Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 110 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS › Chapter 110-12 - MINIMUM STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES › Subject 110-12-1 - STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES FOR LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING LOCAL PLANNING REQUIREMENTS › Rule 110-12-1-.02 - Requirements

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
O.C.G.A.
				  50-8-1 et seq. gives the Department
				  authority to establish standards and procedures for comprehensive planning by
				  all local governments in Georgia. Those standards and procedures, embodied
				  herein, emphasize preparation of plans that help each local government address
				  its immediate needs and opportunities while moving toward realization of its
				  long-term goals for the future. In order to maintain qualified local government
				  certification, and thereby remain eligible for selected state funding and
				  permitting programs, each local government must prepare, adopt, maintain, and
				  implement a comprehensive plan as specified in these standards.
(1)
Required and Optional Plan
				Elements.
Each community's comprehensive plan must include the required
				plan elements specified in the "Required for" column below. Each community is
				encouraged to go beyond these minimum required elements and supplement its
				comprehensive plan with other plan elements (refer to the list of optional plan
				elements in the Supplemental Planning Recommendations for suggestions) to make
				the overall plan a good fit for the community.
Plan Element
Required for
Recommended for
Specifics at
Community Goals
All local governments
110-12-1-.03(1)
Needs and Opportunities
All local governments
110-12-1-.03(2)
Community Work Program
All local governments
110-12-1-.03(3)
Broadband Services Element
All local governments
110-12-1-.03(4)
Capital Improvements Element
Governments that charge impact fees
110-12-1-.03(5)
Economic Development Element
Communities included in Georgia Job Tax Credit Tier
								1
Communities seeking improved economic opportunities
								for their citizens
110-12-1-.03(6)
Land Use Element
Communities with zoning or equivalent land
								development regulations that are subject to the Zoning Procedures Law
Communities that:
· Are considering new land development
								regulations
· Include Target Areas in their comprehensive
								plan
· Wish to improve aesthetics of specific areas or
								protect the character of specific parts of their community
110-12-1-.03(7)
Transportation Element
Local governments that have territory included in a
								Metropolitan Planning Organization
Communities:
· With automobile congestion problems in selected
								areas
· Interested in adding alternative transportation
								facilities for bicyclists, pedestrians, public transportation users
· That may have too much or too little parking in
								specific areas
110-12-1-.03(8)
Housing Element
HUD CDBG
Entitlement Communities
Communities with:
· Concentrations of low-quality or dilapidated
								housing
· Relatively high housing costs compared to
								individual/family incomes
· A jobs-housing imbalance
110-12-1-.03(9)
(2)
Community Involvement.
Each element of the comprehensive plan must
				be prepared with opportunity for involvement and input from stakeholders and
				the general public, in order to ensure that the plan reflects the full range of
				community needs and values. The three steps for involving stakeholders and the
				general public in developing the comprehensive plan are listed below.
(a)
Identification of
				Stakeholders.
Compile a list of stakeholders who need to have a voice in
				the development of the plan. Refer to the list of suggested stakeholders
				provided in the Supplemental Planning Recommendations for suggestions. Members
				of the governing authority must be included among the selected stakeholders and
				be actively involved in plan preparation, such as serving on the steering
				committee that guides development of the plan. This will help ensure that the
				plan will be implemented, because leadership that is involved in plan
				development is likely to become committed to seeing it through.
(b)
Identification of Participation
				Techniques.
Review each of the recommended community participation
				techniques identified in the Supplemental Planning Recommendations to select
				those to be used locally for involving the selected stakeholders in the process
				of developing the plan. At minimum, your community must form a steering
				committee to oversee and participate in development of the plan that includes
				some of the stakeholders identified in section (a) above, members of the
				governing authority, local economic development practitioners, and local
				government staff.
(c)
Conduct
				Participation Program.
Invite each of the stakeholders identified in
				section (a) above to participate in the activities and events identified in
				section (b). Use these participation events to solicit specific input on the
				content of the plan. Hold regular meetings of the steering committee to provide
				input and feedback to the plan preparers as the plan is developed.
(d)
Documentation of Community
				Involvement Activities.
Include an appendix to the comprehensive plan
				which assembles documentation showing that the activities discussed, above,
				occurred. This documentation must include: a list of stakeholders who were
				specifically identified to provide input on the plan; an overview of the
				participation techniques used to gather community input; and a list of the
				members of the steering committee that specifically identifies the governing
				authority and economic development practitioner representatives. Additionally,
				documentation of the community involvement activities and events undertaken in
				preparing the plan must be provided. The breadth and types of documentation may
				vary based upon community dynamics and the nature of the specific activities
				the community has undertaken. Acceptable types of documentation of includes,
				but is not limited to: sign-in sheets from meetings/workshops/etc.; photographs
				of community involvement events; survey questions and results;
				records/agendas/minutes of meetings; copies of published advertisements of
				events; and/or copies of published social media posts.