il i t ie s and s e r ~ i (e s s uch a s wa t e r , sewer, police , fire pro t ection, and r ecre a t io n a n' con vent io na l l y i ncc r pore t ed area provisions in a non-me t r opol i t an s e t t i nq . In t he smaller incorporated areas the adequacy of the se sy s tems is generally limited to existing needs, and t he capa b i lity to expa nd or upgrade the sys t ems is lim it ed. In uninco r porat ed .ire as , '1()'.... ev e r , sy s te ms are ge ne r a l ly non-e xist ent to ma rgi na l s e r v ice s e xcent i n ar-ea s on t he pe r i phe ry of the larger i ncor por a t ed a r eas .
The probl em i n th e rlo r tl1 L;co r g i a r\ r ea is that new gr owt h and deve I opmen t i s 1a r ge 1y OCCU1"- i ng i n t he un i ncorpora ted a rea and unpre ced ented needs /demand s a r e rnade on gove r nme nt unaccust omed to and unab le fina nc ial l y to mee t t hem . '.-li th t he ex ce pt i on of educa t i ona l fac i lit ie s , pub lic <c r vi cc s .i no f ac t l t t i e s provi s i ons i n uni ncor po r at ed a reas a r e qe ne r ,, ;; y n("lt pr-ed icat ed on lon g ra nge
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development pl ans . The shee r geographi c extent of uni ncor po r at ed areas prec ludes uniform se rvice provisi ons and financing (tax base d) is both a l i mitation and cont r over sy.
Several counti es have reve nue based wat er services extended into unincorpora tec areas whi ch have resulted i n dense develo pment patterns developing along t he l in es . Unfortu nat e ly water service i"s one of the eas ie r services t o pro vid e, par t ic ul a r l y service s ized f or domestic use. The attenuated pat te rn of development res ulting i s extremely diff icu lt t o servi ce with sewer or to provide other services (police, fire, recreati on). The development pattern r epr esent s a fragmentation of the development base which if concentrated i n a geographic area or area s could be more feasibly served.
In the incorporated areas, the lag in infrastructure development concerns principall y water and sewer system capabilities. Three of the si x primary econom i c cente rs are at or approaching sys t em capacities and i n re gard to sewe r systems, have had state imposed sewer hook up moratoriums. The fact th at these systems are the service source for expansion of exi st i ng industries and new ind ustrie s repr e sent s a problem of cri si s pro port ions. Addi tiona lly the location of most of t he prio ri ty sites fo r new economic development outside exist ing se r vi ce area s (but wi th i n feas ible serv i ce are a extension) puts even mor e fi nancia l burden and probable delays on these three systems and the oth e r t hr ee systems as we l l.
Def i ci ent Industria l Ta x Base
The average pe r cent of t he t ota 1 rea1 property ta x base represented by industria l r eal prope rty statewi de is 3.85 percent . In the Nor t h Georgia Area fo ur of the si x counties fall below the average, three significantly below the ave r age .
A t ax bas e i s es serr, ~ d 1 .~ '. d IJL,1! lorI aI ,G 0 the r nc;1- ::; (; ' '', i cc f e\: based governmental services (poli ce and fire protectio n, recreation, etc.). Generally resident ial uses do not return tax revenues equivalent to the cost of ser vi ces dema nded. Therefore other uses, princip ally industrial in ves t ments in property and buildings, prov ide the needed i nf r as t ruc ture suppor t J nd enable maintenance and i mprovement of quality publi c serv ic es .
As gr owth cont inues at an acc el era t ed rate in three ar ea counties and li kely picks up in t he ot he r th ree count ies with hig hway i ~D r o v e m e n t s under cons tru cti on, th e pr obl em repres ent ed in re sid ent ia l growt h wit hout comnensuret e i ndus t r i a l growth i n each county coul d be s i qni f i can t . Cur r cn t l y 3 1 pe rce nt of t he area wo rk fo r ce commut e to j obs out s i de the ir county of re sid ence .
Cont i nua t i on of this trend wi l l compound the prob l ems de scr i bed unde r lag of i nt ra s t r uct ur e de ve l opnv nt . Not only will t he tax base ;)e l ack i ng but t he economy of "cole threshold f or expans io n or :~ 0 v t) l o p me n t of va t e r , se we r", ann ot he r" se rv ice s capaciti es wi l l be : ,lcki ng w i rbout i ndus t r i a l dema nd .
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Lag in Reta il Sales Per Capit a
Compa red to the St at e, fiv e of th e s ix North Georgia Area Counties' raw retail sal es per capita t otals are below the .St ate average retail sales per ca pita and t he total area ave r age 1S 81 percent of the State average . Af t e r adj us t ment to reflect the Area ' s lower than state average per cap ita income , two of the Are a' s counties are still below the State ave rage retail s a l e s per capi t a and the total area ave rage is only 88 percent of t he State aver age.
This lag represents a loss of potential jobs located in th e six county area and the effec t ex pe ndit ur es in loc al retail establish_ ments has on the l ocal economy . Addi t i onall y, the lag represen ts the loss of alternative local ta x r evenu es or add itional revenues since four of si x area count ies have enacted local option sales tax ord}, nances.
The area's cent ral bus ines s di s t rict s are an additi ona l aspect of this problem . For a lon g ti me. t he ce nt er s of bus ine ss activ ity , particularly trade, the centra l busi ne s s distr icts have declined while shopping centers and malls lure away mobil e sho ppers. Relocation of trade activities t o loca l s hoppi ng centers does not mean a loss of trade to the loc ality but in s2 ve r a l localities the shop ping center/mall locations are outs i de t he county and outside the Ar ea. The loss of trade i n these cas es and t he overall waste of investments in the central business district s are costly.
Conservat ion of Water Resources
The North Geo rgia Area i s a headwat ers re gi on for downstream parts of Georgia, Alabama , and Tenne ss ee. The ma j or ri ver bas in in the North Georgia Area i s the Coosa Ri ver Basi n. Water resources are overall ample f or exist ing and f ut ure us es i n t he Ar ea but several sub -e r ea s ha ve acute pro bl e.ns "Jith ",'i1t,:,:" s uppl y and wat er oia l t tv .
In Whitf ield, Murray, and Gi lme r Count ies wh e re the ca rpe t i ndus t ry is concentrated , 'dat er quality i s a ma j or probl em; and i n Whitfield and Murray Count ie s wa ter sup pli es are a si gni f i can t problem. Gen erall y s peakin g, wa s t e t r ea trne nt capaciti es are ove r loaded (Chat sworth and Ell i j ay ) or wa st e tre a tment dis cha r ges are so voluminous a nd comp le x i n nature ( Da lto n ) as t o tax t he r i ve r l s cap abi 1it i est 0 ass i mil ate it, par tic u1a r 1y a t time S 0 f low f 1OIvs . Re gardin g r aw water supplies . t he pro bl em is t hat dema nds ar e excess i ve for t he ca pabi li ty of existi ng su ppl i e s .
In Ch e r okee Co unt y, th e conc ern i s f or t re a t eo wa t e r su pp lies . Can ton and th e Co bb- Ha r i e t t a sy s t ems s e ne the county and gi ven growt h pro j ec ti ons in Che r okee Coun t y <1 nd ove r a l l i ncrea ses i n wa ter deman d i n th e At la nta are a , t he couce r n is for t he adequacy and d ~pendab il i ty of ex isti ng sy stem pr ovis ions over t he l ong r un.
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The prob 1ems of Iva t e r supp 1y an d qua 1ity in the No r t h Geo r oi a Area are important now and have critical implications to continue d growth and development. Without timely solutions to immediate and short range needs, future growth and development projections will not occu r.
Inadequate Growth Management
The North Georgia Area is abundant in various natural and scen ic resources. Forests, streams, topography, clean air, and a passive rural setting predominate the nea rl y 2100 square mile area and th e soils, slopes, and stream areas are very sensitive to intensive development. Against this setting is urban growth and development vital to the economic well being of the Area and an obvious long range trend given the attraction, accessibility, and opportunities for development.
The Area has increased i n population by nearly 65 percent in twenty years, 34 percen t in th e l a s t t e n years, and projections t o the year 2000 indicate an addi tional 134.0 percent. Problems indicated above unde r lagging in frastructure development and conservation of water resources added to soil l i mi t a t i ons for septic tan ks, the predominance of soil types and slopes subject to severe erosion, and the obvi ous pressures new growth and development wi 11 put on forest and agricultural lands , all put into perspective the critical concern for the future health, vitality, and environmental quality of the North Georgia Area.
Growth management through pol i cy and func tional planning, public improvements/investment strategies, and development controls as currently practiced and i mpleme nted fall significantly short of needs given available funds, ava ila ble local ma nagement personnel, and political support for public guidance of growth and development forces ir. the private sector.
Protection of Transportation Facilities
The North Georgia area enjoys an enviable position in the State's network of ra il and hig hway f acilities. When current major hi ghway deve l opments a re comp l e t e , only an i mproved north e rn corridor lin kin g the new GA. 400 hi qhwa y wi th Int e r s t a t e 75 east- west ac ro ss the Area will be neede d t o max i mi ze the nor th - sout h hi qhway i nve s t me nt s a nd prov i de vita l acc e s s i bi l i t y to i ndus t r i a l ma rk e t s t hro ughout t he Mid-Atl antic, Mid-Wes t a nd Southea s t .
The obvi ous que st io n t hen is tile pr ob lem crucial to th e north Georgia Area. Simpl y s t a t ed it i s the co nce r n to see current highwa y improvemen ts t hr ough to como l e t i ou dnd once completed prote cted fr om ove r us e a nd devel opment abu se s i rn i l a r to major highway investments in the Atl anta a r ea. Abutting i nt ens i ve de ve l opme nt and r e l a t eo traff i c conge sti on will re duce t he acce s s i bi l i t y purpo ses of t he cur r e nt inve s t me nts ann add i t i ona l uuuroveme nt s would be unl i ke l y gi ven finan cial a nd l and co ns t ra int s,
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Of p~rticular concern al so i s the 'protect.ion and ma~ntenance , ra~lways i n the .Area. Recent events. i n Fann i n County :ndicate t~~

ra i l rnad to be i nten t on the abandonment of selected re i l roau spu " and main line sections perceived to be unproductive. The net effec~

however, would be to reduce t he potential for future economic deVe l'

opment opportunities dependent on rail service.



Inadequate Housing Supply

Problems in housing in the North Georgia Area, as elsewhere, a~ of a magnitude and complexity which defies public sector solution The basic problem in the Area is supply and the component issue~ include financing, available sites, and suitability of housing types From analysis of available data it appears that new housing stock ha~ increased' in excess of the number of units new population growth
would require, and the result has been an overall decrease i n the
number of substandard housing units. r'10bi1e homes , while increasing
significantly in numbers, did not ma r kedly increase their share of
the total housing stock during the 1970's (from 12% in 1970 to only
14% in 1980).

The availability of rental units) particularly multi-family
units, emerges as the significant problem in housing. Given the availability and price limitations of conventional single family units and the practical suitability and utility of mobile housing among the lower income and younger age groups, rental housing wou ld appear to be in short supply. Sinc e public water and sewer are fundamental needs for dense multi-family developments, limitations on the availability of housing sites with services and financing rates loom as obstacles to increasing the supply in the foreseeable future.

B. Alternatives for Action

There are various alternat i ves for action which can be under ta ke~ by the public and private sect or to overcome t he issues and problems identified above. In many instances altern atives have been selected and initiatives are unde rway. The initi atives need to be continued and followed up or reinforced as appropriate by other actions recommended.

Income, Unemployment, Diversification, Tax Bas e

Several of the Area I s economi c deve 1opme nt i s s ues - 10\-' pe r ca pit a income, high unemployment, concent r a t ed s ing le industry econ omic base ano deficient industrial ta x bas e - have s eve r a l alt ernat ives for oc t i on in common which would serve t o a i 1ev ia te or ame l io r a te th e proD1 ems . Expansion of existinq industrir s and a t t racti on of new ty pe s of in dustri al development to the Area would c re a te mo r e job s to reduce unemployment and expand the ta x base. rjew t ype s of i ndus t ry wou l d dive r s i fy t he e conomic base and diver sify the occ upa t i ona l t ypes and jo b a l t e r na t i ves ava i l able to increase the potential for hi gher wor k f orc e ea r ni ngs.

