Downtown Development Authority asks Troup County for $35,000 toward master plan update

Bill Honeycutt, representing the Downtown Development Authority, asked commissioners to split the $166,000 cost of a downtown master plan with five partners (city, county, Callaway Foundation, Downtown Development Authority, and others). Honeycutt asked the county for roughly $35,000 to help fund a plan that would refresh downtown guidance and include market analysis conducted by KB Advisors and a heavy public-engagement component.

Honeycutt said the community last completed a downtown master plan 25 years ago and credited that plan with projects such as the hotel and theater. He said the new plan would look at housing, retail sustainability and implementation strategies so stakeholders agree on a coordinated approach for the next 20–25 years.

Commissioners asked about coordination with an existing TAD (tax-allocation district) and progress on housing projects. Honeycutt said the TAD is in place and remains part of the long-term strategy; he also described federal-tariff-related delays affecting a hotel developer but said the plan's goal is countywide consensus on future projects rather than duplicative individual efforts.

The county staff will take the request to the evening agenda for formal consideration and asked commissioners to identify local liaisons for the project as it proceeds.