City of Thomasville
Comprehensive Plan & Summary
1. What is a Comprehensive Plan?
The Comprehensive Plan is a tool used to guide the orderly growth and future development of the city over a twenty-year period.
Planning is an official function of local governments. Its role is to advise public officials, managers, and diverse citizenry about the overall future development in its locale.
The State of Georgia provides minimum standards and procedures for local comprehensive plans
2. What are the components of the comprehensive planning process?
By law, the CITY OF THOMASVILLE must document the use of this three step planning process. It includes:
a. Inventory and Assessment - 1. Prepare an inventory of data for each planning element and development; or presentation of projections and/or forecast, 2. Analyze data from each element
b. Statement of Needs and Goals - this establishes the community's long-range needs, goals and ambitions. 1. statement of needs for each element, summarizing the conclusions reached during the inventory and assessment step and addressing ways in which these needs may affect, or be affected by, other elements of the plan. 2. Goal statements expressing the community's common ideals, desires and vision for the future. Goals should be directed toward addressing the community's social, economic and physical needs and opportunities in a manner that will assure the future well being of the community.c. Implementation Strategy - 1. Strategies the local government will employ during the 20 year planning time frame to address the needs and goals articulated in the plan. 2. Have the CITY OF THOMASVILLE adopt policies to support community values and to define priorities regarding specific issues and resources with the purpose of providing guidance and direction to city officials in implementing the plan. 3. Prepare short-term work programs which schedule the specific actions during each five-year period (twenty year planning cycle) to address the needs and goals identified in the plan.
3. What are the six minimum elements that have to be considered in the Comprehensive plan?
· Population - inventory and assess the trends in population growth or decline and the demographic characteristics of the population.
· Economic Development - To achieve a growing and balanced economy, consistent with prudent management of the state's resources, that equitably benefits all segments of the population
· Natural and Historic Resources - To conserve and protect the environmental, natural and historic resources of Georgia's communities, regions and the state.
· Community Facilities and Services - To ensure that public facilities throughout the state have the capacity, and are in place when needed, to support and attract growth and development and/or maintain and enhance the quality of life of Georgia's residents.
· Housing - To ensure that residents of the state have access to adequate and affordable housing.
· Land Use - To ensure that land resources are allocated for uses that will accommodate and enhance the state's economic development, natural and historic resources, community facilities, and housing and to protect and improve the quality of life of Georgia's residents.
4. How does the Comprehensive Plan benefit government, citizens and businesses?
It provides for the orderly growth of the community by inventorying and assessing basic elements. It establishes long-range needs, goals and ambitions, with an implementation strategy and map. It represents the consensus of the community. It allows for public participation in the planning process. Federal, state and private funding sources know what the city of Thomasville's priorities are, the direction it is headed, what and where to fund.
Click
on the links below to view the Comprehensive Plan for the City of
Thomasville.
Community Facilities
& Services
Community Survey and Population Information