Elbert County kicks off 2045 comprehensive plan with emphasis on community engagement

Consultants from Kimley‑Horn presented the kickoff for the Elbert County Comprehensive Plan 2045 on the Planning Commission docket, outlining an 11‑month schedule and a community‑driven approach to drafting the county’s guiding land‑use document.

The presentation centered on outreach: a countywide online survey, pop‑up events at county festivals, a series of open houses and roughly ten hour‑long steering‑committee working sessions intended to test and refine vision and policy language, consultant Blake Young said. He said the plan will be a guiding (not prescriptive) document to shape land‑use decisions through 2045 and that state law requires evidence the public was meaningfully engaged.

Why it matters: the comprehensive plan sets the county’s long‑range vision and informs future zoning and subdivision decisions. Commissioners pressed consultants on how engagement will reflect the county’s rural character, how steering‑committee members will be selected and how younger residents will be included.

Young said the project team will launch a project website and survey within about seven days, and will use “pop‑up” outreach at the Elbert County Fair and other local events to reach residents where they gather. Input will be folded into boards shown at open houses, and the plan’s first draft vision statement will be formed after initial engagement and vetted with the steering committee.

Inez Gamish, deputy project manager, described the steering‑committee selection criteria the Board of County Commissioners used: five categories for nominees—long‑term resident, short‑term resident, business owner, landowner and a land‑development professional. The team recommended keeping the steering committee to about 15 members to preserve functionality. Young and Gamish said the board asked each commissioner to nominate up to five candidates and that staff and consultants will confirm participation.

Commissioners asked whether the steering committee would be composed primarily of Elbert County residents. Consultants said the board instructed that up to 40% of the committee could be nonresidents, but that they would flag that as a “red flag” if too many nonresidents were appointed and would work with the board to revise the list. The consultants also said the survey will collect respondent residency status so staff can separate responses from residents and visitors.

On including younger residents, the consultants said the survey will be widely accessible and that they typically include a minimum respondent age; they referenced involving teenagers through libraries and school‑board outreach but did not give a definitive lower age limit in the meeting. Commissioners asked consultants to clearly advertise any age eligibility for the survey and to do outreach aimed at long‑time ranching and farming families to avoid louder development interests dominating engagement.

The team said they have completed initial chapters of an existing‑conditions analysis and are producing three logo options for the plan’s branding. Kimley‑Horn emphasized planners will advise but that the plan itself will reflect Elbert County’s choices and will be adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.

Looking ahead, the consultants gave a broad schedule that anticipates drafting and review through the winter and a subsequent public review period; they said zoning regulation updates would be a separate next step if the BOCC chooses to pursue them. County staff and consultants will return to the commission with steering‑committee membership and upcoming engagement dates.

Quotes in context: "This plan is Elbert County’s plan," Blake Young said, explaining the consultant role. "Community engagement is going to be the biggest piece and it's the biggest hurdle." Inez Gamish summarized the steering‑committee criteria: "long term resident, short term resident, a business owner, a land owner, and then a professional in the land development field."

The commission closed its questions and thanked the consultants for the presentation; no formal action was taken at this meeting.

A note on names and roles: Kimley‑Horn staff presented the project; commissioners and county staff will handle final approvals and appointments to the steering committee.