GREENE COUNTY
There was a large community turnout to review the initial comprehensive strategic plan for Greene County.
Held last week, more than 50 county residents came to hear and see planning boards that outline supportive measures and to understand the plans underway. It was also an opportunity to provide further input following the first visionary meeting held last November.
Last week’s public input helped shape a final plan that is to be presented to county commissioners next week during their regular meeting.
Two public hearings framed the planning process, and once finalized, will go forward to both state and regional review. It also meets the state’s comprehensive plan update requirement.
"The resulting long-term vision for growth and development will help guide future zoning and land use decisions for the county. It also helps determine related initiatives, projects and any policy changes needed in the next five years," said County Manager Byron Lombard. "The planning involved five key planning phases: project initiation, existing conditions and trends analysis, visioning, policies and actions development and documentation and finalization.
"This plan sets policy direction that helps facilitate a high quality of life for our area residents. It will help provide a framework for where new land development and preservation are most suitable and guide the county with any rezoning decisions.”
The plans also become important cornerstones for long-term growth management, which has been hotly contested since the groundbreaking of Airabella, a 137-acre mixed-use community development along Linger Longer Road. Once completed, it will be the area’s largest community development since
Reynolds is adjacent to Harbor Club along the Richland Connector and Highway 44. It seeks to also provide context for what is most important to preserve and enhance over the next 20-plus years.
Short-term priorities have been identified as needs and opportunities and are at the top of the county’s “to-do” list. Both the community and county see these as: preserving the agricultural heritage of Greene County, facilitating quality development along key corridors, expanding broadband access, maintaining and delivering excellent county facilities and services, expanding employment opportunities and providing affordable housing in the area.
A new adoption of the 2023 plan is the policy for major roadway corridors in the county. This includes rural, residential, commercial and employment corridors that will be identified as playing a major role in the future growth of the county. Current county zoning districts include agricultural, residential districts, master-planned development (Airabella), and commercial and industrial districts.
It also identified compatible future zoning classifications by character area and includes farmland and forestry, residential hubs of north, west and east Greene County communities, Reynolds and greater Greensboro. Each has its own character area guidance supporting long-term zoning implications.
More important to many is the vision for the conservation area, which will seek to preserve the natural landscape of the Lake Oconee area by discouraging development near environmentally sensitive land. Already identified for future development as Agricultural Districts, these areas already have different underlying zoning classifications.