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Community Agenda

The purpose of the Community Agenda is to lay out a road map for the community's future, developed through a very public process of involving community leaders and stakeholders in making key decisions about the future of the community. The Community Agenda is the most important element of the comprehensive plan because it includes the community's vision for the future, key issues and opportunities it chooses to address during the planning period, and an implementation program for achieving this vision and addressing the identified issues and opportunities. The Community Agenda is intended to generate local pride and enthusiasm about the future of the community, thereby making citizens wish to ensure that the plan is implemented.

The Community Agenda consists of three components prepared with adequate public and stakeholder involveme. The result is a concise, user-friendly document usable for day-to-day decision-making by community leaders as they work toward achieving the desired future of the community.

Community Vision - a picture of what the community desires to become, providing a complete description of the development patterns to be encouraged within the jurisdiction. It is presented in the form of a Future Development Map delineating boundaries of major character areas covering the entire community. Included with the map is a narrative carefully defining a specific vision for each character area. The narrative consists of:

Written description that makes it clear what types, forms, styles, and patterns of development are encouraged in the area.
Listing of specific land uses or zoning categories to be allowed in the area.
Listing of the Quality Community Objectives that will be pursued in the area.
Identification of implementation measures to achieve the desired development patterns
for the area.

Issues and Opportunities - the final, locally agreed upon list of issues
and opportunities the community intends to address. Each of these issues or opportunities is followed-up with corresponding implementation measures in the Implementation Program.

Implementation Program - the overall strategy developed to achieve the Community Vision by addressing the Community Issues and Opportunities. It identifies specific measures to be undertaken by the community to implement the plan and is presented in the form of a Short Term Work Program - specific implementation actions the community or representatives of the community intend to take during the first five-year time frame of the planning period. The Short Term Work Program includes:

Brief description of each activity;
Timeframe for undertaking the activity;
Responsible party for implementing the activity;
Estimated cost (if any) of implementing the activity; and
Funding source(s), if applicable.

The implementation program also includes any policies the local government will adopt to provide ongoing guidance and direction to local government officials for making decisions consistent with achieving the Community Vision or addressing Community Issues and Opportunities.

DRAFT

Issues and Opportunities

Housing Issues

Unplanned residential development in rural area

Need for additional assisted living facilities (addition from Assessment)

Housing Opportunities

Joint entity to manage residential development and develop incentives for traditional housing

Building code enforcement communitywide

Housing code (environmental/nuisance) enforcement communitywide

Certificate of Need for nursing home/personal care home (addition from Assessment)

Community Facilities and Services Issues

Deterioration of courthouse (National Register)

Insufficient office space in courthouse

Inadequate space for Post Office

Asbestos-cement water mains in municipal water system

Insufficient recreational opportunities

Disaster mitigation

Rural fire protection

Rural water service

Community Facilities and Services Opportunities

Preservation of historic courthouse

Additional office space for county offices (compatible with courthouse)

Removal of potential health hazards from municipal water distribution system

Multi-use recreation complex

Promotion of recreation complex for tournament play

Proactive measures to protect critical facilities from the risks of disaster

Secure, permanent storage of copies of critical public records

Enhance fire protection service in rural area

Expand water service delivery in rural area

Increase reliability (interconnectivity) of city and county water services

Economic Development Issues

Lack of local technical and business support for entrepreneurs

Lack of economic promotion of community

Vacant storefronts in downtown and periphery

Financing costs of business/industrial start-up and expansion

Communication/cooperation between industry and community

Internet availability and service

Adult Illiteracy

Illicit drug use (addition from Assessment)

Ga. 26 entranceway enhancement between new U.S. 19/Ga26 intersection and downtown

The community envisions preserving the open, expansive, rural character prevalent across the rural area. Residential development should be concentrated around a community focal point characterized by a road intersection, commercial establishment, a clustering of residences, and/or any condition or circumstance that concentrates limited development in a small area to distinguish it from the surrounding rural countryside. For historical context, past examples of such rural communities include: Andrew Chapel, Concord, County Line, Ebenezer/Lickskillet, Fellowship/Lowe, Hopewell, LaCrosse/Bumphead, Midway, Murray’s Crossroads, Poplar Ridge, Quebec, Seller’s Store, Stewart’s Corner, and Wall’s Crossing. To maintain the rural character land uses which do not serve the immediate commercial/retail need of the adjoining residential concentration should be discouraged.

Cluster future development to minimize sporadic intrusion into the rural aesthetics of the unincorporated area. Maintain rural atmosphere by accommodating limited retail and commercial uses within a community center; residential development should generally surround the community center. Compatible architectural design characteristics should be encouraged for all new development, thus excluding “franchise” or “corporate” architecture. To achieve this end the county will need to develop and implement a zoning ordinance and/or similar land management tools. Land use controls are necessary to prevent the kind of random development a rural water system naturally fosters, and to facilitate the efficient delivery of public services.

Preservation of the abundance of natural, aesthetic vistas visible from and along the full length of the community’s major North-South (U.S.19) and East-West (GA. 26) corridors.

