Existing Conditions: A Preliminary Look at Colquitt, GAfpdl.coss.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/imported/storage/... · Wayne, Indiana. GDOT anticipates widening U.S. Highway 27 from the Tennessee

Existing Conditions: A Preliminary Look at Colquitt, GA

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Map 1 – Regional Context Map

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Regional and Local Contexts

Regional Context Located near the junction of Georgia, Florida, and Ala-bama, Colquitt commands a strategic regional position in southwest Georgia. U.S. Highway 27 runs through Colquitt and connects to State Roads 45 and 91. Conse-quently, Colquitt is accessible to many cities within ap-proximately 100 miles (Map 1). These include:

Bainbridge, Georgia (22 miles)

Dothan, Alabama (48 miles)

Columbus, Georgia (107 miles)

Albany, Georgia (56 miles)

Tallahassee, Florida (63 miles)

Eufuala, Alabama (77 miles)

Local Context The City of Colquitt is a rural farming community lo-cated in Miller County. The City was incorporated in 1860. In addition to being the County seat, Colquitt is also the commercial and administrative hub (Map 2).

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Map 2 – Miller County Base Map

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Environment

Topography, Soils, and Land Cover

The City of Colquitt is located at an elevation of approxi-mately 170 feet (Map 3). Situated within the Dougherty Plain, the topography of Colquitt is mostly flat to gently rolling and is also influenced by near-surface limestone (known as karst topography).

The soil in Colquitt consists primarily of red clay. Crops such as peanuts, pecans, and cotton grow well in this soil. Croplands and pastures define the primary land cover of Colquitt, with some small areas of mixed forest, including longleaf pine, red oaks, and hickories. Be-cause the karst topography, there are many shallow, flat-bottomed depressions scattered throughout the area. Many of these sink holes and marshes act as biological oases in the mostly agricultural landscape. The wetter, poorly drained depressions contain blackgum, sweet-gum, water oak, and cypress.

Water, Rivers, Streams, and Drainage

Miller County is located in the Apalachicola River Basin. The Flint River crosses through the western part of Miller County (Map 4). The primary water body in Col-quitt is Spring Creek, which runs in a north-to-south di-rection along the western side of the City (Map 5). The head waters of Spring Creek are found in Clay and Cal-houn Counties and the creek flows directly south into the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers at Lake Seminole. The flows are spring-fed; thus, in most of Georgia the creek is known for its water clarity. Spring Creek takes on particular importance as it is the location and name-sake of the largest public park in Miller County.

Georgia Red Clay

Spring Creek

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Map 3 – Regional Elevations

Map 4 – Regional Rivers

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Spring Creek is also home to several state Species of Special Concern and Federally-listed Endangered Species. Species of Special Concern include: Elliptio pu-prurella, Lampsilis straminea clai-bornensis, Quincuncina infucata, Stro-phitus subvexus, and Villosa vil-losa. Federally Endangered Species in-clude several species of mussels, known as Lampsilis subangulata, Medionidus penicillatus, and Pleurobema pyri-forme. The mussels congregate in small shaded depressions on the woody debris in the streambed whenever the creek runs dry or is slow. Consequently, re-moval of woody debris is prohibited. As a result, Spring Creek often exists in states of low turbidity and algae blooms.

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In 2001 and 2002, Miller County and Colquitt adopted Georgia’s environmental plan-ning regulations, as mandated in Part V of the Georgia Planning Act. These regula-tions are part of Georgia’s Minimum Planning Standards that deal specifically with the protection of water supply, watersheds, groundwater recharge areas, wetlands, river corridors, and mountains. Additionally, Spring Creek is monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and Natu-ral Resources Conservation Service. These agencies have partnered to form the Spring Creek Watershed Partners. The partnership is responsible for monitoring the creek and encouraging best management practices (BMPs). The most common BMPs en-couraged by the Spring Creek Watershed Partners include: row crop conversion to pas-ture land, which helps prevent erosion, and cross-fencing for rotational grazing, which helps reduce waste from fields migrating into the stream.

Removal of woody debris is

prohibited. As a result,

Spring Creek often exists in

states of low turbidity and

algae blooms.

Map 5 – Spring Creek

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Map 6 – Hierarchy of Roads

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Circulation Network

Hierarchy, Street Patterns

The road system in Colquitt is arranged in a grid net-work. The three most heavily travelled roads are U.S. Highway 27, State Road 45, and State Road 91. The ma-jority of roads within Colquitt are city-owned collector roads and local roads (Map 6).

• U.S. Highway 27 serves as main east-to-west corridor in Colquitt and is known as Crawford Street within the city limits. The four-lane high-way is classified as a Rural Principal Arterial by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The southern terminus of U.S. High-way 27 is at U.S. Route 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. GDOT anticipates widening U.S. Highway 27 from the Tennessee border in the north, to the Florida border in the south around 2015.

• State Road 45 bisects the northern half of Col-quitt from just west of the center of town to its northern boundary and is known as North 1st Street within the city limits. The two-lane road-way is classified as a Rural Major Collector.

• State Road 91 bisects Colquitt from its southwest boundary to its northeast boundary and is known as Main Street within the city limits. The two-lane roadway is classified as a Rural Minor Arterial.

