Bryan County and Municipalities
Coastal Incentive Grants:
The following projects were either submitted directly by one of the Bryan County local governments or by one of the local government agencies that provides services to Bryan County and its municipalities.
Bryan County Hurricane Storm Surge Inundation Maps; submitted by the Bryan County Board of Commissioners and funded in October 1998. GA DNR CRD provided $25,000 for the development of updated Hurricane Storm Surge Inundation (i.e.SLOSH) Maps for use by local officials for evacuation decision making and public education, in hardcopy as well as GIS map layers.
Richmond Hill Wetlands Education Center; submitted by the City of Richmond Hill and funded in October 2001. GA DNR CRD provided $25,000 to construct an 18 X 40 education center and restrooms at the beginning of a 3.5 mile nature trail berm located in the city-owned J.F. Gregory Park.
Richmond Hill Wetlands Boardwalk; submitted by the City of Richmond Hill and funded in October 2001. GA DNR CRD provided $25,000 to construct a wetlands boardwalk in the city-owned J.F. Gregory Park. The boardwalk extends approximately 600 feet from a walking trail to the Ogeechee River.
Conservation Education Program; submitted by the Coastal Soil and Water Conservation District and funded for 5 years from April 1998 - September 2003. GA DNR CRD has provided $69,448 through which a number of Best Management Practice workshops for landowners, local government staff and students in the Coastal SWCD service area. Workshops have focused on: Erosion & Sediment Control for construction sites (scholarships were provided for local government staff to attend), Conservation Tillage (No-Till Drill) Demonstrations and Litter Spreader Demonstrations for agricultural interests, and Forestry Best Management Practices. The award provided various conservation brochures and materials for distribution in the service area.
Regional Circuit Rider Planner for Respective Local Governments in Coastal Georgia; submitted by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center and funded from April 1998 - September 2001. GA DNR CRD provided $50,000 to fund a regional environmental planner to provide technical planning and GIS assistance to local governments and agencies to better enable them to meet the Part V Environmental Standards of the 1989 Georgia Planning Act.
The Coastal Georgia Game (Travel Activity Booklet); submitted by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center for funding in October 1999. GA DNR CRD provided a $14,748 grant for the development and publication of The Coastal Georgia Game booklet that was available for tourist along the I-95 corridor in the Georgia Welcome Centers. The game was developed to increase awareness of Coastal Georgia's natural and historic resources, and to promote ecological and heritage based tourism in the region.
Stormwater Management Regulations Project; submitted by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center for funding in October 2001. GA DNR CRD provided $20,000 to provide assistance to Phase II communities in establishing qualifying stormwater management programs through development of model stormwater management regulations and standard development review procedures; training for local administrative staff, private sector engineers, and developers in new regulations and procedures; and training for local elected officials and the general public.
Coastal Erosion and Sediment Control Inspector; submitted by the Coastal Soil and Water Conservation District and funded in October 2001 ($39,237) and October 2002 ($40,335). GA DNR CRD provided over two years of funding ($79,572) for a regional Erosion and Sedimentation Act inspector to work with local governments and contractors in the coastal region.
Technical Assistance to Bryan County and Municipalities:
The technical assistant for Bryan County is Jill Huntington, whose activities within the county have included:
• Assisting Bryan County with its Community Greenspace Program revised application and has provided GIS-based maps and information on conservation easements, conservation planning, and farmland protection.
• Demonstrating GIS technology aboard the Coastal Ark for the Bryan County Planning Commission.
• Hosting two Coastal Greenspace Program Managers Workshops, both attended by Bryan County and City of Pembroke staff.
• Attending County Commission and City Council meetings where natural resource or Coastal Incentive Grant issues were scheduled for discussion, and making presentations before the Commission regarding such issues as Greenspace and natural resource protection.
• Assisting the City of Pembroke in developing a city park. Using GIS technology, CMP staff developed a concept for the park to best highlight its natural resources and presented the concept to the City Council. The Council voted to accept the concept and staff continues to assist the City procure funds for nature trails, wetlands restoration, and educational signage.
• Working with the City of Richmond Hill and University of Georgia Marine Extension Service/Coastal Georgia NEMO (Non-Point Education for Municipal Officials) to address stormwater drainage/water quality issues in Sterling Creek.
• Working with local developers to enhance public access (passive) to natural resources in south Bryan County.
• Working with the Coastal Georgia NEMO Program and Bryan County planning staff to encourage the development of conservation subdivisions in environmentally sensitive areas.
• Hosting a training session at the 2002 ACCG annual conference for coastal county commissioners. Several Bryan County commissioners attended the session that included a GIS/Coastal Ark demonstration, a discussion of technical assistance and Coastal Incentive Grants, and a water quality monitoring demonstration.
• Collaborating with the Coastal Georgia NEMO Program and the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center to implement the Lower Ogeechee River Watershed Initiative. This Initiative is working with communities along the Lower Ogeechee River (Effingham, Bryan, and Chatham counties) to provide technical assistance and resources for open space and conservation planning.
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