Review the Action Agenda and share your priorities!

Tell us what you think?

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Did you miss the Envision Athens Open House? Now you can review the draft Action Agenda and share your priorities with the Steering Committee online. In the forms below please indicate your Top Five actions by clicking the selection box next to the item. Have a general or specific comment? Leave it in the comment box at the end of the form. Want to get involved with implementation? Volunteer your time, energy, and expertise to the Envision movement and let us know the action(s) where you can really make a difference!

Thank you for your time and insights!

Tell us your priorities!

Use the selection box to tell us what’s most important or where you would like to get started. Please select your top five. 

Envision Athens Open House Form

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HEALTH

A culture of healthy lifestyles with inclusive access to affordable, holistic and state of-the-art services and facilities for physical health, mental health, and general wellbeing.

ACTION AGENDA

HE1 Coordinate communication on health care issues to increase the public’s understanding of service providers, translation services, and program requirements for clients

HE2 Continue to support effective healthy living initiatives

HE3 Create education programs to help citizens make healthy lifestyle choices

HE4 Identify mental health issues in youth and put preventive measures, services, and interventions in place

HE5 Create transition programs, resources and coordination of services for people moving back to the community from short-term and long-term incarceration

HE6 Develop an effective mental health crisis response team

HE7 Recruit specialists in healthcare that are based on the defined areas of need

HE8 Expand substance abuse and addictive disease treatment

HE9 Create a regional hub for healthcare to centralize facilities and providers

Select your priority actions

SAFETY

Residents and visitors feel safe and secure in the community, whether in residential areas, public places or on transportation routes.

ACTION AGENDA

SA1 Provide and identify sufficient funding to implement the ACC Police Department Strategic Vision Plan which includes enhancing community oriented policing

SA2 Develop and fund retention incentives for public safety officers

SA3 Develop Fire & Emergency Services Strategic Plan to include identifying ways to enhance and grow Fire Service delivery in areas of significant medical emergency

SA4 Develop comprehensive community supervision plan

SA5 Review and enhance safety programs for at-risk populations to reduce sexual, financial, and emotional abuse

SA6 Further expand youth development programs for public safety using data from Youth Development Task Force

SA7 Identify and evaluate ways to leverage existing technology to better coordinate efforts between residents and police

SA8 Create a bicycle/walking safety enforcement and education program

SA9 Evaluate and update policies that aim to reduce traffic fatalities

Select your priority actions

SOCIAL SERVICES

Effective and accessible social service delivery that enables people to reach their full potential. The community is open to, aware and supportive of social services , and the nonprofit community is connected and communicative, with ever increasing collaboration.

ACTION AGENDA

SS1 Nonprofits collaborate and convene productively, and effectively communicate services

SS2 Develop and expand youth development programming that is accessible and provide adequate and affordable child care

SS3 Address poverty by targeting unemployment and under-employment, as well as our limited ability to attract employers to ACC by training and preparing individuals for vocational success

SS4 Create a community that is effectively supportive of, and provides access to, productive opportunities for individuals who are typically underrepresented in quality-of-life indicators such as income, food security, stable housing, community inclusion, etc.

SS5 Develop a clearinghouse to more easily access programs and social services

Select your priority actions

ARTS & CULTURE

All aspects of culture and the arts – including music, theater, visual arts, heritage resources and other cultural initiatives – are the authentic expression of the people and place, representing an ever-present community good that contributes to nurturing and attracting diverse talent.

ACTION AGENDA

AR1 Develop, foster, implement and fund a historic / heritage resources master plan

AR2 Identify barriers to inclusion/engagement in the arts through an assessment tool

AR3 Measure economic impacts of arts, culture and heritage tourism and evaluate the current health of the local arts economy and set 5, 10, and 20 year growth goals accordingly

AR4 Promote, fund, and implement public art master plan

AR5 Develop an inclusive approach to the arts

AR6 Create a public space and venue for the arts

Select your priority actions

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Residents feel a strong connection to each other, are engaged in the community’s overall well-being.

