Partnership to promote Clarks Hill area
Columbia County commissioners agreed Tuesday night to partner with four other counties for the future promotion of the Clarks Hill Lake area.
A final version of the agreement, called the Clarks Hill Partnership of Georgia, was approved unanimously by commissioners and calls for Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, Warren and Wilkes counties to work together to promote events at Clarks Hill Lake and work to attract state grant money.
The agreement is for five years. Now that a final version has been approved by Columbia County commissioners, it is scheduled to be officially signed Wednesday at Savannah Rapids Pavilion.
The agreement calls for the creation of a Clarks Hill Partnership of Georgia steering committee, to consist of two people selected from each county. That committee would meet at least quarterly.
The agreement states that the partnership is "to provide for the general public the encouragement of and improvement of economic development and job creation in their respective counties, and the provision of attendant tourism, recreation, industrial, transportation, airport, infrastructure and other services."
The agreement also calls for the growth of new and expanded industry, trade, commerce and residential development that would boost population growth.
Columbia County's informal relationship with the other counties began after Richmond County officials rejected a plan called the Augusta Regional Partnership, which involved Columbia, Richmond and Burke counties.
In other action at Tuesday night's meeting, commissioners also:
- Approved a first reading of an ordinance that would establish a corridor protection overlay district for Furys Ferry Road and north Washington Road. The districts, which must now have a second and final reading approval, will apply restrictions on development and pertain only to commercial and planned unit development lots that front the roads. One restriction involves metal buildings. Current developments will be grandfathered in.
- Approved a plan to work on an agreement with the YMCA for a Family Y site at the county's planned Blanchard Woods Park. The approval, which was unanimous, came after some recreation officials and county residents complained that the deal would offer taxpayer land to a private entity and that the land could be used for another purpose, such as soccer fields.
- Approved the incorporation of a Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau.