Elbert County launches 11‑month comprehensive plan update, steering committee named

Elbert County officials and their consultants opened the comprehensive‑plan steering committee’s first meeting by describing an 11‑month schedule, a public engagement program centered on an online survey and a framework that will produce an advisory policy document rather than new regulations.

Consultant Blake Young, the project manager, told the committee the plan is “not a regulatory document.” Jennifer Jones, the county’s Community Development Services director, introduced county staff and described the county’s role in supporting the process. Participants discussed priorities including housing, protecting open space, water, infrastructure and how to balance growth while preserving county character.

The steering committee — appointed by the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners — met as consultants described roles and a draft schedule and then ran an interactive visioning exercise using a menti.com poll. Jones said the steering committee members are expected to act as “champions” in their communities and to help distribute the survey and outreach materials.

Why this matters: The comprehensive plan will frame local land‑use policies and priorities for roughly the next decade and guide later regulatory or project‑level work. County staff and consultants said the plan will be the policy foundation for future zoning updates, capital projects and smaller master plans, and that the Board of County Commissioners will be the adopting authority.

Most important facts: Consultants said the comp…