At Tuesday evening’s Bainbridge City Council meeting, the council held the final public hearing regarding the City of Bainbridge Comprehensive Plan and unanimously voted to accept the plan.

A series of public workshops were held in June and July, led by Steve O’Neil, a planner with the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission. Input came from city staff, steering committee members and citizens. Online surveys were also utilized as a way to gather information on short-term and long-term goals for the City of Bainbridge.

The Comprehensive Plan documents and illustrates what Bainbridge looks like today and in what direction it wants to go in the future. It includes assessments of existing resources and issues, projections of future conditions and needs, and consideration of collective goals and desires.

The plan serves as a policy guide, and provides a framework for future land use decision-making, and the physical development of the municipality.

The Comprehensive Plan, which was developed in 2010, receives an update every five years to help the City reevaluate short-term and long-term goals. It serves as a guide for the community to follow as it considers decisions, both large and small.

The plan includes a list of ongoing and upcoming projects to be considered within the next five years. Needs were broken down into three categories: economic development, public infrastructure and programs, and housing and neighborhoods.

Some of the goals established include the expansion of the Boat Basin playground, and working with the Department of Transportation to develop better truck routes through and around Bainbridge. Some projects have been deemed “long-term,” including a river corridor protection plan, and a park and recreation master plan.

Local governments are required by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to develop and make updates to Comprehensive Plans. The plan is available for viewing at City Hall, and on the City of Bainbridge website.

It will now be submitted to the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission for review. Once the GDCA has approved the plan, it can be formally adopted by the City Council.
Steering Committee members were: Roy Oliver, Assistant City Manager/Community Development Director; Allie Godwin, City Clerk; Luther Conyers, Alderman; Jerry Carter, Public Safety Director; Lisa Taylor, Director of Administrative Services; Steve Winburn, Public Service Director; Darrell Cox, Local Business Owner; Amanda Glover, DDA Director; and Dustin Dowdy, Planning Commissioner.