Smart Growth Group seeks branding, foundation, goals, articles of incorporation and mission statement

Smart growth proponents will be pleased to know of the emergence of an as-of-yet unnamed group of supporters borne out of frustration with the development of the former Green Hills Country Club tract and surrounding area at the Clarke-Oconee-Oglethorpe nexus down Barnett Shoals way. This group has met several times at the Splitbeard Meadow barn of Dr. Bill Paul at 4900 Barnett Shoals Road in his barn and will do so again Tuesday evening at 7 pm.

"The mission of our organization is to promote responsible community development by protecting historic(al) features, maintaining healthy economic growth, enjoining the political process, addressing environmental concerns, and monitoring sprawl, thereby preserving a high quality of life for all residents of the Clarke-Oconee-(Oglethorpe) region," wrote Dr. Paul in an email sent out earlier.

Barnett Shoals Regional Coalition, (Intercounty) Coalition for Sustainable Development and Watch Dawgs are names that have been given a test fly so with no great consensus spreading through listservs and the like. Any suggestions out there? We support this group in their attempts at reigning in the seemingly out of control development in the more pristine area of the county. May they evolve quickly from something nebulous with four dozen emails to a powerful force to be reckoned with at Planning Commission meetings and the like.

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