Vision
Rincon, known as the commercial center of Effingham County, desires to become a city that can balance economic prosperity while also protecting its natural resources and maintain its hometown appeal. As a city “just around the corner from everywhere you want to be”, Rincon will move forward by making strategic decisions that will result in a better place to live, work, and visit.
Goals
Economic Prosperity
* Rincon will welcome new commercial growth through annexation and by promoting development in those locations that have adequate infrastructure.
* The city will promote the growth and development of commercial service centers that provide restaurants, lodging and cultural events to encourage residents and visitors to extend their time within the city.
* The city will develop a clear vision for the future and develop strategies for the best use of resources to promote economic development.
Resource Management
* Preserve the existing tree canopy and require the replanting of new trees when development occurs.
* Look for opportunity to acquire undeveloped land available for annexation into the city which could allow for more open space, greenspace, connectivity and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
* Develop multi-use trails on the railroad tracks that could provide recreational opportunities, as well as alternatives to vehicular transportation.
Efficient Land Use
* The City will continue to grow by looking for undeveloped land available for annexation that can accommodate growth.
* Promote patterns of development throughout the City where residents have alternatives to getting to school, shopping, recreational centers and homes other than vehicular transportation.
* Provide opportunity to redevelop and reinvest in blighted areas.
Local Preparedness
* Continue to improve the water-sewer and storm infrastructure in the city.
* Work to educate, implement and enforce regulations that have a negative impact on the City’s infrastructure.
* Increase the presence of public safety as the population grows to promote safety of the citizens.
Sense of Place
* Look for opportunity to provide design guidelines, architectural standards and zoning overlays, which will create a sense of place and community character.
* Continue to expand spaces like “Freedom Park” and other gathering spots to host civic, cultural and entertainment activities.
* Define a downtown area and create a “town center”, where residents could gather for shopping, dining, and other forms of entertainment and cultural activities.
Regional Cooperation
* Continue to build upon the positive momentum that is already occurring between the other cities and county.
* Look for ways to work collaboratively with service delivery strategies and other essential government functions.
Housing
* Promote housing opportunity for elderly residents, which will include retirement housing, assisted living and health care facilities.
* Continue to maintain diverse housing options, including workforce housing stock to meet the needs of the housing market.
* Strengthen and implement code enforcement within the city to protect the value and integrity of existing communities.
Transportation
* Work to promote public transportation (CRC coaches), expand the network of sidewalks, bike trails, school safety zones and connectivity between developments.
* Look for opportunity to improve traffic flow traveling east and west from the City.
* Ensure that the City is a partner with the development of the Effingham Parkway project.
Education
* Keep the public better informed with current events, civic meetings and cultural opportunities by providing regular updates of community news.
* Update and expand the existing library, which is an essential tool for local education.
* Provide opportunity to place an incubator campus of Georgia Southern within the City.
Community Health
* Support the current health care facilities within the City and look for creative ways to provide services to those who may not have insurance or transportation.
* Partner with the State to provide a Health Department Annex within the City.
RINCON — It’s big and it’s bold.
The City of Rincon is working its state-mandated comprehensive plan, a list of objectives designed to make the community a better place to live, work and visit. The deadline for its completion is October.
“We are just starting the process,” City Planner LaMeisha Hunter Kelly said Monday. “This is the process that communities must go through every ten years in order to maintain a qualified local government status for the State of Georgia, meaning we are eligible for funding.”
Relying on citizen participation, city officials are studying what community properties will likely be used for in coming decades.
“This document is used when we make rezoning decisions. We are supposed to refer back to this plan,” Hunter Kelly said. “We refer to the plan because it’s the people’s plan. It’s based on how they want the community to look.”
The City of Rincon’s vision includes the development of a downtown area.
“What we’ve looked at has worked well for other communities — that is working on a new town center and creating that Main Street,” Hunter Kelly said. “It’s going to be hard and it will take some time, some planning, finding the right piece of property and getting the resources to fund it.”
