PROCESS AT A GLANCE


What happens? 

The plan development process is divided into two phases. Phase One consists of two parts: the Community Assessment and the Community Participation Program.  Phase Two of the plan development process is the Community Agenda. These plan components will be further described in the section below titled “Where does it come from?” 

During the upcoming months, Fulton County Department of Environment & Community Development staff will kick-off the public portion of Phase One of the plan development process.  Staff will begin presenting the draft Community Assessment for public comment and review.   To obtain public input, the County will host public meetings and hearings, make presentations to local community groups and organizations, host a website for plan information and provide a web based commenting tool to all citizens to provide direct input to Fulton County from their computers. 
 
Where does it come from?

The State of Georgia requires that all approved comprehensive plans include a Community Assessment, Community Participation Program and Community Agenda. 

• Community Assessment: The Community Assessment is an assessment of existing conditions. This document is a review of the data and information (community land uses, policies, services and development patterns) that currently exists regarding Fulton County.
• Community Participation: The Community Participation Program outlines Fulton County’s strategy for involving the public in the comprehensive planning process. The Program includes a list of stakeholders and a schedule for the completion of the plan including meeting dates.  The Community Participation Program is to ensure that there are different voices and perspectives to provide feedback for the development of the Community Agenda. 
• Community Agenda: The Community Agenda is the more substantive part of the planning process and involves the development of a shared vision, goals, objectives and policies. This document also details the strategy that will be used to achieve this vision.

How does the planning process work? 

Phase One: Community Assessment & Community Participation Program
In November and December of 2010 Fulton County staff initiated Phase One of the plan development process by drafting the Community Assessment and the Community Participation Program.   Once drafted these documents will be presented for public review and comment.  Using this public input to revise the document, staff will finalize the Community Assessment and Public Participation Program.  Once final these documents will be sent to the Atlanta Regional Commission for their review.  Acting as the reviewing authority for the State of Georgia, the Atlanta Regional Commission will review the documents for completeness. 

Once verified as complete Fulton County will be allowed to start Phase Two of the plan development process, the Community Agenda.  As with Phase One of the process, Fulton County staff will initialize the process by drafting a Community Agenda.  The draft Community Agenda will then be presented for public review and comment.  Through a several month planning process, staff working directly with the public will finalize the Community Agenda.  The Community Agenda will then proceed for a completeness review by the Atlanta Regional Commission.  Once verified as complete the plan will be presented to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners for adoption. 

The final document, Your Community, Your Future: Fulton County 2030 Comprehensive Plan will include all three components: the Community Assessment, the Community Participation Program and the Community Agenda.  It will become the official Fulton County Comprehensive Plan and serve as Fulton County’s strategic plan and policy guide.