Georgia County Government - October 2008 - (Page 25) Cook County has been pretty phenomenal in recent years,” Waldron offers. “A 100-lot subdivision is now in the planning stages and a 30-lot subdivision of new homes on half-acre lots is now sold out. Selling 30 homes in a development that started out with only four homes is not a big deal in an urban county, but in rural Georgia, it is major news. And we expect to see a lot more of this,” Waldron asserts. He adds that Cook County wants to especially preserve active farmlands, acknowledging the continuing prevalence of agriculture for the foreseeable future. Turner County Chairman Hall says Turner County is also seeing substantial growth in housing and residential building. A new subdivision is being planned in Turner County presently around a golf course. Here, however, Hall adds, lot sizes are stipulated as larger according to current county codes to “preserve the farmland character” of the county and offset dramatic land use changes. “A subdivision known as Meadows Lane has seen sporadic growth since it was planned, and this subdivision is zoned in an A/V capacity (agricultural) meaning 5-acre tracts are requisite for building.” Hall acknowledges that he is uncertain how long the county can continue to limit building to 5-acre tracts. More populous Tift County, which now has some 40,000 residents, meanwhile, is facing major land-use changes according to Tift County Manager Carter. “Our unified land development code will help create direction for the future,” he notes. “Our aim is to be proactive. We also require large acreage in some areas, to preserve and protect surrounding farmlands.” Brad Day, Tift County Economic Development director and president of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce, acknowledges the importance of such growth planning to keep the county’s “farm gate” economy protected, which, as mentioned previously, is worth approximately $93 million in Tift County alone. Echols County, which has no sewer system but is completely well-served by the aquifer that underlies the region, lies on the Florida line. Current zoning calls for new residential building to be limited to lots comprising at least 1 acre. Community Improvements, Achievements All four counties have kept infrastructure improvements moving right along, in anticipation of growth. Chairman Robert Davis and Vice Chairman, Commissioner Leon Zeigler of Echols County report that the county in addition to consolidating the local government, the county undertook numerous improvements to improve the quality of life for citizens. A Community Improvement Block Grant (CDGB) of half a million dollars in 2005 paved the community’s Johnston Subdivision and, via legislation, the county was named the “Carrot Capitol” of the South. Chairman Davis is proud, too, of a 2005 measure that succeeded in the county stopping the banishment of convicted felons to the county. In 2006, the county purchased significant new fire equipment and installed 800 Mhz radios in all law enforcement offices and patrol cars. The county also began the Echols Echo, a monthly county SOUTH GEORGIA continued on page 26 WHEN PLANNING FOR COOP, THERE ARE THREE KEY CONSIDERATIONS: RELIABILITY. RELIABILITY. AND RELIABILITY. Verizon Wireless G’zOne Panasonic Toughbook® 30 Sierra Wireless AirCard It’s the NetworkSM for Government Reliable network. Reliable partners. Reliable support. All are critical when addressing the wireless network requirements inside your agency’s COOP plan. Verizon Wireless delivers them all, with an integrated family of handsets, smartphones and broadband devices that you can rely on to work during times of crisis. All backed 24/7 by America’s most reliable wireless network and the people who stand behind it. Email governmentprograms@verizonwireless.com or call 800.827.5963 for information on all our Government Solutions. Equipment sample shown; please consult your Verizon Wireless account manager for complete details on our full COOP offering. America’s most reliable wireless network claim based on fewest aggregate blocked and dropped connections. See verizonwireless.com/bestnetwork for details. © 2008 Verizon Wireless. GOVGCG9Q307 394442_Verizon.indd 1 OCTOBER 2008 www.accg.org 9/19/08 25 2:20:09 PM http://www.verizonwireless.com http://www.accg.org
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