Comprehensive Plan Community Vision Survey

The responses from visioning activities held with the Focus Fulton Steering Committee, North Fulton, Sandy Springs, South Fulton, and Southwest Fulton residents, the Fulton County Citizens Commission on the Environment, and the Focus Fulton staff are listed in the tables below. The information is presented in the way that each group expressed their ideas, concerns, and priorities. No analysis has been performed or implied by the publishing of these tables. The tables are grouped by planning elements of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan. The responses for these groups are color coded as follows:

Focus Fulton Steering Committee: Orange
North Fulton Community meeting: Brown
South Fulton Community meeting: Green
Southwest Fulton Community meeting: Blue
Fulton County Citizens Commission on the Environment: Purple
Focus Fulton Staff: Yellow

This section contains a list of tables presented in this document. You may point to the name of the table you are interested in with your mouse, click on that name, and you will be taken directly to that part of the document. Alternatively, you can simply scroll through the document as you desire.

The following are the results of the surveys conducted, listed in table format. The tables are presented by planning element number in ascending order.

I. Population / Demographics
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
1	Diverse population	8
9	Diversity of city and county	0
3	Educational attainment	1
3	High average income and high average education	1
4	Wide range of people and places	0
4	General diversity	0
2	Diverse demographics	3
2	Diversity of people	1
4	People	1
5	Lifestyle	1
5	Income diversity	0
5	Diverse people	0
5	Disposable income	0
3	Socio-economic diversity	1
1	Community diversity	5
6	Socio-economic diversity	0
1	Cultural diversity	5
	Weaknesses/Challenges
4	Lack of demographic variation	0
2	Distribution of wealth	2
2	Population forecasts too low	0
2	Lack of acceptance of differences between people	3
	20 Year Vision
4	South Fulton will have a larger population than North Fulton	3
4	Increased diversity	3
5	Preservation of general diversity	0

II. Economic Development
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
1	Fortune 500 companies in Fulton; leadership from these companies	8
2	Hub for economic development	7
6	Homegrown businesses which are fifty years and older	2
9	International exposure	0
9	Funds available for economic development / access to capital	0
1	Fulton County's economic engine	6
1	High employment	5
3	Base level of goods and services	1
4	Availability of jobs	0
0	Diverse economy and population	0
0	Wealthiest county in the state	0
3	Economic resources	2
5	Rich County / economic diversity	0
3	Diversified economy	0
3	Overall employment opportunities	0
3	Reasonable cost of living	0
3	Real estate values	3
	Weaknesses/Challenges
5	Employment	1
5	Growth	1
6	Shannon Mall	0
2	Not enough businesses - employment opportunities	0
5	Lack of awareness that we're a major tax base	1
6	County is big - economic differences	0
	20 Year Vision
6	Collaboration to create Research Triangle Park type growth	1
7	Fulton Industrial District will emerge	0
1	Viable economic development	4
5	Government services that promote entreprenurial growth	0
5	Reduce out-commuting of income	0
1	Big growth in real estate; residential	3
3	South Fulton will be affluent and the most desirable place to live	1

III. Housing
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
4	Affordable and accessible residential housing	4
5	Booming rooftop (increase in construction activity)	1
4	Styles of homes	1
	Weaknesses/Challenges
5	Poor jobs/housing balance and mobility issues	3
5	Limited affordable housing	3
6	Punitive development fee structure for utilities	2
3	Too many multifamily developments	1
3	Affordable housing	3
4	Quality of home construction	2
3	Lack of housing price diversity	1
4	Multifamily housing	0
	20 Year Vision
5	Housing / employment balance	0
6	More urban, dense housing	0
2	Jobs / housing balance: better and more housing choices	4
5	Affordable	0
3	National model of redeveloping public housing (Hope VI)	1

