Appling County adopts joint comprehensive plan "Rising to Greater Heights"

The Appling County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the Appling County Joint Comprehensive Plan, "Rising to Greater Heights," at its Oct. 4, 2022 regular meeting.

Commissioner Doug Harris moved to adopt the joint plan; Commissioner Daryl Edwards seconded the motion, which carried unanimously. The board directed staff to forward formal notification of adoption to the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and other appropriate agencies.

The plan, developed jointly by Appling County and the municipalities of Baxley, Graham and Surrency with assistance from the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission, was certified by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as meeting the Minimum Standards and Procedures for Local Comprehensive Planning under the Georgia Planning Act of 1989. The resolution recorded in the meeting packet states the new plan replaces the county's prior comprehensive plan adopted in 2017 and will serve as a policy guide for future growth and development.

No vote counts beyond “unanimous” were recorded in the meeting transcript. The board did not specify an implementation timeline in the motion; the resolution called for forwarding adoption notices to regional and state bodies for any further required steps.

The board adopted the resolution text included in the meeting record formalizing the action. The county clerk was noted as absent from the meeting because she was attending training.