Maintain the natural beauty and aesthetic vistas of the community by requiring careful placement of outdoor advertising to minimize degradation of the viewshed along the highway corridors. Implementation will require development of ordinances by the county and construction of gateways at the jurisdictional boundary. Scenic Highway designation will provide additional regulatory control over viewshed intrusion along the community’s major thoroughfares.

The community envisions this area as catering to the legitimate, economic needs of the transient, motoring public, i.e. food, fuel, overnight accommodations, etc.

The city will review the current zoning ordinance with sensitivity to the transient needs of the motoring public and trucking industry, and the economic potential a U.S highway offers the community. This review may result in creation of a Highway-Commercial zoning district with land uses directed to needs of the motoring public without diverting commercial and retail activity from the city’s central business district, or competing with local economic activity in the central business district. Appropriate signage should also be designed and strategically placed to inform and direct motorists to retail opportunities and services available in the community.

Ellaville’s traditional central business district is located at the geographical center of the city, typical of Georgia’s small towns. Predominant features of the area are closely-arranged, historic, brick buildings, characteristics also typical of Georgia’s small towns. The architecture is clearly distinguished from contemporary/modern commercial and institutional buildings located on the periphery of this central business district. Both the age and distinctive architecture of the structures contribute to a potential historic district designation. The vision for this area is one of preservation and continued restoration of the historic fabric, and renovation/expansion of commercial and retail core of the community.

Downtown should continue to be the heart of the community’s high-density mix of office, retail, and service establishments. Design should include pedestrian-friendly features connecting Downtown with adjoining areas. Street edges should be clearly defined by locating any new buildings at roadside. The pedestrian-friendly environment should be enhanced by adding sidewalk and creating other pedestrian-friendly trail/bike routes linking major destinations, such as health facilities, recreation sites, and parks. New development in the central business district should be located on infill sites or on non-historic properties and be compatible with the surrounding architectural character. Historic buildings in this area should be protected from demolition and/or incompatible alteration that diminishes their historic appearance or significantly alters historic materials. Rehabilitation of historic buildings should be completed in accordance with “The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.” The city can facilitate this vision by securing historic district designation of the area and by implementing development guidelines as an objective standard-of-reference for future physical alteration/development. Economic stimulation of this area can be facilitated by pursuing Better Hometown designation, development of cottage industries and a small business incubator, and courting/developing end-destination retail activity for the Downtown area.

Much of the natural topography in this character area is so extreme (gorge-like) that it is not conducive to development. With the exception of some highway frontage (Ga. 26) the community envisions maintaining this as a natural growth area or Greenspace.

The city will review the current zoning ordinance with sensitivity to protecting most of this area from development, including placement of outdoor advertising. Only two portions of this area are developable; highway frontage along E. Oglethorpe Street (Ga. 26), and a plateau, surrounded on three sides by gullies, adjacent to a residential neighborhood. This plateau does not have street access, and will not have access to or be accessible from U.S. 19 despite the fact that a portion of the area will become highway right-of-way.

The community envisions maintaining and expanding upon the current concentration of industrial activity in the southeast quadrant of the city. The area will continue to be characterized by large, metal industrial buildings with accommodation for significant employee parking. Land used in manufacturing, assembly, processing, wholesale trade, and/or distribution activities that could potentially produce excessive traffic, noise, particulate matter, vibration, smoke, dust, gas, fumes, odors, radiation, or other nuisance characteristics will continue to be concentrated in an area removed from other, less intensive land uses, yet with attractive frontage and ease of access to the four lane highway.

The city will review the current zoning ordinance with sensitivity to the need to preserve, for industrial development, the significant, available, infill acreage, some of which fronts the proposed four lane route of U. S. 19 through Ellaville. When the highway route is clearly marked on-site, the Development Authority should work closely with the Georgia Department of Transportation to ensure industrial road ease-of-access between the industry area and the four lane highway. Strategic placement of a carefully designed industrial spec building will further promote the vision.

This area is envisioned as an extension of larger parcel, high density, residential development with deep frontage setbacks. The focus is on the unassisted housing market developed by the private sector.

The current zoning ordinance will be reviewed with sensitivity for the local need for apartment housing. The city will take an initiative to generate investor interest in apartment housing development by inquiring into incentives which may be needed to stimulate private sector investment.

The community envisions elimination of substandard housing common throughout the area and restoration of housing conditions which are comparable with the rest of the city. General conditions of blight which serve as a disincentive for neighborhood preservation will be eliminated to encourage and facilitate long-term neighborhood maintenance.

The city will initiate a concerted housing rehabilitation program to systematically address substandard housing in the area. Local government applications for competitive housing assistance programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Community Housing Investment Program (CHIP), will be prepared and submitted. Depending on availability of funding and project timing, applications may also be submitted to the Rural Development Administration of the U. S. Department of Agriculture for supplemental assistance. Activity will also be directed toward new construction as replacement housing for dilapidated structures, as needed, and for additional housing. Housing code enforcement will be implemented not only to address physical condition of housing, but surrounding influences of blight and environmental issues. Wherever practical, traditional neighborhood design (TND) practices will serve as the development and design guideline. To accomplish this, the city will create a housing department, perhaps jointly with the county, not only to provide program oversight, but community wide building permit and inspection services.

