Diary of Orrin Brown, East of Covington, Georgia
Friday–Nov. 18th
We were routed out this morning at 4.30 and on the road again at 6 Oclock there is 4 detailed out of our Company today as foragers. Our Regt. is detailed as train guards today. We passed through the town of Covington about 2 PM and went into Camp at 5 PM. I sold my overcoat for $5 today.
I’ve never been to Covington, Georgia, but this year I had the chance to learn more about Newton County and the Covington area. The Small Town and Rural Planning (STaR) Division gave the community the Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan for their Newton County 2050 Plan at the American Planning Association’s National Planning Conference in Atlanta.
Newton County has experienced rapid growth, expanding by 0ver 60% from 2000-2010 (the 7th fastest growing county in the US at the time). This plan was a cooperative effort of the Center for Community Preservation and Planning (founded in 2002) and a local Leadership Collaborative of elected and appointed staff and officials. The plan is based on four guiding principles—Protect clean water, Create communities, Create interconnected corridors, and Coordinate public investment. They are currently focusing on implementation, including coordinating zoning ordinances, creating intergovernmental agreements and crafting a comprehensive transportation plan. It’s a fairly unique cooperative approach that could be a model for other regions, rural or urban.
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STrib
The Economist