ACTION AGENDA

CE1 Create a collective identity that reflects our unique diversity

CE2 Continue to identify common goals among UGA and Athens

CE3 Create gathering spaces that are available and accessible to all

CE4 Encourage a more easily navigable government system

CE5 Identify the relationships and connections between neighborhood groups and the broader community

CE6 Expand and coordinate local leadership academies

Select your priority actions

TRANSPORTATION

Increased range of transportation options – including walking, biking, transit, and driving – that provide efficient, safe, affordable and equitable access throughout the community and connect to the region and the world (rail and air service).

ACTION AGENDA

TR1 Support bike and pedestrian infrastructure through respective master plans

TR2 Grow and advance commercial air service in Athens-Clarke County

TR3 Pursue sustainable coverage of transit within community

TR4 Develop an over-arching transportation plan.

TR5 Pursue comprehensive transportation safety program

TR6 Explore commuting options to Atlanta

TR7 Continue to buildout fiber, and related technology, etc.

Select your priority actions

INFRASTRUCTURE

Well-maintained infrastructure is strategically expanded and upgraded to unlock economic potential and help meet the needs of individuals in full consideration of environmental practices.

ACTION AGENDA

I1 Ensure adequate water supply to meet current and future demand

I2 Repair and replace infrastructure assets commensurate with physical depreciation

I3 Reduce the risk of flooding events and improve the quality of streams and rivers through a proactive and innovative stormwater program

I4 Increase communications and information connectivity

I5 Improve downtown streetscape and infrastructure and physical and IT infrastructure.

I6 Coordinate sanitary sewer expansion that is integrated with the future land use framework

Select your priority actions

EDUCATION

Effective and respected early childhood through high school education that prepares students for life, including career learning and education opportunities, traditional college, or the workforce. In general, life-long learning is highly valued, resources are widely available, equity in opportunity is improved, and success is communicated.

ACTION AGENDA

EC1 Enhance opportunities for families to engage in the learning process so they may be active participants in their child(ren)'s education and help their child(ren) achieve their individual educational goals

EC2 Educate, train and develop young people in Athens-Clarke County so that they will graduate from high school prepared to enter the local workforce, and to be successful in the world of work and in their lives.

EC3 Provide a variety of learning opportunities for both adult and nontraditional students' education and development, which support a variety of learning styles and emotional/health needs.

EC4 Enhance the learning environment to provide student support for the variety of needs within our community

EC5 Provide a robust Early Childhood Education for birth to Pre-K children to help prepare them for academic success in the future

EC6 Support teachers through a variety of methods in order to retain quality teachers who feel appreciated and valued

EC7 Provide support for traditional college

Select your priority actions

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

All aspects of culture and the arts – including music, theater, visual arts, heritage resources and other cultural initiatives – are the authentic expression of the people and place, representing an ever-present community good that contributes to nurturing and attracting diverse talent.

ACTION AGENDA

ED1 Continued improvement of coordination and cooperation of Athens entities concerned with economic growth and the attraction and creation of jobs which offer wages that support a normal standard of living for Athens-Clarke County workers

ED2 Implement ordinances, policies, and infrastructure to address impediments to locating or expanding business and industry

ED3 Provide the facilities and services necessary to attract, incubate, and grow businesses across a variety of sectors

ED4 Leverage Athens’ most distinctive products - like the music scene - to further position it as a destination and brand

ED5 Create a marketing plan that will better position Athens to successfully compete for in-state and regional leisure and conventions travel

ED6 Continue building a comprehensive, complementary entrepreneur development program to the existing retention attraction initiatives

ED7 Improve the accessibility of Downtown as the everyone’s neighborhood

Select your priority actions

LAND USE

A vibrant and physically attractive community with a variety of places and equitable access to parks, open space, and other community gathering places. Development and redevelopment—and redevelopment is a priority—are well considered, appropriately placed, and have a positive and thoughtful economic, social and environmental impact.

ACTION AGENDA

LU1 Re-examine Future Development Map

LU2 Establish Corridor redevelopment incentives or zoning policies for gateway and other important corridors

LU3 Create “nodal” development tied to transportation, healthcare, schools, jobs, workforce, and housing

LU4 Develop zoning standards and incentives to include greenspace and other public amenities

LU5 Establish incentives for new development to incorporate environmentally sustainable standards including, but not limited to, material re-use, responsible management of construction waste, etc.