As de t ail edin Par t I (C 1 f) s p.V f' 1 1'r1 i nit i a t i ve s mu s t be unde r t a ken and brought to gether to f.\ci l ita te e xua ns i on of ex is t i ng industries and a t t r ac t i on of new indu st ri e s :

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1. Organization and strate gy developmen t a re fundamental to any problem solving. Throughout the s ix county area organization of loca l government al and community l ea der s fo r economic development purposes has been accomplished for mally or informally with varying success. t~aintenance of these initiatives at a minimum and expanding t he efforts to local economic development strategy formulation and implementation activities is crucial.
Local governmen t commitment to economic development initiati ves is essential and includes economic development policy action and the coordinated investment of available local and State and Federal funds. Local community l eude rs and private sector representati ves need to be mot i vat ed to participate in planning and development activities and provide thei r capabi 1ities and resources to achieve development objectives.
Throughout the Area technical assistance and support are essential on an on- go i ng basis. A few local Chambers of Commerce have staff , . but on ly Da lt on-Whitfi e ld 'Count y has a staff of the size able to provide comprehensi ve technical assistance. APDC staff fundin q i s however declining or becoming diluted such that continued technical assistance will be even more limited. Increased local funding for local initiat i ves mus t be committed commensurate with the priority on technical assistance needs. Federal technical assistance program commitments need t o be re-established or at least maintained at current levels. State support to the APDC's for economic development purposes also need to be expanded at a minimum to fill gaps in recent Federal assistance and preferably to complement high priority State level economic development objectives and initiatives.
2. Efforts to identify and develop suitable industrial sites needs to be continued to pr ovi de locations and facil ities needed by industry and to enable pro mot i on and solicitati on based on realistic development opportunit ies. In t he s i x county a re e , opt irnum estimates 'j f industrial acreage nee ded for deve l opment totals over 1400 acres and
acquisition costs are estimated at over $6.3 million. Development
costs are esti mated at 58.3 million. The total of both is a formidable $14.6 million.
Local g ov er n ~ent s and/ or t he i r development authorit ies can acquire or option i den tifi ed pr i ur i ty sites and utilize local funds and lever age St a te ar.d Fcde r-a l funds fo r site development. State and Federal age nci es s houl d ma i nt a i n a pr i or i ty on job creation progra ms and a pprour i a t i ons shou l o t c t a r qe t ed t o t ech ni ca l assistance pro gr ams and f ac i l i t i e s deve l opme nt .
3. Public facilities a nd s e r vi ces i mpr ov croen t s are essential to support new and e xpanded eco nomi c deve l opment ac t i vi tv . Of principal conce r n are water ond sewe r t ac t l i t i e s but h i chway s, r a t l roads , ga s , elec tric, and tel eph one ar-e i mnort ant . kesour ce s and facilities planni nq and studies for' ... a t e r ,1I1 a s ewe r by 100 1 , St a t e , and Federal 'J o v r. l' n ~ men t agencies need t o be ur qe nt l y corno l e t ed . Upon completion very
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important policy and investment decisions need to be made and funda_ mental to those decisions should be the ~xisting and future needs for economic development. (A more detailed review of alternative actions is provided in later paragraphs in this section.)
Sewer projects and highway con struction underway in phases need to be pursued to completion by local and State agencies given their key importance in the Area' s long-range economic development needs. Railroad faciliti~s need to be maintained and the railroad representatives need to be encouraged to participate in and assist local economic development initiatives of mutual benefit.
Gas and electric utilities are currently available for foreseeable future economic demands barring fuel embargo's or catastrophes of similar impact. Of greater importance to the existing and future economic activities is price, particularly gas since it is so heavily used in the carpet industry. All gas and electr ic providers based in the Area are participating on local economic development teams, and this shou l d provide the mechanism for dealing with issues as they become evident.
Telephone service in the Area has ' improved s i qni f i can t l y over the past decade and is generall y capable of meeting future demand. At1anta Area 1oca 1 di ali ng des i gna t i on for southern Cherokee County would improve its potential and attraction for new development.
4. Promot i on of a rea and 1oca 1 deve 1opment a s sets and opportun it i es coupled with aggressive solicitation efforts are sorely needed throughout the Area. The benefits of such a program are ev i dent where undertaken, but only Dalton-Whit field County has initiated a program during the past year.
Climate, scenic attraction, acce ss, labor force, and pro ximity to Atlanta, among other characteristic s, are very promisins : s s e t s t c attract attention of industrial prospects. Promotional materials can be tailored in cost to fit budget capabilities and include brochures, location maps, development site fl yers, slide/tape presentat ions, advertisements in magazines, and exhibits.
Solicitation effor ts in volve t he strategic use of pro mot io nal activities and materials with i ndus t r i a l develo pment agents and/o r specifi call y s e l e ct ed target indu stri es. Such a pro qra m re qu i res cons i de ra bl e groundwor k and f oll ow-up, but the ef fort can be t ailor ed to budget capab i 1it i e s .
Pr omoti on and so l ici t a t i on ur oc r ams need t o be i ni t i a t ed ,1nd managed by local economi c devel opment r epresentatives, Th e Chambe r of Conmerce, in dustrial aut hor i ty , or de s i gna t ed ec onomic deve lo pment team need to deci de and over se e ac t iv i t ie s a nd coord in ate i ndus try contacts. With local , State or Federal fundin g assist ance, t he AFDC staff can provid e te chnical ass is ta nce and s uppor t i n pr e parin g pr omotional ma te r ia ls . ta rqe t i ndus try a na lys i s , and coor-d i na t i on/ liaison v. i t h i ncu s t r i a ) deve l opme nt age nt s . Any av aiLlbl e
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assistanc e s hould a l so be obtained from other technical re s our ces includ ing the TVA and Georg ia Power whi ch ma intain development assistance s taff and Geo r gi a Tech wh i ch maintains an Industria l Develo pment Divi s i on.
Sta te l evel activit ie s throuqh t he Gove r nor ' s off ice and th e Depar tment of Indust ry and Trad e need t o be contin ued a nd expande d. In much th e sa me f ash i on a s cu r ren t t our i sm organ izat ion, coordin ation, and pr omot i on initi a ti ves at th e St a t e level, t he Department of Industry and Trade could provide t he catalyst and support for sta te sub-area industrial development.
5. Every opportunity to expand the s uppl y and availabil ity of cap ita l funds for sound development initiatives should be pursued. The conventional role of local financial institutions should be continued with local officials encouraging thei r participation in local development strategy formulation and implementation activities. Specia l 10 cal aut her i t ie san d the i rs pecia 1 f i na nc i ng tools s h0 u1d 1i kew i s e be employed to their potential.
The APDC ha s unde rta ken and pl ans t o continue t wo new loan pr ogra ms which ex pand th e s uppl y of capita l funds f or developmen t inves t men ts a nd se r ve t o re duce th e l oa n ris ks to par t icipat i ng ban ks. Th e se programs are th e r ev olv in g eco nomic development loa n pro j ect whic h needs i nc r ease d fu nding t o fa c il ita t e larger, lon ger te rm (c oordi nate d wi t h SB A 503 loan s) l oa ns ; and the SBA 503 Cert i f i ed Dev elopme nt Corporati on pro gr am wit h which the APDC faci litates SBA lo an appl i ca ti on pr ep a r ation and processing for eligib le projects. Bot h APDC progra ms have had the sec ondary benefits of expandi ng 1oca 1 eco nomi c deve 1opme nt cont act s , provi di ng the opport unity to advo cat e loc al ec onomic development plannin g, enablin g di r ec t APDC Boa rd membe r exposure a nd in vol veme nt in implementation activities, and generat ing f unds necessary to cover administration costs.
The APDC a l s o assists local governments in preparing applicat i ons for Stat e a nd Federal gra nt in aid programs to fund loca l develo pme nt pro j ect s and facili t ies . Even with recent Federal grant in aid program cut back s an d eli gibility restric tions, grant opportu nti ies f or economi c deve lopme nt purposes still exi s t and sh ould be solic it ed . Guideline co~pl ia nc e and pr oj ect ju sti fi catio n a r e mor e di f f i cu1t and comp et it i on f or f unds can be kee n . Staff ass i s t a nce t o obt a i n t hes e f unds sh ou ld con tinu e , but increas ed staff t ime req u i r ed t o assi s t on th e se pr ogr ams , is occur r i ng when the APD C' s d i sc re t i onary and gr ant in aid t echni ca l a s sistance funding is dec l i ni ng . l uc r ee scd f undi no f r om l oca l so urces will be needed i f St a t e e no Fpde l' a l funds a re no t r e s t ore d or alternativ e sour ce s obt ui ned .
Th e St a t e s houl d en coura qe ,111 d ena bl e i nnova t ive f i nanc i nq n.echa ni srns .111 0 p r nq r ams to ra c i l t t a t e eco nom i c devel opme nt. Add i t i ()11 <1 11y d i I"t' C t or a nt a s s i s t e nr e t o l ocal it ie s fo r i ndus t r i a ) fa c i 1i t i c s <hou l r: t ~ l ~ co nt i nued d nd if ~ o s s i b 1 ~ exp a nded fJ i ve n t he Ff>d e ra1 ,1 i <1 c ut h,1C k< .
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Lag ln Infrastructure Deve lo pmen t
Water, sewer, police and fire protection~ recreation, education, ' sol i d wa s t e collect ion and disposal, and several other community f ac i l , ities and services are publi c sect or responsibilities which require larQe investments of publ ic r evenues and competent management inve stments for effective and efficient provision. The North Georgia Area is caught up in the transition from rural to urban development patterns and areas heretofore void of demand for services are reaching growth thresholds which require some form of service. Patchwork solutions are costly and i neffect i ve and uni 1a tera 1 servi ce deve 1opment can compound the prob I ems of related service delivery.
To appropriately address infrastructure needs, local governments, especially county governments and authorities, should engage in functional service planning for basic facilities and services at a minimum . Local authorities should then empl oy capital improvements programming and budgeting to integrate indiv idual service plans into a comprehensive community services development s t r a t egy . These plans and programs shoul d be based on loc al physic al deve l opment plans and growth manag ement policies and result in a practical strategy for local facilities and services investment decisions .
