Development, Population, Transport: Sound Off on Decatur's Comprehensive Plan

DECATUR, GA -- Want to make your voice heard on development, population growth, public transportation and other issues impacting Decatur's future? Well, now's your chance.

City leaders are working on an update to the Decatur Comprehensive Plan and Wednesday, the public gets its first chance to chime in.

An open house session to discuss the plan is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Decatur Recreation Center, at 231 Sycamore Street.

Residents may drop in any time between 7-9 p.m. and should count on about 20-30 minutes to participate, the city said in a blog post.

Those who can't make it Wednesday evening can visit an outreach booth the city will have set up Saturday, March 26, at the city's Touch-a-Truck event downtown. The booth will be open from 10 a.m-1 p.m.

Local governments in Georgia are required to have comprehensive plans under a state law enacted in 1989. They are designed to set forth a vision for development, policies and plans for the local government for the next 20 years.

They incorporate planning for population, economic development, housing, natural resources, historic resources, community facilities, intergovernmental coordination, transportation, urban design, and land use, among other topics.

"Because Decatur’s culture of planning far exceeds what is mandated by the state, we use the Comprehensive Plan process as an opportunity to do a mid-term check up of the strategic goals and accomplishments spelled out in our far more extensive Strategic Plan, which is scheduled to be updated in 2020," the city said in the blog post.

"Using the latest data, we’ll explore what we’ve accomplished thus far, what’s left to be completed, and what might require an adjustment based on unanticipated circumstances."

A second round of public meetings to discuss the comprehensive plan is set for April in Decatur. At those meetings, the city will be examining affordable housing, historic places, land use, and natural resources, according to the post.

No dates for April's meetings have yet been set.

(Photo via City of Decatur)