Description
The City of Blakely, Georgia is soliciting proposals from qualified planning consultants to prepare a Comprehensive Plan update. The plan should guide the City's growth, land use, infrastructure investment, and economic development over a 20-year planning horizon. The City seeks a forward-looking plan that not only manages growth but also leverages this moment to strengthen Blakely's long-term economic vitality. The planning process should engage local leaders, businesses, institutions, and residents in identifying the community's unique assets and developing strategies to translate those assets into new opportunities for economic growth and prosperity. Key planning drivers include large-scale data center development, anticipated population and workforce growth, industrial and logistics development pressure, infrastructure capacity and utility demand, housing availability and affordability, municipal service delivery capacity, fiscal and tax base impacts, environmental and natural resource protection, and organizational readiness for rapid growth.
• The Comprehensive Plan must comply with Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) planning standards and requirements
• The plan should identify strategies to harness major investments, support local entrepreneurship, build community wealth, and preserve the character and quality of life that define Blakely
• The plan should be visionary yet practical, data-driven yet community-centered, and focused on implementation
• The consultant shall provide a range of services, including existing conditions analysis, data center impact assessment, community engagement, vision and growth strategy, infrastructure and capital planning, implementation strategy, and plan adoption support
• The consultant shall evaluate the City's organizational structure and operational capacity to manage rapid growth