Vehicular Movement (LOS)

The 2007 Annual Average Daily Traffic Report, conducted by GDOT, indicates that the majority of trips are on Cuthbert Street and 1st Street (Figure 1). As Col-quitt is the only jurisdiction in Miller County, data collected outside the city lim-its is also included in Figure 1.

Transit

The only mention of a public transit sys-tem in Miller County was in the GDOT Factbook (2007), labeling it a “Rural County Transit System.”

Railroad

A north-south rail corridor runs along the eastern side of Colquitt. The rail line par-allels U.S. Highway 27 South from Colquitt to Bainbridge, Georgia, and along State Road 45 to Cuthbert, Georgia. There is a freight line stops at the Birdsong Peanut Factory and associated industrial area. Known as the Georgian Southwestern Rail-road, this line is categorized as a “low-density short line.” The rail line connects to a CSX mainline to the south that runs east-west through Bainbridge (Map 7). Moving goods to market through this line could prove to be a viable option, as there is potential for expansion.

The majority of trips are

on Cuthbert Street and 1st

Street .

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Figure 1 – GDOT 2007 Annual Average Daily Traffic Report

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Map 7 – Georgia Rail System

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Demographics

Population:History and Trends

The State of Georgia continues to grow in population with a 20.5 % average rate of increase from 1970 to 2007. However, Miller County has lost population since 1980 with a decline of 12% between 1980 and 1990 and a decline of 3.5% between 2000 and 2007. The City of Colquitt has also lost population since 1980 with a steady rate of decline averaging 1.6% over the past three decades. The dramatic growth of the state’s population relative to the County’s and Colquitt’s population is demonstrated in Figures 2 and 3, and Table 1.

Figure 2: Comparative Population Trends, Miller County and Georgia, 1970-2007

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Population Estimates, Census 2000, 1990 Census

Figure 3: Comparative Population Trends, City of Colquitt and Georgia, 1970-2007


0

2 ,000,000

4 ,000,000

6 ,000,000

8 ,000,000

1 0,000,000

1 2 ,000,000

1970 1980 1990 2000 2007

Cen su s Yea r

Geo

rgia

Pop

ulat

ion

5 ,6 005 ,8 006 ,0006 ,2 006 ,4 006 ,6 006 ,8 007 ,0007 ,2 00

Miller C

ty. P

opulation

Georgia Miller Ct y .

0

2 ,000,000

4 ,000,000

6 ,000,000

8 ,000,000

1 0,000,000

1 2 ,000,000

1970 1980 1990 2000 2007Cen su s Yea r

Geo

rgia

Pop

ulat

ion

1 ,8 00

1 ,8 5 0

1 ,9 00

1 ,9 5 0

2 ,000

2 ,05 0

2 ,1 00 Colquitt P

opulation

Georgia Colqu it t

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Population: Projections for 2030

The State of Georgia is projected to increase by 26% with a total population of 12,279,784 by year 2030. Miller County is projected to lose population by 14% leaving a total population of 5,401. Similarly, the City of Colquitt is also projected to lose population with a total population of 1,750 (a decrease of 16%) (Table 2, Figure 4).

Table 2: Population Projections for 2030 Source: Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs, U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 4: Comparative Population Trends, City of Colquitt and Miller County, 1990-2007


Table 1: Decennial Percent Population Change for Colquitt, Miller County and Georgia, 1970-2000


Area 1970-1980 1980-1990 1990-2000 2000-2007 % Growth

(1970-2007)

Colquitt +1.8% -3.7% -2.6% -1.9% -1.6%

Miller County +9.8% -12% +1.6% -3.5% -1%

Georgia +18% +19% +26% +19% +20.5%

State of Georgia Miller County City of Colquitt

2007 2030 % Change

2007 2030 % Change

2007 2030 % Change

9,685,744 12,279,784 +26% 6,163 5,401 -14% 1,901 1,750 -16%

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7 ,000

1990 2007

Census Y ear

Pop

ula

tion Colquitt

Miller Cty .

Population: Sex and Age Groups

Colquitt’s population is made up of 55.9% women and 44.1% men according to the 2000 US Census (Figure 5). Miller County is made up of 52.9% women and 47.1% men. The median age of Colquitt is 41.4, while the median age of Miller County is 38.2. 75.7% of the population is over the age of 18, compared to 73.7% in Miller County. In-terestingly, nearly 25% of Colquitt’s population was over the age of 65, and 15% of the population was over the age of 75 in 2000, while the smallest population group con-sisted of those between the ages of 20-24.

Figure 5: Colquitt Percent Population by Age and Gender (2000)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000

Colquitt Percent Population by Age and Sex, 2000

5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5%

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

Age

Coh

orts

Percent Population

FemalesMales

Source: 2000 Census SF1, Table P12

Comparative analysis of Colquitt and Miler County age group data between 1990 and 2000 indicates that the population of per-sons 16 years and over in Miller County increased by only 3.3%, while Colquitt ex-perienced a 17.9% increase during the same time period.

Nearly 25% of Colquitt’s

population was over the

age of 65, and 15% of the

population was over the

age of 75 in 2000.

