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Tide still out on coastal plan
jp comp plan
Richmond Hill planning and zoning chief Steve Scholar (left) talks with Vernon Martin with the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center. - photo by Photo by Joe Parker, Jr.
Although last week's Midway session was billed as the last meeting of the last round of public input sessions on the Coastal Comprehensive Master Development Plan, project chief Adriane Wood emphasized that the plan is far from completed.
"It is not static, it is changing all the time. The plan is being tweaked daily." Although a handout labeled as a draft was distributed and is available on line, Wood called it a "draft draft. There will never be a final document; it grows as the coast grows."
At Thursday's meeting, Coastal Georgia's pre-eminent planner for more than three decades, Vernon Martin, retiring executive director of the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center, called for a show of hands from those who support the Coastal Plan.
When almost all hands went up, Martin said, "I strongly urge every one of you to let your officials know how you feel." He cautioned, "There is opposition to this in the General Assembly."
A 34-member Coastal Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee with 31 residents from Liberty, Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, and McIntosh counties and three members from outside the state's six-county coastal region, has worked with DCA staff and experts to study tourism, economic development and environmental management, housing and transportation issues affecting Georgia's coastal area as it worked to develop the draft plan.
In a survey that was part of the preparation of the plan, most respondents indicated that they preferred the Georgia coast to remain rural and undeveloped.
Liberty Commission Chairman John McIver and Midway Mayor Don Emmons, committee members, were among those attending the Midway meeting.
Public comments will be received until Feb. 15.
A copy of the plan is available on DCA's website, www.dca.state.ga.us/development/PlanningQualityGrowth/programs/coastalplan.asp and comments may be submitted by email to coastalplan@dca.state.ga.us, mailed to Wood, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, P.O. Box 870, Macon, GA  31202 or faxed to (478) 751-3100.
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