RVCCD: Russell County

PHENIX CITY AND RUSSELL COUNTY

Contact Information

River Valley Regional Commission

Jim Livingston, Executive Director

Email: jlivingston@rivervalleyrc.org

Ph: (706) 256-2910

Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

Scott Pippin, Public Service Associate

Email: jspippin@uga.edu

Ph: (706) 542-2736

Funding information: This project was prepared under contract with the River Valley Regional Commission, with financial support from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, Department of Defense and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation.

More information about the project and an interactive asset map may be found at www.rivervalleyccd.com. The plan was released in spring of 2023.

The Russell County Plan BACKGROUND

This plan describes community development opportunities in Russell County that were produced in collaboration with local stakeholders as part of the River Valley Community Compatible Development Plan (RVCCD Plan). The RVCCD Plan reflects a strategy to promote economic development and prosperity in the River Valley region of Georgia and Alabama while preserving the landscape and land uses that align with Fort Moore’s military mission and protect the region’s natural resources. A key goal of the RVCCD Plan is to maintain the region’s rural character and support a good quality of life for area residents. The plan reflects a two-year effort involving a team from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the River Valley Regional Commission, Fort Moore and its Army Compatible Use Buffer partners, and six rural counties around Fort Moore: Marion, Chattahoochee, Stewart, Taylor, Talbot, and Russell. This effort produced local recommendations for each participating county and its cities. This document summarizes that effort in Russell County.

The full RVCCD Plan is available at https://www.rivervalleyccd.com/.

CREDITS

River Valley Regional Commission

Jim Livingston, Executive Director

Allison Slocum, Historic Preservation Planner and Senior Planner

Patti Cullen, Consultant

The Nature Conservancy

Deron Davis, Conservation Project

Director - North America Region

Monica Thornton, Executive Director

Dan Ryan, Director of Conservation

Michael Hensley, Chattahoochee

Fall Line Project Director

LuAnn Craighton, Chattahoochee

Fall Line Outreach Director

Brant Slay, Chattahoochee Fall Line Conservation Manager

US Department of the Army, Fort Moore

Kirk Ticknor, Director, Directorate of Public Works

Brent Widener, Chief, Environmental Management Division - DPW

ACUB Advisory Board

US Department of the Army, Fort Moore, Brent Widener

The Nature Conservancy, Deron Davis

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Ted Will Georgia Forestry Commission, Tim Lowrimore

US Department of AgricultureNatural Resources Conservation Services, Sharon Swagger

US Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Don Imm

Georgia Forestry Commission

R.T. Lumpkin, Prescribed Fire Center Coordinator

Cusseta-Chattahoochee County

Steering Committee

Chairman Charles Coffee

Commissioner Damon Hoyt

Laura Lee Bernstein

Josh Abercrombie

Kristy Brooks

Joe Addison

Mordie Askew

Marion County Steering Committee

Mayor Kevin Brown

Commissioner George Neal

Jay Wells

Claudine Morgan

Will Johnson

Debbie Ford

Jim Gilland

Ralph Blue

Russell County (AL) Steering Committee

Chairman Chance Corbett

Dennis Beason

Tracie Hadaway

Victor Cross

Commissioner Cattie Epps

Mayor Eddie Lowe

Lisa Sandt

Wallace Hunter

Paulette Colbert

Stewart County Steering Committee

Mac Moye

Mayor Jimmy Blount

Commissioner Joseph Williams

Chip Jones

Diane/Charles Lee

Randy Butts

Robert Lee

Mikayla Murphy

Ruthie Hamlin

Christina Garner

Talbot County Steering Committee

Pam & Frank Jordan

Dan Coffey

David Jordan

Tom Persons

Carol Ison

Sher’londa Walker

Debbie Buckner

Mary Stevens

Taylor County Steering Committee

Shonda Blair

Commissioner Tameka Harris

Mayor Barry Whitley

Lenda Taunton

Jarrod McCarthy

Mayor Butch Turner

Tom Queen

Vicki Wainwright

Milton Harris

Rex Robinson

Georgia Municipal Association/ Georgia Cities Foundation

University of Georgia Carl Vinson

Institute of Government

Scott Pippin, Public Service Associate

Saralyn Stafford, Assistant Director, Rural Development

Shana Jones, Assistant Director, Planning and Environmental Services

Danny Bivins, Senior Public Service Associate

Daniel Wyatt, Public Service Assistant

T. Clark Stancil, Landscape and Urban Designer

Kaitlin Messich, Public Service Associate

Leigh Elkins, Senior Public Service Associate

Kelsey Broich, Creative Design Specialist

Natalie Bock, Research Professional

Eleonora Machado, Creative Design Specialist

Karen DeVivo, Editor

Theresa A. Wright, Associate

Director, Survey Research and Evaluation Support

Brian W. Simmons, Public Service Assistant

Erik Thompson, Research Professional

Darrell Robinson, Research Professional

W. Tyler Cagle, Research Professional

Anna Brodmerkel, Graduate Assistant

Garrison Taylor, Graduate Assistant

Franco Conocchiari-Scherer, Graduate Assistant

Scott Luis, Law Fellow

University of Georgia, College of Environment + Design

Jon Calabria, Associate Professor

University of Georgia, Warnell

School of Forestry & Natural Resources

Kyle Maurice Woosnam, Professor

University of Georgia, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

John Salazar, Professor

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Army’s mission is to deploy, fight, and win this nation’s wars. Accomplishing that mission requires rigorous training and preparation at places like Fort Moore. The RVCCD Plan presents strategies to promote compatible land uses in the region around Fort Moore. Compatible land uses are those that do not encroach on the Army’s ability to use its lands and resources to execute its mission, and therefore they can accommodate the smoke, dust, noise, and other impacts of the Army’s training activities. In addition, compatible uses reduce the environmental compliance burdens of the Army’s activities. The RVCCD Plan promotes compatible land use development by going beyond the traditional regulatory approaches such as zoning and other land use practices, and proposing bold, locally derived proposals for proactively supporting development and economic growth compatible with Fort Moore’s mission.

The primary findings and recommendations of the RVCCD Plan include the following:

• Survey respondents perceived the greatest strengths of the region to be Fort Moore’s presence (74%) and the region’s natural features, including natural resources (63%) and outdoor recreation (68%).

• Promoting compatible use in the region must be driven by local residents embracing compatible development practices because it makes economic and quality of life sense for them to do so.

• In addition to supporting Fort Moore, protecting areas surrounding Fort Moore through land conservation programs maintains the region’s rural character, something residents strongly value and want to preserve.

• Rural counties surrounding Columbus have the strong potential to tap into a vibrant regional tourism economy by showcasing their natural and cultural resources.

• Addressing systemic poverty, promoting long-term economic prosperity, and enhancing local capacity for planning and infrastructure investments will be critical to ensuring that the rural communities within these areas thrive in ways compatible with the nation’s national security mission.

• A robust accounting of the economic benefits the conservation buffer areas surrounding the installation have provided and will increasingly provide is an important next step in helping these communities recognize the full value of these lands and expand on it for their long-term prosperity.

Proposed Next Steps for Long-Term Systemic Investment

Develop infrastructure project proposals suitable for funding through the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot (DCIP) Program and other infrastructure funding opportunities, focusing on water and sewer upgrades.

Conduct an analysis in conjunction with Russell County on potential land use changes that could impact the Fryar Drop Zone, particularly any development requiring sewer line extensions in the area.

Conduct a feasibility analysis of sewer line extensions to Chattahoochee County and a study of related land use controls necessary to prevent incompatible development.

Undertake analysis and planning to ensure the transportation network can support community and military needs, including EV charging needs as the installation transitions its nontactical fleet to electric vehicles.

Build capacity among residents for community leadership and entrepreneurship through state and university leadership and capacitybuilding programs.

Develop regional partnerships to foster effective planning, asset management, code enforcement, and zoning administration.

Formulate more robust estimates of the economic and environmental service values provided by the conservation and recreation lands in the region.

Support dark sky efforts to prevent excess light pollution.

Connect river and stream corridor planning to larger conservation efforts.

Support arts, culture, and other community programs to build upon existing cultural assets and interest.

Improve communication between Fort Moore and the rural communities in part by initiating regular community briefings where installation staff brief community leaders on Army issues and needs, and community leaders brief installation leadership on community needs.

INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL PLAN

PHENIX CITY AND RUSSELL COUNTY

Each community engaged in the RVCCD process has a distinct character and individual assets, needs, and opportunities. To promote these unique local assets, each participating community was engaged to identify key resources that could be accentuated to foster future compatible growth and development. These local plans are rooted in the following key principles, which arose from the public input sessions held across the communities in this region.

• Preserving the small-town rural character of these communities and maintaining downtowns are top priorities for residents.

• Investments in vibrant downtowns promote compatible uses and preserve rural character.

• Emphasizing historic downtown development accentuates the distinctive and marketable assets of these rural southern communities while aligning with Fort Moore’s interest in seeing concentrated development in downtown communities as well to further compatible use.