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Colquitt Percent Population by Age and Gender (2000)

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Population: Racial Composition

The City of Colquitt is comprised of African Americans (55.6%) and Whites (43.6%) (Figure 6). There are 5 Native Americans in Colquitt, 1 Asian, and 1 Asian Indian. Only 6 residents of Colquitt identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino. Proportionately, Miller County has significantly few African Americans than Colquitt. Nearly 50% of the African Americans in Miller County reside in Colquitt. 70.3% of the residents of Miller County are White, and 28.9% are African American. There are 11 Native Americans, 3 Asians, and 5 Samoans. Miller County has a slightly higher number of Hispanics and Latinos than Colquitt.

Figure 6: Race in Colquitt (2000)


Economic Indicator: Income

There are 783 households in Colquitt. The median household income is $24,792 and the mean income is $51,048. 79.1% of the households in Colquitt earn less than

Figure 7: Household Income in Colquitt, Georgia (1999)


$50,000 a year. Just over 5% of the population makes over $100,000 a year, while 15% make between $50,000 and $100,000. 23.4% of the households make less than $10,000 a year (Figure 7).

There are 2,481 households in Miller County and the median household income is $27,335. The mean income is $42,556. 76% of households earn under $50,000. 18.7% of the households make between $50,000 and $100,000. In Miller County 15.6% of the households earn less than $10,000, and almost half of those households reside in Colquitt. All of the households earning more than $100,000 are located in Colquitt (Figure 8).

Figure 8: Household Income in Miller County, Georgia (1999)


Economic Indicator: Poverty Line

An individual is under the poverty line if they live alone and (1) are under 65 and make $8,667; or (2) if they are over 65 and make $7,990. In Colquitt, 26% of individuals fall below the poverty line. 11.5% of the town receives Supplemental Security Income, and 6.9% receive public assistance income. In comparison, 21.2% of individuals fall below the poverty line in Miller County. 8.7% of Miller County receives Supplemental Security Income, and 3.9% receive public assistance in-come.

In Colquitt, 26% of

individuals fall below the

poverty line.

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Economic Indicator: Property Ownership Patterns

In 2000, Colquitt had 868 total housing units, an increase of 6 additional houses since 1990. Approximately 89% of these housing units were occupied and 11% of the hous-ing units were vacant. Colquitt experienced a 10% increase in vacant homes between 1990 and 2000. Miller County had 2,770 total housing units in 2000, an increase of 168 additional houses since 1990. Similar to Colquitt, 90% of these housing units were occupied and 10% of the housing units were vacant. Miller County also experienced an increase (6%) in vacant homes between 1990 and 2000 (Figure 9).

The number of homes in Colquitt that were occupied by homeowners decreased by 5% between 1990 and 2000, while Miller County experienced a 8% increase in homes occupied by homeowners during this time. The number of homes in Col-quitt that were occupied by renters in-creased by 8.9% between 1990 and 2000, while the number of homes in Miller County that were occupied by renters stayed relatively constant over the 10 year period (Figure 10).

In summary, Colquitt experienced a de-crease in homeownership and an increase in the number of homes occupied by rent-ers between 1990 and 2000. Miller County experienced an increase in homeowner-ship and relatively no change in the num-ber of homes occupied by renters during this time. This analysis indicates that there are housing obstacles existing in Colquitt that make living in unincorporated Miller County a more attractive option.

In summary, Colquitt

experienced a decrease in

homeownership and an

increase in the number of

homes occupied by renters

between 1990 and 2000.

Figure 9: Occupied vs. Vacant Housing

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000, 1990 Census

Figure 10: Housing Tenure


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Economic Indicator: Labor Force

In 2000, there were 1,544 persons in Colquitt that were 16 years and over. 50% of the population was in the labor force. Miller County had 4,950 persons 16 years and over. 60% of this population was in the labor force (Figure 11).

Comparative analysis of this data be-tween 1990 and 2000 indicates that Col-quitt experienced a 61.2% increase in the number of persons not active in the labor force. Possible explanations for this in-crease could be that people move from the city once they turn 18 and the elderly residents are retiring from the labor force. Support for this explanation in-cludes the fact that although Colquitt ex-perienced a 17.9% increase the popula-tion of persons 16 years and over be-tween 1990 and 2000, the smallest population group within Colquitt in 2000 was those between the ages of 20-24. Furthermore, in 2000, 25% of Col-quitt’s population was age 65 or older.

Figure 11: Labor Force Participation


The smallest population

group within Colquitt in

2000 was those between the

ages of 20-24. Furthermore,

in 2000, 25% of Colquitt’s

population was age 65 or

older.

Comparative analysis of this data between 1990 and 2000 indicates that Miller County experienced a 10.9% increase in the number of employed persons between 1990 and 2000, while Colquitt experienced a 7.8% decrease in employed persons. Similar to the labor force analysis above, it is likely that the decrease of employed persons in Colquitt is related to the flight of Colquitt’s youth and the increasing elderly population.

Economic Indicator: Class of Worker

In 2000, 66% of Colquitt’s employed population consisted of private for-profit wage and salary workers and 20.9% were local, state, or federal government workers. Simi-larly, 64.9% of employed persons in Miller County were private for-profit wage and sal-ary workers and 20.8% were local, state, or federal government workers (Figure 13).