Existing problems, particularl y water and sewer, warrant priority attention since the Area growth projections and development opportunities are based on the assumption that service needs can be met. Financing existing facil ity improvement and system development needs in water and sewer may well exceed local capabilities and every opportunity to leverage State or Federal funding assistance should be pursued. New service fees or increased ta xes and service fees locally will still be necessary to address current problems and projected development needs.
Efforts should be initiated immediately in Chatsworth and Ellijay to improve their status on the pr i or i t y li st for available Federa l WJstew~ter treatment funds. Counties s houl d eva l ua t e alternative revenue generating options (fees, special milla ge assessments, spec ial tax districts) to pay for services . Where cost e ffective and efficient, consolidation of services between cities and coun ti es sh ould be pursued to 'e l i mi nat e facilities and personn el duplica t i ons. Simil arl y, counties should nego t i a t e joint city- county a r ra nge~ e n t s Wh e l" e fe a s i ble to preclude the necessity of establishing dupli cative s er vice de l i ve ry systems.
Given adequa te f undi nq , t he f,PDC ca n as sis t local governmen ts wi t h local function al pl ans , cap i t a l im or overnen t s pr ogr ammi ng and budc e t i riq , and gr ant in aid t ec hnical assis t a nce . The APDC ca n also pr ovi ae tec hni cal as si stance on conso l id a t io n i ni t i a t ive s and help locat e s pec ia l i zed techn i ca l r esou rces need ed.
Th e St a t e s houl d proceed in i mol r men t in q State bono r i nan c i nq enabl i ng le gi sl at i on int ended t o fac i l ita t e l ocal pub l ic fa c il i ty l oans and grants. Additi onall y any oopo r tun i t y to advocat e i nc r ea sed Federal aid for i nf r a s t ru c t ur e i rn or ovement s s hou l d be purs ued .
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Lag in Retail Sales
Considerable local governmental attentlon is directed at job c r ea t i on and revenue generation through industrial development and expansion. Commercial development has been typically desired but left entirely to the initiatives of the private sector. A new interest has arisen in recent years given local option sales tax performance in areas with strong trade bases and a new enl ightenment conce r ni ng the value of healthy central business districts. .
Like i ndus t ri a l development, commercial development init iat ives require local organization, pl a nning, and implementation. In most downtown or central business districts the organization has occurred through the Merchants Association and several are engaged in planning and implementation activities. Technical resources of the TVA, the State Dept. of Community Affairs, Georgia Power, and the Small Business Development Center of the University of Georgia have been tapped and three communities have establ i shed Down town Development Authorities. These private sector initiatives . should continued, and local government support provided to stabil ize and max i mi ze public/private investments in the downtowns.
Beyond t he central business district, a substantial trade developmen t opportunity ex ists and is be i ng improved through new investments i n highway facilities. Both retail shopping concentrations and tourism related commercial development can and vJill increasingly occur in the Area. Local governmental initiatives to guide these developments and provide adequate support services will maximize benefits and potentials.
The APDC will continue to provide consultation/coordination assistance for downtown redevel opment initiatives and assist local governments with commercial development planning and ma nagement in the course of overall local planning administration assistance.
Ther e are a nurnbe r of areas where State level in i t i a t ive s cou lr' further the purposes of downtown revitalization: pursuing legislation enabling tax increment financing; redefining downtown development authority legislation to carry out its intent as a downtown improvement mechanism rather than as an abusive development financing tool; and re-establ ishin g staf f technical assistan ce capabil ities t o aid the Georgia Downtown Dev el opment Associati on and sti mulate furt her local r edeve l opmen t init iative s.
Beca us e of t he i r i mpo r tan ce to conme r c i ol deve lopment pot ent i a l s an d nee ds i n t he AI'Ca , the St J t e i sal s 0 e ncoU I' aged to : co nt in ue p1a nned hi ghw ay i mprovemen ts in th e Are a : ma i nt a i n c ur re nt State t our ism s upport and pro mot i on ac t i v i t i e s ; ma i nta i n ex is ti ng s t a t e pa r ks And hi stori c facilit.ies; and advocate th e mainten anc e of Federal National Forest area s, re s c r voi rs , a nd o t he r environmen tal /sceni c a t t r ac t io ns in the Area. Con serv a ti on of Water Re sourc es
\~ate r re sources i ss ue s in the ilo r ttl Geo rgia Ar'ea t o th e ca s ual obs e r ve r s would appear' f ace t i ous because of t ile abundance of water . Cl os e r e xarn i na t i on r ev ee l s , hOI'Jf:'/c r' , t he i ro ny a nd com pl e xi t y of the r e sou r ce pr obl ems in t.er1T1 S of suppl y a nd Qua lity .
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The alte r na t iv es f or addre s s i ng thi s issu e are unde r stu dy. Of all Area re sources, wa ter is unde rgoing t he most r igo r ous s c r ut i ny and s t r ee t ma nagemen t ove r sigh t by t he Sta t e and Fede r a l levels . Thi s is of course due t o t he sta t ewide and i nt e r s t ate importa nce of wa ters or ig inating in the North Geo r gi a Area . Loca l 201 \-Iater Qua l ity Plans are unde r devel opme nt or have been complet ed in si x problem a r ea s ; th e Sta t e i s currentl v conduc tin g publi c r evi ew of the Coo sa River Ba s i n St udy ; the U. S. Corp of Eng ineers is cur r e nt ly conduc t i ng wat e r r eso ur ce s stud ies i n t he Conasau ga River area; a nd the APDC i s enga ged in a six county water r e sour ce s study focusin g on Area needs and alternati ves. These efforts need to be urgently completed and alte rnatives decided.
Of crucial importance to the Nor t h Georgia Area is that local officials and representatives have/provide inpu t into the studies underway and resulting management policies. The vitality of the carpet i ndus t ry , t he potential for further Area growth and deve l opment, and the Area 's environmental quality are all local needs dese rving priority attention by local and State authorit ies.
( Re f e r en ce i s mad e to alte rnat i ves cur r ent ly underway i n severa l commun it ies t o addres s wa te r qual i t y prob lems i n Part I, 0 and unde r Lag in Infras tructure Devel opment above . )
Inadeq uate Growt h Manageme nt
Alte rnat i ves for addressing growt h and developm en t prob l ems i n the Nort h Geo rgia Area are tec hnica ll y s i mple , pol i ti cal l y comp lex, and f i nanci ally diff i cu l t. Loca1 gover nme nts hav e t he author ity and respons i bi 1i ty to underta ke long range compre hens i ve growth and deve 1opment plann in g and impl ement i ng deve l opment control s. There, i s however, an unpopular ity of such gove rnmental i nit i at iv e s in rural areas whi ch i s rooted i n f ea r s of private righ t s inf ringeme nt. Sensiti vity to t hi s publ ic conce r n and the co sts of l ong r ange pl anni ng and admin ist ration among local plec t ed of f i c i a l s is qu ite common.
The status of local comprehensi ve plan ning and development cont r ol s is presented in Part II , Local Poli cie s. Local efforts need to be ex panded t hro ughout the Area in t erms of adoptio n and enfo rcemen t of de ve lo pment cont rols, a nd many plan s need to be upda t ed due t o new gr owth a nd deve lo pment i nf l ue nce s no t cons idered i n exist i ng pla ns . Of spec ia l need t hro ughout the Area are sound da ta bas es and accu rat e ma ps wh i ch pr ov i de physic al i nf orma t i on re l ev an t t o both pl anni ng and l ocal deve lopment control acm i ni s t ra t i on.
Hi t h cut ba cks in Fed eral f unds ana P,e e l i mi na t i on of t he HLI D 701 plann i ng fu nds , th e ;\PDC is rel ying on l ocol f undi nq f o r l ocal p la nn in g pro ject s . Th e ca pa bi l i t y of local budqets to f und t he level of pl anni nq and adm i nist ra t io n nee ded i s ques ti onable , but t he co sts of env i r onment a l degradati on and in f r a s t r uc t ur e development withou t grow th management will be muc h hi gher.
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The St ate ca n s upport l ocal growth management needs and init iatives by l egisl at i ve l y mand ati ng or advocati ng local plannin g and management th rough mi nimum sta nda rds of per fo r ma nce . Such a State policy is consiste nt with adopted NGAPDC region a l pol icy and is pert i nent as a condition of St at e inv estment in l ocal i nfrastructur e.
Protect ion of Tra ns po r t at i on Facilities
Local and Sta te ef to r ts needed to complete major highway facilities plan ned in t he Ar ea cons i s t of the resolve to commit the financial resources requi red and working together to accomplish their cons truction. Once completed, local governmen t.al and State level action in the form of growth management polic ies and development controls should be undertaken to protect the substantial investments made in the facilities.
Additionally local governments and State need t o wo rk together to prevent abandonment of needed local rail facilities. Railroad representat ives should be involved in local economic development initiatives and encouraged t o support continued ra il se rvice of benefit t o the Area. The State should continue to use its leverage .and authority in legal actions to prese rve a comprehensive rail network in the Area.
Inadequate Ho usi ng Supply
Solution of housing s upply problems a re pr incipally t he r esp ons i bi l ity of the pr i va te secto r excep t incases of low and mode r a t e income groups una bl e t o affo rd ma rk et pri ces fo r private hous in g. In th es e cases opportun i ties exist for j oi nt public-p rivate partne rships and exclusively public hous i ng provisions.
In the Nort h Georg ia Area housing sites are limited by t he lack of water and/or sewer and the physical characteristics of the Area (soils and t e r r a i n ) . Loca l governmental efforts should be directed at facilitating prime r es i den t i a l loca tion development with needed se rv iccr. .:. r, ( enat. l i nc maximized use of public and private i nve s tment s . Rental housing is in shortest supply in the Area and is generally provided in multi-family housing comple xes. Local development controls need to accommodate such developments and local facilities are es s ential development pro visions.
In terms of low- moderate income housing s uppl i e s, avail able Federal and St ate a ss i ste d housing pro grams nee d to be ma i nt a i ned and emp lo yed t o th e i r' maximum poten t i al. Pr oblems i n ru ral r ent a l hous i ng pr ojec t proposal s have been encount e red due to s i te pr oblems and local r es i s ta nce to out side develop ers. Lo cal de veloper o r lo cal government sponsored initi atives ... ith appropriate te chn ic a l a s si stan ce on sit in g criteria would mos t likely be s ucce s sf ul.
Several Federa l public housing pr oj ec t s a r e unde r construction in t he !\ rea o r have been re cently completed. Contin ued loc al housing au t nor i ty participation in th is pro gram are an t i ci pa t ed pr ovi ding Fede r a l fu nds are ava i l ab l e ,
145

Northeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues : 1. Housing 2. Industrial Development 3. Transporta tion 4. Energy 5. Recreation , Scen ic Areas , and Historic Sites 6. Water 7. Flood Plains 8. Prime Farmland and Soils 9. Forests
10. Minerals
(Repri nted fro m C h ao ter III. " Is sues and Alternauvas', 1983 Ar ea De vetoom ent Pr oute . prep ared by !he No rth east Georqia Area Planning an d Deve lopment Co rnrrnss ron .j
147

Northeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
As discussed i n Part I, No r t h e a s t Georgia over the past twenty years has increased in population, expanded its industrial ' ba s e , and Impr-oved its economic condition. As discussed i n Part I I , the reg ion provides an environment conduc ive to continued economic developmen t. The inventory of resources i n Part I shows that t he area provides many opportunities for economic grow th. The issues facing the people of the region include those related to controlling, d-irect ing, and n.anag Lng development as well as t hose rela ted to taking advantage of opportunities for development. The economic development issues that seem to be the most important in Northeast Georgia, from the viewpoint of the Northeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission, are discussed in detail in this section.
Hou sing
The high cost of buying or building a house has led to a rapid increase in t he number of mobile homes and factory-built houses over muc h of the reg ion. The problem lies in many people's perception, often supported by experience, that many of these homes are shoddily constructed, poorly sit uated, and tend to deteriorate over t ime. The uncontrolled spread of mobi le h ome s resul t s i n lowered property va l u e s and the deterrence of h i gh - q ua li t y residential development. Land use controls t hat prohi bit mo b i l e home s in some areas and specify required improvements in mobile home pa rk s solve some of t hese difficulties. The unevenness of such land use controls and their enforcement tend to concentrate the poorest quality deve lopment. Mobile home development cannot simply be prohib ited; so me oppor tunity for l ow-c o s t housing must be available. Encouraging mu lt i - f amily development in cities outside of Athens would provide an a lter nati ve to mobile home rental parks for low and mod e r a t e income families. There ha s been some progress in this direction recently, as several projects partially financed by the Farmers Home Admi n i s t r a t i on have been proposed. More consistency in the adoption and enforcement of mobile home regulations and building codes across the region is another alternative that would prevent certain areas from becoming dumping grounds for inferior housing.
Industr ia l r eve l oDme nt
The manu f a c tu ri n g L n d u s t r-Le s wit h the greatest percentages of employees ( a ppa r-eL, t e xt t l e s , a nd : oo d ) a r e among t hose paying the l owe s t wages i n t he area. If incomes in t he area a r e t o rise relative to state and nat io nal a verages, t~ e Lndus t r -La l ba s e [Jus t be di ve r s i f i e d , and mor-e high-wage pa y i ::g in dus t rie s att rac t ed t o t ae area. Th e greatest ba r r i e r to attract: ng s uc h ind u s t ri e s a ppe a r s t o be th e sk i ll le ve l a nd general educational l e v el c f t he La b o r- f c r c e , I mp ro v e d ed ucation is one alternative th at is o bv ious. Ano t he r 1s s pecia l i =e d j o b t :--a i n i ng p r og r ams designed to help area r esiden ts qui ck Iy cb t a i n the s k il l s necessary for
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jobs in higher technology industries. If the capacity of the region's institutions to provide skilled workers for new industries can be demonstrated, it will facilitate the recruitment of others.
Diversification of industries is of great importance in certain parts of the region. The unemployment rate has been highest recently in Elbert and Madison counties, whose labor force is highly dependent on the textile, apparel, and granite industries. These industries have been badly affected by the recent recession and have laid off considerable nutab e r s of workers. The cone entration of employment in only a few industries makes a county extremely vulnerable to outside influences on those industries. Recruiting other industries is an attractive alternative, and the development of effective job training programs that will allow workers to shift from one industry to another is essential to that end.
Transportation
The transportation issues facing Nor t h e a s t Georgia fall into three classes: how to deal with traffi c passing through the region, how to deal with increasing commuter traffic along arteries radiating from Atlanta and Athens, and how to deal with improvements in local roads made necessary by increasing residential development in previously rural areas.
The question of how to route through traffic is being faced presently by the City of Madison. A proposed bypass would shunt heavy truck traffic on O.S. 441, particularly log trucks serving the Woodkraft plywood rplant, around t he central business district. Traffic currently is slow and congested down town, where the highway is two lanes ...ide. The alternative is to widen the highway downtown, but that would mean seriously dama ging ante bellum structures and the pleasant townscape that many think is the city's greatest attractant to visitors. The major argucent opposing the bypass is that diverted traffic would mean diverted sales -- service businesses would spring up along the bypass and the downtown retail businesses would suffer. On the other hand, it is argued that retail sales to outside people depend more on those who deliberately visit the town for its prewar charm than on those who are pass ing throu gh, a nd that widening the highway or allowi ng the downtown to suffer fro~ t hrou gh truck t r affic will ruin that asset.
The case of Madison has been des c r i bed i n detail because it is typica l of i ssues that are or wi l l soon be facing ma ny Nort heas t Ge o r gi a cities. The Cit y of At h e n s has d e ci d e d that a byp a ss i s ne c e s s a r y , and the final pha s e of a c ircumferential bypass i s be in g plan ned now. Oth e r cities on major through routes i ncl ude Loganville, CGII:I::erce, -J e f f e r s o n , Watkinsville, Winder, and Greensboro. The heaviest through tra ff~c tra)vels down U.S. 441 between Interstate 85 and Interst ate 75 This is an ir:lport ant r out e southward toward Florida a nd t he Georgia coast. It ha s
b e e n s ugg e s t e d t hat a four lane h ighwa y be c o ns t r u cte d between 1-3 5 a nd I-
75, bypassin g all c i t i e s in the region. As t r-af'f' Lc and c on g e s t i o n c ont i nue to increase throughout the region, the question of how to deal
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with through traffic and tourism will become more and more important. The alternatives are to divert traffic a r ound congested downtown areas and encourage active tourism in them or to continue to force traffic through cities, bringing either greater congestion or wider thoroughfares. The decision must be made by individual cities and by the region. It would be preferable if a regional plan for handling traffic and tourism could be arrived at and adhered to, rather than that a series of decisions in individual cases generate conditions without planning or forethought.
Commuting to work from outlying areas into Athens and the Atlanta metropoli tan area is another important genera tor of traffic. At present most commuting is done in automobiles carrying single persons. No other transportation mode carries substantial numbers of persons, although there are limited systems that could be expanded in the future. Passenger service on railroads has diminished to a single train running through the region. The introduction of passenger service running east-west from Athens to Atlanta and serving stations in between has been suggested as an alternative to continued widening and construction of roads along that corridor. Ridesharing has enjoyed some success, although it is not in widespread use. As the population of outlying residential centers becomes more dense and traffic becomes more congested, ride sharing may become more popular. There is a considerable need for public service transportation, such as the van fleets operated by several agencies in the region. Better coordination and fewer restrictions on van space could make these programs more efficient and less expensive.
Increasing populations in certain areas (described in Parts I and II under Population and Patterns of Development) puts a strain on the local road and bridge system that is unusual in rural counties. The state program of road assistance is tied to road usage, and thus should adjust itself for increased traffic. However, there remain considerable amounts of local funds to be spent for road repair and maintenance. In rural counties, the primary source of revenue is the property tax; sales and franchise taxes tend to be low because shopping and business are carried out in Clarke County or the counties surrounding Atlanta. The property tax, in turn, is dependent primarily on farm land and residential property. Raising tax rates is becoming more and more difficult and tends to make it more difficult to keep prime farm land in agriculture (a probl em that will be discussed below). The alternative to high tax rates or a poor s tate of road repal~ is t o balance the property tax base with more coomercial and industrial property. Developing an industrial base in these counties requ ires cons iderable capital i nv e s t me nt and an active car:Jpai g n of pr e pa r a ti on and recruitment. This is particularly difficult
::1 count ies such as Oglethorpe a nd Madison in which there are no l a r g e
~':' t:e s t o form the center for indu strial development and to provide : '3.C i 1: t i e s .
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Energy
It was pointed out in Part I (utilities and Energy) that the region imports virtually all its energy. The low-head hydropower that might be tapped is largely unused and much of the extensive tracts of forest are unused as well. Both of these resources represent opportunities for development. The region is well situated for using solar power, but that energy source, also, has not been employed extensively. It seems that the financial incentives to develop these assets are not great enough presently to encourage their widespread use. Continued educational programs will promote the development of energy alternatives and provide a a base of knowledge in the region that will accelerate development should the economics of energy change in the future.
Recreation. Scenic Areas. and Historic Sites
The opportunities for economic development in outdoor recreation in the region are virtually unlimited. The resources outlined under Recreat i on and natural Resources in Part I provide extensive areas and a wide va r- Le ty of environments for recreation that are easily accessible from -,.;ell-traveled highways (see Part I, Transportation). While overde ve l opment of these areas should be avoided, their potential cannot be realized without some development (e.g. trails must be cleared and marked, boat ramps provided, etc.). Furthermore, they will not contribute to the economy of the area as much as they might until they are better advertised and their potential is better understood by a r ea residents. The natural qualities of the region coupled with the historic and archaeological sites that abound in it could attract significant tourism. At present it is difficult to learn details about these opportunities in Northeast Georgia. I ndividual agenc ies, such as the state park service, the national forest service, and the Georgia Power Company, provide infor~ation to visitors, but there is no concerted, regional effort to inform and attract potential visitors. If the recreation and tourism sectors of the economy are to expand significantly, this lack must be filled. In addition, citizens of Northeast Georgia must be better informed of the potential they have at their disposal in the form of natural features and historic sites.
In order for scenic and recreation areas to be economically valuable, they must be preserved and protected, which many in Northeast Georgia are not. Some development of these areas is necessary to preserve their nature. For example, areas prepared and set aside for four-w hee led dri ve vehicles would prevent the widespread intrusions and damange they cause now in many places. Proper parki ng areas in some areas would prevent the danger and destruction associated with the uncontrolled roadside parking that is occurr ing now.
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.H.,ater.
During the drought of 1981, several Northeast Georgia cities that draw their water from wells or small streams exhaus t ed their supplies. Residents in every county in the area reported dry wells. Surface water supplies in some other cities were perilously low. The U.S. Corps of Engineers has begun a study of water resources in the area that will last for several years. The reconnaissance report from that study, due to be completed later this year, ~ill be the first step in clarifying the water supply situation. Preliminary examination of available data shows that some of the area's surface water supplies will reach or exceed presently permitted levels of withdrawal by 1990 or 2000. Groundwater availability and consumption figures are unknown, but experience during low water table conditions in 1981 suggests that groundwater cannot be relied upon to support high density residential development or high intensity agricultural irrigation. The experience of water departments in area cit i ~s suggests that surface water drawn from lew-flow headwaters and o r e ex s cannot be relied upon indefinitely for urban development or industrial expansion. The ma jor sources of surface water are in the eastern and southern parts of t he region, whereas the majority of t he populat i on and t he most rapid residential and industrial development are in the west and central parts.
There are two parts to the water supply problem. First, and largest, is the question of long term water supply. Sooner or later, the rapidly growing communities of Clarke, Jackson, Barrow, Walton, and Oconee counties must increase the volume of water available to them or witness a curtailment of their growth. On a regional level, the implications of reduced development in those areas are a diversion of growth into relatively undeveloped areas, such as Oglethorpe, Greene, Morgan, and Elbert counties, or an overall reduction in development throughout the region.
The second problem is the more immediate one of financing improvements in exis ti ng water and wa s t ewa t e r sys tems in order to accommoda te the growth in population and commerce expected in several rural and suburban areas. Not only do capacities need to be increased to supply more people, but some communities will be required to improve their levels of treatment as water demand and wastewater effluent levels increase. Presently there are several federal and state aid programs in place that, combined with priva te and local government funds, ma ke such improvements possible. However, the emphasis of such endeavors recent ly has been to bring systems up to the level of current demands. There needs to be more planning and investment to prepare for and direct future development.
:lead Pl a l :": s
Cert ain flood-prone areas have been studied by the Corps of Engineers and other agenc ies in t he past, but ve r y l ittle action has been taken as a result. Hany communities do not parti cipate in the National Flood Insurance Program. Hany communities with flood plain ordinances do not enforce t c em, a nd enforcement by state and federal agencies is often equally 2. a x . A c ons i s t e nt , r igorously a pplie d policy of flood pl a i n
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management is needed throughout the region to reduce the damage done by flooding and to minimize flooding by improving the quality of drainage areas.
Prime Farm Land and Soils
There are a number or forces in operation to remove prime farm land from agricultural uses. The most important of these are rising land values that force farm land near development out of production because of higher taxes, and poor agricultural practices that lower the land's productivity. Alternatives that might improve the situation include tax protection for land in agricultural pr-oduc t ron , some form or deferred property taxation, ordinances restricting the use of prime farm land, and enactment and enforcement of soil erosion control ordinances. The removal of productive topsoil from construction sites can also be controlled by strong enforcement of erosion control ordinances. Their enforcement by local officials is uneven across the area.
Forests
The extensive acreage in northeast Georgia that is forested, as described under the Forests section of Part I, is undermanaged, underused, and undersold. The Georgia Forestry Commission and other agencies have extensive programs to inform land owners of management techniques, and management assistance is available from public and private agencies. It has been suggested that wood-using industries should be encouraged to locate in northeast Georgia, providing a nearer, more visible market for forest products. The new Woodkraft plant in Madison, Georgia, is an example ' of such a venture that has succeeded. Poor management practices such as clear-cutting within flood plains and on steep slopes without using soil conservation measures, can be prohibited in soil erosion ordinances and flood plain management ordinances.
Minerals
Aside from granite, sand, and gravel, there are no concentrations of minerals in the region that could be extracted profitably by large fi~s. However, the University of Georgia department of Geology has been investigating the potential of mining several minerals on a smaller scale. Pre liminary resul t s sugges t tha t small min ing opera t ions might be financially successful. One of the barriers to such a development is that most extractive processes require large amounts of water, which, under the conditions that prevail over part of t he region, li:::it their potential (see the sections on water above and in Part I).
154

Oconee Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Need for Improved Water and Sewer Systems 2. Housing Needs 3. Need for Vocational-Techn ical Training 4. Needed Improvement of Industrial Parks 5. Maldistribution of Health Care Professionals 6. Financial Equalization among School Systems
(Reprin ted from Chapter III. " Issues and Alter nauves", 1983 Area Development P ro/ li e . preparea ov the Oconee Area Ptanrunq and Develooment Cornrmss ion .j
155

Oconee Area Plann ing and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
Certain issues a n d problems identified earlier i n this document are critical impediments to continuin g e c o n omic , communit y, and physical deve lopment in the Oc o n e e Area . Thes e issues c o ncern def icie ncies in water a n d s ew er s ys t em s , housi n g ava i labi l ity , l ack o f ski l led l a b or , a s hortage of devel o pe d indust rial l a n d , poor d i s ~r i b u t ion of healt h care professi onals and facilitie s, and financing of public education. These issues are crucial to the continuin g economic, communit y, and ph ysical developmen~ o f the Oco ne e Area . In id en t i f ying these i ssues , each section o f this Profile has been taken i n t o account. By this process we have iso l a~ e d t he most impo rta nt c o n c er ns facing ~he area .
Issue
P erhaps the mos~ important, and certainly the mos~ readil y identifiable issue, is ~ he need for improved water and sewer sy stems through o ut the a r e a . As sta te d in t he prior two sec~ions of t his document, many l o c a l g over n me nt s in t he area are without excess capacit y over deman d in their water a n d sewer services . Several local governments do not provide a ny wa te r a n d sewer ser vice to residents, especiall y at the c o u n t y l evel. Becau s e new industry wou ld ' c rea t e a d di t io n a l d emand o n t h e ex i stin g a r e a sy s~ems which have no e x c e s s ca pac i ty , it is high l y unlikely that n e w i n d u s t r y wo uld fin d it fe as ible t o l oc :l t e in these a re a s . Commu niti es wi tho ut a de q u a te wat er and s e we r s ystems cannot be exp ected to attract s u bs t a n t ia l growth or indust ry .
Bec ause o f the limitations created b y the inadequacies of wat er and s ewer services p r o vi d e d th ro ug hout the Oc o n e e Area, it i s im p er a t i v e t hat thi s iss ue b e addressed b efore a n y s u hs t a n t i a l p hys ica l or economic growth can be e x pec te d .
:\ 1 t e l' n a t i v e s [ 0 r Act ion
J . Th e f irst act i on lo cal offici als need t o tak e is : I..J b l! ~ i n 1 ()n g I' a n g e p 1:1 n n j 11 ~ a ct i v i Li e s . S pe e i ric n e e d s ~~ 11 u u J d b (~ d e t c r min e dan d 0 P t i on s f o I' add res sin g th e s (~ n (-' e d s :.:l u u Ld iH~ d e v e Lop e d . By t h e u s c of l ong ra nge plannin g,
'-:a L or [" i ci a 1 s wo u 1 d b e a b 1 (~ L oa cld r es s t he pr o b 1 e m i n i t s
i n i ti u l s t a rre s a n d co r r ec t i t b e fo re i t b e c omes di f f i c u lt : '.) .:1:1 11 :1 g e .
S . Th e r e a r e sc v e r a l I e d o r a I a n d s t ate gran t p r o u r a mx
.:1i c h !) r o v i d e fu ndi ng Lo r pu b l ic f a c i l i ty Lmpr o v c me n t s such
.' :' w.i t e r n n c, se we r e x t c n s i o n s . Th es e grant programs a r e , \ "> 1' :: .t t t r a c t i ve n I t e r n a t i v e t o c o rnmu n i t i o s wh ic h mee t o L i a i.b i l i t v : " t1 ll 1 : ' -' lIH~ n t :..; s u c h as be ne f i t t o l o w-jno d e r -n t o in come h ou su b o l d s .
157

Th e Community Dove L opme n t Bl ock Gr ant Program ( CDBG) off ers an ex -

c e l l e n t alternativ e beca u se o f t h e ava ilabili ty of mon ey f or public

improveme n t s i nc 1 ud ed in t h e progr am . Othe r' gr a n t pro gram

alternatives in cl ude th e Fa rmers Home Administration grant

and/or loa n opp ort u nities, Urban Deve lopment Action Gra nt

program . At the prese nt time , it a ppe a r s t hat t he best oppor tunit y

fo r g rant mo n e y li es i n th e C .D .B .G. progra m.

