H = Hamilton

PM = Pine Mountain

WH = Waverly Hall

F = Fortson

WP = West Point

    Business Development

Challenges

Location

Environmental business concerns

F

Limited job opportunities

WP

Lack of retail in county

WP

Lack of support for entrepreneurial spirit

WP

No unified county voice

PM

Reliance on residential growth for tax base

WP

Zoning needs to be geared toward community, not developer

H

Need industrial park

F

Impact fees (lack of)

F

No Wal-Marts, McDonald’s, other

WH

Strip mall architecture

F

Lack of infrastructure

WP

Lack of growth of tax base

WH

Give suggestions for architecture codes

F

Not unified as a community

WH

Over-development on highways (curb cuts)

WH

Too much residential development

WH

Unregulated sign ordinance

PM

Lack of consistent zoning; nothing to control growth

PM

Negative attitudes about growth

WP

Difficult and cumbersome recycling

PM

Public eyesores created by poorly finished developments/signage

PM

High taxes – low services

WP

Poor communication among business owners (not united)

PM

Higher standard for overall appearance (community pride)

H

Limited employment opportunities

WH

New leadership development

H

Lack of clean industry

WH

Must shop outside county (groceries, clothing, auto, etc.)

H

Lack of employment opportunities (diversity)

H

No labor force (local) to support new resort

PM

Lack of grocery stores, quality restaurants, retail, etc.

PM

Apathy in development (folks not involved)

PM

Need long range plan for development

PM

Tier 4 status

PM

Lack of industry for children to come back to

H

HC 2020 Goals

Don’t want sprawl; want managed growth

PM

Protect surface water to maintain quality

H

Need to support leaders who will give the people what they want

H

Public transportation (local, Columbus, Atlanta, etc.)

H

Water/sewer availability throughout county

H

An appropriate business/restaurant balance

H

Battered women’s sanctuary

H

A hospital within county

H

Manage population growth

PM

One chamber of commerce in the county

H

Developer embrace new technology/concepts (fibre optics)

H

Need to decide what kind of industry we want and go after it

H

Industrial park with covenants

H

Commercial and light industrial

H

Keep integrity of area - land, buildings, trees, etc.

H

Enforce riparian buffers along rivers

H

Some way to preserve agricultural heritage

H

Hold developers accountable to green space requirement

H

Clean the Chattahoochee River

H

Responsive and responsible government

PM

Reasonable tax rate

PM

Vocational education (high school and/or tech school)

PM

Cracker Barrel

H

Good, clean industry to help tax base

PM

More of a faith-based community

H

Grocery stores and restaurants; retail

PM

Protect us from light pollution and noise pollution

PM

Unified chamber of commerce

PM

Complete land use plan with stringent zoning controls

PM

Adequate parking around the courthouse

H

Keep a low tax rate

WH

Plan for projected growth- job opportunities for children

WH

Strong planning countywide commission

WH

Industry Not Wanted

Textile industry

F

Natural habitat destroyers

F

Noise pollution

F

Smoke stacks / air pollution

F

Large animals

F

Agri-business (hog farms)

F

Union verses pro-business

F

Junkyard

F

Hog rendering

F

Hazardous waste

F

Landfill

F

Casino / gambling

F

Prostitution

F

Soil pollution

F

Industry Wanted

Location

Theaters and arts groups – artists live theater

PM

Grocery store(s)

H

Medical / Rehabilitation

F

Clean, non-polluting, non-human technical business (keep auto traffic down)

PM

Restaurant

F

Technology (distribution)

F

Eco-tourism and heritage tourism

H

High tech jobs

H

Business that does not burden infrastructure and employs citizens

H

Educational institutions

PM

Back office

F

Eco-tourism (environmental friendly)

F

Retiree community

F

One that would generate good tax base

H

Non-polluting (noise, air, water and light)

H

Jobs that provide skills for employees(OJT)

H

Active in community; active in community

H

Retirement “assisted living” community

H

Office parks

H

Back office operations

PM

Grocery/retail services

PM

Communication companies

PM

Need more diversified economy in the county

PM

High paying jobs

H

Retail / services

F

Clean manufacturing

PM

State offices in county

H

Museum / historical centers

F

Conference center

F

Corporate Headquarters – offices

F

Agri-tainment

F

Rail opportunity

F

Offices - low users of resources such as water and sewer

PM

Bed and Breakfast

F

Issues

Location

Land -- much is owned by absentee landowners

WP

Need goals that can be measured

WP

More awareness of citizens "we're okay mentality"

WP

Strong chamber of commerce involvement

PM

Need planned, balanced development

WH

Need to prioritize community needs and wants

H

Effective planning commission

PM

Identify/set aside land for business park w/covenants

WP

Attract industry to offset raising property tax

WH

Better communication between gov't entities and consolidated planning

H

Training the unemployed – add to workforce

PM

We must be educated about what we’ve got

PM

Effective leadership

PM

Zoning and land use – enforced and unified

PM

Need a long-range plan

H

Accept fact that business is needed to support tax base and infrastructure

H

Develop inclusive community-wide plan - determine means of implementing

H

Financing

H

Bridge gap of pro-growth and anit-growth faction

WP

Cooperation regarding growth (NIMBY)

WH

Protect

Location

Land (from inappropriate uses)

WP

Residential areas

WP

That “rural” feel / quality of life

WP

Strengths

Good supply of investment capital in area

PM

Desire and interest to plan

WP

Remain free of urban sprawl

WH

Cost of living is not too high

H

Very fine resort area

PM

Non-polluting industries

WH

Chattahoochee River

PM

Vacant land

PM

Callaway Gardens – employees and tourism

H

Great newspaper

PM

Institutes of higher learning are close

PM

Interstate system

PM

Excellent school system

PM

Pine Mountain natural area set aside as state park

PM

Close to Atlanta airport

H

An ideal place to own a business

PM

Low unemployment rate

H

Low unemployment

WP

Retail, recreation, communication etc.

WP

Employment opportunities

WH

Eco-tourism (rivers, streams)

F

Between Columbus - LaGrange good location

H

Growth potential (location Georgia)

WP

Positive environment for nature

PM

Harris County Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Post Office Box 426, 159 S. College Street

Hamilton, Georgia 31811
(706) 628-0010 or (888) 478-0010
E-mail: info@harriscountychamber.org
FAX: 706-628-4429