Between 1990 and 2000, Colquitt experienced a dramatic upsurge (42.8%) in self-employed workers. In comparison, there was no change in the number of self-employed workers in Miller County during the same time period (Figure 14).

This upsurge in the number of self-employed could be a reflection of the resiliency of Colquitt’s residents and of their desire to continue to live and work in Colquitt.

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Figure 12: Employment Status


Economic Indicator: Employment Status

In 2000, there were 737 employed persons in Colquitt and 2,863 employed persons in Miller County. Both Colquitt and Miller County had a 2% unemployment rate in 2000 (Figure 12).

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Figure 13: Class of Worker


Figure 14: Self-Employed Workers


Economic Indicator: Industry

Figure 15: Industries in Colquitt


Figure 16: Industries in Miller County


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Key Findings: Top Industry • In 2000, the Educational, Health, and Social Services industry; Manufacturing in-

dustry; and Retail Trade industry employed the most persons in both Colquitt and Miller County (Figures 15 and 16).

• The Educational, Health and Social Services Industry is increasing in both Colquitt

and Miller County: The strength of these industries is most likely related to the Miller County public school system, Miller County Hospital and Nursing Home, and Colquitt Alternative Care Retirement Homes. Local availability of medical care makes an area a more desirable location for elderly residents, which may explain Colquitt’s significant elderly population.

• The Public Administration Industry is increasing in both Colquitt and Miller

County. While both municipalities experienced an increase in jobs in this industry between 1990 and 2000, the increase was more significant in Miller County (9.3% in Colquitt and 31.8% in Miller County).

• The Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, and Food Services Industry experienced a

100% increase in both Colquitt and Miller County between 1990 and 2000 (Figure 17).

Figure 17: Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation/Food Services Industry


The emergence of this industry is due to the creation and success of the Miller County Arts Council (founded 1991), Swamp Gravy (first performance: 1992), and other arts related programs. Swamp Gravy, in particular, has resulted in an expand-ing node of arts and entertainment economic activity that also helps boost tourism and associated service sectors. For example, as of 2005, Swamp Gravy sold more than 120,000 tickets (72% are out of town visitors) and added an estimated $4 mil-lion to the local economy. In an average year, 40,000 people come to Colquitt to see the play.

Cultural tourism provides jobs and revenue to Colquitt. The Miller County Arts Council also operates a local bed and breakfast, a mini-mall for local vendors, a story-telling museum, a mural project, and a children’s theater.

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Figure 18: Construction Industry


• The Construction Industry is declining in Colquitt but not in Miller County: In

2000, 3.5% of Colquitt’s working population was employed in the Construction in-dustry. This represents a 52.7% decrease in employed workers from 1990. This data is consistent with the Property Ownership data, which indicated that only 6 houses were built in Colquitt between 1990 and 2000. In Miller County, 5.2% of its em-ployed population worked in the Construction industry. Unlike Colquitt, there was little change (0.6%) in the employment number between 1990 and 2000 (Figure 18).

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• The Retail Trade and Transportation/Warehousing and Utilities Industries are de-clining in Colquitt but not in Miller County

• The Information Industry was non-existent in both Colquitt and Miller County in

1990, but slowly emerged as a industry sector in 2000 • Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade, Finance, Professional Industries are declining in

both Colquitt and Miller County: Between 1990 and 2000, both municipalities ex-perienced a decline in workers in the Manufacturing industry and in the Wholesale Trade industry. Interestingly, the decline of those employed in Wholesale Trade was much more significant (almost 60%) in Colquitt than in Miller County (17.5%). Similarly, the decline in the Finance Industry was much more significant in Colquitt (80%) than in Miller County (45.7%).

• The Agriculture Industry is declining in both Colquitt and Miller County: Although

Colquitt is known as a peanut farming town, the Agriculture industry as a whole only employed 6.4% of the City’s working population in 2000 (a 9% increase from 1990). In contrast, the Educational, Health and Social Services industry employed five times as many people (30%). Similar to the trend in Colquitt, 8.1% of Miller County’s employed population worked in the Agriculture industry in 2000. Inter-estingly the number of Miller County’s working population within the Agriculture industry decreased by 32.5% between 1990 and 2000 (Figure 19).

Figure 19: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing/Hunting, and Mining Industry


Economic Indicator: Occupation

Figure 20: Occupations in Colquitt


Figure 21: Occupations in Miller County


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Key Findings:

• Management, Professional, and Related occupations and Production, Transporta-tion and Material Moving occupations had the highest percentage of employees in both Colquitt and Miller County (Figures 20 and 21).

• Management, Professional, and Related Occupations; and Service Occupations are increasing in both Colquitt and Miller County. However, Miller County experienced a more significant increase in both categories than did Colquitt.

• Sales and Office Occupations are decreasing in Colquitt, but stayed relatively con-stant in Miller County.

• Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations are increasing in Colquitt, but not in Miller County. In fact, the County experienced a significant decrease (72.6%) in these occupations between 1990 and 2000.