• Strategic infrastructure investments in downtowns and other key areas will further promote compatible growth.

Based on the community engagement and input described in the RVCCD Plan, the following concepts were developed to promote compatible development and economic growth in Russell County.

VISION FOR PHENIX CITY

and for Russell County

In addition to being located in a different state, Russell County and Phenix City, Alabama, are unique when compared to other communities engaged in this project. With almost 60,000 residents, Phenix City–Russell County is several times larger in population than any other community involved in this project, though it is still far from being “urban.” Unlike some of its more rural neighbors, this area is growing. Instead of searching for a vision for how the community can spark economic development, development is already happening in Russell County and Phenix City. Nonetheless, the area faces the challenge of how to direct and manage that development so that it supports the long-term resilience and sustainability of the community and its largest employer, Fort Moore. Despite differences, the development strategy that emerged from the input and discussions with this community follows the models conceived by the other communities: focus on downtown, promote outdoor recreation, and build on local arts and culture to promote quality of life and foster tourism. The projects proposed seek to bring people into downtown by enhancing existing attractions, developing new ones, fostering new development, and building on existing partnerships like the one with Troy University.

This plan for 5th Avenue in Phenix City shows attractive streetscaping extended down the corridor from the downtown parking garage. This concept formalizes on-street parking, extends continuous sidewalks down 5th Avenue, marks potential locations for street trees, and highlights potential redevelopment sites.

Straightening 15th Street creates the potential for a multistory mixed-use development or housing for Troy University students.

5th Avenue Streetscape plan

POTENTIAL MIXED-USE INFILL DEVELOPMENT

TROY UNIVERSITY ARTS BUILDING

DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE

5TH AVENUE

EXISTING: This image shows existing conditions along 5th Avenue from the parking area of the Russell County Courthouse. This view shows large expanses of pavement, limited shade, and vacant buildings.

PROPOSED: Creating bump-outs and planting beds in existing parking areas could make downtown Phenix City more attractive and accessible for pedestrians. The bump-outs shown reduce pedestrian crossing distances and make exploring the area on foot safer. This image shows formalized on-street parking and sidewalks extended along 5th Avenue, connecting the growing area around the 14th Street pedestrian bridge with points north. The rendering shows the addition of a multistory, mixed-use infill development. A development like this could bring housing or other Troy University programming to the area.

Existing

TRAIL MAP

Proposed

This conceptual plan view shows the extension of the existing trails in Phenix City. From the Phenix City Amphitheater, this concept shows trails extended southward to the future replacement of Oglethorpe Bridge. Incorporating bike lanes on the future bridge would further connect the Phenix City and Columbus trail networks. Near the intersection with the bridge, an expanse of attractive publicly-owned property offers the opportunity for a public park and infill development complex. This concept also shows a bike lane extended northward along Broad Street to connect future development along the corridor with the heart of Phenix City.

Existing Existing

Proposed

OGLETHORPE BRIDGE

EXISTING: Oglethorpe Bridge connects southern Columbus with Phenix City. This bridge is slated for replacement over the next few years.

PROPOSED: Incorporating a protected multiuse trail along the new bridge could create an important new link between the Columbus and Phenix City trail networks.

Proposed

TRAIL EXTENSION

EXISTING: This photo shows the exit ramp onto Broad Street Extension from Highway 280. This image illustrates conditions just across the Oglethorpe Bridge over the Chattahoochee, crossing into Alabama. There is currently no safe way for bicycles or pedestrians to cross the river in this area.

PROPOSED: This rendering shows a proposed multi-use trail extension along Broad Street. From this point, the trail could run alongside Highway 280, linking Columbus and Phenix City with a new alternative transportation route.

BROAD STREET TRAIL

EXISTING: This photo shows Broad Street Extension, just off Highway 280, heading toward downtown Phenix City. In an area without sidewalks, the informal footpath visible on the right indicates where pedestrians have been forced to walk along this corridor.

PROPOSED: This rendering shows the proposed multi-use trail continuing along Broad Street Extension toward downtown Phenix City.

Improving the experience of visiting downtown.

THE SUMMIT

EXISTING: Owned by the city, this vacant site located between Broad Street and Brickyard Road features expansive views of Columbus and the Chattahoochee River to the east.

PROPOSED: The roughly 22 acres of city-owned property between 6th Street and Highway 280 could include a mix of redevelopment and public parks. This concept shows an attractive new infill development on site to take advantage of sweeping views to the east. This compact development could bring new housing options and activity to proposed trails nearby.

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