LU6 Incentivise and incorporate the arts and greenspace into all new commercial developments and redevelopment

LU7 Re-examine density allowances in all zoning districts

LU8 Develop incentives to reuse existing development before new developments in “greenfields”

LU9 Encourage the use of incentive options such as TDRs, CIDs, TADs, and BIDs for development

LU10 Create an inventory of local public-owned land that could be developed

LU11 Develop zoning standards and incentives to develop and/or redevelop quality multi-family options for a diverse group

LU12 Create a River District Plan and development strategy

Select your priority actions

ENVIRONMENT

Stewardship of the natural environment, including improved water and air quality and conserved areas – woods, farms, streams and wetlands.

ACTION AGENDA

E1 Decrease water consumption per capita

E2 Improve the health and quality of rivers and streams to meet local standards for public use and enjoyment

E3 Reduce landfill disposal of solid waste by diverting 75% through management, education, collection, and enforcement.

E4 Provide more safe, affordable transportation options including walking, biking, and clean transit

E5 Decrease single-occupancy car rides by incentivizing alternative transportation

E6 Increase energy efficiency, sources, and use of renewables

E7 Identify and protect rare, threatened, and unique natural resources

E8 Achieve goal of 20% of county as protected greenspace

Select your priority actions

NEIGHBORHOODS

Vibrant, stable, and safe places—primarily residential—to live, including neighborhoods with a range of integrated housing types.

ACTION AGENDA

N1 Educate tenants about their rights and responsibilities

N2 Expand sidewalk network in neighborhoods and other infrastructure such as lights, trees, neighborhood businesses, basic infrastructure for neighborhoods

N3 Incentivize neighborhood grocery stores, farmer’s markets, co-ops, etc.

N4 Increase and promote communication among neighborhoods via listservs and other communication tools

N5 Create neighborhood planning units, neighborhood councils, and promote neighborhood leaders program

N6 Create incentives to encourage revitalization in neighborhoods and commercial developments

N7 Utilize neighborhood schools as hubs for diverse school and neighborhood engagement

N8 Evaluate current process for addressing identification, adjudication, education, and funding clearance of nuisance properties.

Select your priority actions

HOUSING

Housing options reflect the diversity and needs of the community, including housing for families and a diverse workforce with a variety of types, prices, and locations.

ACTION AGENDA

H1 Increase amount of, and provide access to, affordable housing

H2 Acknowledge and develop strategies to address issues related to gentrification

H3 Support and expand the Housing Rehabilitation Initiative

H4 Provide more options for homeless

H5 Create quality housing for seniors - accessory dwelling units

H6 Target troubled multi-family developments for major redevelopment especially mixed-income

Select your priority actions

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture remains a viable and productive component of the local economy, including diverse activities such as for eco-tourism, beautification projects, support of plant nurseries and other related uses.

ACTION AGENDA

AG1 Support the initiatives of the Cooperative Extension Service programs.

AG2 Identify and evaluate tax incentives on AR zoned property to incentivize maintaining AR land.

AG3 Enhance and further develop connections with UGA Agriculture program, CCSD, and Young Urban Farmers Program.

AG4 Establish an eastside Farmers Market

AG5 Further develop the idea of “local flavor”

AG6 Evaluate, establish, and expand community gardens to include “vertical farming,” farming in small places.

AG7 Mobilize fresh food

AG8 Create an Ag Council to be made up of landscape companies, nurseries, bee owners, and animal farmers

Select your priority actions

What do you think?

Tell us what’s on your mind

What are your reactions to the draft Action Agenda? Please tell us your thoughts, suggestions, hopes or concerns and assist the Steering Committee in its work. We appreciate your time and insights.

Please make reference to the action number if your comment is related to a specific item.

Join the Team!

Want to be further engaged in implementation? Tell us!

Are there one, two, or more actions where you think you could lend a helping hand, or lead the effort? Let us know, get linked in, and be part of the implementation of Envision Athens.

Please include the Action(s) ID, your name, email, phone number and a description of how you would like to be involved.

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Thank you!

Look for more information from the Steering Committee soon.