• Construction, Extraction, and Maintenance Occupations; and Production, Trans-portation, and Material Moving Occupations decreased in both Colquitt and Miller County between 1990 and 2000.

Economic Indicator: Place of Work

In 2000, 55.8% of Colquitt residents worked in Miller County and 53.4% of Miller County residents worked in Miller County. The number of Colquitt resi-dents working in Miller County de-creased by 18% between 1990 and 2000, while the number of Miller County resi-dents working in Miller County remained constant (Figure 22).

In 2000, 4.9% of employed Colquitt resi-dents traveled outside the State of Geor-gia to their place of employment, whereas 2.5% of employed Miller County residents traveled outside the State of Georgia to their place of employment (Figure 23).

In 2000, 55.8% of Colquitt

residents worked in

Miller County.

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Figure 22: Place of Work - In County vs. Outside of County


Figure 23: Place of Work – In State vs. Out of State


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Economic Indicator: Travel Time to Work

Comparison of the 1990 and 2000 data consistently indicates that in Colquitt shorter travel times are decreasing and longer travel times are increasing (Figures 24 and 25). The willingness to absorb the extra travel time and expenses must be justified by the quality of life offered in Miller County, even more so in Colquitt. This analysis suggests that Colquitt resi-dents, in particular, feel that the expense of travel time is justified by the quality of life on the weekends and after-work hours.

This analysis suggests that

Colquitt residents, in

particular, feel that the

expense of travel time is

justified by the quality of

life on the weekends and

after-work hours.

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Zoning and Land Use

State, County, and Local

In Georgia, planning efforts occur at the local and re-gional levels, but without mandatory involvement by lo-cal governments. The State of Georgia incentivizes local governments to conduct planning by awarding “Qualified Local Government” status to those counties and municipalities that have created comprehensive plans and land use maps. Becoming a Qualified Local Government entitles these municipalities to state fund-ing that would otherwise be withheld. The Qualified Lo-cal Government status does not, however, ensure that local governments follow these planning documents, as there is little planning oversight above the local govern-ment level to ensure that development decisions are consistent with the adopted plans.

The City of Colquitt has enacted a basic set of land use regulations through a zoning code, land use map, and Comprehensive Plan. All of these planning documents are kept and maintained by the Southwest Georgia Re-gional Development Center in Camilla, Georgia.

Zoning Ordinance

The zoning ordinance regulates zoning and develop-ment standards. The zoning districts in the ordinance allow for broad uses of the land and create basic lot size and property set back standards. The City of Colquitt Zoning Map (Map 8) divides the city into nine (9) zon-ing districts and two (2) Planned Unit Development (PUD) categories. These districts primarily follow the existing land use patterns of the city, separating the dis-tricts into residential, commercial, industrial agricul-ture, and institutional uses. The zoning categories do not allow for mixed-use development other than a provi-sion for lofts in the C-2 (City Square) zoning district.

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Agricultural Use

Commercial Use

Residential Use

Map 8– Zoning

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Current Master Plan, Comprehensive Plan

The Miller County Agenda is the Com-prehensive Plan for the City of Colquitt and Miller County. The local govern-ment must be consistent with the plan when making decisions. The Miller County Agenda is separated into two sec-tions. The first section identifies several issues and opportunities facing the City and County, including changes in the age structure of the population and economic diversification. This portion of the Plan also identifies opportunities and, in some cases, specific ideas to correct these is-sues. The latter section of the Miller County Agenda uses a Goals, Objectives and Policies model to address broad is-sues including Housing, Natural Re-sources, Historic and Archaeological Re-sources, Economic Development, Com-munity Facilities, a range of utilities, Li-brary and Cultural Facilities and Land Use.

The Miller County Agenda

is the Comprehensive Plan

for the City of Colquitt and

Miller County.

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Land Use

The City of Colquitt Future Land Use Map (Map 9) contains eight broad categories which reflect the existing land use patterns in the City, except for the Commercial land use designation on land that is used for agricultural purposes along U.S. Highway 27, west of Spring Creek.

• The Agriculture land use consists of the working farms in the city and is lo-cated to the west and north of most urban development. Over 55% of the City’s incorporated land is currently zoned and used for agricultural activities.

• The Residential land use category is the second largest category by acreage in the City. The majority of the Residential category is centered in the eastern half of the city limits and also along Highway 45 in the southwest.

• The Commercial land use category is found primarily along the major road-ways such as U.S. Highway 27, Milford Street, and around the town square. The U.S. Highway 27 corridor features homogeneous commercial activities. There is a greater mix of businesses around the town square.

• The Forestry land use category is associated with the Mayhaw Wildlife Man-agement Area located west of Spring Creek.

• The Industrial land use category includes the Birdsong Peanut Company fac-tory and the Industrial Park on the east side of the City as well as the other peanut operations of the extreme western portion of the City.

• Park/Recreational/Conservation land use category includes Spring Creek, Spring Creek Park and the baseball field for the high school.

• The Public Institutional land use includes the government buildings and schools in Colquitt.

• The Transportation/Communications/Utilities land use category includes the railroad line that runs through the eastern portion of the City.

