THE PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY

The River Valley Compatible Community Development Plan was created as a partial update to the 2008 Fort Benning Joint Land Use Study, which focused on the implementation of measures to promote land uses in proximity to the installation that help sustain the longterm capacity of the installation.

This new and updated plan takes a novel approach to identifying strategies to promote these compatible uses. Traditionally, joint land use studies and compatible use studies have focused on zoning and other land use regulations to direct compatible growth plans. This effort intentionally avoids these kinds of regulatory approaches that restrict the use of private property. Instead, the RVCCD process worked with the communities to identify proactive and voluntary strategies to promote economic and community prosperity while protecting the natural resources and other environmental services provided by these lands and limiting incompatible development. In addition, project team members provided technical assistance in the

THE form of grant-writing, stakeholder capacity building, and leadership development to several of the communities during the process to lay the groundwork for implementation after this plan is released. Each community engaged in the RVCCD process has a distinct character and individual assets, needs, and opportunities. At the same time, all the communities are part of a shared landscape in the River Valley Region and along the Fall Line. Because of these individual characteristics and shared qualities, the RVCCD Plan combines local and regional planning activities to develop a comprehensive blueprint that can catalyze opportunities for collaboration across communities but still recognizes local needs and opportunities.

RVCCD PLAN PROCESS CONSIS TED OF FOUR PHASES:

Phase I: Data collection, resource assessments, and initial stakeholder engagement

Phase II: Broad stakeholder engagement

Phase III: Plan design and drafting

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Phase IV: Plan adoption and deployment

Phase I involved data collection and analysis, along with targeted stakeholder engagement. The primary goals of this initial phase were to gain an understanding of the communities and the region and to begin to identify the opportunities, challenges, and resources present. In this first phase, the UGA team reviewed past plans, data sources, and other resources relevant to this effort. It also convened a local steering committee within each participating community made up of community leaders and other stakeholders. These steering committees informed the subsequent community engagement efforts and helped make those contacts within each community.

Conducted 20 additional input meetings with appx. 350 participants along with dozens of individual interviews

Engaged Steering Committees in each of the six counties

Online and in-person survey with appx. 250 responses

In Phase II, the UGA team gathered broader public input and initiated two technical analyses: a Regional Tourism Assessment and a Tax Impact Assessment.

The results of these efforts are discussed in greater detail below, and the full technical reports are included in Appendices A and B, respectively. Together, these technical reports seek to determine the financial impacts of the ACUB program on local government revenues and to evaluate the capacity of natural resource–based economic development, utilizing the conservation areas to offset those impacts.

The broader public input in Phase II comprised a series of targeted, structured interviews with community members with specialized knowledge concerning land development, economic development, land conservation, and other matters related to ensuring compatible land uses are developed in the areas potentially impacting the installation’s operations. The UGA team also organized a series of larger input meetings with a variety of groups interested in this process and conducted a broad community survey. Details of the survey results can be found in Appendix D.

In total, during this process, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UGA team engaged with six steering committees, conducted 20 other community meetings with approximately 350 participants, and conducted individual or small-group interviews with dozens of other community members. Based on the data collected and the community input, the UGA team conducted a resource inventory of the natural, social, cultural, and economic resources in the participating communities. Specifically, community asset mapping was a valuable part of this engagement process.20 Unlike community development processes that identify “problems” first, asset mapping allows communities to identify their strengths and build off of them. Mapping assets shows opportunities for connection, collaboration, and interventions.21 The project focus groups and survey data provided a basic understanding of the character and valued assets in the region, which were divided into the following categories: arts and culture, recreational assets, historical assets, and economic assets.

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The UGA team then researched each category of assets for each county. Data were collected and documented in a table and then geocoded using ArcGIS to create points, which were converted into icons. Themed maps were then created to identify nodes and clusters of assets. The process took a total of six months: four months collecting data, two months to create GIS maps, and continued work to develop an online community asset inventory map. The online map, available at www.rivervalleyccd.com, is a resource for both the project and the communities involved. This map can help visitors and businesses identify assets they may not be aware of. Ultimately, the map can be used to support tourism and visitors to the area, inform rural economic development planning, shape a regional identity, inform future projects, and support grant applications.

During Phase III, the UGA team assimilated all of the data and input provided into a conceptual plan. The team discussed and vetted the various plan elements with the project partners and community leaders. Ultimately, this phase of the project resulted in the drafting and designing of this plan document and its accompanying resources.

In Phase IV, the team will present the plan to the community. This phase will involve communicating the contents of the plan and the results of this planning project back to those who participated in its development and to the broader community. This phase will also include working with the communities and stakeholders to connect them with resources and opportunities to accomplish the short-term action items in the plan and begin work on the medium- and long-term projects. In short, the team will work with the communities and project partners to start implementing the plan elements as opportunities and resources become available.

While these phases of the project generally have followed in chronological order, some overlap has occurred. For example, communication about the plan has been ongoing since the inception of the RVCCD planning effort, and implementation of some components has occurred as funding and opportunities have arisen. Specific actions taken and activities completed to begin implementing this plan are described below in the final section of this report titled Ongoing Activities and Next Steps for Implementation.