.

C. A second alternative to the water and sewer facilities issue would be to issu e revenue bonds. Revenue received f r om these bond sales could be utilized to construct needed i mprovements . This is a f e a s i b le alternative in many c omm un i t i e s a nd ar eas wher e stat e a nd f e de r a l gr a nt mone y is not avail a b le .

Issue

The Hou s ing chapt er i n Secti on I indicates anoth er p r o b le m fac i ng the ar ea . :'lore r e n t a I units ar e c L e a r l y n eeded, e s pe c i a l l y i n th e maj or g r owt h ar e as . Ev en with t ot al popu l ati o n a n d t h e l a b or f or c e i ncr e as i ng in size, the numb er o f p ri v at e s ector rental units h a s d e creased. Adding to this p ro bl em is t he e s t i mat e d nee d fo r 500 a d d i t i o n a l publicl y s u p p o r te d housin g units . Anot h er hou s i ng pr obl em b eing en count er e d is the r e La t a ve l v hi gh numb e r o f h omes wi th out a kitch en o r ad equate bathr oom . Alt hough many o f th es e homes ar c l ocated i n r ural a re a s , a r eawid e ccmmu nit y dev elopment cann ot b e conside red compl et e wi t hou t a dd r e s s Ln g b as ic hou s i ng needs .

~lt ernativ es f o r ~ ct i o n

A. Ther e ar e s ev cr ~ l ~ ra nt p ro g r a ms a va i l abl e t o l o c al g o v e r n me n t s which p r o v i d e f u n d i n g [0 1" hou si n g , Commu n i ty De ve l opm ent B l o c k Gr u n t s , L r b a n De v e l o p me n t Ac t Lo n Gr a n t s , and Farm er s Home Adm i n i s t r a t i o n l-.~; r:l n t s and lo a n s ar e possibl e sou r c o s [or f i na nc ia l as sistanc e . Th es e program s ;11'0 f easibl e op t i o n s avai labl e to obtain f u nd s f o r pub lic s upported h ou s i n ~ at t he pr esent ti me . Se vo r a l Oc on o e Aro a co mmu n i t i e s rne c t th e impact a n d in come r c q u i r e men t s s e t f o r t h bv th o p r o c r a m. Howev er, p u b I L c ho u s i ng is o n l y p. i r t (I f t h e p ro b l e m. P r i va t e r e n t a I u nit s arc n e e de d , a n d th e c o n d i t i o n o r ma n y h ome s
!1e e d s t 0 b e i mp r 0 v o d .

G . Th e p r o b l c m or t he s ho r rn a c of p ri vu t o l v o wn e d r o n t u l
un i t s p o sc s a s i gl1 .l l"i e :l :IL ~ )l" ul)!' :I:1 t.o t l; r: . i r o a . P l' j \':t Le d r- vc lope r s ne e d t o ih: i n to rrn r-d o f a r V :1 S i n wn i c h r:. !1 l~ I "L: i s:l h i z h n o o d
t or r enta l un i t s n n d I o cn I .: i : i -:: i :ll s s h o u l d ~;t1 C O'Jl' : l :,~. r.: p r i v .i r c
cl (:\' el up e r ~ to i n v o s r in t ~; '.~ :--:(" :l l'C.': l S lJ ~' p oi n t i n g O U L t h o p o s s i u l o
n dva n t a g e s o r d o i.n c so .

C. Ri g Ol' OU :.; COd 0 ,'n:' ,)l' c C'!:1('l1 L s ho u lc! b e u so d t o :ll l d l" \ :--: :--:

t.h e p r o b l e m o I -s u b s t a n d .t r d li, H I:; i t: ;..:: . U ~' r h o U S l: o ; t h .: v n r Lo u x

buildi n g c o ri e s a n d l"(' l;:ul :l t :',: I1.-'; c!, \ ', i Upt ' !"S .i n d h o mo own o r s

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Issue ,
The lack of ski lled l abor i s b e c omi n g a pr ob l em areawi de . Industr y is qu i c k l y beco mi ng more a utoma te d a n d t echn i c a l, resu l ti n g in t he nee d fo r s k il led wor k e r s. The la ck o f a voc a tio nal -technical scho ol i n the ar e a compounds this p ro b le m. Bec au se ma n y worker s a re no t financ iall y a ble to receive out o f ar e a tr a i ni n g, the l a c k o f a n area Vo- Tec h severely limits ava i l a ble skilled labo r i n the a rea . This i n t u r n acts a s a det err e nt t o po te n t ial i n d us t ria l d eve lo pme nt .
Altern a tiv es f o r Actio n
A. Th e construction, sta ffin g, a n d e q u i p p i ng of a Vo cati on alTechni c al School re quires a great de al o f mone y . Po ss ibiliti e s for fund s ex i s t in s ever al a rea s . Bond issues f o r s uc h a f acilit y c ou l d be ca l l e d t o a r e ferendum, special taxe s c ou l d be created to pr ovid e f u n d s for su ch a pr oject, g r an t mon ie s could be solici t ed, a nd appea l s t o t he p riva t e s ec to r could be mad e . The be s t op ti o n may b e a combi na t ion of the a b o ve .
B. Te c hn i c al t r ai nin g for a rea re siden t s wi l l be p rov ide d by t he J ob Tr ainin g Pa r t n ership Ac t , e f f ec ti ve Oc to b er 1, 1983. Alt houg h ve ry fe w stipends wi l l b e ava ilable t o t r a i n e e s , th e o ppo r tu n it y to th e s e p eo p le should ena ble th em secure j ob s by vi rt ue of the need fo r trained pe rso nnel . Lo c a l indust ry wi l l also be s e rve d well by th e Job 'I'r-a Ln i n g Partnership Act .
I s sue
Th e ex is te nce o f well devel op e d i nd us t r ial parks gr e a t ly e nh a n c e s a n a r ea. I s at tr a c t io n t o poten t I a 1 indu st I' i a 1 de ve 1 opmen t . The d ev el opmen t of th e e x i s t i n g p ar k s i n th e a rea has sp u r red in du stria] g r owt h in their resp ec ti v e lo caliti e s. Indu stri al growth, in turn , adds a tremend ou s a mou n t t o the t ax b ases o f gro wt h ar ea s r esulting in mar c and i mp ro v e d publ i c se r v i c Qs a n d b ett er Lf.v i.n g co ndit io ns . A'l t h o u z h all s eve n Oc o ne e Ar ea c ou n t ie s h a ve a n i n d us t ri a l p a r k wit h i n th e i r bo u u du r i e s , majo r Lmpr o ve mo n t s a re n e ede d . i t all sev e n pa rks . Ne ede d impr o\' e men t s inc1 u d e : I mp r o v e men l s t o a ccess r o ad s; i lH.:r e a s e d cap a c i t y i n wa t e r a n d sewer S \- S t oIII s j e x pall s i o n s \\" he )' c: [ l ' a sib 1 o ; ge ne r a l c c s rne t ic imp rov ement s ; a n d .i nc r cn s c d p l a n n i.n u fo r fut u r e dc vc Lop mc n t . Tho s e .i.mp r o vcmo n t s woul d g r o a t l v i nc re a s e t h e potent i a l 1"0 1' a l l .i r o a c ou n t i es In u t t r a c t Ln du s t r i n I
dc v e l o pm on t .
Al t er nativ e s fo r Acti on
:\ . The devel op ment o r indu strial p a r k s and f a c i l i t ie s
r e q u i r e s lo n g ra n ge plan ning , Loc u I o rIL c La l s :lndind uslrial .ru t h o r i t t e s s ho u l. d be .i n vo Lv e d i n i hc se pl a n ning: a c t i v i ti e s i n o r de r to do t e r mi ne t h e be s t a i r e r n a t i v o s to pr o bl ems tn c i n g th e d o ve l opme n t a t' p u b L i c Ln du s t r i a I I n n d s .
15 9

8. Th e p rob le m of ina d e qu at e wa ter a nd se we r se rv ice to in du strial parks could be un dert aken by 80l ici t i ng ava i l a ble g ra n t mon e y fr om t he Communit y De v el opm ent Bl o c k Gr an t p rog ram , Ur b a n De v elo pmen t Ac t i o n Gr a n ts , Fa rm er s Home Admin i s tr a ti on g rant s o r loan p rog ra ms, a nd th e Eco no mic Deve lopment Admi n is tra tion .
C. Privat e sector f unding s hould be so licited . Ex i s tin g in du s tri e s mi g ht be wil l i ng to s hare t he cost of u p gr adin g t he i n du stri al facil i tie s wh ic h t hey u s e. Th e t yp e of f u nding woul d have to b e a t t he co n t r ib u t i ng i nd ust ries own disc ret io n .
Iss ue
Th e ma l di stri buti on of h e a l th c a re profe s s io nals in t he Oc o n e e Area is po i nted o u t in Sec t io n I of t h is P r o fi l e. Five of t he seve n a rea cou nties have t hree o r l e s s phys icians se rv ing t he m. Onl y Ba l dwin a n d Washi ngton Co unties a r e ade q uate l y s e r ve d . Th i s ma l di s tri bu ti on of physic ians 11as ca used h e a l th ca r e problems fo r r e si de nt s as well as being a n in c on ven i e nc e.
This s it uat io n i s p u nct uated i n I s s u e s Facing Ge orgia, " The Distr ibution o f Health Ca.re P rofes sio na ls and Fa ciliti es in Georgia " , wh i c h ca lc u lates a ph ys icia n r a t e fo r Geo rg ia of 133 .9 . Th a t is , fo r eve ry 1 0 0, 0 0 0 Ge o r g i n n s the re a r e 133 .9 ph ys icians . Using th e s ame me th o d o l o g y as t his p ub lica t ion, eh e fiv e a f f e c t e d Ocone e Ar ea co unties h a v e a p hysic ia n rate of ~3 . 73 In sim pl er te rms, e a c h phys ici an in th is c l u s te r o f countie s se r ve s 4 ,214 pe o p l e .
,\1 t e r n;l t i v e s t' 0 ~~ Ac t i 0 Il
A. In order to br ing ph y sici an s in to a r c u s no c d i ng med ical s e r v i c e s , com muniti e s mus t \)0 g i n to n c t i v e l.v r o c r u it med ical sc hool g rad uates a nd available p h v s Lc i a n s p r e s e n t L v Lo c a te d in ar e a s of s a t u r a Lion . Ln c o n t ivo s must b e d c ve l op c d by t h ese co mmu niti es to e n t i ce me d i c a I p r o tc s s i o n aLs i .n t o locati ng in thei r a re a . Ac t i v c p r o rn o t io n o I rh o s: c ommu n it i o s mu s t b e .i n i t i n t o d . ~I~dical s c lr o o i s i n th e' r o u i o n ( E:non' Un i v o r s i t y , Th e Me di c u l Sch ool of th e Ln i v o r s i t y o r G(:o r ;:;Lt
ill A u c u s t a , Mo r c c r :\le cl i c a l Sr h o o l .i n d t h o ~ l l' d i c :l ] S ch oo l
o I A tl anta Uni v e r sit y) sh ould b e c o n t.a c t o d f o r r o c r u it mon t l' u r pu s e s .

E d u c n t i o n in t h o Oc o n c o ,\ 1"O: l , : l ~ w r. l l :l S .i n th c s t u t o
: l:-; :l wh o l o , p r o xo n t s an i s sue whi c h c a u n o t. lJ ,~ i g n o r o d . ClU :11 i t v ,: d uc a t iU Il i s t.h .e c o r n o r s t on e o l .\ :i1L' I 1C : 111 s ( ) c i (, t: ~ . L s s.ur- s
i n v o l v i ru; t h c e du c a t i on -. v s t c m !:;~ l :-;L b c :t ddl' ( ' ss cd L O i n s u r e co n t i n u i n g qu a I t t v i n t h e S:\ ~;[l)!I1 .

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~ S S Ul; f a c i n r; u r -e a scho ol s~:-;t l:.!rls .

