This legislation results from a two-year stakeholder process whereby ACCG, GMA and others partnered on the Department of Community Affairs' Planning Rules Task force to revise Georgia's comprehensive planning requirements on local governments. While, to the credit of DCA, most of the task force's recommendations have been achieved via its rulemaking process, three changes in statute were necessary. This legislation covers these necessary changes by:

 

- making housing, human services, natural resources, vital areas, historic and cultural resources, infrastructure, recreation and other components of a comprehensive plan optional to the local government;

 

- not requiring Regional Commissions (RC) to issue a public finding on whether a development of regional impact is in the best interest of the region or state; and

 

-changing deadlines on when a local government must adopt a comprehensive plan and submit it to their RC. 

 

For a detailed summary of all the Comprehensive Planning changes promulgated by DCA, click here.

 

For a PowerPoint presentation of the changes, click here.