Words and Images by Jenny Lynn Davis
In a community meeting held at Cordova City Hall on January 22, the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) presented the draft of the new Comprehensive Plan for the City of Cordova. This plan outlines RPCGB’s suggestions for boosting economic development in the city.
The RPCGB team presented an overview of the plan’s crucial elements and recommendations during the meeting. Approximately 90 recommendations span diverse areas such as future land use, mobility, infrastructure, code enforcement and reform, livability, public services, parks, green systems, and catalytic projects. The goal of the meeting was to gather residents’ priority recommendations for implementation and to solicit public input on potential changes to the Draft Plan.
Lindsay Puckett, RPCGB Principal Planner, emphasized that Cordova’s last comprehensive plan was adopted in 2005, and that a new one is necessary because a comprehensive plan is a city’s roadmap for the future, serving as a policy document reflecting community values. Despite its adoption not being legally binding, the plan guides future land use decisions, capital investments, and public policies based on citizen values.
“Developing the plan for Cordova has been a four-phase approach beginning in September 2022. This meeting and subsequent 21-day comment period are the third phase, and phase four will be when the planning commission, in accordance with Alabama law, adopts the plan and implements the recommendations over the next approximately 5 to 10 years,” Puckett said.
As Cordova positions itself for future growth, community engagement remains a cornerstone in shaping the city’s trajectory through the implementation of this comprehensive plan. For those who could not attend the meeting, the Draft Plan is now accessible for download, review, and comment until Tuesday, February 13. Following the public review period, RPCGB will incorporate any necessary changes and present the final version to the Cordova Planning Commission for adoption.
Click here to review and comment on the Draft Comprehensive Plan.