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160

Left with mor e r e s tri ct ed b udg ets . Mo n e y fo r n ce d e d ta c i L i t i c s , in man y ca ses , mu s t come f ro m l oca l so u r c es . I n l o c a l sy s t e ms t ha t l ack s u ff i cient tax ba ses an d ot he r s6u rc es o f educational su pp leme n t mone y , t h e se fac ilit i es a n d ot he r b as ic need s a re no t a b le to b e f ina nce d . T h i s s i t uat ion re s u l ts i n un f a i r d i s t r i b ut io n o f e d uca t io n a l o p po r t u n i t ie s . Also, rest r ic ted lo c al sup pl em en ts to t e a c h er s in th e s e ru r a l co un t ies c re at es a sit ua t ion which di s c o u r a g e s t each ers fr om l ocatin g i n th e s e a re a s . Thi s fact causes a r eduction in t eache r q ual it y , and in e vitabl y in t he e duc a t i ou a vn i l a b Le to local res ide nt s .
An oth e r h a n d i cap th a t t hese f ina nc iall y rest ricte d c oun ti e s face i s t ha t in ma ny c as es p ote n tial in du s tri a l p rosp ects wi ll dec i de not to loca te i n c o u n t i e s with a de f i c i e n t e d u c a t io na l s y s t em . P ot enti al t a x dol lars a n d job o ppo rt unit ies a re l o st in t hese cou n t ies b ec au s e o f th e l a ck of qu a lit y edu cat ion . Str at e gi es and lo ng - ra n ge f i n a n c i a l pl ann in g mu s t be i ni t i at e d t o overcome t he b a r r i e r s co e q u a l i z i n g th e financ ing o f th e e d u c a t i o n s yst em . Al t ern at i v e s for Act io n
The re are se v e ra l a lt er nat ive s f o r f i na nci n g edu cati on . Th e p r es en t s yst e m o f u t i l i z i n g p roperty t a x mo n e y has become str ai n e d i n r e c e n t y e a ~s . One poss ible al t e rn a t iv e t o chis s i t u at io n i s fo r th e s tat e to c o mp l e t e l y f i n a nce p ubl ic e d uc:lt io n . Th i s co ul d ')e accompl is h ed b y CI.n .i n c r e a s e i n a d v u. l o r e rn tax es . Ano th e r pos3 ib l e alt e rna tiv e wou l d b e to i nc r ea s e s ta te wid e sal es t3.X fo r the purp o se of f i n a n c i n g e d u c a t i o u . Geo r gia n ow has t he lowest: s c L e s C:..LX o f a n y st3.C G i n t h e r e gion . .c\ n in cr e a s e o f l /~ to 3 ;~ wo ul d add a S Ubs ta n t ia l a mo unt: t o t he s t a t e I s e d uc a t i on b u dget . Anot h er , p erh ap s c o n t r o v e r s i.n L , a 1 t e l' nat i v e W 0 II 1 d b e 1: 0 P r (' s en t. t ])C' i s s u e 0 I' par a III U t u al1)l' t t i n g t o r e f er e n dum v ote . F l or i d a now uses mon ey deriv er! by pa r amutua l be t ti n g t o help f i n a nc e its e du c a t i o n syst em.
16 1

South Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Loss of Prime Farmland 2. Lack of Planned Growth 3. Need to Expand and/or Intensify Agricultural Production Potential 4. Rural Health Care 5. Lack of Adequate Cultural Programs 6. Water Withdrawals and Waste Disposal 7. Development Controls 8. Recreation

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163

South Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives.
A. Maj or Issues and Pr obl ems Facin g the Area
Al though t he Sout h Georg i a ar ea i s pred ominately r ural. more industries have begun to move i nt o the area. and t he agricultural economic base is s low l ~ becomin g "mor e indust riall y oriented. Thi s transition i s causin g bo t h gr owth and t he loss of pri me f arml and throughout th e ar ea . Local and sta te off i cial s must begin t o cont r ol and direct t his gr owt h.
This lac k of planned . or directed . growth has in some ways hinde red industrial solicitation by the various industrial authorit ies and chambers of commer ce . What lands are available ? What amenities do these parcels have to of f er? What is the planned expansion of mun ici pal servi ces or ser vi ce areas? These questions and others need to be answered pr i or to so li ci t ati on. If s uccess ful i ndus tri al sol icitation i s to occur . an organiz ed approac h i s necessa ry.
As we se e a des ire to increase i nd us t ri aliz ation. there is al so a desire to expand and/ or intensi fy our agricultural production potential. By def in it i on. these two interests are not compl ementary; however . both i nt erest s are necessary to advance the economic prosperity of South Georg i a. A methodology for doing so must be developed before an excessi ve amount of prime farmland is lost to "progress."
In mos t stu di es of this t ype. the pr obl ems of the maj or i t y of the popu l ati on are cons i der ed most important. However . one pr obl em exi sts i n t he wh ole sout hern por ti on of the s t ate th at does not affect th e maj ority of th e r esident s . The pro bl em t hat must be considered i s one of rural hea l t h care. The extent of the problem was detai le d in depth under th e category of Healt h. Education. and Addit i onal Fa ctors. In ~ummary, t he mai n problem is one of providing primary health care to t he medica l ly indigent res idents of the outlying rural areas.
Anot her or obl em that needs attention is the l ack of cultural progr ams or ient ed to ward the genera l popula ce r ather than to wa rd a l i mited group. Cit i zen groups are wo r ki ng t owar d t hi s end , bu t assi s t ance i s needed from sta t e and re gi onal agencies. It i s in t eresting t o note th at a recent report f r om a nat i onal comm i tte e as s i gned t o re view requi re ments fo r s t udent s i nt er es t ed i n atten di ng colleg e cl as s i f ied th e per f ormi nq art s as one of t he s i x s tu dy di scip l i nes r equired for coll ege- bound st udent s .
The Sout h Georg i a area f aces sever al pr oblems caused by the area' s gr owt h: t wo of t hese probl ems are the avai l abi l i t y of wat er and the
165

disposal of wat er and sewage effluent. Although most people think that South Geor gi a has more water than it can ever use, recent studies rebut this opi ni on. Excessive drawdowns in the South Georgi a area are beginni ng to affect both the quantity and the quality of the water. Another problem which needs attention is the disposal of wastes and sewage effluent. Area officials need to investigate different means of was te disposal and toresolve the conflict over the use of its prime farmland.
When considering development, and control thereof, another problem arises. As stated in Section II, traditional zoning regulations are not easily adapted to rural areas. These zoning regulations were originally developed for urban areas and have been revised and applied to rural situations. The result has been less than acceptable and local officials need to come up with a better system.
Some local planners and officials believe that one of the area 's major deficits is the lack of a recreational lake facility. Perhaps in the f ut ure , the APDC and intere sted local citizens s houl d investigate the feasibi lity of this facility.
B. Alter nat i ves for Action
In part A, the major problems and issues were summarized f r om Sections ! and II of the pro file. Part B will offer suggestions that can assist in dealing with the problems presented. As noted, problems not related to the depressed economy are few in number, but will be difficult to solve.
The f i r s t problem is coord inati on of i ndus t r i a l solicitation. Those agencies promoting industrial development Vlil l need technical assistance i ncl udi ng documentation of exis tin g f aci l i t i es , planned expansion and areas well suited to i ndus t r i al develo pment . The APDC, the Deoartment of Community Af fairs, or t he Land I nformat i on Center at Georgia Tech could provide such assistance. Local governments have generated much discussion about the subject of agricultural production and its future potential in the South Georgia region. As stated in Section I, a major project funded by the Economic Development Administration was initiated in the f all of 1932. Thi s study, Ag Alley, wi l I address many of the problems. Ag Al ley will id ent i fy the maj or problems, but due to limi t ed funds, solutions may not be of fered. For the study to reach its fu l l impact, the pr oj ect should be exten ded and ref unded. If this is done , assistance from the Depar tment of Commun ity Affairs and the Land Inf ormat i on Center and Economic Resear ch Laboratory at Geor gia Tech would complete the Ag Al l ey study, maki ng it a valuable asset t o the economy of the southern portion of t he state.
The prob Iem of servi ng ' the res i dents of rur a I areas wi th primary health care is not a new one. The South Georgia Heal t h Ser vi ce Agency has addr es sed the problem at l eng t h in a recent r epor t . In th at document t he concept of nurse prac t i t i oners was di scus sed. The AP DC staff fee ls thi s concept needs cont i nu ed support from al l healt h agenci es . The staff bel i eves that t he Heal t h Serv i ce Ag ency should giv e cont i nued
166

consideration to developing other methods for extending primary health care, whether by offering incenti ves to physicians with indenendent practices, through "circuit-riding" non-physician rractitioners~orpossibly some means not yet developed.
The educational facilities in the area have the capability of offering the cultural programs needed . Funding should be made available to the colleges to allow a diverse array of programs. In addition, funds are needed to assist in the promotion and advertising of the functions offered. Fine arts programs at the high school level are in immediate need of expansion. The local boards of education should create more opportunities for students to receive some exposure to these disciplines. Again, funding from the state will likely be required to initiate such a change.
As stated in Section I, the excessive use of groundwater for irrigation and industrial pur ooses is beginning to have negative effects on the quantity and quality of water in the artesian aquifer . Rainfall does not provide the natural recharge for these areas as once thought. Pol i ci es must be established that would improve our management of aquifer drawdown and stornMater runoff. One approach to lessen the impact of irrigation drawdown would be to expand the use of surface water impoundments as a source for irrigation water. Such impoundments are easily recharged by normal rainfall.
A study needs to be initiated to investigate the potential of a multi- modal transportation terminal in Tifton. With availability of rail service, air service and major highway access, the potential for a transportation terminal that could serve as a transfer point would be very good. A facility of this type \vould provide a boost to the economy of not only Tifton but the entire South Georgia area.
The development of a land development control suitable for rural ar eas is a maj or concern which was previously discussed. The APDC staff has initiated studies but has been unsuccessful in developing a parcel comparison analysis. The staff is now investigating methodology used in other parts of the country in hopes that other procedures will be useful in delineating a new system within South Georgia. The APDC anticipates that through assistance from the Department of Community Affairs, such a contrOl can be developed for use throughout the rural portions of the state.
The id ea of a water impoundment in the Val dos t a/ Lowndes County ar ea has been discussed numerous times within this pr of i l e . This area has the pot ent i a l f or a large amount of growth in both industri al and re t i rement communi t y aspects. One item that would pr ovi de i mpetus f or t hi s ty pe of gr owt h would be a publ i c recreat ion area deve l oped on a l ar ge water impoundment area. A study investigating the feasibility of such a project needs to be initi ated. Such study would mos t l i ke ly be llnder t aken at the stJte level with assistance from the l ocal A? QC.

Southeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Major Issues: 1. Inadequate Surface Transportation Network 2. Inadequate Recreation Facilities 3. Lack of Scheduled Commercial Air Service 4. Employment 5. Labor Force Drain 6. High Unemployment 7. Inadequate Public Facilities 8. Inadequate Public Policies Regarding Growth and Development 9. Solid Waste Disposal
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169

Southeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission Issues and Alternatives

A. MaJ'or I s sue s and Problems Fa c i ng the Area
The wa j or issues and problems which affect economic, community and physical development of Southeast Georgia are s imil ar to the major factor s a ffecting area
growth. The major issues and problems are :

1.

An inadequate surfac e transportation network to include no multi-lane

highway connectors to the Interstate Hi ghway Sy stem . The surface transpor-

tation network o f the area is c harac terized by na r r ow, often poorly maintained

r oad s. These s ituati ons prevent the s a f e ye t speedy rroverrent of persons ,

goods and services between variou s dest i nations of the area . The lack of

acce ss to the Interstate Hi ghway System g r ea t ly dimini shes t he attracti on of

the area a s a site for potential industry.

The four laning of various s egment s of U. S. 82/84, known a s "Corridor Z, II wi.Ll, p r ovide a v ital east- west transportation link between U. S . I nterstates 75 and 95 . The e nt i r e route i s not expected to be carpleted for seve r a l more ye ars . Unt i l the entire route i s complete , the lack of a multi -laned transpo rtation l i nk between the interstates remains a probl em.

2.

The l ac k o f broadwater recreation facilitie s . There is no publicly-

owned br oadwat er lake of 500 acres or rrore within the r egion . The lac k. of a

publi cly-owned broadwater recreation facility diminishes the attractiveness of

-the a rea because of the importance o f water-based recreation i n today's

culture . Efforts have been made ' to cc:mplete the construction o f a 1 ,400

a cre br oa dwa t e r l ake in the Hurricane Creek Basin within Alma. Opponent s

o f G~e construction have s l owed construc tion of the project on t he basis of

e nv i.ronrrerrtal and other concerns.

Ccmol e t i.on of the l ake wou l d not only p rovide broadwater recreation o?portQ~i tie s , but also stimula t e the economy of the area .

I~ add i t i o n to the lack o f publ i c broadv2 ter recreation oppo r t uni t i e s ,
0: ~Jny t he publ i c r ecr e a t i o n fac i lit i e s a re i nadequa t e . Park s , pl ayg r ound s ,
~ ~~e t ic f ields , and o ther r ecrea t i on f a c i l i t ies o f the reqion are in need
0: :urt~er development , additional equi~~nt o r o ther improvements.

;.

: :-:e La c k o f s c heduled comne r cial a i r s e rv i c e . The Sou t he a s t Geor g i a

i ~03. :-..::l S oee n wi.t.hou t; schedul ed a i r se.r..y i ce fo r five yea r s . The l a ck o f

t :-.i s serv i.c e make s i t d iff i cult for area bu s i.ne s smen to solve the t.rave L

.ic eds r e cu i .red by today' s bu s i ne s s e nvironme nt .

