Featured image: Residents from Rainsville met Monday night with TARCOG and city officials to begin a long-term city plan
By Joseph M. Morgan
RAINSVILLE, Ala.— Rainsville Mayor Nick Jones and city planning experts from Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) met with residents from Rainsville Monday night to get feedback and opinions about how to improve the city and begin the first phases of developing a comprehensive, long-term vision and plan for the city’s future.
Rainsville was awarded a comprehensive community planning grant from the Appalachian Regional Council (ARC) about one year ago that provides Rainsville with almost $30,000 of funding to work with TARCOG to develop the long-term, comprehensive plan.
The funding provides the city with the unique insight, experience and knowledge from TARCOG’s city planning experts. Jones and other city officials, along with residents, local business owners and other stakeholders will work together in the months to come to develop the plan for Rainsville’s future.
“This is an incredible opportunity for the city of Rainsville,” Jones said. “For the first time in our city’s history we will have access to the nationally-acclaimed team of experts from TARCOG who have the ability and unprecedented resources that will allow our great city to develop a vision for a better Rainsville and a brighter tomorrow for all.”
Attendees at Monday night’s meeting completed a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis to provide TARCOG with insight into citizens’ current likes, dislikes, concerns and suggestions for improvements to Rainsville’s industrial, residential, commercial and recreational climate, as well as mapping out any perceived problems with city streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure needs.
In the weeks and months to come TARCOG will work with the city of Rainsville to review and assess the city’s current practices regarding zoning regulations, administrative policies and procedures, transportation and roadways, parks and recreation, sidewalks and bike paths, utilities and infrastructure, available housing and land use.
TARCOG’s city planning experts will then work with Rainsville city government, local business owners and residents of the community to determine how to improve these areas and establish the long-term, comprehensive plan for the future.
“This is an exciting time for the people of Rainsville,” Jones said. “In the weeks and months to come, TARCOG will work hand-in-hand with the residents of this community and our city government to develop a long-term plan for Rainsville that will help our city become the best it can be as we continue to grow and prosper.”