The vision for this area is one of housing choice for residents who prefer more contemporary housing development characterized by moderate to high level of open space, moderate to high degree of building separation and low pedestrian orientation. The trend for this housing type began after mid-century and does not have a “historic” character.

The city will review the existing zoning ordinance with sensitivity for larger (one acre and larger) residential lot sizes. However; some traditional neighborhood design (TND) principles should be incorporated into the subdivision ordinance; namely, sidewalks, street trees, street interconnectivity and traffic calming features to improve pedestrian accessibility within and between existing neighborhoods. Limited, carefully located, small scale, multifamily development may also be considered to provide income diversity and housing choice.

Residential construction and site development common to the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries give this area its distinguishing character. The combination of age and architectural features makes this area a potential residential historic district. Neighborhood characteristics include sidewalks, street trees, small regular lots, buildings close to the front property line, and a relatively low degree of building separation. The vision for this area is to preserve the predominant historic character and expand into adjoining, undeveloped areas to the north and south.

Ellaville’s TND area should be encouraged by allowing only compatible infill development. Historic buildings in this area should be protected from demolition and/or incompatible alteration that diminishes their historic appearance or significantly alters historic materials. Rehabilitation of historic buildings should be completed in accordance with “The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.” Preservation of neighborhood character will be facilitated with historic district designation and review of the city’s zoning ordinance with sensitivity to character area preservation. Pedestrian and bicycle connections should also be maintained and expanded to encourage residents to walk/bike to work, or other destinations in the city.

Transportation corridors protected from the visual pollution of unregulated outdoor advertising.

Implementation will require development, adoption and enforcement of an outdoor advertising ordinance by the city.

(a) Regional Identity Objective: Regions should promote and preserve an "identity," defined in terms of traditional regional architecture, common economic linkages that bind the region together, or other shared characteristics.

(b) Growth Preparedness Objective: Each community should identify and put in place the prerequisites for the type of growth it seeks to achieve. These may include housing and infrastructure (roads, water, sewer and telecommunications) to support new growth, appropriate training of the workforce, ordinances to direct growth as desired, or leadership capable of responding to growth opportunities.

(c) Appropriate Businesses Objective: The businesses and industries encouraged to develop or expand in a community should be suitable for the community in terms of job skills required, linkages to other economic activities in the region, impact on the resources of the area, and future prospects for expansion and creation of higher-skill job opportunities.

(d) Educational Opportunities Objective: Educational and training opportunities should be readily available in each community - to permit community residents to improve their job skills, adapt to technological advances, or to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions.

(e) Employment Options Objective: A range of job types should be provided in each community to meet the diverse needs of the local workforce.

(f) Heritage Preservation Objective: The traditional character of the community should be maintained through preserving and revitalizing historic areas of the community, encouraging new development that is compatible with the traditional features of the community, and protecting other scenic or natural features that are important to defining the community's character.

(g) Open Space Preservation Objective: New development should be designed to minimize the amount of land consumed, and open space should be set aside from development for use as public parks or as greenbelts/wildlife corridors.

(h) Environmental Protection Objective: Air quality and environmentally sensitive areas should be protected from negative impacts of development. Environmentally sensitive areas deserve special protection, particularly when they are important for maintaining traditional character or quality of life of the community or region. Whenever possible, the natural terrain, drainage, and vegetation of an area should be preserved.

(i) Regional Cooperation Objective: Regional cooperation should be encouraged in setting priorities, identifying shared needs, and finding collaborative solutions, particularly where it is critical to success of a venture, such as protection of shared natural resources.

(j) Transportation Alternatives Objective: Alternatives to transportation by automobile, including mass transit, bicycle routes and pedestrian facilities, should be made available in each community. Greater use of alternate transportation should be encouraged.

(k) Regional Solutions Objective: Regional solutions to needs shared by more than one local jurisdiction are preferable to separate local approaches, particularly where this will result in greater efficiency and less cost to the taxpayer.

(l) Housing Opportunities Objective: Quality housing and a range of housing size, cost, and density should be provided in each community, to make it possible for all who work in the community to also live in the community.

(m)Traditional Neighborhood Objective: Traditional neighborhood development patterns should be encouraged, including use of more human scale development, mixing of uses within easy walking distance of one another, and facilitating pedestrian activity.

(n) Infill Development Objective: Communities should maximize the use of existing infrastructure and minimize the conversion of undeveloped land at the urban periphery by encouraging development or redevelopment of sites closer to the downtown or traditional urban core of the community.

(o) Sense of Place Objective: Traditional downtown areas should be maintained as the focal point of the community or, for newer areas where this is not possible, the development of activity centers that serve as community focal points should be encouraged. These community focal points should be attractive, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly places where people choose to gather for shopping, dining, socializing, and entertainment.