The city of Ringgold will become the second in North Georgia to develop a Strategic Visioning Plan with the assistance of the Carl Vinson Institute, and officials are inviting the public to attend the first meeting Tuesday, April 11 at Patriot Hall.
Following in the footsteps of Chickamauga, which went through the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute planning process last year, Ringgold Mayor Nick Millwood said the decision was based on the city’s environment, fiscal readiness and future growth opportunities.
“Ringgold, along with the entire North Georgia area, is slated to see significant growth over the next 10 years,” he said. “As a city, we are trying to maintain the historic feel of our downtown as we make improvements there and utilize growth corridors for more modern developments, such as sit-down restaurants, chain stores and industrial/manufacturing work opportunities.”
Each strategic plan is crafted from a three-stage process: public input and engagement, visioning and design, and implementation. The program is funded by the Lyndhurst Foundation, a grant-making organization focused on the growth and development of the greater Chattanooga area.
“There is no prep work needed,” Millwood said of the April 11 meeting. “The main purpose of the town hall meeting is to gain detailed information about and insight into our downtown area.”