THE REGION

REGIONAL STUDY AREA: SIX COUNTIES

The study area for this project encompasses the six rural counties surrounding Fort Moore that have been impacted by the ACUB program or that may be in the future. The area includes Russell County in Alabama and five Georgia counties: Chattahoochee, Marion, Stewart, Taylor, and Talbot. These counties border the southern, eastern, and western boundaries of Fort Moore. Twelve cities are located within the study area. These six counties are critical to the longterm military mission of Fort Moore as they support military operations and the larger military community. Incompatible development in these communities not only threatens to alter the rural, small-town character that residents prize, but it also threatens the long-term sustainability of the military mission in the region. As the 2008 JLUS noted, Fort Moore’s presence has spurred regional expansion, drawing a large number of families and retirees to the area and sparking industry growth.22

Through this planning effort, the DOD and Fort Moore recognize these threats, the installation’s role in driving them, and the challenges they place on rural communities in this region, and they are seeking new solutions to reduce these threats. This plan is a first step in a long-term collaborative effort by the installation, the Army, and the DOD to work with these communities to address these threats and challenges.

Project Communities

RIVER VALLEY COMMUNITY COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT