by Denise Etheridge
White County News
Residents can help shape White County’s future at a public forum on the joint Comprehensive Plan, set for Sept. 29 in Helen. The forum will begin at 6 p.m., at 25 Alpenrosen Strasse in Helen.
The Georgia Mountains Regional Commission (GMRC) is assisting the governments of Helen, Cleveland and White County with the update of the joint Comprehensive Plan. The Comp Plan provides guidelines for development and capital projects and public input is an integral part of planning for the future.
“We hope the next few discussions will help clarify some priorities and ambitions under the prospect of potential change,” GMRC Planning Director Adam Hazell said. “Since the overall region is expected to grow due to employment engines outside of White County, we want to ensure the local leaders are considering how best to manage that potential growth, whether it arrives in five years or 20 years.”
Hazell and Regional Planner Joe Rothwell are overseeing the project and will draft the updated Comp Plan. Local governments in Georgia are required by the Georgia Planning Act of 1989 to complete a Comprehensive Plan and regularly update it.
“We last updated the plan in 2021 and are required to do it every five years,” White County Director of Community and Economic Development John Sell previously told the News. “It is due to the (Georgia) Department of Community Affairs at the end of February 2026.”
The updated comp plan will include appendices for the bike/pedestrian plan and the Strategic Economic Development Plan completed by the Development Authority, according to Sell. The current plan can be found on the county’s website at whitecountyga.gov.
Sell estimated that the county and cities will approve the Comp Plan draft by January 2026.
Citizens can also make their thoughts known via an online survey that will remain open until December. Surveys can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/WhiteCounty2025.
What survey-takers are saying
“We’ve received 690 participants thus far and are tallying the results to date,” Hazell said. “We don’t expect any notable changes to key trends and priorities, but we’re routinely checking new survey results for write-in comments that reveal new ideas or thoughts.”
Hazell said most people who responded to the online survey seem concerned about the negative impacts of growth, such as increased traffic, a possible rise in crime and a more expensive cost of living.
“Most would obviously prefer to preserve the area’s small-town charm, as do most of our rural communities,” he said. “But there is evidence that people also recognize there will be opportunities for economic growth, as well. If more farms sell off, people want to make sure there are local jobs for their kids and grandkids other than retail, for instance. There’s also concern about becoming just a bedroom community for employees working in Hall County, which could increase property taxes if the tax base becomes unbalanced.”
Residents who have questions about the Comp Plan itself or the process to update the document can contact Hazell at 738-538-2617 or ahazell@gmrc.ga.gov.