By Tyler Pruett, Managing Editor
tyler@southerntorch.com
RAINSVILLE, Ala — City planning experts from the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) will meet with residents from Rainsville tonight to get feedback and opinions about how to improve the city and completing the last phase of developing a comprehensive, long-term vision and plan for the city’s future.
At a recent meeting of the Rainsville City Council, a representative from TARCOG addressed the mayor and council on the ongoing project to develop the plan.
The city and TARCOG is looking for the citizen’s input on the long-term planning.
“We can’t move forward because it’s your city, and we need your imput to move forward on this project,” said Kevin Bernard from TARCOG.
Rainsville Mayor & City Council will meet with TARCOG to complete the last phase of the Community Development Comprehensive Plan December 19, 2016, prior to the Regular Council Meeting.
The meeting will begin at 3:00 pm and end at 4:25 pm during the regularly scheduled work session.
“The project started about a year ago. We also do economic development and planning. What we try to do, is setting up a strategic plan for development,” Bernard said at the meeting.
“Unfortunately we are a little behind, this project was supposed to be done by August this year,” added Bernard.
This grant was applied for in 2014, and the advisement from TARCOG is free to the City of Rainsville thanks to a grant from the Appalachian Regional Council.
Rainsville was awarded a comprehensive community planning grant from the Appalachian Regional Council (ARC) over a year ago that provides Rainsville with almost $30,000 of funding to work with TARCOG to develop the long-term, comprehensive plan.
“A road map that guides your future, your development, your zoning, your growth………,” explained Bernard.
“This ensures that you grow correctly and that you have the appropriate mechanism and parameters in place to make sure you grow the way you want to,” he said.
“It’s very useful to look at and chart a course for future of the city,” added Bernard.
Bernard had on hand the last comprehensive development plan done for the city.
“It’s very much outdated,” said Bernard, “It was done in 1969,” he added.
The City of Rainsville has grown and changed drastically since the last plan, and Monday night will be an opportunity for the citizens to have input in what direction it will go in the future.