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Map 9: Future Land Use

Public Facilities Infrastructure

Sanitary Sewer

A newly constructed advanced wastewater treatment plant is located at the western edge of Colquitt, adjacent to Spring Creek Park (Map 10). Servicing the entire city, the facility has an 800,000 gallon capacity and is permitted for 400,000 gallons per day (gpd). According to public works officials, approximately 25 septic tanks are also still in use.

Potable Water

The Floridan Aquifer is the water source for the City of Colquitt. The City has recently made $750,000 in upgrades to its central potable water system, including automated water meters, a water tower, and a new well (Well #3). Located just northwest of the town square, Well #3 has a 250,000 gallon capacity and is permitted for 4,000 gpd (Map 10). According to public works officials, approximately 15 private wells are also still in use.

Solid Waste

The City of Colquitt has a private con-tract with Veolia Es Solid Waste South-east, Inc., to collect and transport its solid waste to the Albany Transfer Sta-tion. The solid waste is then shipped to a Class-C landfill in Valdosta, Georgia. Limbs and leaves are picked up by City employees and taken to a state-certified inert landfill located at the eastern edge of Colquitt.

The City has recently

made $750,000 in

upgrades to its central

potable water system,

including automated

water meters, a water

tower, and a new well

(Well #3).

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Map 10: Wastewater and Potable Water Facilities

Stormwater Management & Hazard Mitigation Colquitt lacks a comprehensive stormwa-ter management strategy and remains vul-nerable during heavy storm events. Con-tinually facing the chance of flooding due to the absence of a regional approach to managing stormwater is not sustainable. Aside from a fragmented ditch network, no city-wide conveyance system exists. Ditches are not entirely bad because they allow for natural filtration and remain a low-cost option. However, the current sys-tem can not accommodate runoff from sig-nificant rainfall events, as shown in the image. Stormwater washes pollutants and debris off roads, lawns, and other surfaces into Spring Creek or roadside ditches. Col-quitt does not have curb and gutter, a sewer system for runoff, nor wet detention ponds.

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A regional approach to water management is necessary in order to tame the hazards of flooding. The studio team is not equipped to study the watershed and drainage basin. Colquitt must rely on experts to develop a watershed-based approach to water manage-ment that includes channeling runoff, drainage, and stormwater into basins. In the meantime, Colquitt can alleviate flooding problems by implementing site-specific strategies like retrofitting ditches into bioswales, creating rain gardens, and us-ing pervious asphalt in parking lots. These best practices have proven effective during minimal rain events and will improve water quality by virtue of natural filtration. Cap-turing rainwater in cisterns can be part of the solution and provide irrigation for com-munity gardens. "Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man."

Stewart Udall

Urban Form

Boundaries and Spatial Organization

Colquitt’s land area covers 8.25 square miles. The City recently annexed the Crooked Oak Golf Club, which in-cludes a two-mile strip of roadway (Milford Street/Phillipsburg Road) leading to the triangular-shaped golf course property located in northeast Colquitt. Spring Creek runs from north-to-south within the western boundary of the City. The rail line runs from north-to-south within the eastern boundary of the City (also where industrial activities take place) (Map 11). Encom-passing 13,616 acres, the City is divided into 1189 parcels of land. 23.8% of these parcels are vacant (Map 12).

Colquitt has a grid street network that centers on the town square. U.S. Highway 27 is the major commercial corridor in Colquitt, running in an east-to-west direction south of the town square. The businesses along U.S. Highway 27 are designed to serve automobiles by pro-viding large front-yard parking lots with buildings set back on the rear of the lot.

Main Street is the major east-to-west corridor north of the town square. The Colquitt ‘arts district’ is located on Main Street, one block east of the town square. Other than the IGA grocery store and the American Legion Hall, the majority of the area located along W. Main Street consists of unoccupied buildings, vacant lots, and Spring Creek Park.

The Miller County Hospital is located along Cuthbert Street, which is the major north-to-south corridor west of town square. 1st Street (SR 45) and Milford Street are the major north-to-south corridors east of town square. Milford Street/Phillipsburg Road connects the City of Colquitt to the annexed part of the City and to the newly constructed school which will house a consolidated ele-mentary, middle, and high school.

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There are no pedes-trian connections along Highway 27.

High traffic volumes on U.S. Highway 27 make it very diffi-cult and dangerous for pedestrian activity.

Map 11 – Major Building Footprints in Colquitt

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Map 12: Vacant Parcels

Map 13 – Colquitt Town Square Historic District

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The Colquitt ‘Arts District’

includes Cotton Hall (home

of Swamp Gravy), the

Miller County Arts Council

offices, and the Southwest

Georgia Film Commission

Office.

Milford Street also leads to

the most blighted area of

Colquitt. The housing and

public infrastructure

conditions are significantly

worse in this area.

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Character

Colquitt’s small-town character is important to the residents, who strongly identify with the City’s southern rural past. This is primarily demonstrated by Colquitt’s his-toric town square, which is also the home of Swamp Gravy. Swamp Gravy is the ‘Official Folk Life Play of Georgia’ and celebrates rural life in southwest Georgia.

