By Arielle Robinson
Cobb County’s Community Development Agency asks that citizens interested in voicing their opinions on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan five-year update complete a survey and/or attend a series of upcoming public meetings by the county.
The survey and meetings are set so that Cobb residents, business owners, landowners and visitors can share what they want the county to invest in to make it an attractive place for businesses and families.
The survey takes between 20-25 minutes to complete.
From this month through March, concerned citizens can attend any of the five meetings about the Plan.
The locations, dates and times for the public meetings are:
Community Meeting #1
When: January 13, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Windy Hill Community Center, 1885 Roswell St., Smyrna, GA 30080
Community Meeting #2
When: January 24, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Mountain View Regional Library, 3320 Sandy Plains Rd., Marietta, GA 30066
Community Meeting #3
When: February 3, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: South Cobb Community Center, 640 Lions Club Dr., Mableton, GA 30126
Community Meeting #4
When: February 17, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: West Cobb Senior Center, 4915 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA 30127
Virtual Meeting
When: February 24, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Link to be posted online at www.cobbcounty.org/comp-plan
Open House
When: March 10, 2022
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Hudgins Hall (Cobb County Civic Center), 548 South Marietta Pkwy. SE, Marietta, GA 30060
Cobb’s Community Development website says the following about the Unified Development Code, the Comprehensive Plan and its five-year updates:
“The County’s Code and Development Standards are just one piece of the planning and development equation. Another key component is the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is the long-range policy document that shapes the current and future development of the County for a twenty-year planning period. As required by the State of Georgia, the Comprehensive Plan is updated every 5 years and includes a Future Land Use Map that provides the basis for what type of development is best suited in each area of the County.
“The Comprehensive Plan is the policy document that directs land use, and this document is referred to in informing zoning decisions. County Codes and Development Standards, along with the Design Guidelines, are the regulatory tools for the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. Upon completion, the UDC will become the one-stop-shop for the County’s zoning and development regulations, and thereby become the regulatory tool for plan implementation.”
Arielle Robinson is a student at Kennesaw State University. She also freelances for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution and is the former president of KSU’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists as well as a former CNN intern. She enjoys music, reading, and live shows.
Will the county ignore those community voices like they did when they disregarded the JOSH survey and allowed a mega-church and high-density townhome development right in the middle of the JOSH area? I think we all know the answer to that question.