IV. Natural and Cultural Resources
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
1	Different and diverse geography/environment	8
3	Existing trees, foliage, greenspace, and landscape	5
6	Land mass - physically large county	2
8	Chattahoochee River	1
9	Historic places / rich history	0
1	The natural environment of the county	6
2	Diversity of land forms	3
3	Existing tree canopy	1
3	Diversity of topography/ geography	1
4	Historic resources	0
4	Greenspace	0
4	Moderate climate	0
1	Greenspace	6
1	Beautiful land in South Fulton	3
3	Wildlife	2
4	Trees	1
4	Lakes and streams	1
3	Natural resources	0
3	Abundance of trees	0
3	Clean air	0
2	Natural landscape	4
5	Beautiful but underappreciated historic resouces	1
1	Greenspace	5
	Weaknesses/Challenges
6	Inadequate open space/green space	2
8	Chattahoochee River pollution	0
8	Air quality, water quality, and tree loss	0
8	Enforcement of Tree Ordinance	0
8	Diminishing quality of life (natural beauty)	0
3	Lack of public greenspace / diminishing greenspace in N. Fulton	3
4	Lack of environmental code enforcement	2
5	County is physically too large of a geographic area	1
5	Loss of tree canopy, habitat, and species	1
3	Maintaining greenspace	1
4	Fulton County's elongated geographic shape	0
4	Stream protection	0
	20 Year Vision
5	South Fulton preserved as much green space as possible	2
2	Preservation of rural areas, preservation of greenspace and parks	6
4	More protected, meaningful greenspace (buildable land protected)	1
1	Developers preserve natural beauty	2

V. Community Facilities and Services - General
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
9	Good infrastructure	0
2	No stormwater management problems in South Fulton	1
4	Land and infrastructure	1
5	Educational facilities	0
6	Transportation, arts, schools, and health facilities	0
6	Regional recreation destination	0
	Weaknesses/Challenges
2	Infrastructure - concern about ability to meet demands of growth	8
4	Carrying burden of regional issues and services	4
1	Poor infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, etc)	5
1	Overstressed infrastructure	3
6	Lack of impact fees (for roads, schools, etc)	0
2	No impact fees	5
4	Infrastructure	2
1	Lack of coordination between services and infrastructure	1
6	Storm water / pollution	0
6	Tax burden	0
1	Quality of life: air, water, and sewer quality deficiencies	7
2	Disparity in educational facilities and resources	4
3	Access to Chattahoochee River for recreation	3
4	Water and sewer rate differences	2
4	Attention to infrastructure capacity	2
5	Equal access to public services	1
6	Crime and safety	0
6	Services to a transient population	0
	20 Year Vision
3	Face economic realities - defray cost through population growth	2
3	Developers pay fully funded impact fees for infrastructure	2
4	Catch up with infrastructure	1
5	Preservation of community and public facilities	0
3	Infrastructure balanced with growth	2
1	Better educational facilities: equalize North and South Fulton	3
3	Eliminate disparity between north and south community services and housing	1
3	Stronger county	1
4	One unified community: service delivery	0

V. Community Facilities & Services - Water Supply and Treatment
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
2	Water supply	2
	Weaknesses/Challenges
6	Limited water availability	2
2	Diminishing water supply	2
2	Water dependency in South Fulton	0
	20 Year Vision
3	Resolution of water problem	2

V. Community Facilities & Services - Sewer System and Wastewater Treatment
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
2	Geographic limits of sewer system in North Fulton	2
	Weaknesses/Challenges
6	Wastewater treatment and solid waste services	2
6	Water reuse plan	2
	20 Year Vision
5	Non-sewered areas remain intact	0

V. Community Facilities & Services - Solid Waste Management
Rank	20 Year Vision	Number of Votes
3	Clean communities - No trash and illegal dumping	0

V. Community Facilities & Services - General Government
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
9	Access to government and meaningful public participation	0
2	Strength and competency of county staff	3
4	Lower tax base	0
4	Tax reducing policies and incentives	0
1	Employees of Fulton County	5
3	Employment opportunities in Fulton County	3
5	Public service commitment	1
	Weaknesses/Challenges
3	Dysfunctional government structure	5
6	Poor Public Works customer service	2
6	Perceived differences between North and South Fulton	2
6	Keeping up with growth and service delivery countywide	2
7	Consistent service delivery countywide	1
8	Public perception of poor management; manage image better	0
8	Balance of tax revenue and service delivery	0
3	Challenge of managing change with limited resources	1
6	Lack of accountability	0
6	Access to decision makers	0
2	Taxation versus services	2
2	Government inefficiency	0
1	Political climate	4
4	Responsiveness of government	0
3	Lack of coordination within the County's bureacracy	2
5	County staff not responsive to new ideas	1
	20 Year Vision
3	Services will be consolidated	6
4	District lines will disappear	3
6	Growth in regional government; reduction in county government	1
7	County government diminished with consolidation of services	0
3	All commissioners at-large	2
4	Listen to the voice of planning instead of political voices	1
5	Be a model for the metropolitan Atlanta area	0
5	Continue to be responsive to all citizens	0
2	Consolidation of Board of Commissioners and Board of Education	3
5	Re-circulate county funds	0