Town Square

The Colquitt Town Square Historic District is framed by Cuthbert Street, 1st Street, College Avenue, and Main Street (Map 13) and is Colquitt’s greatest built attribute. It serves as a City landmark and is also the only place in Miller County listed on the Na-tional Registry (1983). Colquitt adopted a historic preservation ordinance focused on maintaining and enhancing the historic architectural features, including the late 19th and early 20th century storefronts and the Tarrer Inn.

Murals

Numerous murals are located around the town square, which also adds to Colquitt’s distinct character. In 2006, after painting 10 murals for the Millennium Mural Project, Colquitt was named ‘Georgia’s First Mural City’. The murals are based on local oral his-tories gathered for the creation of Swamp Gravy plays. Miller County High School students and the New Life Learning Center after-school program collaborated on two of the murals, funded through a 21st Century Learning Center Grant.

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Connectivity: Sidewalks and Pedestrian Circulation

The western and northern sides of the town square have sidewalks measuring greater than 7 feet across. The sidewalks on the eastern side of the town square measure 6 feet across, but end abruptly before connecting to the southern side of the town square. Similar to the eastern side, the sidewalks on the southern side of the town square are also intermittent. The lack of a completely connected sidewalk system surrounding the town square discourages pedestrian circulation in an area that has the greatest poten-tial for tourism and economic development in Colquitt.

The sidewalk in front of the Tarrer Inn uses bricks to distinguish it from the rest of the town square. Overhangs and awnings appear around the square, protecting pedestrians from the elements on hot or rainy days. They also visually enhance the pedestrian realm.

The existing sidewalk network found in the town square is mostly in good condition. It is wholly connected on three sides and disjointed on the southern side.

The Miller County Courthouse is the central element within the town square. A side-walk and several rows of parking spaces separate the courthouse from the commercial edge. As one leaves the town square, the existence and quality of the sidewalks rapidly deteriorates to the north, south, southwest, and southeast directions. A good connec-tion exists on Main Street to the east toward Cotton Hall, and to the west of the town square, toward the IGA grocery store and the American Legion Hall. In all other direc-tions, the sidewalk quality rapidly declines and in many cases abruptly stops or be-comes fragmented. This lack of connectivity to areas around the town square discour-ages walking and biking, which take away from the livability of Colquitt.

The sidewalk along Main Street is in good condition as it extends away from the town square in both east and west directions. The sidewalk could benefit from a curb on west Main and a vegetated buffer to protect pedestrians from swift moving traffic.

The above images depict the poor connectivity, lack of maintenance, and abrupt ending that typify the nature of sidewalks outside of the town square.

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As one continues even farther away from the town square, the sidewalk system eventu-ally disappears. This is an indication that development patterns have catered explicitly to an auto-centric mode of transportation. Having a mix of people walking and driving provides better access and opportunities for its residents while creating a vibrant at-mosphere.

The lack of sidewalk and pedestrian realm forces people into their cars. The ditch makes it dan-gerous for walkers, runners, and bikers while also collecting debris.

The basketball court faces the front of the community center on Milford Street and normally hosts a modest amount of activity. The lack of sidewalk and pedes-trian friendliness re-stricts this park from achieving its full po-tential as a vibrant park, safe for kids and adults to play

Parking

On-street parking encourages traffic calming and promotes business. A significant amount of on-street parking exists around the town square at both the commercial edge and around the courthouse. Outside of the central town square area, individual sites provide their own off-street parking lots.

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Parking is not an issue in the town square and plenty of spaces remain empty a daily basis.

Individual sites, such as the Miller County Out Patient Services office, provide off-street park-ing lots for their clients.

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Building Conditions, Types, and Age

Of the city’s 4,086 acres, a total of 680 parcels contain buildings (Map 14). In 2008, the Southwest Georgia Regional Development Center completed a regional housing survey of 164 homes located in a neighborhood between North 1st Street, East Pine Street, and 4th Street. The survey evaluated housing conditions based on several exter-nal conditions criteria. The survey concluded that of the 164 homes in the study area, 112 homes were listed as in standard condition, 30 homes were listed as sub-standard, and 22 homes were listed as dilapidated.

Both of the homes pictured above are located in Colquitt, clearly indicat-ing that there is a disparity between housing conditions within different areas of the City.

Commercial Buildings

Similar to many of the cities and towns located throughout the southern United States, the town square was designed as the commercial and social center of the city. Currently, the town square does not function as the center because it does not have commercial viability. Residents ac-knowledge that the town square is in a transitional phase. They hope it will improve by providing more opportunities for people to visit and linger. This proc-ess includes the recent remodeling of the movie theater and recently painted fa-çades of several buildings.

Theater Renovation

Map 14 – Parcels with Buildings

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At the center of the town square is the Miller County Courthouse. Built in the early 1970s, the building is incompatible with its historic context and mars the overall appearance of the town square. The community hopes to re-place the existing courthouse with one that is more architecturally appropriate to the con-text. The northwest corner of the site contains a monument to confederate soldiers. This monument is socially controversial. The theme is offensive to many Colquitt residents; its dedication should be re-evaluated.

The majority of the other buildings located in the town square are occupied by small busi-nesses catering to professional needs such as: attorneys, a financial specialist, and govern-ment offices. There is one restaurant, a coffee shop, a nail salon, a fitness center, and three shops.

