Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Comprehensive Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cusseta–Chattahoochee County releases draft comprehensive plan update; public hearing held June 24, 2025
Summary
The Unified Government of Cusseta–Chattahoochee County and the River Valley Regional Commission published a draft comprehensive plan update outlining vision, goals, needs and a five‑year work program. The plan prioritizes water and sewer upgrades, road improvements, housing, and broadband expansion.
The Unified Government of Cusseta–Chattahoochee County, with assistance from the River Valley Regional Commission, released a draft comprehensive plan update and held a final public hearing on June 24, 2025, to review goals, policies and a five‑year work program.
The plan frames the county as a rural community adjacent to Fort Benning and Columbus and sets priorities including workforce development, business retention and attraction, affordable housing, water and sewer improvements, and targeted commercial upgrades along Broad Street and US 280/SR 520. River Valley Regional Commission staff wrote that the plan will “generate local pride and enthusiasm” and serve as a policy guide for daily decisions.
County leaders and staff listed on the cover include Hon. Charles Coffey, Chair; Hon. Timothy Biddle, Vice Chair; Commissioners Gerald Douglas, Damon Hoyte and Jason Frost; County Manager Thomas Weaver; and County Clerk Lisa Bickel. The River Valley Regional Commission is identified as the assisting agency.
The document includes demographic and economic data showing population declines tied in part to Fort Benning force reductions and projects modest population decreases through 2030. It reports a county unemployment rate of 3.8% (April 2025) and per‑capita income of $26,920 in 2023. The plan also catalogs housing stock and tenure, educational attainment, public safety assets and transportation infrastructure.
Implementation steps are set out in a community work program (2026–2031) that lists projects, responsible parties and cost estimates — items range from small technical studies to multi‑year capital projects. Notable entries include phased water distribution updates, Broad Street redevelopment and plans to update sewer capacity in the Broad Street area; the work program lists UGOCCC (Unified Government of Cusseta–Chattahoochee County) and grant sources such as CDBG and GDOT as potential funders.
The plan documents multiple community engagement activities, including surveys and two public hearings required by state planning standards (O.C.G.A. 110‑12‑1). A public notice in the appendix invited residents to the June 24, 2025 hearing and provided a River Valley Regional Commission contact (Allison Slocum) for additional information.
The county will next complete any revisions identified during the adoption process and submit the plan to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as scheduled in the plan’s timeline.