~~e \':a'lc r o s s \<Ja r e COunt y Ai rpor r, i s equipped to hand l e corrmerc i.a L , i ~ l. i :-.e s e rv i c e . The r ece nt wi thdrawa l i n [-lay , 19 8 3 of a previousl y a p : :~:-)':c:: : ':" : i l Ae r o na u t i.c s Boa r d rate subsi.d v e nd s a mu l ti - vear st.ruc o Le ; ':. : ir e ;) o f f i.c i.a.Ls to r e ins ta t e scheduled a i r service into' \'',a yc r o s s -~nd

171

Southeast Georgia . Efforts were made to identify and select a carrier to prov i.de dai ly r ound trip service tetween At l anta and wayc rcs s . Several carriers e.xpr e s sed a n interest in providing the services; howeve r , no contractual agr~~t to provi de the s ervice \VclS ever reached .

4.

The employment rose o f the area is composed principally of Low-oay.inq

jobs i n ag r i cul t ure , fo restry and manufacturing. There are very few em-

plo yer s , e i t.her; in rnanu f a c t uri.nq or in service industries , \0100 pay waqe s or

salaries equa l to the national average. This is reflected in the area I s

lag behi.nd the state and nation in median fami l y income s , per capita i n -

comes , and average weekL y earnings .

Emplol~ent oppor t uniti e s fo r persons possessing high-technology skills are ext.rerre I y Limi.t.ed in the area.

5.

Despite the modest ga i ns in population duri ng the 1970 -1980 dec ade ,

!C1aI1V o f the brightest and best educated youn g peop l e c ontinue to l eave the

area to s eek emplo~~ent because o f inadequate 8T~loyment oppor t uni t i e s in

Southeast Georg ia . ~any o f t.he s kills a t t a i ned by you ng peopl.e i n t h e area

car~ot be uti l i zed i n t.~e a rea because o f an i nad equa t e n~ber of j o bs in

mi.ddl.e and upper management; the lack of an adequat e number o f j obs in high-

t echno logy industries; and G1Ie problems of inad~~ate cultural, recreational,

and other oppor tuni tie s . The l ack of these oppor t un i t i e s make s metropolitan

and o the r better developed areas ITOre a t tra c tive t o young , we l L-educat.ed

persons of the area .

6.

High unemployment . Southeast Gorg i a has had the highe s t unempIoyment;

r a te of any are a in t.~e state f o r t.~e pas t twelve months As shown in C~rgia

Department o f Labor employment / unemp loyITe n t da ta , unemplo~ment in some counties

of t he area has rea ched a s hi g h a s 16 %. The area ' s annual ave r aqe has con-

tinuously exceeded the state I s average . Thi s ind icates that employment op-

po r t uni t i.es are no t being cre ated a s Ta s t; a s t he labo r f o r c e i s qr owi.nq and

triat; errp.loyrnent; i s generally in .i.ndust.ry g r oup s whi.ch a re part i.cuI ar Lv sus -

ceptible t o downturns in the economy .

Othe r issues and ? roblems of t.~e a rea , t rDugh not a s !T'a j o r a s t.~ose d i s cussed above, a re ment ioned te lo~" , The solutions t o t.~ese proble.~ and issues, both ;.ajor and o ther wi s e , may ser ve to Lowe r the n i qh unernp Iovme nt; rates and pr o vi de an over all tetter quality o f life f or c i t i ze ns o f Sout.heas t; Georg i a .
? irst , t.~ere are inad equate publ i c l y provided fac ilities t o sti.~u late g r o\Vth and deve l o prrent.. Limited rruni.c ipe L and county bud ge t s have t.enc ed to mirurni.ze wat.er 3.:U sewe r l i ne ex tens i ons ; pr ovide adecuat;e and rrocern public building s ; a nd provide o the r s i gni f i c 3.nt faciliti e s neces sar! t o a t~act i ndu s trv o r accc~
rroda t.e c-r owth and deve Loc-rren t. .
Seco nd , there a r e inadequa te publ ic po.Li.ci .es r eqard i nq g r a .v'th and de ve lopme n t . ~Bnv po l ic"~ers are ~~Hilling to purs ue o r adop t a gg re s s ive ool i c ies de s i.cned t o s ti.rnulate de s i r abl e o r re~la te l:,nde sirable o r owth and deve lorrnent . ~an,! o f t he avai l able c on t.ro.ls are i C;-'DOred by local po l i.cvmakers bec a use of po tentia l po l i tical un po ou La r i, tv , Othe r pub l i.c po I i.c i.c s wh .i.c h rrav serve to s r.imu l a t e e c onomi c ga i n s are oft e n a vo ided because of the fear o f having to raise ~~es .

? i nal ly , s o l i d was t.e d i s po s a l i s a no t he r prob l em area o f t he r eo i on , The Southeas t Ceor c i.a f\ r e a,.vi.de Solid ;':aste 'l'inacerre nt Pl an : 1980-8 S , i d8nt i fi e s t.he need :"or relocating s evera l sani ta ry l and f i lls by 1985. There is a cont i nu i.n

172

need to r eplace aging collection and d i sposal equipment by many units of local
. gover nme nt . .Sources o~ fundin~ t o continue the sa f e and sanitary d i s posa l of
solid waste In the r eglon contlnues to be a great concern of local offic i a l s .
B. Alternati ves For Act i on

Alternatives for ac tion are many . ~lic offic i als and priva te leaders ca n accept the status 0Uo and permit the ar ea to continue to drift as it has for several decade s or they can come t ogether in a united e f f or t to correct tte problems which beset the area .. .~y such effort ,vauld require signif icant assi stance f r om both the state and f ede r al gove rnme nt s . Some suggested alternatives
include :

1.

Major federal and state investments in the pr imary highway network of

Southeast Georgia are needed t o solve the pr oblem of inadequate surface

transportation. Since the Interstate Highway Ne t ,var k of t he State is

largely complete, a diver s ion of or the direct programming of funds to

expand and improve the primary road system of the area would pranote pos i t i ve

growth .

A positi ve way of stimulating area gr o,vth through transportation l nltiatives is to program available federal dollars through the COT to ccrnpl e t e the constructi on of all segments of "Corridor Z" . I f federal sources are not available, state priority should be gi ven to f und all segments of the cor r i dor .

Anothe r a l t er na tive f or ac t ion i s t o i ni tia t e pl an s t o f our-lane as many links as possible to and f rom "Corridor Z. " Possibilities might include the four-laning o f U. S . 1 south between the Okefenokee Sw~ Park entrance (a t Wayc r os s ) and Folkston; U. S. 44l south between COuglas and fearson ; U. S . 441 south be tween Pearso n and Homerville; U.S . l south beween Alma and Wa ycros s ; and U. S. 301 north f rom Folks ton to Nahunta t o other connecting points beyond .

In some instances , local gove rnment s and i nterested organiza t i ons have already undertaken effor t s to encourage the support of f our- l aning the connecting r out e s to "Corridor Z. " Charlton County officials have sponsored a resolution endorsing the fo ur- l ani ng of U. S . 1 south between \vayc r os s and Folks t on . Coffee Count y of ficials have sponsored a r esolution e ndor s ing the four- l an i ng of U. S . 441 south between COuglas and Pear son . Ot he r loca l i ni t i a t i ve s such a s t.rose o f the \vayc ros s \va r e County Transportation Planni ng Coor d i nating Caumi t tee (TPCC) are de s i gned t o i dentif y a nd address l oca l transpor tation problems re lated t o phys i ca l gr owth and deve l opment .

To addre s s the needs of mainta i ning the cransport a t.ion ne twork of the a r ea , the Loca l As s i sta~ce Re sur f a c i ng P rogra~ (h;RP ) a nd Local As s i s tance Br idoe s (LAB) programs of the Depa r tT.:en t of Tr a ns pJrtati on (COT) s hou ld be co nt inued a t a higher f und i ng l evel. Thes e progr ams will continue to ~elp l ocal qove rn"TIent s meet the spiralling costs o f r oad , s tree t , a nd bridge
mai.n t.enance .

'~he con t inuat i on o f state :unds tbrough the Depar~ent o f Transportar. i on to s UPFOr t l ocal transpor ta t i on p l.anni.no wher'e nece s sa ry ma y be a mean s
0: e nsuri ng or de r l y transportation a r o'Nth pa t t e r ns .

173

2.

To complete the need o f e stablishing a public broad\~ter f a cility

in the a r e a , there shou l d be a retenti on o f federa l and Departme nt o f -

~atural Re s ources fi nancial support f o r compl etion o f the Lake Alma proj e c t . An a l t ernat ive for acti~n to improve overall r ecr e ati onal oppor -

tunities a nd f a c ilit ies within the area is to r e tai n or expand the Land

and Wa t e r Conserva t ion Fund Program o f Georg i a. The al location o f funds

under this program should be i nc r ea s ed so that f und s are ccmpetitively

available for more applicants.

3.

An al ternative f or a c t i o n to r e instate scheduled commer cia l a i r

service into the r egion is to request that the Governor , the ror and o ther

agenci es of the state ut i lize thei r r e s ources to wor k wi th the feder al

gov ernment to i dentif y a pos sible s o lution to t hi s maj o r problem .

The ~vaycros s-Ware County airport is equipped to handle c ommercia l aircraft; a carrier must s.irnpl.y be f ound to provide the s ervice.

The Southeast Georgia APCC conducted a market survey i n 19 78 to d e termine t he publ ic , commercial, and i ndus tria l de~and fo r air service between ~vaycros s and At l anta . The survey r e vealed t.hat; t.here was a dernand for a round- trip dai l y fl i ght between the t \lO de s tina t ions . Thi s study was u sed as a bas is f o r s hap ing a propos al used by the Civil p..erona ut i c s Board to market the service under t.he car ter Adrni ni s tra t i o n I s Rura l Init iati ves Program f o r s ubs i d ized service t o t he \'2 yc r o s s a r e a . The subsidy ~s dec l i ned in ~BY , 198 3 , after several unsucces sful atte.~ts we r e made to a t tract a carrier.

Local o f f i c i a l s are co nt i nui na to explore o the r me ans o f r e e s t ablishing scheduled air service in the a r e a . No v i a b l e al te~n tive s are known othe r L~ c ontinu ing to sell G~e f a c t that the d~and for air servic e within L~e region co nti nues to e xis t .

4.

An a lte rnati ve a c tion to ass is t the area in ir.~rov ing its ove r a l l

low-\~ge base i s t o reques t additi onal help f rom s ta t e and o the r a gencie s

i n loc a t ing high waqe and high t echnology industries in t he area. The

Georg ia Department of Industry and Trade shoul d continue a nd i ncrease

its role in assistina the area in landinq the hich "aae and t echnoloqv industries. The are';' i s prepared in h~ and n';'turai resources to r~

ceive the high wage , hi gh technology i ndu s trie s . The continuance o f

state and federa l proqrams such a s the Corrmuni t y Deve l oprent; Block Grant ,

the Ur ban Development Ac t ion Grant, the Emerg e nc } Gr a n t s fo r ~\a ter and

Sewer System r epairs , and the Eco nomic Developnent c rant; proaram through

the Department of Na t ura l Resources , are all des irable and needed a I t.e r>

natives to a s sis t the area in attractina the i.ndust.r-; a s ','e ll a s rna i ri-

taini ng a s afe and high quali t y of life i n the area .

5.

.~terna tive act ion to r~tain the brightest and bes t educ a t ed young

people i n the area is to ef fec t i ve ly L~lerrnt the sucges tion de s c ribed

i n 4. a bove . The location o f hiaher payi ng , hiq h t echnoloqy jobs in the

area wouId f ill a vo i d whi.ch now e x i s t s . Adequa t;e :;...-...:1l:::ers o f j o bs i n

middle and uppe r rra nacement; wou l.d incr ease in t he area a s a d i r ect o r

indirect res u l t o f l ocat i ng the hiaher paying j o bs i n e-.e r eo i on ,

There s hou l d cont inue to be state and f ede r a l procr ams de s igned t o imp rove educ a t iona l , cultural , recreatio na l , and o tb,e r L~rtant o ppo r tuniti es ne cessary t o retain the ta Lerrt ed youno of t he area .
174

6.

An a lternative action t o r educe unemployment i s t o develop public-

private partner s hi ps wi t hi n the region t o create and retain j obs . The

many f edera l programs presentl y in place for ~is purpose mus t be ut i l i zed

to the fullest ext.ent.. The Southeast Geor gia Development Corporati on,

l oca l chambers of commerce and developmen t author i t ies , units of loca l

governme nt , pri vate lending i ns ti tutions , and other publi c ag encies and

pr iva t e busine s ses must \vor k t ogether t o fo s t er the creat ion and re-

tention of meani ngful jobs . Prog rams such a s those o f f er ed under the

Jobs Trai ning Par tners hip Ac t. , t he Ur ban Developnent Ac t i on Gr a nt , Ccm-

munity Development Block Gran t s , the Small Bus i ne s s Admini s trat ion ' s

Lending Program, the International Trade Admini s tra t i on , the Economic

Development Admini strat ion , and ot her s mus t be used to capitalize

projects and tra in persons to wor k in meaningful jobs in t he area.