V. Community Facilities & Services - Public Safety
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
4	Good emergency services	4
3	Good police protection	0
3	Safe communities	0
	Weaknesses/Challenges
3	Too few police and fire personnel	3
2	Safety	0
	20 Year Vision
7	Consolidated city and county jails	0
2	Safe, stable communities	1

V. Community Facilities & Services - Recreation Facilities
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
8	Good parks and recreation facilities	1
4	Recreation amenities and facilities	0
4	Extra-curricular activities for school age children	0
3	Great parks in South Fulton	0
	Weaknesses/Challenges
8	Ability to meet recreational needs	0
3	Challenge of increasing park space	1
4	Bike trails, recreation services, walking trails, and sidewalks	0
	20 Year Vision
3	Recreation facilities, sidewalks, and paths	2
4	Improved preservation	0
4	Improved stream restoration	0
5	Greenway along the Chattahoochee River	1

V. Community Facilities & Services - Hospitals and Health Care
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
8	Access to senior facilities	1
8	Established social services, accessibility, and safety net	1
9	Good health facilities	0
3	Senior programs and facilities	1
	20 Year Vision
3	Improve services for the elderly	2

V. Community Facilities & Services - Educational Facilities
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
3	Outstanding higher education	5
8	Strong schools with some gaps	1
1	Good schools	5
4	Schools	0
4	Schools strong because of public involvement	0
5	Colleges and universities	1
	Weaknesses/Challenges
1	Achievement gap (north / south); drop out rate; not enough schools in South Fulton	13
7	Insufficient number of schools in South Fulton	1
8	No high technology educational centers in South Fulton	0
6	Deficient school construction planning	0
1	Schools	9
1	South Fulton schools	1
1	More accountability for school board in South Fulton	1
2	Poor quality of education	0
2	School construction is slow to respond to new development	0
5	Disparity in the educational system between North and South Fulton	1
	20 Year Vision
1	Excellent schools in both parts of the County	2
5	Cooperation with public schools and universities	1

V. Community Facilities & Services - Libraries and Cultural Facilities
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
6	Cultural environment and enrichment	2
9	Great entertainment: professional sports and nonprofits	0
	20 Year Vision
5	State-of-the-art cultural arts and entertainment for all ages	1

VI. Land Use
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
3	Potential for growth (amount of undeveloped land)	5
8	Urban and rural areas	1
3	Demonstrated implementation of innovative planning methods	1
4	Land planning exists	0
4	Urban life exists	0
3	Plenty of land	2
4	Land availability	1
5	Rural and urban	0
3	Urban and rural character	1
2	Diversity of industry, working, and living environment	4
	Weaknesses/Challenges
2	Sprawling development, unplanned growth, and long commute times	8
4	Disagreement between developers and community residents	4
6	Lack of proactive incentives for developers to do the right thing	2
6	Lack of sustainable growth plan	2
6	Different viewpoints between residents: property as a finacial asset to sell versus a place to live	2
7	Segregated communities by income (exclusive and poverty)	1
1	Not producing a clear plan and sticking to it	3
1	Allowing micromanaged development without planning for the big picture	3
4	Sprawl (overdevelopment and lack of monitoring)	2
2	Balancing the rights of developers with rights of citizens	2
4	Balance of urban and rural environments	0
2	Insufficient number of retail establishments in South Fulton	2
2	Unbridled growth	2
5	Managing development	1
1	Deficient coordination in planning development	1
1	Runaway development	1
6	Proper land use	0
6	Integration of development	0
6	Developer, builder, and community involvement	0
3	Sprawling development pattern	1
1	Lack of acceptance of different types of development patterns	9
5	Farmland preservation	1
6	Divide between business and homeowner communities; residents are left out of development decisions	0
	20 Year Vision
2	More brown field and infill development	9
3	South Fulton will be planned carefully, avoid problems of North Fulton, have easy access to resources	6
4	Growth will be decentralized and more vertical	4
6	County will proactively plan resulting in community pride	2
6	Shift in development areas and issues	1
1	Managed, sustainable growth, including appropriate areas for high and low density	6
3	Subdividing the county into smaller planning areas (more than four planning areas)	2
4	Planned density defined	1
4	Preserve agricultural land and zoning district	1
4	Maintain large lot homes (estate zoning)	1
4	More community based planning projects such as LCI projects	1
5	Mathematic equation for sustainable growth (growth limits)	0
5	Slow growth	0
5	Generally adopted plan	0
0	Denser developments	0
0	Dying city center with rich suburbs	0
1	Maintain the rural / urban character	6
2	Denser development along the parkway	4
2	Balancing school growth with development	3
2	Smart growth zones	3
4	Managed growth along South Fulton Parkway	2
5	Overbuilding	1
5	Preserve greenspace and the rural character	1
5	Be more like Peachtree City with low, short signs	1
5	Without change, will be like City of Atlanta	1
2	More redevelopment and infill	1
3	South Fulton developed with vision not developer driven or piecemeal	0
1	More smart growth	4
3	Visible smart growth in the region	1
4	Growth boundaries	0
1	Well planned	5
4	Rebirth of older commercial strips that includes residential areas	2
4	Unique communities and cities	2
5	World class design in architecture and landscape	1
2	Highly developed like North Fulton	2
2	Development in West End and Northwest Fulton	2
3	Model of innovation, compatible uses, and live, work, and play policies that work for people	1