Residential Homes

There are currently 611 residential parcels, with buildings valuing more than $10,000. The median year in which homes were built is 1971. Colquitt has Craftsman Period, Queen Ann Victorian, Carpenter Gothic Style, Victo-rian Bungalow, and contemporary homes.

Ranch-style homes are much more common-place throughout the city. These houses are often long with low proportions and extended rectangular plans. Sometimes they have L- or T-shaped extensions at one or both ends, where family living space is clustered at one end and bedrooms at the other end. The ranch style home in Colquitt has either a car-port or garage and a low gabled roof.

The Miller County Courthouse, con-structed in the 1970s, is incompatible with the historic context of Col-quitt’s town square.

Example of a Victorian Bungalow home in Col-quitt

Map 15 – Recreational Facilities

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Recreational Facilities

Parks and Open Space

• The Crooked Oak Golf Club is located in Colquitt’s northeast annex and is the most recent addition to the City’s parks and recreation facilities. Crooked Oak is a 177-acre golf course designed by Arthur Davis. Aside from the 18-hole course, the golf club also offers a putting green and driving range, a lake-side pavilion, meeting places for up to 50 people, a pro golf shop, and fishing facilities.

• Spring Creek Recreation Park, located on the western edge of Colquitt, is the heart of the community’s park system. The 20-acre parks hosts over a mile of trails and boardwalks, a full service RV park with seven hookups, three softball fields, one baseball field, two lit tennis courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, three restroom buildings, an amphitheatre, a physical fit-ness course, a football/soccer field, camping areas, and fishing landings. Spring Creek is the home of the City’s recreation center, the Mayhaw Festival, and Christmas celebrations.

• Several scattered sports fields and ball courts exist throughout the community. Basketball courts and softball fields are located nearby the community/senior center along Milford Street. Local school fa-cilities contain baseball and softball/soccer fields. For the locations of the Spring Creek Recreation Park and other recreational facilities, refer to Map 15.

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Spring Creek Park

Baseball field

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There are several parks outside of Colquitt that residents also frequent. These include:

• The Mayhaw Wildlife Management Area, located outside of the city limits but within Miller County, is maintained by the Georgia Department of Natural Re-sources. The 4,681-acre area is divided into three tracts with areas for hunting, camping, hiking, and bird-watching. A primitive shooting range is located in one of the tracts. The area is comprised of dirt roads through and along hardwood bot-toms, cypress-gum wetlands, and both young and mature pine stands.

• The Flint River crosses through the western part of Miller County and provides swimming, fishing, camping, boating, and canoeing.

• Seminole State Park, located in nearby Donalsonville, is comprised of 604 acres along Lake Seminole. The park includes a white sand swimming beach area; 50 sites for tent trailers and RVs; 14 cottages; 5 picnic shelters; group shelters; and a pioneer campground. The park also maintains a miniature golf course and a small gift shop where pontoon boats and canoes may be rented. Five ramps are available for boat access. Three docks provide ample fishing landings. Hiking in the area is available on a wetland boardwalk and a 2.2 mile gopher tortoise nature trail.

Educational and Cultural Resources

• The Miller County Elementary School is located east of the town square, one block south of Main Street.

• The Miller County Middle and High Schools are located northeast of the town square, west of Milford Street.

• A new consolidated K-12 school was constructed in northeast Colquitt. This new facility is anticipated to open in the summer of 2009. Plans for the use and/or rede-velopment of the old school buildings and land have not yet been released.

• The James W. Merritt, Jr., Memorial Public Library is centrally located in Colquitt, on E. Main Street. In addition to loaning books, the library also offers computer training classes.

• Cotton Hall is a large 70-year old cotton warehouse located behind the town square. The warehouse was built in the early 1930s by New Deal Programming and has been converted into a multi-use facility containing a theater, museum, gift shop, and community area. The facility hosts Swamp Gravy, Georgia’s Folk Life Play. Cotton Hall is also home to two museums: the “The Storytelling Museum”, a mu-seum featuring local and regional artifacts that interpret the life of rural southwest Georgia; and the “Museum of Southern Culture”, which takes the visitor on a stroll through time in the small rural community of Colquitt, illustrating typical life and culture of the south during the 1920s and 1940s.

• The Veterans Memorial Courtyard and Wall is located immediately adjacent to Cot-ton Hall. The small courtyard contains a flag pole, benches, and a wall inscribed with over 1,900 names of veterans from Miller County who served in wars ranging from the Revolutionary to Gulf Wars.

• The New Life Learning Center is located across from Cotton Hall. The purpose of the Center is to educate and increase cultural art awareness and unity within the community while preserving past cultures. It hosts an afterschool daycare center and multiple arts and crafts workshops, including basket weaving, pottery-making and painting, and quilting.

• The Miller County Recreation Center is located southeast of the town square. The Center has a small kitchen, dining area, and large social hall for community meet-ings and other social gatherings.

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Documents

Existing Conditions: A Preliminary Look at Colquitt, GAfpdl.coss.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/imported/storage/... · Wayne, Indiana. GDOT anticipates widening U.S. Highway 27 from the Tennessee