Alternati ves t o address other issues and proble~ such a s so l id wa s te collection and d i s posa l are t o urge the continuance of resource conservation and recovery programs through the Department; of :':a t ura l Re sources (O\'R) . This program s hou l d receive mor e emphas i s because alternati ves to sani~T land fill i ng, e spec ially i n areas wi.t.h Low- Lvi.nq ter rai ns s irni.Lar to Southea s t
Geor sia, mus t be used. Al so , the cont i nua t ion of D~""R ' s mat.chi.nc proqrarn t o help loca l gove~ments upgrade , r eloca t e and de sign s anitar)' landf ills sho uld be corrt i nued, Addi t i onally , the state progr am shoul d i ncrease i t s fundi.nq to assist i n the r eplacement of collec t ion ve hi c l e s and d .is posa L ecui.pre nt. .

A p8ssible alternative f or action t o improve t he level and qua lity of policy f ormat ion t o p r orrot.e or de r ed qr owth and deve Ioprent; i s t hroug h educa ticn . Increas ed fund i ng to L~e Uni vers i ty System of Geor gia or t o o the r tra i ning acenc i.e s for the purpose of providi ng educa t iona l proqrams in the area s of La nd use co ntrols , the f ormation of local development companies , a~d o ther tra ining should be pr ovided . It should be of f er ed at va r ious pl.aces throughou t the state, at no co s t t o pub lic offi c ial s , so that the gr eatest nUMber s o f persons can be reac hed .

Luproved knowledge of publ ic p8li cy fo~a tions by local officia l s shoul d s timulate the ki nd of ordered gr owth needed t o .irnprove t.he basi.c qualit y of life .

.i\ unifi ed and concerted eff or t by the public and pr ivat e leadership to iroprove the deve l opmen t o f the a rea wou.ld ul t irrat.e.lv he lp Irnprove the cua l i t y of l ife o f Sout.~east Geor g i a . Feder al and sta t e finar.cial a s s i s tance i s a lso needed to suppor t l ocal efforts .

175

Southwest Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission
Issues and Alternatives
There are lit~rally hundreds o f issues that f a c e development groups, governments and citizens of the Southwest Georgia Area. Many of these issues are created by National Policy over which the average person in the area feels they have little control . Some problems facing Southwest Georgia are created by a national move to alleviate a problem in another area without recogni zing that this policy, in turn, cre ates another problem which may at some time, demand national attention.
Other issues such as housing have man y possible solutions. However, some of these solutions would require such extensive resources that no one governmental agency could clear up the entire problem. For instance, in the ca s e of housing, it is the perception of the people in the Southwest Georgia Ar e a that the State of Georgia is doing about all it can possibly do to ass ist i n t he provision of standard housing to the citizens of the State.
Seven (7) issues or subject areas have been selected for treatment here. the presentation of previous data and their analyses leads to the natural selection of several of these subjects. In addition, a survey of APDC Board me mb e r s , sta ff, local government officials, local government administrators and executives in development groups have also contributed to the selection o f t hese issues and to the suggestion of certain alternatives.
(A) MAJOR ISSUES fu~ D PROBLE~ffi FACI NG THE AREA
BALANCED QUALITY GROWTH - it is the contention of the people in the a r e a and a review o f the d ev e l o pme n t trends as displayed in population and eco n omi c data, that each communit y in Southwest Ge o r gi a has its p lace in the social and economic life of the area. Thus, each should receive its share of attention and assistance in assisting it to function as the people i t 3 t t emp t s to serve needs it to. It is the perception of many that the s Qal l e r communities, due to the smaller number of votes and due to the lack of ~ i ~hly vo c a l and visible leadership is shortchanged even in the fairly simple tec hnica l an d f i n a n c i a l assistance t hat may be rendered b y hi gher levels of ~ c ve ~~en t an d by decisions t hat rather callously disregard impact that ~ecisi ons relat ing t o larger jurisdi ctions and areas of higher population ~ 2 n c e n t r a t i Q n s ma y have on the citi z en wh o has chosen or who has no other ,:::o i c e b u t t o continue to reside i n the smaller con:muni ties or rural areas ~~ t ~ hi le d oing so, c on t rib u t e s his fair share to the welfare of other 2 : t : ~ ~ n s i n th e State . It is t he content i on o f the APDC and many local citizens : :--.:It cve ry c i t i z e n of t he State s hou ld have access to all services and amenities : 2 r ~hi ch t he S t a t e a n d Fe d e ra l g ove r nme n t has any in fleuence with on an - " ~ : l :l l ~ :q e n d i t u r e o f mo n ey , ti me and effort in their a c q u i s i t i on .
> ,., : :i;: r e d i e :l t t h a t is Lac k i n g now i n bein g able to provide this balance
: :: : :: <2 r;ua l i t v o r l i f e to a ll the citizens of t h e a r ea is the coordination .,r: J ,:co ;l e ::- 3 t i o n or 311 le v el s o f go ve rn men t a nd all a gencies within go v e r n ::.c;:l [ : 0 s e e :::0 i t th a t t h ese go a l s a r e me t .
179

EDUCATION - One of the major concerns of practically every citizens of the area is the broad subject of education. This concern ranges all the way from concern for kindergardens through senior college. Quality of education at all levels is a subject with which area citizens and leaders are completely frustrated. A number of responses to the survey indicated that while vocational technical schools and their programs have been leaders in the past. they are now behind times. to a great extent. due to lack of leadership at the State level. One item that is associated with education that continually is brought to the forefront is the accountability of teachers and college instructors. On top of all of this concern. practically everyone adds that funding for education. be it at its present performance level or at some higher quality level. can not be continued to be based in the property tax.
PLANNING - No matter which of the issues enumerated here or others that might learn from previous discussions in this profile or other that have been brought up in the aforementioned survey. a logical conclusion in each is that there is a need for vastly expanded planning activities. The balanced quality of growth subject and each of the others contained here might have been already addressed by action programs had there been adequate planning staff to identify the problems. the magnitude of the problems, to enunciate alternatives and development strategies for the implementation of the alternatives.
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ~~D SUPPORT - In a basically agricultural area, one would assume that there is little need for additional development efforts and practically no need for support of the agriculture complex by additional government actions. However. it is the conclusion of many who study the matter that a number of very good pro grams for these purposes are and have been in effect for years. For instance. it i s unlikely that the one complete complex that Southwest Georgia now has, i.e .. the peanut industry, would be making its contribution to the econorric we l l being of the area and to the nutritional needs of the country and the ~orld had it not been f o r the large number of scientists, marketin g specialists, an d tec hnical peop le who have worked for 40 or 50 years to develop the system as we now kL,ow it. However, it is also the perception of many in the area t hat these pro grams are not coordinated so as to achieve maxicurn benefit . It i s t heir perception that alternative products should be i dentified a n d that ~ore Lec hnical assistance should be rendered to not only the f arcer but t he entir e s upp or Ling agri-bustness complex. (This is another sub ject that relates to t ~e discussion of the extent and quality of the p.ducational community in t he area. )
In addition to the constant accelerated app l ication o f the s c i en c e s and t echnical skills to agriculture and agri-business. govern mental act i cns t o ? r~ ~e c t agriculture in such ma t t e r s a s fa ~ l and c o nv e r sio n , wat er ~ esource p~ot e c t i on. and governmental re gulations a r e probl ems that need addressin g.
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T~~~SPORTATION - w~ile i t is noted in othe~ sections of this profile the area has generally good roads, every governmental entity and development group insists that a continued policy toward the implementation of certain identified transportation project improvements particularly with regard to the 4-laning of a number of the major arterials and some attention to inproved transportation facilities in the western part of the area is an issue that can not be forgotten.
NATU~~ RESOURCE PROTECTION - The real issue here is that the people of the area and statistical analyses will show that there is a need for natural resource protection with common sense regulations. A rural area such as Southwest Georgia is populated with people who are highly sensitive to the earth, water, air, and the vegetation and wild life that land can provide habitats for. At the same time, practically every citizen wants the area to grow, in the sense that they want job opportunities for the young people so that they may retain their domicile in the area so that they ~y continue to enjoy the natural amenities which exist. Their one great f e a r , however, is that excessive zeal on the part of law ~akers and regulators will serve to preclude ~he verJ things they are concerned about -- the enjoyment of the natural environment while at the same tiwe, utilizing these
same gifts judiciously :0 provide a livelihood so that the opportunities for
enjoyment will continue to exist.
Of all the natural resources that might be addressed, the one of ma j o r concern is water. With regard to this resource, there are conflicting fears, both of which way be held by the same individuals. Those fears are that we ~ay not be taking adequate action to protect both our surface water streams and our un d e r g r o un d water supply but at the same ti~e, th~re is a fear that action we may take to provide protection may be excessive to the extent that it can not contribute to t he continued development of our cities, our expansion o f our industry, and t he con t i n ue d high productivity of our agricultural community.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOP~~~T - This too, is a broad subject as may be g l e a n e d from the previous data and it has been gleaned by the APDC in its survey. One facet of this concern deals with a perception that Southwest Georgia is not a d e q ua t e ly promoted at the State l e v e l , even thou gh the APDC and the Southwest Georgia Chamber Council and the individual development g r o ups have mo un l e d a nu=ber o f acti vities and pro gra~s to convince State level development agencies that Southwest Ge o r g i a is worthy of be in g pro~o t e d to industrial prospects who come into the State. The second concern is Lhat if the State level a g e n c i e s do believe that they are pro:noting and showing So u t hwe s t Georgia and its c o ~~unities. at l e a s t th ose they perceive as bein g " quali fi ed", the n urabe r o f p r o s p e c t s b e ing b r o ugh t into the State is indicati ve o f the fact that State d evelopm e n t a gencies need to assume s ome responsibility for assisting local and a r e a g r o ups i n activ ities t hat will enhance the "i.::lage" and thus, .:l llow :::o r e s pe c i f i c :lnd deliber3.te efforts to gu id e industrial prospects to....a r d the area and its communities. A third facet
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, of the concern for industrial development deals with the vocational technical school programs as has been mentioned above. A fourth facet involves the ability of local governments to support industrial development with such things as roads, streets, sewage and water. The matter is especially critical with regard to the lead time for obtaining financial assistance, and installing the facilities to meet a prospects own business time table.
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B. ALTERNATIVES FOR ACTION
The following are a few alternatives that might be used to address the issues enumerated above.
Balanced Quality Growth
The Quality Growth Commission should deliberately address the needs of rural areas and smaller communities. Its research and suggested actions should specifically address an equitable access to a common quality of life by all citizens.
State Agencies should specifically review their programs and actions to assure that no one segment of the population or area of the State, no matter how smal l, is written off or is forced to exert undue effort to acquire services or assistance not required elsewhere.
More funding for planning organizations could help meet this goal.
Th e APDC, l o ca l planning commissions, local governments and de velopment groups need to con t i nue to subscribe to the use of the Urban Place Theory as a guide to investment decisions.
Educat ion
The present recent attention to quality and especially the upgrading of vo ca tiona l training must not be slackened. Some form of teacher evaluation needs to be instituted by the State.
Equi t abl e funding, regardless of the local tax base must be found. A supple~en t t o the property tax base is essential.
?l anning
::c -::e fundi ng i s n e e d e d for local and area planning organizations so that they can cont rib ut e to the orderly development of the State at the rate they are c:lpable of.
A ce lib e ra t e e ffort on the part of the APDC and local planning commissions is ~ee ued t o ? rovid e ~o r e f avo rable conditions f o r the establishment of housing ~ ~d ? -::o? e r lo ca ti on f o r i n dus t ry .

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18 3

Transportation The major action needed is the completion of proposed projects. In addition Georgia Department of Transportation and the Area Planrting Commission needs to more thoroughly study needed transportation ioprovements in the western counties. Continued efforts should be exerted to somehow obtain engineering advisory services for those counties not now served so that local road maintenance could be more efficient and effective. Natural Resources Protection Xore research, such as a Statewide Water Resources Study must be done before regulations on groundwater use are promulgated. Adequate but not overzealous regulations and the administration thereof should be based on practical assessment of that broad research. The APDC s hould continue to monitor the research and be prepared to be a party to any needed educational effort. Industrial Development The State-level development agenc~es need to promote the area. If not qualified, then pro grams to assist local and area organizations to upgrade the area and its communities must be initiated. State agencies with the access of =odern communications could well help by deliberately establishing more of their administrative, warehousing and service operations in the smaller towns. The State could use its influence to also encourage Federal Agencies to do likewise. Such action could not only contribute to the develop~ent of Southwest Georgia but also decrease the demands for governmental invest=ent in such things as a never-ending demand for highway and other i~rovements in Georgia's metropolitan areas. The use of Ag Alley, Inc. in conjunction with the APDC could be a move to improve areawiJe, coordinated efforts in industrial and economic development.
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