VIII. Transportation
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
5	Present access to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport	3
5	Existing transit system	3
9	Transportation infrastructure	0
4	Transportation: base infrastructure (MARTA - HOV lanes)	0
1	Accessibility (downtown Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, etc)	6
2	South Fulton's proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport	1
3	Close proximity to transportation arteries	0
3	Good traffic flow in South Fulton	0
3	Good access to MARTA	0
3	South Fulton's proximity to Atlanta	0
	Weaknesses/Challenges
3	Inadequate transportation resources	5
5	Traffic congestion and air quality	3
6	Poor connectivity (sidewalks and communities)	2
8	Inadequate street linkage	0
1	Traffic congestion	3
4	Inadequate public transportation, not pedestrian friendly, regional system needed	2
4	Poor coordination between land use and transportation	2
5	High commuter traffic	1
5	Pedestrian access to schools	1
5	Lack of pedestrian network	1
0	Lack of transportation options	0
1	Roads	9
3	Mass transit	1
6	Insufficient number of sidewalks	0
6	Insufficient lighting	0
2	Poor pedestrian facilities and access	0
4	Traffic	0
4	Transit system	0
5	Fear of mass transit - social status	1
5	Deficient transportation network and lack of choices	1
5	Traffic	1
2	Deficient number of sidewalks	4
3	Disparity in repairing bridges and infrastructure	3
4	Roads	2
6	Deficient signalization	0
	20 Year Vision
1	Regional transportation system	16

VII. Intergovernmental Coordination
Rank	Weaknesses / Challenges	Number of Votes
4	Jurisdictional warfare (city versus county)	4
5	No interaction with other governments on code enforcement	3
7	Intergovernmental coordination	1
2	Lack of intergovernmental coordination	4
4	Political infighting (Local, state, and region)	2
2	Lack of intergovernmental cooperation	2
6	Influence exhibited by Atlanta Regional Commission	0
2	Political structure between county and municipalities	2
3	Lack of regional cooperation	2
4	Poor coordination of services between City of Atlanta and Fulton County	2
5	Updating utility lines and poles	1
Rank	20 Year Vision	Number of Votes
4	Improved intergovernmental relations, particularly with City of Atlanta	4
5	County leadership could maintain influence in the region if plan is done well	3
6	No unincorporated areas north of the Chattahoochee River	1
6	No Unincorporated areas north of the City of Atlanta	1
3	Consolidated governments	2
6	Only unincorporated area in Fulton County	0
3	Consolidation of services	1
4	Less unincorporated areas	2
2	Two counties	2

Other
Rank	Strengths	Number of Votes
4	Good core communities	4
5	Central location in state and region	3
6	High quality of life	2
9	Highly educated and informed public	0
3	Diversity, quality of life, and lifestyles including low density areas	1
4	Strong community groups	0
2	Proximity to central services (Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, downtown, etc)	3
3	Potential	2
3	Strong homeowner associations	0
1	Quality of life	3
2	Community involvement and participation	2
5	Community leadership	1
5	Good downtown (Atlanta), central area	1
6	Strong city core	0
4	Opportunity	2
6	Quality of life	0
	Weaknesses / Challenges
4	NIMBYism - Not In My Back Yard attitude	2
1	Need better communication and education for communities	1
4	No cooperation with community	0
2	Lack of community empowerment	0
2	Citizens have a narrow focus	3
3	Repeating our mistakes	3
5	Notification process concerning public meetings	1
	20 Year Vision
6	Model for the Southeast	0