Residents invited to weigh in on growth

Columbia County residents are invited to give their input Tuesday on future development in the county.

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An open house to discuss a partial update to the county's growth management plan will start at 6 p.m. at the Evans Government Center auditorium.

"It's a meeting that's intended to gather the public's input and opinions about the future of Columbia County at its heart," said CSRA Regional Commission Senior Planner Justin Crighton.

County officials contracted this year with the CSRA Regional Commission to update the growth management plan.

State law requires that a partial update to the comprehensive plan be conducted every five years. A full revision of the plan is required every 10 years.

A citizen steering committee including county officials and residents met in March to discuss the progress of county projects within the last five years and the purpose and process of such an update.

"It's just a double-check to make sure that their (the county's) priorities are still aligned, because a lot can change and a lot has changed over the last five years," Crighton said.

The plan, which is designed to minimize urban sprawl, serves as a guide for development within the county.

Commercial growth is concentrated in specific nodes, and each node is assigned different tier levels based on size.

After a brief presentation at the meeting, residents can participate in a survey and ask questions.

"There will be a survey ... about issues that they see affecting Columbia County for the next five years," Crighton said.

The meeting will last about an hour. Crighton said he'll stay late to ensure all concerns are addressed.

Feedback received from the public will be incorporated into the plan revision, Crighton said. The draft, once completed, will go before an advisory committee for approval.

Another public meeting is planned for July. Adoption of the plan is scheduled for February 2011.

"The public's going to have lots of opportunities to comment on the development of the plan," Crighton said.