Coweta County opens public process to update comprehensive plan through 2046

Coweta County opened a public hearing and formal kickoff for an update of its comprehensive plan on a 20-year planning period covering 2026–2046, county planning staff said. The board heard a presentation on the purpose, schedule and opportunities for public involvement and closed the hearing after no members of the public signed up to speak on the item.

Teresa Crow, Coweta County development and planning manager, told the Board of Commissioners the comprehensive plan is a policy guide — not a zoning ordinance — that will inform future rezoning requests, infrastructure investments and other county programs. “This will result in a policy document to guide future decision making,” Crow said, and noted the update follows the Georgia Department of Community Affairs minimum planning standards.

Crow reviewed required components the county must address, including a vision statement and goals review, a needs-and-opportunities analysis for parks, housing and employment, a five-year community work program, a future land use element, a transportation element and a broadband element. She said the county will also reexamine a previously prepared growth strategy map intended to preserve rural character and concentrate growth near existing infrastructure.

Crow outlined an 18-to-24-month timeline. Key steps include ambassador outreach, stakeholder interviews, five district public meetings in April–May, a draft public review in the fall, regional review in early 2026, and formal adoption by Oct. 31, 2026, to maintain the county’s qualified local government status for funding eligibility. Crow said the initial online survey and mapping exercise are scheduled to launch the morning after the meeting at cowetaplans.com and noted staff will use community ambassadors and partner interviews to broaden outreach.

The board confirmed the public hearing closed after staff reported no signed speakers for the item. Commissioners encouraged residents to review the existing plan and participate in district meetings and online input; the board established a steering committee at its Jan. 23 meeting to guide staff and review citizen input during drafting.

The presentation also included practical details: staff said the steering committee will include elected officials, citizen appointees from each district, an economic development professional and county infrastructure officials; the initial online survey is expected to run through early May; and public meetings will be held in each of the county’s five commission districts starting April 17.