Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center

Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center
Name	Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center
Type	Regional planning and development agency
Region served	Coastal Georgia
Headquarters	Savannah, Georgia
Established	1970s

Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center is a regional planning and service organization serving counties in the southeastern United States. The center operates in the Savannah metropolitan area and adjacent counties, coordinating with state and federal agencies to deliver technical assistance, grant administration, and planning services. It interfaces with local governments, tribal entities, and nonprofit organizations to support infrastructure, transportation, and community development initiatives across coastal Georgia.

History

The organization emerged during the proliferation of regional councils in the 1960s and 1970s alongside entities such as Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development Administration, Office of Management and Budget, Interstate Highway System, and Civil Rights Act of 1964-era programs. Early collaborations included partnerships with Georgia Department of Community Affairs, United States Department of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Environmental Protection Agency for coastal resilience projects. Over time the center worked with municipalities like Savannah, Georgia, Brunswick, Georgia, Waycross, Georgia, and Hinesville, Georgia, and regional authorities such as the Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport commission. Milestones include participation in initiatives with Georgia Ports Authority, Southeastern Power Administration, Amtrak, Georgia Department of Transportation, and academic institutions including University of Georgia, Georgia Southern University, and Savannah State University.

Organization and Governance

Governance features a board composed of elected officials and appointees drawn from member counties and cities, reflecting structures similar to Metropolitan Planning Organization practice and regional councils like the Atlanta Regional Commission and Northeast Georgia Regional Commission. The center coordinates with state entities such as the Governor of Georgia's office and legislative bodies including the Georgia General Assembly for policy alignment. Administrative functions connect with federal partners including United States Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Social Security Administration where interagency program delivery is required. Staffing often includes planners with affiliations to professional organizations such as the American Planning Association and certifications from bodies like the National Association of Regional Councils.

Programs and Services

Services encompass technical assistance, grant writing, and project management for infrastructure, housing, and public health projects, interfacing with programs such as Community Development Block Grant, Home Investment Partnerships Program, Economic Development Administration grants, FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and Small Business Administration resources. The center provides transportation planning aligned with Metropolitan Planning Organization requirements and coordination with Georgia Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration for transit grants and planning. It administers aging services tied to the Administration on Aging and social service coordination akin to Department of Health and Human Services programs. Workforce and economic programs often link with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act initiatives, Technical College System of Georgia, Goodwill Industries International, and Chamber of Commerce chapters across the region.

Regional Planning and Economic Development

Regional planning activities address land use, coastal resilience, and infrastructure in conjunction with entities like the Georgia Coastal Management Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, National Weather Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management. Economic development collaborations include coordination with Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Ports Authority, Economic Development Administration, regional chambers of commerce, and multi-jurisdictional initiatives such as port and logistics planning with Port of Savannah stakeholders. The center supports comprehensive and hazard mitigation planning, integrating guidance from the National Flood Insurance Program, Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain management, and regional drainage projects engaging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams blend federal grants from Department of Housing and Urban Development, Economic Development Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Emergency Management Agency with state allocations from the Georgia General Assembly and program contracts with local governments including city councils and county commissions. Private partnerships involve foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and corporate stakeholders including Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, and logistics firms tied to SeaLand and CSX Transportation. Collaborative projects often engage academic partners such as Savannah College of Art and Design, Mercer University, and federal laboratories like National Institutes of Health for community health initiatives.

Impact and Notable Projects

Notable projects include regional transportation plans affecting corridors served by Interstate 16, U.S. Route 17, and freight networks linked to the Port of Savannah and Georgia Ports Authority terminals, as well as hazard mitigation efforts after events like Hurricane Matthew (2016), Hurricane Irma (2017), and Hurricane Michael (2018), in coordination with Federal Emergency Management Agency response and recovery programs. The center has supported downtown revitalization and historic preservation initiatives in partnership with Historic Savannah Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local redevelopment authorities, and has aided workforce projects with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding and partnerships with Technical College System of Georgia. Public health and aging programs have connected with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Administration on Aging efforts during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Category:Regional planning organizations in the United States Category:Organizations based in Savannah, Georgia